Creative Writing Concentration
The English Department’s Concentration in Creative Writing combines a classic literary curriculum with a tiered system of practical workshops in fiction, poetry and non-fiction writing. After a required foundation course in writing fiction and poetry, you choose intermediate workshops in fiction or poetry writing. Then, starting in your junior year, you choose from among advanced specialized courses based on your interests: Writing for Children, Young Adult Writing, Memoir Writing, Fiction Writing, Poetry Writing, and Script and Playwriting, in which you’ll work one-one-one with faculty members who are professional, published writers. The required internship gives you the opportunity to work with local presses, publishing companies or creative arts organizations.
Requirements
Credits
60 credits as listed below, with Undergraduate Curriculum requirements and electives to total a minimum of 120 credits
Nine English courses
Required Courses:
- EN 199 Interpreting Literature
- EN 202 Research Writing for English Majors
- EN 299 Interpreting Literature II
- EN 490 The Text, the Critic and the World
At least two courses in literature at the 200 level, one of which must be chosen from this list:
- EN 224 Native American Fiction
- EN 225 Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Fiction
- EN 229 Voices of America
- EN 230 African American Literature
At least two courses from this list:
(You may not double count any of these courses)
- EN 320 Classical and Medieval European Literature
- EN 321 European Renaissance and Enlightenment Literature
- EN 322 Modern British Literature
- EN 323 Modern American Literature
At least two 300 level courses in literature from this list:
- EN 320 Classical and Medieval European Literature
- EN 321 European Renaissance and Enlightenment Literature
- EN 322 Modern British Literature
- EN 323 Modern American Literature
- EN 327 The discovery of Adulthood in British and American Fiction
- EN 328 William Faulkner
- EN 330 Cinema of the African Diaspora
- EN 332 Literature and the Law
EN 335 Special Topics in American Literature - EN 336 Asian Literature
- EN 337 Disaster, Death, and Madness
- EN 341 The (Neo) Slave and Emancipation Narrative
- EN 342 Ireland in 20th Century Film and Literature
- EN 344 Special Studies Seminar
- EN 347 Tales of the City: Urbanism in Global Literature
- EN 349 The Short Novel
- EN 350 Major Authors Seminar
- EN 351 Jane Austen
- EN 353 Mark Twain
- EN 355 Southern Fiction
- EN 359 Literature after War
- EN 360 Contemporary American Autobiography
- EN 361 Seminar: Modern Drama
- EN 362 A Few Great Novels
- EN 363 Seminar: Modernism and Postmodernism
- EN 364 Seminar: The Lyric
- EN 365 The Contemporary Moment
- EN 366 Kerouac and His Sources
- EN 384 Graphic Fiction Adaptations from Literature and Life
Three Creative Writing Workshops
- EN 212 Writing Poetry and Fiction I
One 200 level workshop selected from this list:
- EN 211 Creative Non-Fiction Workshop
- EN 240 Intermediate Fiction Writing
- EN 241 Intermediate Poetry Writing
One 300 level workshop selected from this list:
- CM 319 Writing for Television
- CM 408 Screenwriting
- EN 316 Writing for the Health Industry
- EN 343 Writing for Children
- EN 368 Tell It Slant: Memoir Writing Workshop
- EN 369 Young Adult and Children’s Writing Workshop (Intermediate Level)
- EN 372 Special Studies in Writing
- EN 375 Fiction Writing Workshop
- EN 376 Writing for Digital Media
- EN 378 Poetry Writing Workshop
- EN 386 Creative Writing Institute
- TH 350 Playwriting
Career Internship
EN 371 Career Internship in English
Additional Requirements
- EN 488 Creative Writing Culminating Manuscript
Literature Concentration
The English Department’s Concentration in Literature offers courses in literature, creative writing, and professional writing. The literature courses approach texts from thematic, biographical, formal, historical, and socio-cultural perspectives. Literature is explored in its relation to the past and its relevance to people’s lives in the present. All courses stress critical thinking and problem-solving as essential aspects of the composing and interpreting process. In the senior year, every student takes the Capstone course and writes a culminating paper presented on Thesis Day.
