uiuc creative writing

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Creative Writing

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

What is Creative Writing?

As a Creative Writing major, you’ll learn how to develop your own individual voice. You'll also learn to produce original works in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Coursework consists of creative writing classes, and classes in English, history, and culture. Small writing workshops that focus on giving and receiving feedback will teach you to communicate your ideas to others. You’ll also develop your skills in these areas:

• Communication
• Problem-solving 

Career Options

• Arts administration
• Communications
• Creative writing
• Entertainment
• Library & information science

Post-Graduation Success 1

80% employed or continuing education

60% employed after graduation

18% attending graduate school

2% volunteering

$39,000 average starting annual income

Sample employer destinations: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, School of Labor and Employment Relations, University of Illinois at Chicago, College Of Dentistry, XciteSteps View All

Sample grad school destinations: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of California, Irvine, University of San Francisco View All

Program Resources

Review criteria, first-year major-specific criteria.

• Demonstrated understanding of and interest in the major

View All Review Criteria

Transfer Criteria

Graduation & retention 2.

4.0 years to degree

93% first-year retention rate

72% four-year graduation rate

85% six-year graduation rate

Annual Program Costs 3

Illinois resident.

• Tuition: $12,712
• Fees: $4,928
• Expenses: $18,222
• Total: $35,862

Non-Resident

• Tuition: $31,832
• Expenses: $18,562
• Total: $55,322

International

• Tuition: $34,280
• Total: $57,770

Related Majors

1 Post-graduate data was collected through the Illini Success initiative , which primarily relies on self-reported survey data sources. Statistics are aggregated from the past three years. Please note that total compensation may be greater than annual salary as other forms of compensation (e.g., signing bonus, commission, benefits) are not included. For more information on Illini Success data and methods, please visit the Illini Success website . For average wage or salary information five years after entry into an occupation, visit the My Next Move website .

2 Graduation and retention data comes from several majors within a similar interest area. Graduation and retention data comes from several majors within a similar interest area. Data may not yet be available for newly created programs. Years-to-degree data is only available for programs from which you can earn a degree. Retention and graduation rates are only available for programs that you can apply directly into. Retention rates reflect retention to the university, not necessarily retention within the major.

3 "Expenses" are estimated and include books, supplies, housing, and other living expenses. The exact amount you’ll pay depends on where you decide to live, the meal plan you choose, and your overall lifestyle. To learn more about costs, please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid website . To learn the average monthly student loan payment over a period of 20 years based on estimated cost, visit the Illinois College2Career website .

Employer List

Grad school list, want more info.

University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Creative Writing Guide: Home

• Writers' Tools
• Literary Magazines (A-E)
• Literary Magazines (F-L)
• Literary Magazines (M-Q)
• Literary Magazines (R-Z)
• Other Literary Magazines
• Literary Prizes & Publishers

Introduction to the Creative Writing Guide

The guide includes lists of the literary magazines in the library holdings; useful titles for inspiration, publication and reference; and information on literary prizes and Web resources related to creative writing.

Finding Books

Step One: UIUC Online Library Catalog

There are two ways to search the UIUC Library catalog. Both offer the same content but the method of searching and presentation of results varies.

• Through the new Primo Library Catalog . This catalog requires you to register with a login and a password to request materials. It also lets you search books in I-share (see below for more details.)
• Through the Library Easy Search . This interface lets you search the UIUC catalog for books, articles, journals and media. . 

Getting the actual book: When you locate your item you have two choices.

Print books

You can request the item and pick it up at any of the departmental libraries. Or, you can retrieve the book yourself from either the main stacks or the departmental library where the book is located. If you choose this option, make sure you jot down the location and call number of the item.

Electronic Books

Access will depend on the publisher. In some case you will be able to download full books via PDF. In others you might be able only to view the book online. In all cases the Library follow the publisher's requirements.

Step Two: I-Share

Once you have verified that the book you are looking for is either not located in the UIUC catalog or all copies are checked out, you may order it through Primo Library Catalog and selecting "All I-share Libraries." Items typically arrive within 5-10 days and you will receive an email when the item is available for pick up.

Step Three: Interlibrary Loan

If the item is not available in the UIUC catalog or through I-Share, then your next stop will be Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery . First, keep your full citation handy -- you'll need it. Second, login to the ILLiad server using your NetID and password. From the ILLiad main menu, select "Request a Book." Be sure to fill out as much of the form as possible, including the source of your citation. This will ensure that ILL can place your request in a timely manner. You'll be notified by email when your item is ready to be picked up.

WorldCat  -You can search WorldCat to find books on your topic, which might not be in the UIUC nor the I-share catalog. Once you find a title of interest, you can order it through Interlibrary Loan

More Help with the Library Catalog

Best Websites for Creative Writing

Ask a librarian.

• Next: Writers' Tools >>
• Last Updated: Nov 6, 2023 11:03 AM
• URL: https://guides.library.illinois.edu/creativewritingguide

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• After You Declare

Creative Writing

Creative Writing combines small workshops (poetry, fiction, nonfiction) and a variety of literature courses.  The result is a strong but flexible program of study that develops students’ analytical and creative skills and prepares them for work or graduate study in any number of fields.

