What you will study
Whether you’re drawn to popular fiction or slam poetry, graphic novels or creative
non-fiction, you can explore any written form of expression at the University of Central
Missouri. Our minor in Creative Writing serves as your creative outlet, allowing you
to complete courses in our English program without committing to the full major.
UCM’s creative writing classes run as supportive workshops. You’ll share your writing
in small groups with classmates and get helpful feedback from professors — accomplished,
published writers in their own right.
Improve your ability to compose with clarity, originality and accuracy through classes
such as:
- The Art of Poetry
- Screenwriting
- Writing Genre Fiction
- Writing Fiction for Publication
Excellence in Creative Writing
- A Best Value Bachelor’s Degree College for General English Literature (College Factual, 2022)
Unique learning opportunities in creative writing
Enrich your writing experience outside the classroom with fun activities and interactive
events. The University of Central Missouri offers many ways for Creative Writing minors
to get inspired:
- Internships: Gain professional experience as a writer, editor or publisher by interning for Pleiades: Literature in Context. Help with each phase of production, from screening submissions to printing and distributing.
- Student life: Exercise your writing skills through student organizations. Get involved with Arcade, a literary journal written and edited entirely by UCM undergraduates. Meet fellow
writing students and support each other's work through the Creative Writing Club.
You can also join many other groups just for fun.
- Campus events: Attend readings by nationally acclaimed authors through the Pleiades Visiting Writers
Series. Meet the writer through a Q&A session or share a meal and gather tips about
their writing process.
What you can do with a minor in Creative Writing from UCM?
Are you hoping to publish the next Great American novel? Take on a side gig as an
editor? Pitch products to major corporations? No matter your dream, you’ll be armed
to articulate your vision as an effective communicator with a Creative Writing minor.
Ways to use your creative writing skills
The skills you gain in this undergraduate program can help you write everything from
research papers to your final thesis — and beyond. Many undergraduate students pursuing
a BA in English - Literature use the Creative Writing minor to complement their analytical
work. Some add this minor to their bachelor’s in Business, Nursing, Psychology or
even Music. Others pair Creative Writing with a second minor such as History or Communication.
In short, Creative Writing helps in any field by teaching you to communicate more
effectively. With so many practical applications, our minor in Creative Writing is
a beneficial companion to any bachelor’s degree.
The skills you gain by minoring in Creative Writing can benefit everything you do.
Use the helpful tool below to explore all of your career options.
Financial assistance options for your Creative Writing minor
The University of Central Missouri offers a variety of ways to finance your college education, including grants, scholarships and other financial aid resources to help make earning
your undergraduate degree both achievable and affordable.
Scholarships are also available for students in Creative Writing, including:
- Robert C. Jones Scholarship
You can learn more about program-specific scholarships at the UCM Scholarship Finder.
Meet Joshua C.
BS Criminal Justice, Creative Writing Minor ’19
“The creative writing program consistently brought me joy during my time at UCM. Every
class felt unique and attracted talented students from all backgrounds. Because of
the amazing faculty, I find myself using the skills I learned from the program in
both my professional career as a public servant and in my personal, more creative
endeavors.”
Have Your Talent Recognized
Alumni awards support student writers
Each year, the Baker-Starzinger Writing Awards select outstanding works by students
in poetry and short fiction. Submissions are judged by prominent authors, poets and
creative writers. As a Creative Writing minor at UCM, you’ll be invited to submit
your work in this prestigious annual competition.
Watch the 2021 Awards Ceremony
Meet Creative Writing Faculty Member Jenny Molberg
Published poet and editor
Jenny Molberg is an award-winning author of three poetry collections: “Marvels of
the Invisible” (Tupelo Press, 2017), “Refusal” (LSU Press, 2020) and “The Court of
No Record” (forthcoming from LSU Press, 2023). She also edited the book, “Adelaide
Crapsey: On the Life & Work of an American Master,” and has received a fellowship
from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Meet the Faculty
Gain Hands-on Publishing Experience
Help run a major literary journal
Sign up for the Practicum on Editing and Publishing to gain real-world experience
with a highly respected journal that is produced at UCM. The literary biannual, “Pleiades,”
features poetry, fiction, essays and reviews by authors from around the world. UCM
juniors and seniors can submit their work and also help to produce each issue.
Visit Pleiades Magazine
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