Creative Writing, Minor

WRT Jam Group Shot

Creative Writing Minors study poetry, fiction and literary nonfiction, but can also select from a broad range of electives, including publishing, playwriting and special topics courses.

Study a broad range of writing techniques in poetry, fiction and narrative nonfiction. Creative Writing Minors must take at least TWO Level One classes from the following three genres: WRT373 (Poetry 1), WRT371 (Fiction I) and/or WRT370 (Creative Nonfiction I), and at least ONE Level Two class from WRT374 (Poetry 2), WRT372 (Fiction 2) and/or WRT375 (Creative Nonfiction II). The English Department has also created a new required CAPSTONE seminar, WRT486, an editing course that requires students to revise work they submitted in previous Central writing minor courses.

Through the creative writing minor and its professors, I have learned to write better, stronger stories, and better developed characters and worlds. I have made myself a home among these classes and return each semester to make sure I have a class that I will genuinely enjoy week in and week out. But most importantly, I have found how good it feels, how happy I am, to be creative. To be seen, to be heard. The professors within the Minor have created an environment where the worst thing you can do is not try, and every person I’ve seen walk into one of those classrooms, walks out at the end a happier, more fulfilled person and writer.

Michael Scherer, Current WRT Minor

If you are not sure which program is best for you, please contact the Writing Minors Program Coordinator, Professor Mary Collins at collinsmae@ccsu.edu. Most of these classes have few prerequisites beyond WRT105/110 (grade C- or higher) and meet either a core requirement for a minor or count as an elective. Many majors besides English have started counting some of the 300-level writing courses as electives so check with your advisor to find out more! No one should graduate from CCSU without taking a 300-level writing course from our award-winning faculty!

Elizabeth Austin
Associate Professor & Director of Composition
English
James Austin
James Austin
Assistant Professor & Developmental Writing Specialist
English
Stuart Barnett
Stuart Barnett
Emeritus Professor
English
Jotham Burrello
Jotham Burrello
Associate Professor
English
Natalie Catasus
Natalie Catasus
Assistant Professor of Latinx Literature
English
Carolyn Egan
Lecturer
English
Amanda Fields
Amanda Fields
Assistant Professor & Writing Center Director
English
Brian Folker
Brian Folker
Associate Professor
English
Jaclyn Geller
Jaclyn Geller
Associate Professor
English
Susan Gentry
Susan Gentry
Lecturer
English
Susan Gilmore
Susan Gilmore
Associate Professor
English
Heidi Hartwig
Heidi Hartwig
Associate Professor
English
John Heitner
Professor Emeritus
English
Dharshani Lakmali Jayasinghe
Dharshani Jayasinghe
Assistant Professor of Anglophone and World Literatures
English
Beverly Johnson
Beverly Johnson
Associate Professor
English
Emma Kenyon
Instructor
English
Eric Leonidas
Eric Leonidas
Associate Professor
English
Jeffrey Lombardo
adjunct professor
English
Melissa Mentzer
Melissa Mentzer
Associate Professor & Chair
English
Mary Anne Nunn
Professor Emeritus
English
Andrea Osburne
Professor Emeritus
English
Rae Schipke
Professor Emeritus
English
James Schlatter
Adjunct Professor
English
Sam Seamans
Sam Seamans
Instructor of English Studies
English
Deborah Spillman
Deborah Spillman
Associate Professor & Assistant Chair
English
Julien Strong
Julien Strong
Assistant Professor
English
Katherine Sugg
Professor Emeritus
English
Careen Szarmach
Careen Szarmach
Administrative Support Coordinator
English

Admissions Contact

Undergraduate Recruitment & Admissions

Academic Contact

Mary Collins
Professor
English
Willard-DiLoreto Hall
W401-05

Academic Department