English & Creative Writing
Want to become a writer or editor with a professional portfolio? The Creative Writing and English majors at Stephens College develop writers, editors and creators across genres and media. You’ll write, workshop, publish and perform your work with close faculty mentorship and a supportive community.
These degrees are for students who want hands-on learning, real responsibility, and a direct path to creative careers in publishing, the literary arts, communications and more.
Bachelor of Arts (English) or Bachelor of Fine Arts (Creative Writing) – What’s the Difference?
Our English BAs and creative writing BFAs take the same foundations classes and the same number of literature classes. The primary difference is that creative writing BFAs apply their foundations to additional creative writing workshops, while English BAs enjoy the flexibility to pursue opportunities both within and beyond our department, whether that’s more literature and creative writing, minors, internships, or electives across campus.
Publish Early. Perform Often. Turn Up the Volume.
Stephens Creative Writing honors your voice by giving it a platform.
- Intern as an editor or production assistant with Harbinger, our award-winning literary magazine, and publish your writing in its pages
- Read publicly at campus and community events, including at your senior capstone reading, Columbia’s OneMic Creative Collective, and Sigma Tau Delta’s Spook-a-Thon
- Learn directly from visiting authors and editors in classroom visits, public readings, and as guests at our twice-annual writers’ retreat.
- Join a nationally recognized community through Alpha Epsilon Eta, our “outstanding chapter” of the international English Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta
- Perform with Poets of Infinity, Stephens’ spoken word troupe
And at Stephens, your voice won’t be alone. You’ll join a chorus of thoughtful, talented peers in workshops, internships, clubs and performances, gaining the collaborative skills employers want and the polish publishers expect.
Where Creativity Means Career-Ready
Stephens writers develop skills that pay off in their craft and in the workforce. Here’s how your coursework will equip you with the top five skills employers seek.
- Problem-solving: In workshop, identify and articulate strengths and areas for improvement in your peers’ writing.
- Ability to work in a team: Whether you’re on the Harbinger editorial masthead, giving tactful feedback in workshop, applying feedback to your own revisions, or planning events for Sigma Tau Delta, you will develop the ability to work effectively and respectfully with others towards a common goal.
- Written communication: Adapt your tone and style for different audiences, contexts, and purposes over four years of creative, academic, and professional writing opportunities.
- Initiative: Come up with original ideas and pitch your vision in passion projects, capstone, and Harbinger.
You’ll graduate confident, published/performed, and job-ready.
What Can You Do With a Creative Writing Degree?
A Creative Writing degree from Stephens prepares you to:
- Work in editing, publishing, communications, education, nonprofits and many other fields
- Write across genres: fiction, poetry, drama, scripts, memoir, and creative nonfiction
- Build a professional portfolio for graduate study, arts organizations, and media roles
Is This Major Right for You?
This program could be a great fit if you:
- Love crafting stories, poems, scripts, or essays
- Want to perform and present your work publicly
- Thrive in workshop communities with constructive feedback
- Want editing, publishing, and strategic communication skills employers value
- Seek mentorship from visiting writers and engaged faculty
- Want to graduate with a strong, diverse writing portfolio
The Stephens Advantage
- Close faculty mentorship and small workshop cohor
- Multiple platforms to publish, perform, and lead
- Recognized honor society chapter and professional networking
- Writers’ retreats once per semester to build community, engage with professionals and write, write, write
- A women’s college environment that builds confidence and creative leadership
What does a block schedule look like?
Take a look at the below sample block schedule for a first-year English/Creative Writing major. The Block offers the rare opportunity to focus on what matters: learning, doing, and getting ready for your future. Want to know more? Contact an Advisor academicaffairs@stephens.edu.
Creative Writing Minor
A minor in creative writing demonstrates a mastery of creative and analytical skills and is valuable in any career or graduate school pursuit. Creative writing is also a personally rewarding lifetime skill encouraging self-discovery and self-expression and providing context for many courses of study.
Requirements
A minor in creative writing requires completion of a minimum of 15 hours with a maximum of 24 hours. The minor is not open to English majors.
Students must complete either:
ENG 210: Introduction to Creative Writing (3 hrs.)
OR
ENG 214: Introduction to Playwriting (3 hrs.)
AND
ENG 308: Women Writers (3 hrs.)
PLUS
9 hours of ENG electives chosen from creative writing courses, including 3 hours at or above 300 level. Students may choose both ENG 210 and ENG 214.
Related programs
Master of Fine Arts in TV & Screenwriting
Contact Us
School of Integrative Studies
Jennifer Blair, Administrative Assistant
(573)-876-2312 ext. 4312
Contact Stephens College