The creative writing program leads to the Bachelor of Fine Arts. By dedicating their collegiate study to creative writing, students commit to becoming writers; they can expect to be treated as serious writers. As such, they will engage in the formal and rigorous study of craft through reading, revising, and developing the methodical and critical skills that assist in improving their own creative work as well as the work of others. If students apply themselves deliberately to the study of writing in their time at RWU, they can expect to establish solid foundations for these essential practices, common to all writers/artists.
Incoming freshmen are accepted to the creative writing program on the basis of a portfolio, containing both creative and analytical writing, submitted as part of the application process. Matriculating students may enter the creative writing program by earning a grade of B- or higher in CW 210 and CW 220 , on the basis of a portfolio, or by recommendation of one or more full-time creative writing faculty members. (See: Special Requirements for Applicants section of the catalog.)
Each year, the creative writing program brings to campus such writers as Rick Moody, Kim Addonizio, Marjorie Agosin, Steve Almond, Ann Waldman, Tom Chandler, Stuart Dischell, Mark Halliday, Stewart O’Nan, Dan Chaon, Tobias Wolff, Jennifer Haigh and C.D. Wright who speak on literature and writing and read from their works.
