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The information here may reflect program requirements for future academic years. If you are a current student and would like to see the current or prior years’ requirements for this program, please see the University Catalog.



The Creative Writing major requires the completion of 60 semester hours, which includes seven three-credit required courses, one three-credit Art History course, seven three-credit elective courses chosen from selected menus of courses, three three-credit studio elective courses, and six credits of Thesis Project. This 60-credit major contributes to the 121 credits required for the BFA degree.

In addition to the program requirements listed below, all BFA students must complete Foundation & General Education requirements that contribute to the 121 credits required for the BFA degree.

Program Curriculum

Required Program Courses

  • CW221 Intro to Short Forms

  • CW223 Poetry on and Off the Page

  • CW224 Scripting Comics/Games/Stories

  • GD245 Typography 1

  • IM201 Theory & Practice

  • IM301 Theory & Practice (Image Text Media Recommended)

  • IS200 Interdisciplinary Seminar

Art History

  • Complete 1 course from the following courses:

    • IS213 History of Design Arts

    • IS214 History of Printed Matter

    • IS215 History of Object, Space, and Time

    • IS216 History of Film & Video

    • IS217 History of Photography

    • IS218 History of Painting and Drawing

    • IS219 History of Animation

    • IS233 History of Studio Arts

Program Electives

  • Complete 1 course from the following courses:

    • GD247 Production

    • GD251 Fundamentals Interactive Media

  • Complete 2 courses from the following courses:

    • CW323 Poetry Intensive

    • CW324 Scripting Intensive

    • CW320 Creative Writing Special Topics

    • ND301 Internship in Creative Writing

  • Complete 1 additional course from the following courses:

  • Complete 1 additional course from the following courses:

    • GD251 Fundamentals Interactive Media

    • PR286 Letterpress + Book

    • IL264 Character Design

    • PH211 Fundamentals, Cinematography

    • PR370 PrintstallationAA212

    • IL252 Visual Techniques

    • Editing & Sound Design

  • Complete 1 additional course from the following courses:

  • Complete 3 additional credits from the following courses:

    • PR411 Advanced Artist Publications

    • 400-level studio course from any of the following subjects: Animated Arts (AA), Creative Writing (CW), Drawing (DR), Graphic Design (GD), Illustration (IL), Intermedia (IM), Painting (PA), Painting and Drawing (PADR), Photography (PH), Printmaking (PR), or Sculpture (SC).

  • Complete 9 additional credits from any of the following subjects:

    • Animated Arts (AA), Creative Writing (CW), Drawing (DR), Graphic Design (GD), Illustration (IL), Intermedia (IM), Painting (PA), Painting and Drawing (PADR), Photography (PH), Printmaking (PR), or Sculpture (SC).

Applied Creative Practice


The Creative Writing minor requires the completion of 15 semester hours, which includes three three-credit required courses and six additional credits from a selected menu of courses. Taken together with a major, this minor contributes to the 121 credits required for the BFA degree.

Program Curriculum

Required Courses

  • CW221 Introduction to Short Forms

  • CW223 Poetry On and Off the Page

  • CW224 Scripting (rotating subtopics include “Podcasting”, “Screenwriting”, “Comics/Graphic Novels”)

Program Electives

  • Complete 2 additional courses from the following courses:

    • CW221 Introduction to Short Forms

    • CW223 Poetry On and Off the Page

    • CW224 Scripting (rotating subtopics include “Podcasting”, “Screenwriting”, “Comics/Graphic Novels”)

    • CW225 Writing with Digital Media

    • CW320 Special Topics

    • CW323 Advanced Poetry On and Off the Page

    • CW324 Scripting Intensive (rotating subtopics include “Podcasting”, “Screenwriting”, “Comics/Graphic Novels”)

    • CW325 Fiction Intensive

    • GD245 Typography 1

    • IL251 Word & Image

    • IM301 Theory and Practice

    • PR286 Letterpress & Book

    • SA350/450* Advanced Writing Studio (January Winter Residency/Intensive‐ during with the MFA Creative Writing Low Residency Program)

Course Outline

We explore the use of language as a visual medium and incorporate writing into our visual work. We support both experimental writing practices and those focused on contemporary forms of fiction, poetry, and script writing.

