Undergraduate
Creative Writing and English
Honours Specialization in Creative Writing and English Language and Literature
Minor in Creative Writing
Creative Writing Outside the Classroom
Featured Published Writers
Are you an aspiring poet, playwright, short-story writer? Is the next great Canadian novel in your bottom drawer? In the Department of English at Western, we not only study works by great creative writers, we also help to make them. Graduates of our program have gone on to major graduate programs in Creative Writing, had their work published by prestigious journals and presses, and been nominated for major literary prizes.
Students who have completed a first-year course in English may submit their creative writing portfolios to compete for a place in English 3998E, our highly respected creative writing workshop. In this course, a small group of hand-picked students work intensively with one another and their instructor to refine their craft and, in so doing, to find their literary voice. Successful students from this course who are registered in the Honors Specialization module in English may receive permission to fulfill their 4000-level requirements by completing a creative writing Honors Thesis, a short novel, play, or a collection of short stories or poems that they develop with the aid of a supervisor from our full-time faculty. Details can be found here.
Honours Specialization in Creative Writing and English Language and Literature
This module is ideal for students who wish to make English the centerpiece of their undergraduate degrees. It offers a comprehensive study of British, Canadian, American, and Postcolonial literatures, including requirements in the history of the English language, drama, and literary and cultural theory. The module is the preferred path to graduate studies in English, and is highly recommended for students aspiring to careers in journalism, publishing, creative writing, multimedia content, and advertising. With an appropriate minor, this module provides exceptional preparation for students going into law or business school, public relations, civil service, and the diplomatic corps.
Admission Requirements:
Completion of first-year requirements with no failures. Students must have an average of at least 70% in 3.0 principal courses, including Writing 1000F/G; and 2.0 additional courses including 1.0 course from English 1020E or 1022E or 1024E or 1035E or 1036E or both of English 1027F/G and 1028F/G, or permission of the Department; and 1.0 course from Classical Studies 1000, Comparative Literature and Culture 1020, Film 1020E, French 1900E, Philosophy 1020, Visual Art History 1040, Visual Art Studio 1020, or Women’s Studies 1020E; 0.5 additional course. A minimum mark of 70% in Writing 1000F/G is required, with no mark below 60% in the other principal courses; and submission of a portfolio
Module
11.0 courses
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Writing courses: 3.5 courses
0.5 course in Writing Genres from: Writing 2204F/G, 2214F/G, 2218F/G, 2220F/G
1.5 courses in Creative Writing: 2203F/G, 2211F/G, 2299F/G.
1.5 Writing courses from: 2213F/G, 2217F/G, 2219F/G, 2222F/G. A 0.5 course in Special Topics in Writing may be substituted with permission of the Department. Note: Students may enroll in Creative Writing Genre courses not previously taken in order to fulfill this part of the module.English courses: 6.5 courses
0.5 Theory course: English 2200F/G.
0.5 Theory course in English from: English 2220F/G, 2230F/G.
1.0 course in English from: 2307E, 2308E, 2309E, 2310E.
1.0 English course in Pre-1800 English Literature from: 3001, 3012, 3115E, 3116E, 3224E, 3226E, 3227E, 3334E.
1.0 English course in Post-1800 English Literature from: 3444E, 3446F/G, 3554E, 3557F/G, 3667F/G, 3777F/G, 3882F/G.
1.0 English course in Drama from: 3226E, 3227E, 3556E, 3666F/G, 3776F/G.
1.0 English course from: 3998E, 4998E, 4999E.
0.5 additional English essay course at the 2000-2199 level or above.Additional course:
1.0 course: Classical Studies 2200
Minor in Creative Writing
Students who wish to make Creative Writing one of their modular choices, may consider the Minor in Creative Writing, a module offered jointly by English, Film and the Program in Writing, Rhetoric and Professional Communication.
Open to all students in the University, the Minor in Creative Writing offers undergraduate students the opportunity to develop their ability to write fiction, poetry, screenplays, and other forms of imaginative literature. Any undergraduate student may apply for admission, subject to prerequisites and general University entrance requirements
For more info see our Programs, Certificates and Degrees page.
Creative Writing Outside the Classroom
Creative Writing at Western is not limited to the classroom. Each year Western invites a respected poet, novelist, or playwright to act as our Writer in Residence, someone to whom young and aspiring writers can turn to for advice and feedback on their work. And through The Coterie, the Undergraduate English Student Society, writers can publish their work in one of the Society’s publications, or join in on the fun at the annual poetry slam at a local pub.
The Rusty Toque:
The Rusty Toque (link to: http://therustytoque.weebly.com) is an online literary and arts journal published biannually with the support of Western University's Writing, Rhetoric, and Professional Communication. The Rusty Toque also publishes interviews with contemporary writers and filmmakers called Rusty Talk. We welcome submissions from both new and established writers. Please check out our submission guidelines.
Featured Published Writers
Graduates of The Department of English have gone on to pursue graduate programs in creative writing and they have had their work published by prestigious journals and presses, and been nominated for major literary prizes. Below are some featured works from our recent Writer-In-Residence and English graduates:
| Brian Francis Brian is a CBC Canada Reads finalist and has recently published his sophomore novel Natural Order. |
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| Meghan Adams Meghan was winner in the Short Story category of the CBC Literary Awards for 2010 and has returned to Western where she is currently pursuing her PhD. |
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| R. Scott Bakker R. Scott Bakker is a fantasy author who been writing a popular fiction series since he was a student at Western in the 1980s. His most recent novel is The White Luck Warrior. |
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| David Hickey David, a doctoral candidate in our program, recently published his second book of poems, Open Air Bindery as well as his first children’s book, A Very Small Something. |