Creative Writing Certificate of Achievement

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Related Degrees & Certificates

Program	Units
AA Associate in Arts Degree Program
English	60 units
AA-T Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer
English	60 units

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities include the following: writer, advertising copywriter, arts administrator, creative director, digital copywriter, editorial assistant, magazine journalist, newspaper journalist, web content manager, screenwriter, and content marketing manager. The certificate would also be useful in the following careers: academic librarian, curriculum developer, public librarian, film director, information officer, marketing executive, primary school teacher, secondary school teacher, post-secondary school teacher, public relations officer, and social media manager.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing this program will be able to:

Recognize and evaluate authors’ use of the conventions of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
Create original works of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and drama, applying the appropriate conventions for each genre and incorporating craft elements introduced in the program.
Develop and refine a creative process.
Compile a professional portfolio of creative work and prepare for publication.
Research potential markets and prepare for publication.

Recommended high school preparation

Coursework in English, Literature, Journalism

University Transfer Program

Use Assist to identify lower division major preparation for the California State University and the University of California systems. For independent or out-of-state colleges and universities use their catalogs to locate this information. Transfer Services can assist you to gather this information.

Meet with a CSM counselor to discuss how to achieve academic goals and to develop a comprehensive student educational plan (SEP).

University Transfer Program
60–70 transferable units

California State University
University of California
Independent Colleges and Universities

Program Overview

For both new and experienced writers, the Creative Writing Program provides a safe place to learn and practice the crafts of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Students learn to read as writers, produce original work, understand the creative process, and both give and receive critiques as part of a community. The Certificate of Achievement in Creative Writing is awarded to students who complete a sequence of creative writing courses, electives in literature and related subjects, and a portfolio of their fiction, creative nonfiction, and/or poetry under faculty supervision.

Program Requirements

Requirements

Required Core Courses: 15 units		Units
ENGL 161	Creative Writing I	3 units
ENGL 162	Creative Writing II	3 units
ENGL 163	Creative Writing III	3 units
Any two Literature courses listed below:
LIT. 101	Twentieth-Century Literature	3 units
LIT. 113	The Novel	3 units
LIT. 115	The Short Poem in English: A Survey	3 units
LIT. 150	Crime and Detective Fiction	3 units
LIT. 151	Shakespeare	3 units
LIT. 154	Introduction to LGBT Literature	3 units
LIT. 155	Comics and the Graphic Novel	3 units
LIT. 156	Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature	3 units
LIT. 201	American Literature I	3 units
LIT. 202	American Literature II	3 units
LIT. 220	Introduction to World Literature	3 units
LIT. 231	Survey of English Literature I	3 units
LIT. 232	Survey of English Literature II	3 units
LIT. 266	African American Literature	3 units

Required Selective courses: 3 units choose one course from the following:		Units
Any Literature course listed above not used as core requirement		3 units
	OR
DGME 101	Writing for Mass Media	3 units
FILM 100	Introduction to Film	3 units
FILM 153	Screenwriting	3 units
FILM 154	Expanded Scriptwriting Skills	3 units

Total Required Units: 18