Carnegie Mellon University

Creative Writing - Additional Major

If you wish to declare an additional major (also sometimes called a double major) in Creative Writing, curriculum requirements will depend upon the primary major declaration. Because some of the same courses are required for each of the 5 major programs in the department, students who have primary majors in English have an amended set of requirements for additional majors, in order to account for course overlap.

Curriculum for Students with Primary Majors Outside of the Department of English:

11 courses, 99 units minimum

All courses are 9.0 units each, unless otherwise noted.

Introductory Genre Writing Courses (2 courses, 18 units):

76-260   Introduction to Writing Fiction
76-261   Introduction to Writing Creative Nonfiction    
76-265   Introduction to Writing Poetry
76-269   Introduction to Screenwriting

Reading in Forms (1 course, 9 units):

76-362   Reading in Forms: Nonfiction
76-363   Reading in Forms: Poetry
76-363   Reading in Forms: Poetry: Intro to Literary Translation    
76-364   Reading in Forms: Fiction

Creative Writing Workshops (4 courses, 36 units):

Students must take at least two workshops in a single genre. Workshops in all genres may be taken more than once for credit, except for Literary Journalism. In order to be eligible to enroll in a particular workshop, students must earn a grade of A or B in the introductory genre writing course of that same genre. If students earn a C in an introductory genre writing course, they may enroll in a related workshop only with the permission of the instructor. If they earn a D or R (failing grade) in an introductory genre writing course, they may not take a workshop in that genre.

76-360   Literary Journalism Workshop   
76-365   Beginning Poetry Workshop       
76-366   Essay Writing Workshop                  
76-460   Beginning Fiction Workshop       
76-462   Advanced Fiction Workshop       
76-465   Advanced Poetry Workshop       
76-464   Creative Nonfiction Workshop: Magazines and Journals 
76-469   Screenwriting Workshop

English Electives (4 courses, 36 units):

Complete four additional courses from the English Department’s offerings.

  • Only one of the four English Electives may be at the 200 level. The remaining English Electives must be at the 300 or 400 level.
  • Two of the four English Electives must be courses that are designated as fulfilling the literature requirement and focus on close reading of literary texts.

Please consult the list of courses published each semester by the Department for current offerings. English Electives may include any course offered by the Department at the 200- to 400-level. In choosing English Electives, students are encouraged to sample courses from across the Department.

Curriculum for Students with Primary Majors Within the Department of English:

7 courses, 63 units minimum

All courses are 9.0 units each, unless otherwise noted.

Introductory Genre Writing Courses (1 courses, 9 units):

76-260   Introduction to Writing Fiction
76-261   Introduction to Writing Creative Nonfiction    
76-265   Introduction to Writing Poetry
76-269   Introduction to Screenwriting


Reading in Forms (1 course, 9 units):

76-362   Reading in Forms: Nonfiction
76-363   Reading in Forms: Poetry
76-363   Reading in Forms: Poetry: Intro to Literary Translation    
76-364   Reading in Forms: Fiction

Creative Writing Workshops (4 courses, 36 units):

Students must take at least two workshops in a single genre. Workshops in all genres may be taken more than once for credit, except for Literary Journalism. In order to be eligible to enroll in a particular workshop, students must earn a grade of A or B in the introductory genre writing course of that same genre. If students earn a C in an introductory genre writing course, they may enroll in a related workshop only with the permission of the instructor. If they earn a D or R (failing grade) in an introductory genre writing course, they may not take a workshop in that genre.

76-360   Literary Journalism Workshop   
76-365   Beginning Poetry Workshop       
76-366   Essay Writing Workshop                    
76-460   Beginning Fiction Workshop       
76-462   Advanced Fiction Workshop       
76-465   Advanced Poetry Workshop       
76-464   Creative Nonfiction Workshop: Magazines and Journals 
76-469   Screenwriting Workshop

English Electives (1 courses, 9 units):

Complete 1 additional English Elective from the Department of English offerings.

  • A 200-level English Elective may be taken only if one has not already been taken to fulfill the requirements of the primary major in the Department of English. If a 200-level elective has already been taken for the primary major, the additional English Elective must be a 300- or 400-level course.