Top English/Creative Writing Programs

College Search & Selection
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<p>Hi, I really want to be a writer/poet when I'm older. I might go into travel journalism or something like that but I love to write just about anything, so really basically I'm looking for strong creative writing/english programs. I'm also looking for inspiring teachers and a somewhat artsy community where I can pursue my other interests in the arts, however my main focus is a top program.</p>

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<p>English is a strong program nearly everywhere. There are so many English Ph.D.s on the job market that most any program can staff with high quality. Look for programs that actually have a creative writing concentration; not all do. Programs in an urban area are more likely, in my uninformed opinion, to have a stronger art scene. Rhodes, for instance, is in Memphis and has a center for outreach and development in the arts, and strong connections to the theatre scene and the urban art commission.</p>

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<p>University of Iowa</p>

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<p>Kenyon College is known as the school for poets.</p>

<p>University of Iowa is known for creative writing.</p>

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<p>Iowa is known mostly for its graduate program in writing, but Knox College has one of the strongest undergraduate creative writing programs in the country. Creative Writing is one of the most popular majors there.</p>

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<p>spdf, in most cases, the difference in quality between graduate and undergraduate programs in unpopular majors (such as Anthropology, Chemistry, Creative Writing, Mathematics, Physics etc…) is indistinguishable.</p>

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<p>

I disagree in this instance. Creative writing programs, particularly those known primarily for their MFA programs, can be very odd beasts. Many times a department will offer a MFA but not a BA in creative writing; if creative writing is offered to undergraduates at all, it’s often only a minor or a concentration within English. </p>

<p>Even for departments that offer undergraduate creative writing, one has to carefully evaluate course offerings. Many courses are highly selective, and only students with extremely strong writing samples will be able to register – leaving many aspiring writers out in the cold.</p>

<p>As for specific schools, it would help a great deal to know what you’re looking for in terms of size, location, atmosphere, etc. Michigan, Johns Hopkins, and Bard all have excellent creative writing programs, for example, but you could not choose more different colleges!</p>

<p>In any case, there have been dozens of threads about this. Creative writing has probably been matched only by IR and biology for search inquiries.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1204887-undergraduate-creative-writing-programs.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1204887-undergraduate-creative-writing-programs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1143502-best-creative-writing-general-english-programs.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1143502-best-creative-writing-general-english-programs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/510717-undergraduate-creative-writing.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/510717-undergraduate-creative-writing.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>…etc. There have been many more.</p>

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<p>Virtually any elite LAC will have a great English department. Creative writing is another matter. Creative writing programs tend to have specific character…you should check them out carefully. Visiting and attending a class would be a good idea.</p>

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<p>^ Pffft… The typical CC comment that all LACs are awesome for everyone and be very wary of programs at universities… :rolleyes:</p>

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<p>Johns Hopkins has the best undergraduate Creative Writing program in the country…</p>

<p>Other great ones I know off the top of my head is Iowa (I’m sure they introduced the undergraduate program recently, but their graduate program is stellar), Kenyon, Claremont McKenna, etc…</p>

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<p>You should also peruse this article by the Association of Writers and Writing:</p>

<p>[The</a> Guide: AWP’s Guide to Writing Programs](<a href=“http://guide.awpwriter.org/intro.php]The”>http://guide.awpwriter.org/intro.php)</p>

<p>This organization also maintains a searchable database of undergraduate and graduate writing programs. I’m not sure how schools make their list because I notice that Kenyon, arguably one of the best writing schools in the country, is not in their database. Still, it is worth a look. I especially appreciated the info links to the specific programs.</p>

<p><a href=“http://guide.awpwriter.org/[/url]”>http://guide.awpwriter.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Although some colleges are known to have a top notch creative writing program, I think it’s really important to research not only the curriculum of the programs but who the instructors are and what their specialties are. For instance, my son doesn’t want a program where the writer in residence is a poet since that’s not his focus.</p>

<p>Check out The Association of Writers and Writing Programs website. They have a search feature that lists MANY undergrad programs whether it’s a stand alone major or simply a concentration. They also have a guide that talks about things you might want to look for in a quality writing program.</p>

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<p>Top MFA writing programs. If they also do undergrad it is a good guide.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.pw.org/files/topfifty_secured.pdf[/url]”>http://www.pw.org/files/topfifty_secured.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Does anyone know anything about the creative writing program at the
University of San Francisco?</p>