The Minor in Creative Writing
A minor in Creative Writing (CW) offers undergraduates across BU the opportunity to explore and experiment with writing in a variety of genres, including Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Playwriting, Screenwriting, and Multimedia/Hybrid genres. This minor requires six courses, and students will be able to choose from a roster of courses offered by Creative Writing, CAS English, the BU School of Communication, and the College of Fine Arts; a full list of courses that can be counted toward the minor is below.
Students will be required to complete EN 202, “Introduction to Creative Writing,” or to demonstrate equivalent expertise in one or more literary genres on the basis of study already completed (for example in summer workshops or writing conferences) and on the basis of a writing sample. In addition, three required courses would be workshop-based, and two would be electives (one of them an English Dept. course) chosen from a list of literature and literary criticism/theory/history courses.
The intention of the CW Minor is to allow interested and committed undergraduates to experiment with writing in multiple CW genres, as well as to advance their expertise in a particular genre by completing both beginning/intermediate and advanced workshops in that genre.
Rising sophomores, juniors and seniors will be allowed to apply CW courses they have already completed to the required course count for the CW Minor.
Those interested in declaring the minor should complete this Google Form.
| Degree Progress Report Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Catalog Year or Academic Term (Semester)? | Starting Fall 2026 |
| How many units (credits) is the degree? | 6 course minor: 24 credits |
Introduction to Creative Writing
The Creative Writing Program offers sections of Introduction to Creative Writing during the fall and spring semesters. Each section of EN 202 is limited to fifteen students; these courses do not utilize a waitlist and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The course is a workshop-based creative writing course in which students will create original work, offer feedback to peers, and receive feedback from peers and their instructor.
Please note that EN 202 does not satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences writing requirement. EN 202 is not a prerequisite for any of the advanced writing classes, though we do recommend it to students who wish to pursue further creative work in the program. EN 202 may only be taken once for credit, but may be taken for a total of two times (with the second instance not counting for credit).
Because admission to any of the advanced courses is not guaranteed, we recommend that you register for 202 prior to submitting a portfolio for one of the advanced writing classes. As seats in creative writing courses are limited, students may apply to the advanced courses as often as they wish. You will only increase your chances of being accepted by doing so.
In Fall 2026, the following sections of EN 202 will be offered:
Advanced Undergraduate Creative Writing Courses
Advanced creative writing courses in either poetry (EN 304 in the fall, EN 403 in the spring) or fiction (EN 305 in the fall, and EN 405 in the spring) are usually offered each semester. Seats in these courses are limited to twelve per section (300-level) or ten per section (400-level), and are offered to students on a selective/competitive basis. These courses are workshop-based. Students must submit a sample of their creative work to the course instructor or the Creative Writing administrator before the start of classes. As with EN 202, each of these courses may be taken up to two times, but only the first instance will count for credit.
To apply to EN 304, please send a sample of your own original poetry (maximum 5 poems, compiled into one PDF or Word document) to crwr@bu.edu by 08/15/26. A small number of seats will be reserved for declared creative writing minors on a first-come, first-served basis; if you are a declared minor and reserved seats are still available, you should be able to add the course without application.
To apply to EN 305, please send a sample of your own original fiction (maximum 30 pages, compiled into one PDF or Word document) to crwr@bu.edu by 08/15/26. A small number of seats will be reserved for declared creative writing minors on a first-come, first-served basis; if you are a declared minor and reserved seats are still available, you should be able to add the course without application.
In Fall 2026, the following courses will be offered:
| Course No. | Course Title | Instructor | Day/Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAS EN 304 | Writing of Poetry | Annaka Saari | W 6:30PM-9:15PM | EGL 222 |
| CAS EN 305 | Writing of Fiction | Etienne Labbouz | M 2:30PM-5:15PM | EGL 222 |
Credit and Concentration in Creative Writing
For students majoring or minoring in English, any advanced creative writing course (EN 304, 305, 306, or 405) may count for concentration credit. Please consult the English department.
You may take any creative writing course (EN 202 – EN 405) only once for credit. However, should you want to work with a different instructor, or work with a favorite instructor again, each course may be taken up to two times; the second instance will not be counted for credit. Please consult your advisors about any courses you plan to take; the Creative Writing Program cannot be held responsible for the degree progress or minor/major requirements of individual undergraduate students.