Finding Your Muse: A Guide to the Best Undergraduate Creative Writing Programs

For aspiring writers, choosing the right college is a crucial step toward honing their craft and launching a successful career. A strong creative writing program can provide the necessary tools, guidance, and community to nurture talent and develop a unique voice. This article explores some of the best undergraduate creative writing programs, offering insights into what makes them stand out and how to find the perfect fit for your individual needs.

The Allure of Creative Writing

Creative Writing is a field where writers explore their imagination and express ideas through words. Creative Writing is an excellent degree for anyone interested in writing, regardless of whether your passion lies in fiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, or nonfiction. This flexibility is one reason why creative writing degrees have become very popular over the years. The best creative writing programs are those that have been around for a while and have established themselves as leaders in the field. They also tend to be highly selective, which means they only accept students who are genuinely passionate about writing. These programs are usually led and taught by distinguished professionals like award-winning novelists, short story writers, journalists, and poets. And they typically have thriving writing centers and options for students to enter writing competitions and grow alongside one another within their community. But there's also a degree of subjectivity to any "best" list.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Program

Before diving into specific colleges, it's important to consider what you're looking for in a creative writing program. Some essential questions to ask yourself include:

Does the Program Have the Courses You Want? Consider the specific genres and writing styles you're interested in exploring.
What Will You Learn? Will that help you build a career? Research the curriculum and learning outcomes of different programs.
Who Will Be Teaching Those Classes? Look for programs with experienced and accomplished faculty who can provide valuable mentorship.
Would you Feel at Home on the College Campus? Visit campuses, talk to current students, and get a sense of the overall environment.

BA, BFA, or BS? Understanding Degree Options

Generally, a creative writing degree is a BA degree. But occasionally, we've seen a few BFAs. In addition, technical writing programs sometimes offer BS degrees.

Featured Creative Writing Programs

Here is a list of colleges and universities that are known for their creative writing programs:

Prestigious Universities

Brown University: Brown has an excellent undergraduate creative writing program that offers both fiction and poetry courses. They have a flexible curriculum, allowing you to explore different genres and develop your skills. The Literary Arts program at Brown University offers a concentration in Literary Arts within their English Department, but the primary focus is on MFA students. To complete the undergrad concentration, students need to take a mix of reading intensive and writing workshop classes. But as you'd expect from a liberal arts college with such a stellar reputation, an undergrad concentration in creative writing from Brown would be a worthwhile endeavor.
Columbia University: Columbia University in the City of New York offers an undergraduate Creative Writing program that combines intensive workshops with seminars to produce works of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction students can opt to major in a Single or Cross-Genre course of study. Students can also take workshops in dramatic writing and screenwriting. The program is modeled after the graduate Writing Division of The School of the Arts, which offers a high-ranking MFA program. Any student may apply to join the program regardless of their major upon entering Columbia. Located in New York City, students also have the advantage of being close to the major publishing houses in the industry. Columbia's School of the Arts offers a renowned undergraduate creative writing program. They have a rich variety of workshops and reading series, providing an engaging environment for writers.
New York University (NYU): NYU has an excellent creative writing program with a wide array of events and resources. They even have their own literary magazine called Washington Square Review, giving students a chance to have their work published.
Stanford University: The Creative Writing Program at Stanford University was founded by Wallace Stegner, a noted writer, and environmentalist, in 1946. For students earning an undergraduate degree, Stanford offers a major in English with an Emphasis on Creative Writing. A minor in Creative Writing is also offered for students taking majors outside of English, featuring tracks in prose and poetry. The Stegner Fellowship is a major offered by the Creative Writing Program, accepting five fiction and five poetry fellows per year. While there's no degree attached to this, it functions as a writer-in-residence opportunity and receives the guidance of Stanford faculty.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA): UCLA has a great undergraduate creative writing program, as well as a variety of writing workshops. Its English department also hosts author readings and other events which can be a great opportunity to engage with the literary community.
University of Iowa: The University of Iowa offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English and Creative Writing and a Literary Publishing Track. You'll also be earning your degree in writing in a UNESCO City of Literature which hosts an annual Book Fest, as well as numerous other opportunities to get involved with the flourishing literary community in Iowa City. Most widely known for the famous Iowa Writers' Workshop, it's less known that you don't have to be a graduate student to take advantage of the boatloads of experience in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Better yet, this is one of the few public universities on the list. The University of Iowa is home to the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop, which is a top graduate program in creative writing. However, undergraduates can also benefit from their strong English and Creative Writing program, which can involve the opportunity to work with renowned faculty.
University of Michigan: The University of Michigan English Department is home to the Avery Hopwood Awards, one of the country's most famous student writing prizes. All students enrolled in writing courses are eligible to enter the contests.
University of Virginia: The University of Virginia offers a fully-funded 2-year MFA program that is highly competitive - it only admits five poets and five fiction writers per year. However, through the English program, undergraduates can major in English and choose a concentration in poetry or literary prose. Going in the poetry direction allows writers to pursue serious study of the craft of poetry writing and poetics. In contrast, literary prose writing or literary prose allows English majors to specialize in the art of narrative writing.
Washington University in St. Louis: Students at Washington University in St. Louis can earn a Certificate in Creative Writing comprised of 16 units. Acceptance to the MFA program is highly competitive but comes with several perks.
Johns Hopkins University: Johns Hopkins has a writing program that allows you to explore many different writing styles, including poetry, literature, and prose.
Northwestern University: Nestled within the English Department at Northwestern University, the Creative Writing Major is considered a concentration, but admission is very competitive. Students can study it as a major, minor, or sequence-only student. Benefits of majoring include one-on-ones with visiting writers, senior honors, and participation in the winter senior readings series. Students can apply for admission no earlier than the spring semester of their sophomore year and must complete specific prerequisites to be considered. Accepted students will study with accomplished professors, and visiting writers from the Annual Writers' Festival held during the Evanston Literary Festival.

