Creative Writing, Bachelor of Fine Arts

Requirements


Bachelor of Fine Arts

The Writer’s Workshop offers a major leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree, with concentrations in Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Screenwriting

Writer's Workshop Core Requirements
Literature and Theory Core9
CONTEMPORARY WRITERS:IN PERSON IN PRINT
FORM AND THEORY (two times) 1
or
FORM AND THEORY
and INDEPENDENT STUDIES 1
or
LITERARY MAGAZINE (APPLIED)
and FORM AND THEORY 5
Foreign Language8-10
Select 8-10 hours 2
Lower Level Literature9
Select three (3) 2000-level literature courses from any discipline offering a course in a primary source of literature; WRWS Special Topics courses (2000) included. Of the 3 courses, at least 1 must be from the following: 3
INTRODUCTION TO BRITISH LITERATURE I
INTRODUCTION TO BRITISH LITERATURE II
AMERICAN LITERATURE I
AMERICAN LITERATURE II
LITERATURE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION: THE ANCIENT WORLD
GLOBAL EXPLORATIONS: MEDIEVAL TO EARLY MODERN WORLD
GLOBAL EXPLORATIONS: THE MODERN WORLD
AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE 1940-PRESENT
SURVEY OF NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE
LATINO/A LITERATURE
Upper Level Literature
ENGL 4340SHAKESPEARE3
Select five (5) additional 3000- or 4000-level literature classes from any language or discipline (in consultation with faculty adviser) offering a course in a primary source of literature. 415
Total Credits44-46
1

 Two semesters of WRWS 4000 required for core.  Students may enroll a third time in WRWS 4000 for literature credit.  Must be different topics each time.  Prerequisites for WRWS 4000 Form and Theory: one Studio in appropriate genre.

2

 Minimum of one academic year of the same college-level foreign language or ASL. High school equivalent of foreign-language fluency is not acceptable for this requirement.

3

 Two WRWS Special Topics courses (2000) may be included, for no more than a total of 2 Special Topics courses in all categories.

4

 Two WRWS Special Topics course (3000) may be included, for no more than a total of 2 Special Topics courses in all categories.

5

Literary Magazine (Applied) (3010) may be taken as either upper-division literature course, or as a Form and Theory (4000).  WRWS 3010 cannot apply for both a literature course and a Form and Theory. 

A Creative Writing Minor 

May be obtained by successful completion of 18 credits of course work. 

Creative Nonfiction

Requirements:
Writing Core
Select one of the following three course groups:11
Group A:
FUNDAMENTALS OF FICTION WRITING
BASIC FICTION STUDIO
BASIC CREATIVE NONFICTION STUDIO
Group B:
FUNDAMENTALS OF POETRY WRITING
BASIC POETRY STUDIO
BASIC CREATIVE NONFICTION STUDIO
Group C:
FUNDAMENTALS OF FICTION WRITING
FUNDAMENTALS OF POETRY WRITING
BASIC SCREENWRITING AND TELEVISION WRITING STUDIO
BASIC CREATIVE NONFICTION STUDIO
Concentration Area
WRWS 3300INTERMEDIATE CREATIVE NONFICTION STUDIO4
WRWS 4300ADVANCED CREATIVE NONFICTION STUDIO4
WRWS 4310ADVANCED CREATIVE NONFICTION STUDIO II4
Select three of the following or discuss options with advisor. NOTE: some courses have pre-reqs. 9
FEATURE AND OPINION WRITING
CRITICAL WRITING FOR THE MASS MEDIA
PR AND ADVERTISING DESIGN
STRATEGIC WRITING FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
THE MODERN FAMILIAR ESSAY
Total Credits32

Fiction or Poetry

Requirements:
Writing Core chosen in consultation with advisor18
FUNDAMENTALS OF FICTION WRITING
FUNDAMENTALS OF POETRY WRITING
Select the relevant Basic Studio plus 2 additional Basic Studios
BASIC FICTION STUDIO
BASIC POETRY STUDIO
BASIC CREATIVE NONFICTION STUDIO
BASIC SCREENWRITING AND TELEVISION WRITING STUDIO
Concentration Area
Select either the Fiction Studio sequence or the Poetry Studio sequence12
Sequence 1:
INTERMEDIATE FICTION STUDIO
ADVANCED FICTION STUDIO I
ADVANCED FICTION STUDIO I
Sequence 2:
INTERMEDIATE POETRY STUDIO
ADVANCED POETRY STUDIO I
ADVANCED POETRY STUDIO II
Total Credits30

