Creative Writing
A.A. Degree, Certificate
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Creative Writing
Writers are integral members of the collaborative teams creating content for print publications, film, television, radio, and new media. Put simply, the story comes first.
The Creative Writing program prepares you for a career in the arts and entertainment industry by providing course work that encourages writing proficiency, creative expression, literary scholarship, and critical thinking. You will develop your craft as you participate in workshops, conference with faculty mentors, interact with visiting writers, and collaborate with students in other academic disciplines. Extra-curricular activities include the Screenwriting Club, The Writers’ Guild, and, Readers’ Corner. Students are also encouraged to submit writing and art work to the Kelab Art and Literary Journal, a collaborative effort of the Creative Writing, Graphic Design, Photography and New Media programs along with the Writers' Guild.
You may select the Prose, Poetry, and Drama concentration or the Screenwriting concentration.
Degree Requirements
- Creative Writing, A.A. - Prose, Poetry, and Drama Concentration
- Creative Writing, A.A. - Screenwriting Concentration
- Creative Writing, Certificate - Prose and Poetry Concentration
- Creative Writing, Certificate - Screenwriting Concentration
Careers on Career Coach
Our Creative Writing students have earned recognition as distinguished poets, novelists, dramatists, and screenwriters. For example, a recent grad sold his feature screenplay to Universal Pictures. They have also gone on to apply their skills in editing, publishing, and marketing, as well as pursue a range of other majors, using the writing skills they gained in this major as a foundation.
Learn more about related jobs:
Program Chair
Chris Xaver, Ph.D.
Professor, Communication and Media Arts
Chris brings to Tompkins Cortland a strong and varied background. She received her B.S in broadcast journalism, cum laude, from the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, her M.A. from Syracuse in political science from the Maxwell School of Citizenship, and her Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Capella University.
Transfer Options
Students develop portfolios for submission to four-year programs in creative writing, dramatic writing for theatre, and television, film, and new media.
Recent graduates have transferred to SUNY College at Purchase School of Film and Media Studies, SUNY College at Oswego, and Ithaca College.
You might also consider:
- Binghamton University
- SUNY College at Brockport
- Cornell University
- SUNY College at Cortland
- Emerson College
- SUNY Potsdam
- Ithaca College
- New York University
- SUNY College at Purchase
- SUNY University at Buffalo
- Syracuse University