Innovate, experiment, and cross creative boundaries. PNCA's creative writing degree offers a unique opportunity to explore the written word's relationship to contemporary art.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Major, Minor
121
4 Years
PNCA Campus
Creative Writing students can exhibit in galleries, create content, and prepare for a career after graduation. Peers, mentors, and faculty will support students during projects and especially during Thesis Year. View student projects to get a better understanding of what our students are creating.
Creative writing students prepare for a variety of careers through special programs that allow them to learn from professional writers, editors, publishers, and more. They also have opportunities to publish their work and gain readers.
Poems and sculptures
Matthew Layng is a poet and sculptor. After spending time abroad honing his creative skills, he returned to Oregon where he is the director of The Orchards, a sculpture park and exhibition space. His work has been exhibited at Cranbrook.
Find published writers, poets, and graphic novelists within our esteemed faculty. PNCA also celebrates the art community by bringing writers to campus for lectures, workshops, and small group conversations. Connect with artists one-on-one for deeper insights.
Kristin P Bradshaw, PNCA's Associate Professor and Chair of BFA Creative Writing, explores poetic expression through various mediums. With degrees from Yale University, Brown University, and Converse College, her students are encouraged to explore writing through investigation and observation.
Jason McNamara, part-time PNCA Faculty in Creative Writing and a BFA Thesis Mentor, is a Portland based graphic novel author and educator. His most recent graphic novel, Past Tense, was released by Dark Horse Comics.
Martin L French is an award-winning illustrator, designer, and educator who has worked with prominent clients like Apple, Nike, and the New York Times. Since 2006, he has been an integral part of PNCA, educating students in a variety of media including Creative Writing.
PNCA's BFA in Creative Writing program offers a wide range of courses across multiple disciplines. Develop a strong voice, remain curious, and strengthen your skills with collaborative and independent work. We support both experimental writing practices and contemporary forms of fiction, poetry, and script writing.
Dive into the art of crafting powerful, bite-sized stories. Explore everything from flash fiction to social media storytelling, while creating your own original works, engaging in lively discussions, and giving and receiving feedback in a supportive, creative environment.
Work towards creating a complete and cohesive script ready for a stage production, television pilot, film, or graphic novel. Students will practice scriptwriting basics, develop a viable creative idea, and create a detailed outline. The course structure blends lectures with peer critiques in a workshop environment.
Our Creative Writing major requires 121 credits to complete the degree. This includes: 76 in studio, 30 in Liberal Arts and Sciences, and 15 in Art History. Students must take four core creative writing courses and complete work in Graphic Design. They can also take adjacent classes in Illustration, Printmaking, or Animated Arts. A minimum two-year residency at the College is required.
Our Creative Writing program is open to first-year students, transfer students, and international students. Learn more about PNCA’s undergraduate admissions process to get started.
Most students receive financial aid, ranging from scholarship opportunities to federal work study and need-based grants and loans. PNCA also considers creative writing students for full-tuition scholarships. PNCA is committed to a better future by providing fair and equitable admission processes. The BFA program automatically considers all students applying for merit-based scholarships. We offer additional scholarships, some of which include separate applications.
Willamette University