Reading and writing – masterfully and creatively – are even more important today than ever.  The Creative & Professional Writing major offers students a focused and unequaled educational environment in which to become successful communicators in any career field.

Creative writing embraces many sub-divisions of literary art, from traditional genres such as poetry and fiction to literary nonfiction and playwriting, as well as newer genres such as prose poetry, screen writing, and graphic novels. Within the technical realm, professionalism in writing involves publication know-how, skills in editing, digital content development, and organizational communication.  Appreciation of these forms – both creative and professional— involves aesthetic and intellectual discipline, developing the knowledge and use of language, compositional strategies, and ability to connect with readerships. Through the CRWR program, students are immersed in writing opportunities, giving them the experience of practicing chosen genres and a workshop environment within which to explore the dynamics of audience responsiveness to writerly effects. 

The Creative & Professional Writing major combines learning opportunities from an array of offerings. Study begins with introductory seminars focusing on ways of knowing, humanities, and social sciences. Student writers then work with an advisor to develop an individualized study plan, choosing from diverse writing-intensive offerings.  As part of the program, focus is placed on professional writing with a publication workshop and expansion of skills into an applied area of technical writing.  Nearing completion, attention is primarily on a major writing project(s) and practicum experiences or internships to develop real-world networks. The program culminates in the senior project which combines knowledge gained as well as a portfolio of writing to take forward.

Learning Outcomes

As a graduate, a student will earn an Bachelor of Arts degree with realized proficiency in APU’s Core Competencies:

1. Effective Communication [EC]:  Demonstrate the ability to get one’s point across in writing, presentations, and organizations in order to share information, teach others, and foster collaboration
2. Critical Thinking [CT]:  Demonstrate the ability to compute, analyze, make sense of information or data, and reach reasoned conclusions cognizant of possible bias or fallacies
3. Cultural & Historical Perspective [CH]:  Demonstrate the ability to effectively consider tradition and heritage in relation to decision-making in a world shaped by diverse cultures and abiding histories
4. Scientific Inquiry [SI]:  Demonstrate the ability to reach verifiable conclusions based on documented observations, findings, and recognized methods in order to know how things work in our world
5. Ethical Engagement [EE]:  Demonstrate ability to raise needed questions and apply ethical and effective problem-framing and problem-solving to make things better