Creative Writing Concentration:
Information for Majors
Premised on the belief that the study of literature and the practice of writing are mutually reinforcing, the English Major with a Creative Writing Concentration emphasizes the inter-relations among creative writing, digital media, criticism, and scholarship. As a concentration with a dual focus on literature and creative work, fully integrated within the English department, this degree offering combines literature courses, small writing workshops, and practical industry training to prepare students for advanced study or careers in writing, media, and publishing. In addition, students benefit from the resources provided by New York City— a worldwide center for literary publishing.
RSVP for Required Gatherings
Craft Class Testimonials
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Attending the Mary Higgins Clark craft class with torrin a. greathouse has been the highlight of my fall semester. I really loved her book, Wound from the Mouth of a Wound, and getting to hear about greathouse’s writing practice first-hand gave me an even deeper appreciation of the formal and emotional aspects of her work. It is such a special, inspiring experience as an emerging writer to receive instruction from someone like greathouse and to learn a bit about her creative experience navigating drafting, editing, and publishing.
Allison Schneider
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Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity of attending the craft class led by torrin a. greathouse. We discussed prose poetry and the ways in which writing in a format you might be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with can help break you out of a creative rut. We read through several examples of prose poetry and looked at how the format emphasizes certain things about the piece—everything from sentence structure to the white space left around the actual poetry itself. The class was as inspiring as it was informative, and as we worked together on several writing prompts, greathouse even shared a draft of her own from her current manuscript, which was so incredibly cool to hear.
Clare Cummings
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The masterclass with Torrin A. Greathouse was a lovely and warm evening. They were an excellent teacher and lecturer, teaching craft and theory with dexterity. I loved hearing the words I read in an assigned book my sophomore year come alive in her live poetry reading.
Adithi Vimalanathan
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Once you are accepted to this degree offering, we'll go ahead and submit your declaration paperwork. You should see your new major appear within Degreeworks in a few weeks.
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Please carefully review our Degree Requirements
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COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Capstone course is the exit requirement for English Majors concentrating in Creative Writing. Students will work on comprehensive portfolios that will encompass their creative and professional work and will help pave the way for a life post-Fordham. In addition, students will work on a high-level collaborative creative writing public exhibition project. The principal aim of the Capstone is to introduce our graduating students to the realities of the writer’s life, which necessarily involves not just individual work but also affiliation, cooperation, and community.
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The following are required of all Concentrators:
FALL SEMESTER
Fall Craft Class & Social, featuring Mary Higgins Clark Chair
SPRING SEMESTER
Spring Craft Class & Social, featuring Reid Writer
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Join Fordham English on Discord. We see Creative Writing Concentrators as movers and shakers in our community. Jump in and join in our online conversations and adventures.
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Poetic Justice Institute Events & Initiatives
Opportunity to Apply to Creative Writing Graduate Master Class (Every Semester)
Vision Quest: Long-Form Writing Fellowship
“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes ‘Awww!”
Creative Writing Program
Mission, Vision, Values
Mission
Our mission is to teach creative writing to undergraduates in all forms and genres in a warm and supportive environment. We seek to balance our instruction between creative process and practical knowledge.
Vision
Our students understand creative writing as both a practice and a foundational way of thinking that fosters empathy, resilience and joyful innovation.
Values
Diversity/Inclusivity: We are open and inclusive toward genres, writers, lifestyles, language, aesthetics within our program.
Generosity: We foster an abundance mindset between students and faculty within our curriculum and in our initiatives.
Dedication: We ask a lot. We give a lot.
Innovation: We look to the cutting edge of literary programming and curriculum.
Leadership: We instill a sense of agency and power within our students and faculty. We encourage our students to share their work on public platforms.