The creative writing major at Miami is a thriving program, one of the largest in the United States, with an increasingly global curriculum and outlook. With eight full-time creative writing faculty, more than 180 undergraduate majors and minors (as well as 20-25 graduate students), there’s a creative writing buzz at Miami.

There are many ways to get involved in our large and lively community, from student-run publications to an extensive reading series and exciting creative writing workshops taught by award-winning faculty.

Our flexible curriculum makes it easy to double major, and employers and graduate schools value the skills our students gain in a variety of professions. English majors enjoy some of the highest acceptance rates into law, medical and business schools. See the Creative Writing Curriculum page for a complete list of required and elective courses for the major.

Program Highlights

• Fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and screenwriting workshops led by award-winning, actively publishing faculty writers.
• Flexible curriculum makes it easy to double major. 
• Employers in a variety of professions value the skills that English Creative Writing majors develop, such as communication and interpersonal abilities, and creative and analytical thinking. Similarly, English majors have some of the highest acceptance rates into medical, law and business schools.
• Literature courses offer global perspectives, understanding of literary and historical traditions, and models for literary experiment.
• Literary Marketplace and Issues in the Profession courses focus on the business side of the literary life.
• New emphases in the program include translation, live performance, and writing for digital media.
• A senior capstone in creative writing gives students the opportunity to hone ambitious writing projects.

Opportunities for Majors

• Many ways to get involved with our lively community.
• Meet the many prominent and emergent authors and publishing professionals who come to campus each year to visit classes and give readings and craft talks.
• Study abroad in the popular Literary London program.
• Gain editorial experience staffing literary magazines such as Happy Captive Magazine and Inklings . Build your resume, make friends, publish.
• Opportunities to apprentice with creative writing faculty.

After Graduation

Miami creative writing majors have enjoyed considerable career success. A partial list of honors received by former students includes the Pulitzer Prize (one winner, one finalist), the National Medal of the Arts, the PEN/Robert Bingham Award for Fiction, the Asian American Literary Award, the Whiting Fellowship, and the national Poet Laureateship.

Many creative writing majors pursue MFAs or other advanced graduate and professional degrees at top programs including the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Columbia, Cambridge and Brown. 

Recent data show that employers value the skills English majors acquire. Our graduates pursue successful careers in publishing, editing, advertising, law, medicine, and the business world. 

See Internship and Job Resources for Creative Writing (Career Services).