Screenwriting

Requirements:
Writing Core
Select one of the following three course groups:11
Group A:
FUNDAMENTALS OF FICTION WRITING
BASIC FICTION STUDIO
BASIC SCREENWRITING AND TELEVISION WRITING STUDIO
Group B:
FUNDAMENTALS OF POETRY WRITING
BASIC POETRY STUDIO
BASIC SCREENWRITING AND TELEVISION WRITING STUDIO
Group C:
FUNDAMENTALS OF FICTION WRITING
FUNDAMENTALS OF POETRY WRITING
BASIC CREATIVE NONFICTION STUDIO
BASIC SCREENWRITING AND TELEVISION WRITING STUDIO
Concentration Area
WRWS 3600INTERMEDIATE SCREENWRITING STUDIO4
WRWS 4600ADVANCED SCREENWRITING STUDIO I4
WRWS 4610ADVANCED SCREENWRITING STUDIO II4
Select three of the following or discuss options with advisor. NOTE: some courses have pre-reqs. 9
SELECTED TOPICS IN WRITING relevant topics only per advisor
COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGERY
ACTING I
SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE
ADVANCED PROJECTS IN THEATRE relevant topics only per advisor
SHAKESPEARE ON FILM: THE ART OF INTERPRETATION
VIDEO STUDIO PRODUCTION
FILM THEORY AND CRITICISM
DIGITAL LITERACIES FOR TECHNICAL COMMUNICATORS
POLITICS AND FILM
Appropriate 3000- or 4000-level course may be selected from other departments, with approval of WRWS advisor.
Total Credits32
Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
FallCredits
COMP I (COMP II if student has AP credit) 3
Quantative Literacy 3
Public Speaking 3
Humanities and Fine Arts or Social Science (Can also count as a Diversity) 3
Elective 3
 Credits15
Spring
COMP II 1 3
Lower-Level Literature 3
Humanities and Fine Arts or Social Science (Can also count as a Diversity) 3
Humanities and Fine Arts 3
Natural/Physical Science 3
 Credits15
Sophomore
Fall
Fundamentals of Fiction or Poetry 3 3
Humanities and Fine Arts or Social Science 3
Natural/Physical Science with Laboratory 4
Lower-Level Literature 3
 Credits13
Spring
Basic Studio 4
Second Fundamental of Fiction or Poetry for Fiction or Poetry majors 3
OR- First CNF or Screenwriting Elective
OR- Pre-requisite for one (1) CNF or Screenwriting Elective 3
Lower-Level Literature 3
Upper-Level Literature 3
Humanities and Fine Arts or Social Science 3
 Credits16
Junior
Fall
Intermediate Studio 4
First Extra Basic for Fiction or Poetry majors 3-4
OR- First or Second CNF or Screenwriting Elective
Upper-Level Literature 3
Upper-Level Literature 3
 Credits13-14
Spring
Advanced Studio I 4
Second Extra Basic for Fiction or Poetry majors 3-4
OR- Second or Third CNF or Screenwriting Elective
Upper-Level Literature 3
Upper-Level Literature 3
 Credits13-14
Senior
Fall
Advanced Studio II 4
Third CNF or Screenwriting Elective 3
Contemporary Writers 3
Form & Theory 3
Foreign Language or ASL 5
 Credits18
Spring
Form & Theory 3
Humanities and Fine Arts or Social Science 3
Foreign Language or ASL 5
Upper-Level Literature 3
Elective 1-3
 Credits15-17
 Total Credits118-122
1

If student enters UNO with AP Comp credit, they can take Comp II in Freshman Fall semester, and Fundamentals of Fiction/Poetry in Freshman Spring semester.

2

*Fundamentals of Fiction or Poetry is, on rare occasion, accepted from another institution.
**Fundamentals fulfills the Writing in the Discipline requirement

3

Most pre-reqs for CNF and Screenwriting Electives overlap with WRWS required courses; however, the pre-reqs for a few CNF/Screenwriting Electives adds 3-6 hours to the Road Map.


This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with an advisor. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability. Please consult an advisor in your major program for further guidance.


This plan is not a contract and curriculum is subject to change


Additional Information About this Plan:
University Degree Requirements
: The minimum number of hours for a UNO undergraduate degree is 120 credit hours. Please review the requirements for your specific program to determine all requirements for the program. In order to graduate on-time (four years for an undergraduate degree), you need to take 30 hours each year.

Placement Exams: For Math, English, Foreign Language, a placement exam may be required. More information on these exams can be found at https://www.unomaha.edu/enrollment-management/testing-center/placement-exams/information.php


**Transfer credit or placement exam scores may change suggested plan of study


GPA Requirements: Students must successfully complete all major courses with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better.


Graduation Requirements: The BFA in Creative Writing requires a minimum of 75 semester hours of major coursework designated by the candidate’s area of emphasis (Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction or Screenwriting) in consultation with the student’s program advisor. The degree requires 120 total credit hours of coursework.