Major
The BFA in Creative Writing is unlike anything offered in the entire state of Wisconsin. This degree has a rigorous and specialized curriculum for arts-minded students, and will prepare them for a diversity of careers, specifically in creative writing, editing, and publishing.
At Lakeland, students will take three tiers of creative writing workshops in three genres, as well as courses in all of the arts programs – Music, Art, and Theater – in order to deepen their study, practice, and experience in the fine arts. Required internships will pair them with national literary journals, a national book press, the Great Lakes Writers Festival, and the campus' digital media outlet, The Mirror.
In the last decade, Lakeland's writing program has had 100 percent placement for students who wanted to pursue this degree, and many received highly coveted teaching assistantships and tuition remission upon acceptance.
Faculty/Curriculum
Fessler Professor of Creative Writing & Poet in Residence
Assistant Professor of Composition
BFA in Creative Writing (56 semester hours)
- ENG 220 - Introduction to American Literature
- ENG 370 - Shakespeare
- MUS 120 - Music History and Appreciation
- WRT 115 - Writing in the Genres
- WRT 215 - Fiction Writing
- WRT 220 - Poetry Writing
- WRT 240 - Nonfiction Writing
- WRT 300 - Advanced Composition (WI)
- WRT 400 - Internship in Writing (4 semester hours)
- 2 semester hours in literary publishing or Mirror editorship
- 2 semester hours in literary event planning and management
- WRT 410 - Advanced Fiction Writing
- WRT 420 - Advanced Poetry Writing
- WRT 440 - Advanced Nonfiction Writing
- WRT 460 - Writer's Studio (0 semester hours)
- WRT 465 - Developing the Writing Project (1 semester hour)
- WRT 470 - Senior Project in Writing
- WRT 480 - Special Topics in Writing
- Three semester hours from any ART/MUS/THE production or performance course
- Three additional semester hours of English (ENG) coursework at the 300-level or above
One of the following:
- ENG 275 - The Art of Comics
- WRT 250 - Screenwriting
One of the following:
- ART 263 - Art History I
- ART 264 - Art History II
Public Reading Requirement:
Students must plan, advertise and give a public reading of their own original work to complete the requirements of the B.F.A. in creative writing. This reading may occur on- or off-campus and typically occurs in the final semester of the students' degree.
