Undergraduate Program Director

The undergraduate writing program at UND is designed to encourage independence and self-motivation within a supportive and stimulating environment.

Our flexible English major allows students interested in creative writing to take courses in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction alongside a robust offering of courses in publishing and editing, digital humanities, public humanities, and literary studies. To complement their coursework, undergraduate students of any major can declare a certificate in creative writing and/or writing and editing.

The annual Writers Conference, held each spring, brings together nationally known writers to give readings, engage in panel discussions, and meet with students. During the Writers Conference, visiting authors will often host community workshops for students and visit the creative writing courses. Recent Writers Conference authors have included Marlon James, Heid Erdrich, Sarah Smarsh, Tommy Orange, Roy G. Guzmán, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and Matt Young.

Undergraduate Program Director

For the BA, students need a total of 120 semester credits. To fulfill General Education requirements, all students must successfully complete courses in 6 perspectives: Expressive Arts, Literary and Artistic Studies, Historical and Cultural, Social Sciences, Ethical and Human Values, and Natural Sciences.

The BA in English requires 42-60 credits, including Contemporary Imagination, 2 British or American survey courses, and 2 upper division courses. In addition to fulfilling these requirements for the BA in English, a creative writing student must complete one lower division poetry course, Shakespeare, one course in literary theory, two years of upper-division creative writing courses, and two years of a foreign language.

Graduate Program Director

The graduate writing program at UND is designed to encourage independence and self-motivation within a supportive and stimulating environment.

Our flexible English major allows students interested in creative writing to take courses in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction alongside a robust offering of courses in publishing and editing, digital humanities, public humanities, and literary studies.

MA candidates can enroll in creative writing workshops in fiction and poetry, literature seminars, and methods courses that prepare them for a future in the public humanities or continued scholarly work. MA candidates—especially those interested in applying to MFA programs—also have the option of completing a creative portfolio. This program combines traditional literary study with the writing of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

Teaching assistantships are available. Graduate students also have opportunities to perform creative work in the Graduate Reading Series, volunteer as emcees for our Open Mic Nights, and join the editorial team of Floodwall, the campus literary magazine.

The annual Writers Conference, held each spring, brings together nationally known writers to give readings, engage in panel discussions, and meet with students. During the Writers Conference, visiting authors will often host community workshops for students and visit the creative writing courses. Recent Writers Conference authors have included Marlon James, Heid Erdrich, Sarah Smarsh, Tommy Orange, Roy G. Guzmán, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and Matt Young.

Graduate Program Director

The graduate writing program at UND is designed to encourage independence and self-motivation within a supportive and stimulating environment.

PhD candidates can enroll in creative writing workshops in fiction and poetry, literature seminars, and methods courses that prepare them for a future in the public humanities or continued scholarly work. The program combines traditional literary study with the writing of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

Teaching assistantships are available. Graduate students also have opportunities to perform creative work in the Graduate Reading Series, volunteer as emcees for our Open Mic Nights, and join the editorial team of Floodwall, the campus literary magazine.

The annual Writers Conference, held each spring, brings together nationally known writers to give readings, engage in panel discussions, and meet with students. During the Writers Conference, visiting authors will often host community workshops for students and visit the creative writing courses. Recent Writers Conference authors have included Marlon James, Heid Erdrich, Sarah Smarsh, Tommy Orange, Roy G. Guzmán, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and Matt Young.