Creative Writing

The Academic Minor in Creative Writing offers an opportunity for self-examination, craft-focused study in a variety of writing genres to sharpen critical writing, reading, and problem-solving skills and pursue creative work within the larger context of academic study. This academic minor encourages exploration of a variety of approaches to writing, literary, and scholarly conversations in workshop and classroom settings. The 12-credit curriculum includes a foundational course in creative writing (ENG 1141), two genre-designated courses in creative writing (poetry, fiction, or screenwriting) and one additional course in creative writing or a select literature course from the English Department.

Learning Outcomes

The objectives of the Minor in Creative Writing are to prepare students to:

 Develop habits of critical inquiry

• Develop a critical vocabulary to discuss and critique creative work by professional and student writers and distinguish the conscious choices creative writers make

• Implement critical thinking skills by identifying fundamental elements of creative writing genres, learning integrate how these elements might be used to create meaning in original work

• Identify, evaluate, and effectively respond to ethical issues in the capacity of a creative writer

Learn and practice writing craft and revision

• Develop, cultivate, and gain confidence in their unique writing voices

• Make informed structural and stylistic choices in their writing to achieve the desired effect and impact of the work

• Inhabit and write from perspectives like and unlike their own

• Conduct online, archival and primary research to mine material for creative work

Cultivate awareness of audience, professionalism, and literary citizenship

• Develop an awareness of audience by presenting work in a public context, such as the workshop format and in-class readings

• Learn to critically evaluate evidence and the perspectives of others and demonstrate capacity for collaborating with others

• Create individual works or a portfolio that represents their best writing and creative work and prepare for potential graduate study or other professional contexts

Graduation Requirement

All courses in this minor must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

Advisement Information

Students enrolled in the minor will be advised by the Creative Writing Minor co-coordinators in conjunction with their advisor in their academic major.

If you’re interested in declaring and earning an academic minor in Creative Writing, please consult the Academic Minors page for more information about minors and to download the appropriate forms. The coordinators for this academic minor are Jennifer Sears-Pigliucci (jsears@citytech.cuny.edu) and Robert Ostrom (rostrom@citytech.cuny.edu).

Students interested in completing a minor in Creative Writing are encouraged to seek advisement and declare the minor as early in their academic career as possible to ensure all credits are completed within their 120 credits for their academic major.