ID Course Title Course Req
Integrated Studies (9 cr. required)
IS101 Core Seminar 1 3
IS102 Core Seminar 2 3
IS106 Place-Based Inquiry 3
Applied Creative Practice (3 cr. required)
ACP100 Introduction to Creative Citizenship 3
First-Year Seminar (1 cr. required)
FD100 **First Year Seminar 1
Studio Courses (3 cr. required)
Studio Elective 3
Foundation Studio (15 cr. required)
FD101  Visual Elements: 2D 3
FD102  Visual Elements: Digital Tools 3
FD105  Drawing 1 3
FD111  3D Design 3
FD112  Time Arts 3
TOTAL 31
At the completion of First Year: 31 cr. earned to date 31

**FD100 First Year Seminar is required of all first-years with fewer than 30 transfer credits.

ID Course Title Course Req
Art History (3 cr. required)
IS 200-level "History of" course 3
Integrated Studies (6 cr. required)
IS220Q Interdisciplinary Seminar (Q) 3
IS200 Interdisciplinary Seminar 3
Applied Creative Practice (3 cr. required)
ACP200 Creative Project Management 3
Studio Courses (18 cr. required)
CW221  Intro to Short Forms 3
CW223  Poetry on and Off the Page 3
CW224  Scripting Comics/Games/Stories 3
GD245  Typography I 3
IM201  Theory & Practice 3
CW Adjacent from menu 200-level CW adjacent course from menu: PR286 Letterpress + Book, IL251 Word & Image, IL264 Character Design, VID211 Fundamentals of Cinematography. 3
TOTAL 30
At the completion of Second Year: 61 cr. earned to date 61
ID Course Title Course Req
Integrated Studies (6 cr. required)
IS220Q Interdisciplinary Seminar (Q) 3
IS200 Interdisciplinary Seminar
Applied Creative Practice (6 cr. required)
ACP300 Creative Entrepreneurship and Career Readiness 3
ACP301 or ACP302 Applied Learning Internship or Applied Learning Elective 3
Studio Courses (18 required cr.)
GD-247 or GD-251 Production or Fundamentals Interactive Media 3
300-level Writing course (see 300 level below) 3
300-level Writing course (see 300 level below) 3
300-level: CW323 Poetry Intensive, CW324 Scripting Intensive, CW320 Creative Writing Special Topics (TBD), ND301 Internship in Creative Writing
IM301 Theory & Practice (Image Text Media Recommended) 3
Additional CW Adjacent from menu Menu of CW adjacent courses: GD251 Fundamentals Interactive Design, PR286 Letterpress + Book, PR370 Printstallation, IL-252 Visual Techniques (if prereq taken); IL264 Character Design, PH211 Fundamentals of Cinematography, AA212 Fundamentals of Sound Design. 3
Studio elective 3
TOTAL 30
At the completion of Third Year: 91 cr. earned to date 91
ID Course Title Course Req
Integrated Studies (6 cr. required)
IS200 Interdisciplinary Seminar 3
IS200 Interdisciplinary Seminar 3
Applied Creative Practice (12 cr. required)
ACP400 Senior Seminar 3
ACP401 Thesis Critique Seminar 3
ACP499 Thesis Project 6
Studio Courses (15 required cr.)
PR411 (Artist's Publications Recommended) or 400-level studio course (from any subject) 3
Menu of CW adjacent courses: GD 445 Center for Design, IL262 Graphic Novel; PR286 Letterpress + Book; PR 370 Printstallation 3
Studio Elective 3
Studio Elective 3
Studio Elective 3
TOTAL 30
At the completion of Fourth Year: 121 cr. earned to date 121

Willamette University

Creative Writing