Creative Writing

Stanford’s Creative Writing Program--one of the best-known in the country--cultivates the power of individual expression within a vibrant community of writers. Many of our English majors pursue a concentration in creative writing, and the minor in Creative Writing is among the most popular minors on campus. These majors and minors participate in workshop-based courses or independent tutorials with Stegner Fellows, Stanford’s distinguished writers-in-residence.

English Major with a Creative Writing Emphasis

The English major with a Creative Writing emphasis is a fourteen-course major. These fourteen courses comprise eight English courses and six Creative Writing courses.

English majors with a Creative Writing emphasis should note the following:

  • All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

  • Courses taken abroad or at other institutions may not be counted towards the workshop requirements.

  • Any 190 series course (190F, 190G, etc.), 191 series course (191T, etc.), or 192 series course (192V, etc.) counts toward the 190, 191, or 192 requirement.

  • PWR 1 is a prerequisite for all creative writing courses.

Minor in Creative Writing

The Minor in Creative Writing offers a structured environment in which students interested in writing fiction or poetry develop their skills while receiving an introduction to literary forms. Students may choose a concentration in fiction, poetry.

In order to graduate with a minor in Creative Writing, students must complete the following three courses plus three courses in either the prose or poetry tracks. Courses counted towards the requirements for the minor may not be applied to student's major requirements. 30 units are required. All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Prose Track

Suggested order of requirements:

  1. English 90. Fiction Writing or English 91. Creative Nonfiction

  2. English 146S Secret Lives of the Short Story

  3. One 5-unit English literature elective course

  4. English 190. Intermediate Fiction Writing or English 191. Intermediate Creative Nonfiction Writing

  5. English 92. Reading and Writing Poetry

  6. Another English 190, 191, 290. Advanced Fiction, 291. Advanced Nonfiction, or 198L. Levinthal Tutorial

Poetry Track

Suggested order of requirements:

  1. English 92.Reading and Writing Poetry

  2. English 160. Poetry and Poetics

  3. One 5-unit English literature elective course

  4. English 192. Intermediate Poetry Writing

  5. English 90. Fiction Writing or English 91. Creative Nonfiction

  6. Another English 192, or 292.Advanced Poetry or 198L.Levinthal Tutorial

Creative Writing minors should note the following:

  • To declare a Creative Writing minor, visit the Student page in Axess. To expedite your declaration, make sure to list all 6 courses you have taken or plan to take for your minor.

  • All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

  • Courses taken abroad or at other institutions may not be counted towards the workshop requirements.

  • Any 190 series course (190F, 190G, etc.), 191series course (191T, etc.), or 192 series course (192V, etc.) counts toward the 190, 191, or 192 requirement.

  • PWR 1 is a prerequisite for all creative writing courses.

For more information, visit the Stanford Creative Writing Program.

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