• CW 100—Introduction to Creative Writing
• CW 104—Introductory Narrative Writing
• CW 106—Introductory Poetry Writing

Creative Writing majors can use their communication skills in a number of different roles.

• High proficiency in reading/writing/speaking
• Ability to be highly imaginative
• Ability to be individually expressive through a variety of creative forms
• Ability to give and receive effective criticism
• Good listening, clarifying, questioning, and responding skills
• Ability to conduct/explain research
• Ability to make critical observations/decisions
• Ability to read analytically
• Ability to read for style/ideas
• Comprehensive command of grammar and vocabulary
• Ability to relate to others with empathy and understanding
• Associate Media Director
• Book Reviewer
• Broadcast Supervisor
• Continuity Writer
• Copy Editor
• Creative Director
• Editorial Writer
• Electronic Publishing Specialist
• Fact Checker
• Medical Writer
• Orchestrator
• Patient Relations Specialist
• Program Proposals Coordinator
• Project Supervisor
• Proofreader
• Publicity Assistant
• Publicity Director
• Sales Service Promoter
• Science Writer
• Screen Printing Inspector
• Screenplay Writer
• Speech Writer
• Staff Writer
• Story Editor
• Technical Writer

Some careers may require education beyond an undergraduate degree.

• Participating in  undergraduate research
• Applying for a  study abroad  experience
• Utilizing resources of LAS Career Services
• Get involved with the Montage Arts Journal
• Visit the advising blog to learn more about events, activities and opportunities happening in the English department.
• Creative Writing Club: a group for creative writers from all majors who want to get together with peers for fun writing and performance activities.
• English Student Association (ESA): an organization for English, Creative Writing, and Teaching of English majors, and English and Creative Writing minors, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

There are several professional organizations dedicated to Creative Writing.  Their websites might be able to provide a glimpse in the world of Creative Writing.  These organizations include  American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ,  Association of American Publishers , and  Modern Language Association . Students are eligible for nomination (by department) for the AWP Intro Journals Contest . Additionally the department hosts a writing contest each spring, providing awards for fiction and poetry.

Course Catalog

Creative Writing, MFA

for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing  

The Department of English offers a program of study in Creative Writing leading to the Master of Fine Arts degree. We welcome qualified students who wish to pursue their interests in fiction or poetry writing.

Graduate Degree Programs in Creative Writing

Admission A candidate for the MFA must spend at least four semesters or the equivalent in residence and complete at least 48 graduate hours. A full-time student typically completes this program in three academic years. Because applications for admission usually far exceed capacity, in recent years undergraduate grade point averages of students admitted have been significantly higher than the 3.0 (A = 4.0) required by the Graduate College.

All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. Currently, a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based test (213 on the computer-based test) is required. Before a teaching assistantship involving classroom instruction or student consultation can be awarded to a non-native speaker of English, the applicant must take the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and achieve a score of 50 or higher (230 or higher before 1996).

The committee on admissions tends to select those applicants who have a solid array of undergraduate courses, strong recommendations, and above all a compelling writing sample: in short, a demonstration of an academic record that shows promise of a student capable of doing outstanding work in the field and earning a degree within a reasonable time. Preference is given to applicants who will be full-time students and active degree candidates. Applicants are considered only in spring for fall admission, and the deadline for submitting applications is December 1st.

Graduate Teaching Experience Experience in teaching is considered a vital part of the graduate program and all MFA candidates will have ample opportunity to teach undergraduate writing classes.

Financial Aid Financial aid is available to students in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships, and waivers of tuition and service fees. For complete information about the program, prospective applicants should consult our website .

for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

For additional details and requirements refer to the department's program requirements and the Graduate College Handbook .  

Other Requirements

• Writing: Students will focus on creating works of high literary quality, honing their own distinctive personal writing styles. They will demonstrate the ability to revise drafts of their work in response to useful critical commentary. Upon completion of the program, students will understand how to create and polish individual shorter works; they will also understand how to compile and complete a book-length manuscript in the genre of their choice.
• Craft discussion: Students will demonstrate an advanced ability to read, analyze, and discuss published works of literature—especially contemporary literature—from a craft perspective, identifying authorial choices and evaluating the effect of those choices on the work.
• Literary Community and Profession: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the professional creative writing field with regards to literary journals, presses, and other iterations of the literary community, and will have participated in one or more professional activities, including editorial work on Ninth Letter, giving a public reading, attending a writers’ conference, etc.
• Teaching: Students will learn best practices for leading creative writing workshops and mentoring beginning writers.

