Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
BFA in Creative Writing Program Overview
At Spalding, we understand how powerful a person’s voice can be. We understand how writing can inspire and shape the world, how it can influence and drive creativity, how it makes us want to learn and create. This is why our Creative Writing Program places an emphasis on career, collaboration, feedback, community, and an exploration of craft through workshops and classes designed to not only provide writers with strong writing skills, but to also make those writers part of a larger community as they pursue careers in writing.
At Spalding you can pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing allowing you to tailor your studies to your specific interests and focus on genres, writing styles, and literature you are passionate about. At the same time, we provide a foundation of skills to help you move toward a career in the field of writing or continue studying writing at the graduate level.
- 120 credit hours
- Practicums and internships
- Annual Celebration of Student Writing
- Salon-style reading sessions
- Author visits, writers in residence and writing workshops
- Naslund-Mann School of Writing Graduate Residency and Credit Opportunities
- The Opal Literary Magazine Editorial Staff
Courses
Spalding’s 120-credit Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing integrates a liberal arts core curriculum with courses in literature, linguistics and practical applications of creative writing. Through writing workshops, internships and practicums, students hone their skills, nurture their passions and discover how their love for writing can translate to a sustainable career path. Courses include genre workshops, online & print publishing and leadership in the arts.
Students develop their writing craft through workshops and classes, and can tailor their BFA studies to specific interests, focusing on the genres, writing styles, and literature they are passionate about.
BFA in Creative Writing students may earn graduate credits in the Spalding MFA program.
Unique MFA Parternship
Spalding’s nationally recognized low-residency MFA in Writing program partners closely with our BFA in Creative Writing, giving undergraduates an insider view of the literary world. Each spring and fall, week-long MFA residencies bring acclaimed visiting writers to campus—recent guests include graphic novelist Danica Novgorodoff and bestselling memoirist Javier Zamora.
BFA students can meet these authors, join residency events, and attend lectures led by celebrated MFA faculty such as Kentucky Poet Laureate Kathleen Driskell, novelist Silas House, and Salon.com chief content officer Erin Keane. They also connect with MFA graduates from across the country and get a real sense of what a top-ranked writing program offers.
Seniors can take their studies even further by earning graduate credits through the Spalding MFA program.
Accreditation
Spalding University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctorate degrees.
Admissions Requirements
Ready to write for life? Discover how Spalding’s creative writing program can prepare you to build a life around language.
Tuition
Let’s put your path on the page. Learn about tuition and fees for our Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program, as well as your financial aid options.
Find Possibility in the Heart of the City
DISCOVER YOUR GROWTH POTENTIAL
Creative writing majors develop some of the most in-demand marketplace skills that employers are seeking, including strategic thinking, communication, and problem-solving.
High-Impact Career Preparation
Spalding’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is an opportunity to build a life around language and become part of a writing community. In addition to craft and community, creative writing graduates will prepare for careers in a variety of industries, including:
- Communication
- Education
- Journalism
- Marketing
- Public Relations
- Publishing
- Television
- Theatre
Internship Opportunities
BFA students gain valuable experience outside Spalding as well. Our students have held internships at the following places:
- Filson Historical Society
- Fons Vitae
- Hydra Publications
- Kentucky Author Forum
- Louisville Magazine
- Spalding University Writing Center
- Today’s Woman Magazine
The Opal Lit Magazine
The BFA’s undergraduate magazine, The Opal, gives students the opportunity to work as editors for an online, student-run publication. Going into its third year, The Opal is focused on providing a space for emerging writers across the country.
Students walk out of here with lines on their resumé or CV that say ‘here are these things that I did. Here is this real-world work experience I’ve had with a lit magazine, with this practicum, with this internship.’ They can turn that passion and experience into something they can make a living from.
Charles Maynard, Director of Undergraduate Creative and Professional Writing
