Creative Writing - Associate of Arts Degree
Overview
Experience small class sizes, personalized one-to-one support and a nurturing environment designed to cultivate creativity and build confidence in your writing.
Our program offers dynamic, engaging opportunities for hands-on learning, tailored feedback and the opportunity for mentorship by award-winning writers who are deeply invested in your success. Nestled in the natural beauty of the West Kootenay, our program provides opportunities for place-based learning and quiet reflection in nature.
Writers complete the program with a strong understanding of the current literary landscape—and their place within it—while also gaining tangible industry experience by serving as editors for Black Bear Review, the West Kootenay's only literary magazine.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to pursue a career in writing or publishing, get the inspiration and support you need to discover your voice and expand your creative abilities.
Pathways and Possibilities
Creative Writing - Associate of Arts degree is a pathway to a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Fine Arts and careers in the arts, research and publishing, technical writing, library science and education.
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Program Outcomes
Upon successful completion of an Associate of Arts program, learners will be able to:
- Explain terms, concepts and theories of the discipline(s)
- Read, write and communicate effectively and creatively across academic disciplines
- Ask informed questions to deepen the level of enquiry
- Use quantitative and qualitative evidence to support claims
- Research and analyze evidence from scholarly and professional publications
- Synthesize and summarize literature and data
- Demonstrate developing critical, creative thinking and problem-solving skills
- Use current and emerging technology
- Demonstrate collaborative skills in a multicultural environment
- Conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner in an academic environment
Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the general admission requirements to Selkirk College, as outlined in Policy 8611: Admissions, applicants to Associate of Arts must meet the following requirements to be considered fully qualified:
a) 60% in English Studies 12, English First Peoples 12 or ENGL 60.1
1Students whose first language is not English must fulfill the College’s English Language Proficiency requirement. See Policy 8611: Admissions Appendix A.
None.
Selkirk College awards an Associate of Arts – Creative Writing to a student who completes at least sixty (60) credits of courses in University Arts and Sciences and other areas, achieves a minimum GPA of 2.00, and whose course selection meets the following criteria1
a) Two three-credit courses in 100-level English.
b) Six three-credit courses in 100-level or higher arts other than English. Two courses must be in social sciences and two courses must be in humanities.
i. Including: CWRT 100 and CWRT 101
c) Three three-credit courses in science. One course must be in math, statistics, or computer science, and one course must be a lab science2.
d) Six three-credit courses in 200-level or higher arts in two or more subject areas.
i. Including: CWRT 200 and CWRT 201; and one of the following pairs: ENGL 200 and ENGL 201, or ENGL 202 and ENGL 203, or ENGL 204 and ENGL 209.
e) Three three-credit courses in arts, sciences or other areas3.
1Students are advised to ensure that their course selections will meet the degree requirements of the university where they intend to transfer.
2Commonly selected lab sciences include BIOL 101, GEOG 130, GEOG 232, GEOL 132 and GEOL 142.
3Courses must transfer for three or more credits to at least one of SFU, UBC (Vancouver or Okanagan), UNBC or UVIC. See the BC Transfer Guide at www.bc.transferguide.ca
Students are advised to check the prerequisites for the courses they select.
All prerequisite courses in University Arts and Sciences disciplines require a minimum grade of 60% unless otherwise noted.
Courses
CWRT100 - Introduction to Creative Writing I
CWRT 100 Introduction to Creative Writing I. This course offers an introduction to composition and experimentation in the genres of poetry and creative non-fiction. Students will develop a working knowledge of modern aesthetics in poetry and creative nonfiction, as well as an objective appreciation of their own ''voice'' in the context of those aesthetics.
ENGL110 - College Composition
ENGL 110 introduces students to the world of scholarly writing -- reading it, thinking about it, and producing it as academic researchers. Students will explore how professional and/or academic writers across disciplines communicate to a variety of audiences. Students will practice active reading, writing and critical thinking skills by conducting scholarly research on a topic. This course aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to write effectively within academic contexts.
Suggested electives:
one 100-level or higher arts (social science) elective
one 100-level or higher arts elective
one lab science elective
See the UAS Courses by discipline page for course selections.
CWRT101 - Introduction to Creative Writing II
CWRT 101 Introduction to Creative Writing II. This course offers an introduction to composition and experimentation in the genres of fiction and drama. Students will develop a working knowledge of modern aesthetics in fiction and drama, as well as an objective appreciation of their own ''voice'' in the context of those aesthetics.