Requirements
Credits
60 credits as listed below, with Undergraduate Curriculum requirements and electives to total a minimum of 120 credits
Four Core Courses
- EN 199 Interpreting Literature
- EN 202 Research Writing for English Majors
- EN 300 The Junior Seminar
- EN 399 Senior Literature Seminar
200-Level Required Courses
One 200-level course in “Topics in African Diasporic Literature,” which must be chosen from this list:
- EN 219 Literary Themes and Forms (depending on the topic)
- EN 220 Selected Authors (depending on the topic)
- EN 231 Short Fiction of the African Diaspora
- EN 237 Literature of Revolution (depending on the topic)
One 200-level course in “Topics in Identity and Social Justice,” which must be chosen from this list:
- EN 219 Literary Themes and Forms (depending on the topic)
- EN 220 Selected Authors (depending on the topic)
- EN 223 Contemporary Short Fiction (depending on the topic)
- EN 224 Native American Fiction
- EN 225 Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Fiction
- EN 226 Detective Fiction
- EN 229 Voices of America
- EN 237 Literature of Revolution (depending on the topic)
Two 200-level Literature Electives, which must be chosen from this list:
- EN 219 Literary Themes and Forms
- EN 220 Selected Authors
- EN 222 Lewis & Tolkien
- EN 223 Contemporary Short Fiction
- EN 224 Native American Fiction
- EN 225 Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Fiction
- EN 226 Detective Fiction
- EN 227 Philadelphia in Literary and Cultural Context
- EN 229 Voices of America
- EN 230 Literature of the African Diaspora
- EN 231 Short Fiction of the African Diaspora
- EN 232 Louise Erdrich
- EN 233 Shakespeare
- EN 237 Literature of Revolution
300-Level Required Courses
One 200 or 300-level course in “Topics in Global Literature,” which must be chosen form this list:
200-Level Courses
- EN 220 Selected Authors (depending on the topic)
- EN 219 Literary Themes and Forms (depending on the topic)
- EN 234 Travel Writing
- EN 237 Literature of Revolution (depending on the topic)
300-Level Courses
- EN 336 Asian Literature
- EN 344 Special Studies Seminar (depending on the topic)
- EN 347 Tales of the City: Urbanism in Global Literature
- EN 350 Major Authors Seminar (depending on the topic)
- EN 359 Literature after War (depending on the topic)
- EN 362 A Few Great Novels (depending on the topic)
Accepted Modern Languages and Culture Courses
- IT 314 Introduction to Italian Literature
- FR 310 French Women Writers and Other Troublemakers
- FR 314 Readings in French
- FR 385 French Literary Movements
- SP 314 Contemporary Spanish Literature
- SP 315 Contemporary Latin American Literature
- SP 324 Survey of Spanish Literature
- SP 325 Survey of Latin American Literature
- SP 327 Iconic Women of Spain
- US 234 Representations of the Spanish Civil War
- US 236 Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Spain: From Eden to Exile
- US 261 Representations of the Holocaust
One 300-level course in “Topics in European Literature,” which must be chosen from this list:
- EN 320 Classical and Medieval European Literature
- EN 327 The discovery of Adulthood in British and American Fiction
- EN 321 European Renaissance and Enlightenment Literature
- EN 342 Ireland in 20th Century Film and Literature
- EN 344 Special Studies Seminar (depending on the topic)
- EN 346 Russian Fiction
- EN 350 Major Authors Seminar (depending on the topic)
- EN 351 Jane Austen
- EN 359 Literature after War (depending on the topic)
- EN 361 Seminar: Modern Drama (depending on the topic)
- EN 362 A Few Great Novels (depending on the topic)
- EN 363 Modernism and Postmodernism
- EN 364 Seminar: The Lyric
One 300-level course in “Topics in U.S. Literature,” which must be chosen from this list:
- EN 323 Modern American Literature
