2025-2026 Academic Catalog

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English - Creative Writing Option, BA

General Requirements

To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements.

Program Requirements

  1. Students must complete a minimum of 39 ENGL credit hours.
  2. Students must complete a minimum of 27 upper division (3000-level and above) ENGL credit hours.
  3. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the major and must achieve a minimum cumulative major GPA of 2.0. Courses taken using P+/P/F or S/U grading cannot apply to major requirements.
  4. Students must complete a minimum of 15 ENGL upper-division (3000-level and above) credit hours with CU Denver faculty.

Program Restrictions, Allowances and Recommendations

  1. ENGL 1010 Writing Workshop, ENGL 1020 Core Composition I and ENGL 2030 Core Composition II do not apply to the major.
  2. Internship/cooperative education courses may be counted toward the major for students who have completed over 60 credit hours.
  3. Double majors in English and English Writing must complete 63 hours total for both majors.
  4. The English Department also offers minors in Film Studies, Literature, and English Writing, Rhetoric, and Technology. Courses counted in a minor cannot be counted toward the major.
  5. Latin Honors may be earned by participating in the department's Honors Program. You are encouraged to begin the program in your junior year. The program requires additional coursework and affords you the opportunity to work individually with the professor of your choice. Handouts are available in the English office.
Complete the following required courses:15
Introduction to Literature and Film
Poetry Workshop
Fiction Workshop
Advanced Poetry Workshop
Advanced Fiction Workshop
Choose a creative writing focus and complete the corresponding Poetry or Fiction Track coursework.9
Fiction Track coursework
Survey of the English Novel to 1900
African-American Literature
The American Novel
The American Short Story
Special Topics in Creative Writing
Special Topics in Creative Writing: Fiction
Narrative: Form and Theory
Senior Fiction Workshop
Poetry Track coursework
Poetics
History of American Poetry
Special Topics in Creative Writing
Special Topics in Creative Writing: Poetry
Senior Poetry Workshop
Complete an additional five upper division (3000 or 4000-level) ENGL courses. 15
The first seven courses below are strongly recommended. However, any upper division ENGL course not already completed for another major requirement can be applied as an elective.
*Courses with an asterisk may be taken more than once, if the topics/titles differ.
Critical Writing
Writing for Print Media
Magazine Writing
Special Topics in Creative Writing (*)
Special Topics in Creative Writing: Poetry (*)
Special Topics in Creative Writing: Fiction (*)
Literary Editing Practicum
Studies in Film History (*)
Film Genres (*)
Global Cinema (*)
Film Directors (*)
Topics in Film (*)
Topics in Literature (*)
Topics in Literature: Lit and Film History (*)
Topics in Literature: Gender in Lit and Film (*)
Topics in Literature: Genre and Global Culture (*)
Topics in Literature: American Identities (*)
Topics in Writing (*)
Studies of Major Authors and Directors (*)
Major Authors and Directors: Lit and Film History (*)
Major Authors and Directors: Gender in Lit and Film (*)
Major Authors and Directors: Genre and Global Culture (*)
Major Authors and Directors: American Identities (*)
Advanced Topics in Writing, Rhetoric, & Linguistics (*)
Topics in English: Film and Literature (*)
Topics in English Film and Lit: Lit and Film History (*)
Topics in English Film and Lit: Gender in Lit and Film
Topics in English Film and Lit: Genre and Global Culture (*)
Topics in English Film and Lit: American Identities (*)
Topics in English Film and Lit: 1650-1900 (*)
Topics in English: Film and Lit: After 1900 (*)
Total Hours39

To learn more about the Student Learning Outcomes for this program, please visit our website. 

To review the Degree Map for this program, please visit our website