Liberal Arts Colleges

Emory University: Celebrating its 29th birthday this year, the Emory University undergraduate Creative Writing Program encourages students to approach the study of literature creatively, including through their own personal interests in specific genres such as poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, playwriting, and screenwriting. Every year, the Creative Writing Program sponsors the Creative Writing Reading Series, bringing four to six internationally renowned and prize-winning authors to Atlanta, GA, to discuss writing with Emory students. Emory has a strong undergraduate Creative Writing program, which offers workshops, readings, and other events that promote a deep connection between students and the creative writing community.
Hamilton College: Well-known for its emphasis on writing, Hamilton offers a strong creative writing concentration within its English major. The college also hosts an annual "Yom Hashoah" Holocaust Remembrance Writing Contest. Named for the now-famous-thanks-to-Lin-Manuel-Miranda Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton College's Literature and Creative Writing Department offers a creative writing curriculum that emphasizes small classes to go along with the development of superior reading and writing skills. Students can take advantage of research opportunities in writing, as well, and apply for the college's Emerson Grants program. Located in Clinton, NY, Hamilton, students are just over four hours away from the publishing industry.
Kenyon College: Located in Gabier, OH, and home to the Kenyon Review, Kenyon College features an English major with an Emphasis on Creative WritinIn addition, ten faculty members teach workshops in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. While at Kenyon College, students can apply for internships with the Kenyon Review Student Associates Program, apply for the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, submit to The Kenyon Collegian, and more. Students can also take advantage of the Kenyon-Exeter program to study abroad. This small liberal arts college has a reputation for its outstanding English department. The Kenyon Review, a prominent literary magazine, is also headquartered on campus, providing students with opportunities for involvement in the literary world.
Middlebury College: Middlebury is another liberal arts college that offers an excellent creative writing program through its English and American literatures department. They offer specialized courses in writing fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, facilitated by a strong faculty of published authors.
Oberlin College: Oberlin College's department of Creative Writing offers the program as both a major and a minor. With 57 courses and nine associated faculty, students can fully explore fiction, poetry, nonfiction, playwriting, and screenwriting. One of the standouts in this program versus others is the 5 Study Away program is the department collaborates with many Creative Writing programs that discourage students from heading abroad. The program can be competitive, even once you've been accepted. Students must submit an application for all upper-level workshops with 12 pages of their best work. The students with the best applications will be rewarded with a seat in a classroom at the picturesque Peters Hall at this Ohio institution. Like Kenyon, Oberlin is a small liberal arts college with a strong creative writing program. Students can also contribute to the Oberlin College Review, the college's literary magazine.
Brandeis University: Brandeis University also offers the whole enchilada: a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing. It's been taught at Brandeis since 1951 and became its own major in 2003, with classes offered entirely by established writers. Workshops have a maximum of 14 students, and the program is very active, with sponsored reading series', student awards, panel discussions, publishing workshops, and journal and performance opportunities.
Bucknell University: Home to the Stadler Center for Poetry and Literary Arts, Bucknell University's Creative Writing major, housed in the English department, gets support both on and off campus. Students can take workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, participate in a lively reading series, internship opportunities, and garner knowledge from writers-in-residence. Located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, students study contemporary texts just three hours from the publishing capital, NYC.
Colby College: The Creative Writing concentration at Colby College is provided for English majors. Students can earn an Honors designation, as well.

Other notable programs

Massachusetts Institute of Technology: In the Comparative Media Studies department, students can major in Writing. MIT offers several different writing genres but has several unique classes in science writing in particular.
Colorado College: A track within the English major, students at Colorado College can complete 15 courses to get awarded the distinction of Creative Writing at graduation.
University of Miami: The University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences features a Bachelor's in English with a Creative Writing Concentration. In addition, students can opt for a Thesis or non-thesis track. Still, both routes feature courses with a multilingual aspect, whether it's an entirely different language or an English vernacular from other communities. UM's MFA program is the only nationwide program with a broad, multilingual focus. Mangrove, a national undergraduate literary magazine, allows students to get hands-on learning, and they can also utilize USpeak, UM's open mic night, to read original work aloud.
University of Pittsburgh: The University of Pittsburgh Writing Program is one of the oldest in the nation and offers three tracks for students to pursue: fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Each track has three levels of classes and is topped off with a senior seminar capstone experience. Undergraduate students are eligible for four writing awards at the University of Pittsburgh and can also participate in events such as the Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series. The institution also features an MFA program.
University of Rochester: The Department of English offers a track in Creative Writing. Students must apply to a specific Creative Writing advisor and receive written approval to pursue the concentration.
University of Texas-Austin: UT-Austin offers a Certificate in Creative Writing, as well as an Honors option. The New Writers Project is a 3-year MFA program that offers concentrations in poetry and fiction.

The Cost Factor

Like any other degree program, the cost of tuition will vary wildly depending on the institution, location, and how much financial aid you're eligible for. Tuition and cost information is readily available across the internet, but what a student's family actually pays is based on a variety of factors. Cappex offers personalized tuition and cost estimations based on information like expected family contribution, location, and GPA.

Writing Across the Curriculum

These colleges typically make the writing process a priority at all levels of instruction and across the curriculum. Students are encouraged to produce and refine various forms of writing for different audiences in different disciplines.

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