- EN 327 The discovery of Adulthood in British and American Fiction
- EN 328 William Faulkner
- EN 344 Special Studies Seminar (depending on the topic)
- EN 335 Special Topics in American Literature
- EN 350 Major Authors Seminar (depending on the topic)
- EN 353 Mark Twain
- EN 355 Southern Fiction
- EN 359 Literature after War (depending on the topic)
- EN 360 Contemporary American Autobiography
- EN 361 Seminar: Modern Drama (depending on the topic)
- EN 362 A Few Great Novels (depending on the topic)
- EN 366 Kerouac and His Sources
One 300-level Literature elective, which must be chosen from this list:
- EN 323 Modern American Literature
- EN 327 The discovery of Adulthood in British and American Fiction
- EN 328 William Faulkner
- EN 330 Cinema of the African Diaspora
- EN 332 Literature and the Law
- EN 335 Special Topics in American Literature
- EN 336 Asian Literature
- EN 341 The (Neo) Slave and Emancipation Narrative
- EN 342 Ireland in 20th Century Film and Literature
- EN 344 Special Studies Seminar
- EN 346 Russian Fiction
- EN 347 Tales of the City: Urbanism in Global Literature
- EN 349 The Short Novel
- EN 350 Major Authors Seminar
- EN 351 Jane Austen
- EN 353 Mark Twain
- EN 355 Southern Fiction
- EN 359 Literature after War
- EN 360 Contemporary American Autobiography
- EN 361 Seminar: Modern Drama
- EN 362 A Few Great Novels
- EN 365 The Contemporary Moment
- EN 366 Kerouac and His Sources
- EN 384 Graphic Fiction Adaptations from Literature and Life
- EN 387 Women, Writing and Rhetoric
Career Internship
The internship is in a supervised professional setting for a minimum of eight hours per week. It includes meetings with other interns and the instructor to analyze and discuss the work experience. It requires a written log and a paper analyzing some aspect of the internship experience as it relates to personal career plans. Interested students must submit a written proposal for an internship before registering for the course. Students also must carry at least 8 additional credits at Arcadia University while enrolled in the internship unless regularly attending on a part-time basis.
Additional Requirements
One Professional Writing Course, which must be chosen from this list:
200-Level Courses
- EN 217 Journalism I
- EN 218 Business Writing
- CM 213 Writing and Communication
- CM 219 Introduction to Public Relations
- EN 314 Writing for Magazines
300-Level Courses
- EN 315 Technical Writing
- EN 316 Writing for the Health Industry
- EN 318 Journalism II
- EN 372 Special Studies in Writing
- EN 374 Grant Writing for Nonprofits
- EN 376 Writing for Digital Media
- CM 303 New Media Marketing
- CM 313 Multimedia Publishing and Production
- CM 319 Writing for Television
One Writing Course (Professional or Creative)
200-Level Courses
- EN 211 Creative Nonfiction Workshop
- EN 212 Writing Poetry and Fiction
- EN 217 Journalism I
- EN 218 Business Writing
- CM 213 Writing and Communication
- CM 219 Introduction to Public Relations
- EN 240 Intermediate Fiction Writing
- EN 241 Intermediate Poetry Writing
300-Level Courses
- EN 314 Writing for Magazines
- EN 315 Technical Writing
- EN 316 Writing for the Health Industry
- EN 318 Journalism II
- EN 343 Writing for Children
- EN 368 Tell It Slant: Memoir Writing Workshop
- EN 372 Special Studies in Writing
- EN 374 Grant Writing for Nonprofits
- EN 375 Fiction Writing Workshop
- EN 376 Writing for Digital Media
- EN 378 Poetry Writing Workshop
- CM 303 New Media Marketing
- CM 313 Multimedia Publishing and Production
- CM 319 Writing for Television
- TH 350 Playwriting
400-Level Courses
- CM 408 Screenwriting
Recommended:
Courses in modern language and literature, history, religion, philosophy, art and music as well as electives appropriate to specific professional objectives such as a career in business, law, radio or television.