Focusing on the genres of Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Writing for Children and Young Adults and Scriptwriting, the Creative Writing Major allows students to integrate theory and practice in a course of study that blends critical writing, creative writing, professional experience and emphasis on publication. Students work closely with faculty on strategies for composition and revision, while approaching the work of master writers through craft-based analysis. Intimate classroom settings foster a collaborative approach to learning via the interaction between peers and faculty where students and faculty push each other to achieve the best and most honest work possible.
Lesley offers a course in Magazine Production that yields our Literary Arts Magazine, Commonthought. Students have the chance to participate in all aspects of the publication process from submission to editing to layout to final publication. Students also have access to a variety of professional internships in a wide range of settings, including literary arts magazines, arts organizations, and publishers, which offer opportunities to explore careers in writing in the greater Boston area.
Degree Requirements
Required Core (15 Credits):
Complete
CCRWT 4900: Advanced Seminar in Creative Writing twice for a total of six credits.
Support Courses (9 Credits):
Choose CLANG, CLITR or CHUMS courses at the 3000-Level and above, with at least 3 credits focusing on your genre of study.
All students need to prove World Language competency. If a student needs to fulfill the World Language competency by taking CLANG courses at Lesley, six (6) credits will count towards the Support courses. See below for more info on fulfilling the World Language competency.
Creative Writing Craft and Reflection (12 Credits):
Choose TWELVE credits from the following, of which THREE must be 3000 level or higher and SIX must be in the study of your chosen genre.
Creative Writing majors must declare one primary genre by the end of second semester sophomore year. In consultation with faculty advisor and/or a Creative Writing faculty mentor, genre choice may be determined according to number of courses taken in a genre and/or academic or career goals. Creative Writing majors write a capstone work in their chosen genre in the Creative Writing Senior Seminar. Students must complete the advanced, 3000-level course in their chosen genre prior to enrolling in the Senior Seminar.
World Language Competency (6 credits):
Students may fulfill the world language requirement by completing any of the following options (A, B, C, or D)
A. American Sign Language
B. Spanish
| CLANG 1101 | Spanish I: Community Engagement in Spanish | 3 |
| CLANG 1102 | Spanish II: Community Engagement in Spanish | 3 |
C. Portuguese
D. Competencies in world language for the Creative Writing Major are also fulfilled by:
1. Successfully finishing two semesters of a non-English world language at an accredited higher education institution or approved year-abroad program.
2. Students arriving at Lesley with the proficiency to enroll in American Sign Language II, Spanish II, or Portuguese II, and successfully completing the course, also satisfy the world language competency requirement.
3. Students who have achieved proficiency equal to two full semesters of college language instruction before joining Lesley have several options to meet this requirement:
A. Before entering Lesley, students may take an AP language exam or CLEP exam and satisfy the language requirement if they score a grade of four or higher (AP) or 50 or above (CLEP).
B. Upon enrollment, students seeking to demonstrate language competency should consult the Department Chair.
C. Students can opt to take a competency exam in any of the languages offered at Lesley. A grade of B or higher on this test will waive the language requirement, while a grade ranging from C to B- will place the student at the second-semester level.
D. For languages not offered at Lesley, students must take the CLEP or an equivalent exam as approved by the Department Chair.
Professional / Experiential Component (6 Credits):
If the student declares an Education Major or Minor, the internship requirement is satisfied with student teaching in the Major or Minor.
If the student declares any other double major, the internship requirement must be satisfied in the major with the greater number of credits in its experiential component. If they're the same, the student may choose one. Every effort will be made to have one of the internships encompass the objectives of the other major.
Students may choose to do an additional internship in their other major.
| CINTD 3100 | Interdisciplinary Internship & Seminar | 3-6 |
| CINTD 4100 | Interdisciplinary Internship & Seminar II | 3-6 |