POSTPONED: Dickinson Lectureship in American Poetry presents Ilya Kaminsky
POSTPONED: The reading with Ilya Kaminsky, the twenty-fourth annual Emily Dickinson Lecture in American Poetry, is postponed. Please check back for more information about the event. Ilya Kaminsky was born… Read more POSTPONED: Dickinson Lectureship in American Poetry presents Ilya Kaminsky
Jai Chakrabarti Visits Penn State
During a visit to Penn State through the Mary E. Rolling Reading Series on September 19, award-winning fiction writer Jai Chakrabarti came to Professor Kọ́láwọlé’s graduate fiction-writing class to talk about specifics… Read more Jai Chakrabarti Visits Penn State
Harrisburg Book Festival October 9-13
The Harrisburg Book Festival will take place this fall from October 9-13. The 5-day event will feature over two dozen award-winning authors, an outdoor tent sale with over 30,000+… Read more Harrisburg Book Festival October 9-13
Mary E. Rolling Reading Series Presents Sherrie Flick on October 10
Nationally renowned fiction writer Sherrie Flick will offer a reading as part of this year’s Mary E. Rolling Reading Series. The reading, which is free and open to the public,… Read more Mary E. Rolling Reading Series Presents Sherrie Flick on October 10
Meet the Students in our Graduate Degree Program of Creative Writing
Penn State’s integrated undergraduate/graduate program in creative writing welcomes ten new students this fall 2024 to join the nine continuing into their second year of the program. Though some members… Read more Meet the Students in our Graduate Degree Program of Creative Writing
Mary E. Rolling Reading Series Presents Jai Chakrabarti
Nationally renowned fiction writer Jai Chakrabarti will offer a reading as part of this year’s Mary E. Rolling Reading Series. The reading, which is free and open to the public,… Read more Mary E. Rolling Reading Series Presents Jai Chakrabarti
Castles in the Sky: Screening, Poetry Reading, and Conversation
The Department of English is co-sponsoring a film screening of Castles in the Sky (a 30-minute short film) directed by Pearl Gluck, Penn State Associate Professor of Film Production, on… Read more Castles in the Sky: Screening, Poetry Reading, and Conversation
Professor Elizabeth Kadetsky Awarded Prestigious National Grant
Penn State Creative Writing Professor Elizabeth Kadetsky received a Public Scholars fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to work for one year to complete her book about… Read more Professor Elizabeth Kadetsky Awarded Prestigious National Grant
Professor Samuel Kọ́láwọlé Publishes Critically Acclaimed Debut Novel
Penn State Professor Samuel Kọ́láwọlé published his critically acclaimed debut novel, The Road to the Salt Sea, in July of 2024. It is a searing exploration of the global migration… Read more Professor Samuel Kọ́láwọlé Publishes Critically Acclaimed Debut Novel
2024-25 Creative Writing Reading Series Announced
We’re excited to announce next year’s line-up for our creative writing reading series, which includes the Mary E. Rolling Reading Series, the Emily Dickinson Lectureship in Creative Writing, and the Fisher… Read more 2024-25 Creative Writing Reading Series Announced
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Creative Writing
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About the Program
- The qualities we encourage in our students prepare them to be dynamic employees who are creative thinkers and problem-solvers. Many of our students have gone on to careers as published writers, novelists, poets, essayists, short story writers, and writers of young adult literature. Other students find they are well prepared for careers in writing for the media, business, public and private foundations, and government. Higher and secondary education careers have been popular choices as well. Our students often pursue advanced degrees in fields such as creative writing, literature, law, psychology, linguistics, and ethnic and gender studies.
- Fiction Writing
- Poetry Writing
- Creative Nonfiction Writing
- Article Writing
- TV Script Writing
Have questions about this program?
Future students , contact the Liberal Arts Recruitment Team .
Current students , contact your academic adviser .
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Philosophy symposium, get ready for national first-generation student celebration week, pinocchio in the twenty-first century: how an almost 150 year old italian puppet became an icon of our times, “empire’s orphans, nation’s stepchildren: jews and others in the interwar middle east and north africa”, snack and schedule, networking: breaking the ice at professional events, wgss monthly undergraduate coffee hour, the spanish club, zotero: the best friend to your bibliography, paterno fellows lunch with honors, african studies brown bag lecture, drop-in or pop-in career support hours, “kenya’s running women: a history” by michelle sikes, first-gen student paint and sip, wellness wednesday: arboretum walk with warm apple cider, trending pages.
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As a Creative Writing major, you’ll enhance your knowledge and sharpen your skills through a variety of literature courses and writing workshops.
Within undergraduate studies, Penn State’s English department offers a creative writing concentration in the English major that allows for exploration, focus, and practice in different forms of creative writing — fiction, poetry, and nonfiction — and practical writing in biography, article writing, and editing.
Meet the Students in our Graduate Degree Program of Creative Writing. Penn State’s integrated undergraduate/graduate program in creative writing welcomes ten new students this fall 2024 to join the nine continuing into their second year of the program. Though some members…. Read more.
You’ll develop your art as you also polish your professional skills. As a Creative Writing major, you can participate in The Behrend Beacon and other student organizations, and attend readings by poetry, fiction, and non-fiction writers through the Creative Writers Reading Series.
Creative writing students analyze masterworks of fiction, poetry, and literary nonfiction from different periods and cultures; compose their own original works; develop editing and communication skills; and explore the world of contemporary publishing.
The major allows students to develop their writing skills through craft classes, literature classes, and writing workshops, in preparation for a variety of post-graduation options, from continuing on to M.F.A. degree