The?Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing?from?Chatham University develops and hones skills in creative writing by engaging students with the craft of writing through a focused sequence of five creative writing courses, culminating in a creative tutorial. A firm grounding in literary forms and history, along with genre theory, literary theory, and upper-level literature study enhances students? development as writers. Highly qualified students may also be admitted to the 5-year BFA/MFA in Creative Writing or to the BFA/Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program.

Creative Writing (BFA) Learning Outcomes

Students successfully completing the program will learn the following:

Genre and form

????????? Students understand distinctions between genres and forms (basic)

????????? Students can recognize and define a variety of forms and genres (proficient)

????????? Students can write in a variety of forms and genres (mastery)

????????? Students can maximize relationship between meaning and form/genre (advanced)

Metaphor

????????? Students can define metaphor

????????? Students can recognize and discuss metaphor at work in the writings of others

????????? Students can create and employ metaphor in their own work

????????? Students can articulate orally and on paper how metaphor works in their own writing, and that of published writers, to ensure strong BFA tutorial introduction and senses of self as writers

Revision

????????? Students understands the need to revise multiple times before a piece is ready or even moderately good

????????? Students can apply strategies and techniques learned in class for successful revision

????????? Students can help their peers in revision efforts, thereby contributing to the workshop experience

????????? Students can articulate their processes of revision orally and on paper to ensure strong BFA tutorial introduction and senses of self as writers

Voice

????????? Students understand the concept of voice

????????? Students sometimes write in a voice that is recognizable, and consciously work toward controlling voice, both theirs and that of their characters

????????? Students have developed their own voices as writers, and recognize literary influence on their writing

????????? Students have developed own voices, and can extend it to other characters or personae, without losing plausibility

Design (Arc?flow?plot)

????????? Students can recognize direction/design in a piece

????????? Students can plot simple stories or arc the direction of pieces of creative nonfiction

????????? Students can see specific craft decisions beneath an organic appearance

????????? Students can create plot lines which arrives through the characters? personalities/dilemmas