Department of English Head of Department: Bob Markley Director of Graduate Studies: Andrew Gaedtke Director of Creative Writing: Ted Sanders Associate Director of Creative Writing: John Dudek Creative Writing Program website 210 English Building, 608 South Wright Street, Urbana, IL 61801 (217) 333-3646 Program email

Overview of Graduate College Admissions & Requirements:  Graduate Admissions

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences website

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2023-2024 Catalog (PDF)

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College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

The Center for Writing Studies

• Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)
• Writing Across Engineering and Science
• Writers Workshop
• Graduate Writing Studies Concentration
• Undergraduate Courses
• CWS Symposia
• CWS Brownbags
• Kirsch Graduate Student Symposium
• Graduate Research Forums
• Reading & Working Groups
• Administration
• Graduate Students
• Transdisciplinary Writing Studies Conference List
• The Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives
• Writing Across the Curriculum Listserv (WAC-L)

Contributing across campus

• About the center
• Writing Across the Curriculum
• Spring 2024 CWS Colloquium: Professor Romeo García
• Center for Writing Studies at the 2024 CCCC Convention, Spokane
• CWS at Spring 2024 Conferences, Conventions, and Meetings
• Recent Publications by CWS Faculty, Graduate Students, and Alums
• CWS Spring 2024 Events

Title Center for Writing Studies Events

CWS hosts a wide range of symposia, brownbag events, and graduate student talks.

Our faculty, graduate students, and alumni are nationally renowned leaders in the field of writing studies. 

Writers Workshop

Welcome to the Writers Workshop!

Reserve your appointment now.

The Writers Workshop provides free support to all writers in the campus community across all forms of academic and professional writing, at any stage of the writing process. We offer writing groups, writing-related presentations, and writing consultations where we provide feedback on essays, research papers, personal statements, cover letters, theses and dissertations, manuscripts for publication, presentations, digital compositions, and anything between and beyond.

To receive feedback on your writing, you can select:

• In-Person Consultation by Appointments , where you’ll reserve a 50-minute appointment at one of our locations in the Main Library, Grainger Library, or MCB Learning Center.
• Live Online Consultation by Appointments , where you’ll reserve a 50-minute appointment to meet with a consultant in real-time via videoconferencing.
• Written Feedback Appointments , where you’ll reserve an appointment, upload your document(s), complete a detailed appointment form, and receive written feedback at the end of your appointment time. There is no live interfacing with the consultant in this format.
• Drop-In Consultations , where you’ll meet with a consultant in a 15-30 minute, first-come, first-served session.

Find information about our locations and hours here .

Please view our calendar to learn more about upcoming events or learn more about requesting workshops and class presentations .

We are committed to providing accessible services. To request accommodations, please contact Dr. Carolyn Wisniewski at [email protected] or call 217-333-8796.

New to the Writers Workshop? Click here for more information on how to register and create an appointment.

Make an Appointment

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English - Creative Writing

The Creative Writing sequence in the English major has a distinguished national reputation for encouraging alternative and hybrid forms of writing while emphasizing the study of theory and Creative Writing pedagogy.

The Creative Writing program respects and encourages innovation. Students have the opportunity to develop their talents by focusing on Creative Writing courses in their genre of choice: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or a combination. They will study literature from a diverse standpoint while learning how literary artists utilize literary theory and aesthetics.

The sequence helps students advance in their writing apprenticeships and broaden their understanding of their genre through both artistic and scholarly lenses. It encourages reading in literature generally and provides an opportunity to study language and linguistics, which enhances a student's understanding of their fundamental tools.

• Meet Our Faculty
• Course Requirements (Catalog)
• Sample Plans of Study

Point of Pride

Each year Illinois State hosts the English Studies at Large conference , giving students the opportunity to present critical work and engage students from other universities.

Why study English - Creative Writing?

Creative Writing allows students to explore such topics as fiction, poetry and poetics, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, the novel, memoir, literary journalism, women's literature, narrative theory, memory and trauma studies, digital technologies and the African diaspora, African American literature, and oppositional/experimental poetics.

It also allows students to study popular culture in fiction, defining the black aesthetic, the relationship of music and fiction, moral philosophy as it relates to literary production, animals, animality, veganism, hybrid texts, hybrid writing, the sociology of literary production and cultural formation of literary taste, and transgeneric writing.

Schedule a Visit

Come see campus and meet with campus representatives either in person or virtually. Optional chances to meet with academic department, honors, and financial aid.

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How to Apply

Applying to illinois state.

Applying by our priority deadline is encouraged for best consideration for your academic program and for scholarships. Start your application today !

• Freshmen: Apply Now
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Contact Information

• Department of English
• (309) 438-3667
• Stevenson Hall 409
• College of Arts and Sciences

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Department of English

• Why English Studies?
• Why Creative Writing?
• Career Success
• BA in English/Creative Writing
• Graduate Admissions
• Undergraduate Studies
• MA/PhD in Literary/Writing Studies
• Undergraduate Course Offerings
• Graduate Course Offerings

MFA in Creative Writing

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The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing is a three-year, terminal degree program that provides students with graduate study and professional training in the writing of fiction and poetry with our distinguished graduate faculty.

The primary goal of the MFA in Creative Writing is to give literary artists time and space to work on perfecting their art. Students in this program specialize in fiction or poetry, teach creative writing, and produce a book-length, publishable manuscript. Students will also gain extensive experience in literary editing and publishing while enrolled in the program.

For more information about MFA in Creative Writing, please visit the program page . 

Application Deadline: December 1, 12:00 noon CST (Fiction); December 15, 12:00 noon CST (Poetry)