About the Undergraduate Creative Writing Major
Words have power. They can catapult people out of their mindsets, throw them out of time, motivate them to rethink beliefs, and move them to introspection and tears. At Emerson College, writers have the opportunity to examine the power of the written word and experiment with offbeat ideas, novel approaches, and timeless topics.
Our undergraduate Creative Writing BFA program is designed for the imaginative, the curious, and the poetic. Housed in the Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing in the School of the Arts, the program’s faculty challenge you to sharpen your writing skills and find your own voice, ensuring that you leave Emerson as a formidable communicator—and also a unique one. Our writing courses give you a deep understanding of how writing as an art form has developed over time and across cultures, leaving you well-positioned to succeed in creative writing—a life of provoking and persuading, entertaining and educating, imagining and inspiring.
I enjoy the Creative Writing program because I am able to focus on specific genres….I am able to explore different forms of writing to solidify what I am interested in and what I am not interested in. I have learned a lot from my professors, who are all experienced writers—they are very helpful.
Real-World Experience as a Writer
Creative Writing majors have ample opportunity to gain real-world learning experience. Here are a few examples:
- Students can write or work for a number of student literary journals and magazines, including Redivider, em Magazine, The Emerson Review, Concrete Literary Magazine, and Your Magazine.
- Emerson hosts a Pitch Slam event during which students give a one-minute pitch to a board of local and national editors for the opportunity to have their writing published.
- Beyond campus, students have access to coveted internships through our alumni network, which includes New York Times–bestselling authors, editors, and publishing professionals. Recent internship sites include: Boston magazine, Reader’s Digest, and Yale University Press.
- Through a partnership with Penguin Random House, students are mentored during a semester-long program.
Careers for Creative Writing Majors
Our Creative Writing graduates have gone on to become prominent authors, screenwriters, and critics. Examples of careers include:
- Acquisitions Editor
- Book Reviewer
- Social Media Specialist
- Writing Instructor
Notable Writing, Literature and Publishing Alumni
- Lara Egger, Author, How to Love Everyone and Almost Get Away with It
- Alex Garner, Assistant Editor, Museum of Modern Art
- Jaweed Kaleem, National Correspondent, Los Angeles Times
- Kira Salak, Travel Writer and Contributing Editor, National Geographic
