The Minor in Creative Writing

Overview

The minor in Creative Writing is offered by the Department of English and available to all undergraduate students, including English majors. If you wish to declare a minor in Creative Writing, you must make an appointment to meet with the staff advisor, Laura E. Donaldson. For more information, visit our Creative Writing web page.

Double Counting

Students who have a minor in English as well as a primary and/or an additional major in English may not double count any English courses with that minor. Otherwise, up to two courses from the minor may double count with programs outside of the English Department. Courses that meet the various requirements are advertised on a semester-by-semester basis. Full descriptions are available each semester on the Department's Courses web page. 

Transfer Courses

Students may transfer in a maximum of one advisor-approved course from an institution outside of Carnegie Mellon University, with the exception of 76-2xx Introductory Genre Writing Course, to count toward a minor.

Courses that meet the various requirements are advertised on a semester-by-semester basis. Full descriptions are available each semester on the Department's Courses web page.

Curriculum

Complete 6 courses and a minimum of 54 units, which includes First-Year Writing. Please note that the curriculum is currently under review and is likely to include a third workshop requirement in the future.

Required Prerequisite: First-Year Writing9 units

One of the full-semester courses:
76-101	Interpretation and Argument	9
or 76-102	Advanced First Year Writing: Special Topics
OR
Any two of the following mini courses:
76-106	Writing about Literature, Art and Culture	4.5
76-107	Writing about Data	4.5
76-108	Writing about Public Problems	4.5

Introductory Genre Writing Course (1 course)9 units

76-212	Introduction to TV Writing	9
76-260	Introduction to Writing Fiction	9
76-261	Intro to Writing Creative Nonfiction	9
76-265	Introduction to Writing Poetry	9
76-269	Introduction to Screenwriting	9

Reading in Forms Course (1 course)9 units

76-362	Reading in Forms: Nonfiction	9
76-363	Reading in Forms: Poetry	9
76-364	Reading in Forms: Fiction	9

Two workshops (2 courses)18 units

Students must complete two nine-unit workshops.

Students must complete the applicable Introductory Genre Writing course and earn an A or B in order to be able to take the beginning or a non-advanced version of the workshop in that same genre. 

• To take 76-320 The Writer's Room: TV Writing, you must earn an A or B in 76-212 Introduction to TV Writing or 76-269 Introduction to Screenwriting.
• To take 76-365 Poetry Workshop, you must earn an A or B in 76-265 Introduction to Writing Poetry.
• To take 76-460 Beginning Fiction Workshop, you must earn an A or B in 76-260 Introduction to Writing Fiction.
• To take 76-464 Creative Nonfiction Workshop, you must earn an A or B in 76-260 Introduction to Writing Fiction or 76-261 Intro to Writing Creative Nonfiction or 76-265 Introduction to Writing Poetry.
• To take 76-469 Screenwriting Workshop, you must earn an A or B in 76-269 Introduction to Screenwriting.

If students wish to take the advanced version of a workshop, they must earn an A or B in the beginning version of the workshop in that same genre.

• To take 76-462 Advanced Fiction Workshop, you need to earn an A or B in 76-460 Beginning Fiction Workshop.
• To take 76-465 Advanced Poetry Workshop, you need to earn an A or B in 76-365 Poetry Workshop.

Creative Writing Workshops
76-320	The Writer's Room: TV Writing	9
76-365	Poetry Workshop	9
76-460	Beginning Fiction Workshop	9
76-462	Advanced Fiction Workshop	9
76-464	Creative Nonfiction Workshop	9
76-465	Advanced Poetry Workshop	9
76-469	Screenwriting Workshop	9

200-level or above English Elective (1 course)9 units

Students may choose any 76-2xx through 76-4xx nine-unit course from our course descriptions to fulfill this requirement, provided it has not already been used to fulfill a requirement above.