ENGL111 - Introduction to Literature
ENGL 111 Introduction to Literature is about living more intensely. Rather than providing answers, literature prompts us to ask better questions of ourselves and each other. Drama, poetry, short stories, and novels will guide us in discussion, reflection, and writing about literature.
Suggested electives:
one 100-level or higher arts (social science) elective
one 100-level or higher arts elective (not English)
one math, statistics, or computer science elective
See the UAS Courses by discipline page for course selections.
CWRT200 - Manuscript Development I
CWRT 200 Manuscript Development I. The emphasis of this second year creative writing course will be on portfolio development and preparation of manuscripts for publication. Students will submit their own imaginative writing for workshop in any of the four genres – poetry, drama, fiction, or non-fiction. Students will also begin to develop professional practices through self-directed projects. Lectures will mirror the assigned readings and serve to initiate theoretical discussions on form, theory, and craft.
ENGL200 - A Survey of English Literature I
ENGL 200 A Survey of English Literature I. ''In spring folk long to go on pilgrimage'' so begins Geoffrey Chaucerï's 14th century masterpiece of the English tradition, The Canterbury Tales. In English 200, we will set out on a pilgrimage which honours the living beauty of the English language and its greatest writers such as Spenser, Shakespeare and Donne, ending in the 17th century with Milton.
ENGL202 - Canadian Literature I: Indigenous Voices
ENGL 202 Canadian Literature I: Indigenous Voices. From the earliest narratives, Euro Canadian writing has framed our understanding of Indigenous peoples. We will examine the works of Indigenous writers from across Canada. Reading and discussion will give us an opportunity to understand First People's literature, including the response to colonialism, and to experience the vitality of First People's cultures, imaginations, and ways of knowing.
ENGL204 - Children's Literature I: From Rags to Riches and Worlds of Magic
ENGL 204 Children's Literature I - From Rags to Riches and Worlds of Magic. From folktales and urban legends to traditional and literary fairy tales, particularly the collections of Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm as well as Hans Christian Andersen and others, this course explores the roots of children's literature, including modern fantasy, such as J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, Kenneth Graeme's The Wind in the Willows, and Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
Suggested Electives:
one 200-level or higher arts (social science) elective
one elective in arts, sciences or other areas
one science elective
See the UAS Courses by discipline page for course selections.
CWRT201 - Manuscript Development II
CWRT 201 Manuscript Development II. The emphasis of this second year creative writing course will be on portfolio development and preparation of manuscripts for publication. Students will submit for workshop their own imaginative writing in any of the four genres being taught – poetry, drama, fiction, and non-fiction. Allowances for other genres will be made with the permission of the instructor. Lectures, both face to face and online, will mirror the assigned readings and serve to initiate theoretical discussions on form and theory, and principles and elements of craft.
ENGL201 - A Survey of English Literature II
ENGL 201 A Survey of English Literature II. From the calm reason of the Enlightenment to the passion of the Romantics, we still live out the questions first asked by the brilliant writers of 18th and 19th Centuries. In the company of such authors as Pope, Swift, Wollstonecraft, Keats, Wordsworth, and Austen, we continue our pilgrimage into culture, belief, and literary achievement begun in the previous semester with English 200.
ENGL203 - Canadian Literature II: Contemporary Voices
ENGL 203 Canadian Literature II: Contemporary Voices. In our multicultural society and globalized world, what is so Canadian about Canadian literature? In this course we trace the emergence of Canadian literature on the world stage and how such writers frame connections between literature, nation, identity and culture.
ENGL209 - Introduction to Comics and Graphic Novels
ENGL 209 Introduction to Comics and Graphic Novels introduces students to the genre of comics and the graphic novel. Students will consider the history of the genre and explore how comics and graphic novels reflect and represent diverse social, political, and popular cultures. Students will learn how to write about graphic narratives and will have the opportunity to experiment with the form through hands-on activities.
Suggested Electives:
one 200-level or higher arts (social science) elective
one elective in arts, sciences or other area
See the UAS Courses by discipline page for course selections.
Tuition & Fees
All amounts are estimates and are subject to change. Tuition amounts are based on a full-time course load. Please note that many programs have additional costs beyond those listed here. For more information, please visit Tuition & Fees.
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