School of Communication and CultureCreative Writing Bachelor's Degree
- BA
In the Creative Writing bachelor’s degree program at Columbia College Chicago, students start writing day one, developing their creative process by crafting stories, poems, essays, and hybrid texts. The program emphasizes diversity, encouraging you to push boundaries while working alongside a diverse group of peers and faculty. Through workshops and professional development courses, they work toward creating a substantial manuscript, preparing for various writing career paths.
Examples of Creative Writing Careers
The Student Experience
In the Creative Writing bachelor degree program at Columbia College Chicago, you’ll start writing from day one and develop transferable skills as you learn to become a more effective writer.
You’ll explore a variety of writing styles and forms right from the start. Coursework includes foundational creative writing classes, workshops, and critical literature courses that help inform your work.
As a Creative Writing major, you’ll take a series of workshop courses offering a range of strategies and experiments to help you develop your unique voice. The Writer’s Portfolio class will help you reflect on your work, and your capstone courses will guide you in completing a substantial manuscript.
Alongside your writing workshops, you’ll take elective classes in visual and performing arts, new media, and other areas. These electives will open your eyes to the many ways writing engages with social and cultural change.
Our faculty members are published authors and practicing writers who bring diverse literary backgrounds into the classroom. They’ll encourage you to produce your best work and help you explore where you fit into the literary world.
You can work on Columbia’s literary journal, “Allium, A Journal of Poetry & Prose.” You’ll gain hands-on experience with editing and producing a nationally distributed publication. Living in Chicago means you’ll have access to one of the country’s best live literary scenes. You can also participate in Columbia’s Efroymson Creative Writing Reading Series and the Writers at Lunch program, where you’ll engage with award-winning writers.
Career Readiness
Columbia College Chicago integrates academic training with professional opportunities to ensure you’re career-ready.
Columbia’s Career Center and faculty connections will help you secure internships in industries that value strong communication skills, such as publishing, advertising, education, and media. Whether you’re focusing on fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, your portfolio will include a variety of projects that demonstrate your ability to write in different forms and genres. This portfolio will be a key tool when applying for jobs, internships, or MFA programs.
Our alumni network is vast and active, with graduates working across a range of creative fields. By participating in alumni events and connecting through Columbia’s network, you’ll have access to professionals who can offer mentorship and job opportunities. Whether you're aiming for a career in writing, editing, or a related field, the support of Columbia's alumni community will be an invaluable resource.
Alumni Spotlight
Christine Mangan ’04
Published “Tangerine,” which sold to HarperCollins for more than $1 million and was optioned for a film by George Clooney.
of 2023 grads are employed, enrolled in continued education, or pursuing their creative practice.