Creative Writing (Minor)

Program Description

The Writing Program at NYU Shanghai also offers a range of creative writing courses designed to support the creative ambitions of our uniquely diverse student body.

In a lively, multicultural setting, these courses foster essential skills in self-expression, persuasion, and analysis, and guide students in their growth as language artists. With a focus on reading, writing, and discussing poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction in both traditional and emerging digital forms, these courses are built on the idea that sustained practice in these areas strengthens skills valuable across careers—from business and marketing to journalism, game development, interactive media, and even the sciences.

Students interested in further hands-on experience can help edit creative writing’s annual print journal, Confluences, or participate in events with visiting writers and translators in our Literary Reading Series.

Additionally, many of our courses can count toward elective credits for Humanities or Interactive Media Arts majors, offering students a chance to enrich their major studies through creative writing.

Program Requirements

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
Select one of the following introductory courses:		4
CRWR-SHU 159	Introduction to Creative Writing (a prerequisite for the intermediate and advanced craft courses)
CRWR-SHU 161	Introduction to Creative Writing: Literary Translation (a prerequisite for the intermediate and advanced craft courses)
Select two intermediate/advanced creative writing workshops:		8
CRWR-SHU 207	Introduction to Screenwriting
CRWR-SHU 209	The Art of the Personal Narrative
CRWR-SHU 220	Intermediate Creative Writing Craft Course
CRWR-SHU 221	Intermediate Poetry Workshop
CRWR-SHU 245	Intermediate Fiction Workshop: Speculative Fictions
CRWR-SHU 248	Writing the Novella
An additional intermediate/advanced creative writing workshop or a designated elective		4
Total Credits		16

Note: Requirements may be met through taking equivalent courses in the Global Network. See Policies tab for details.

Policies

Minor Policies

Students may minor in subjects outside of their major. A minor in a secondary subject enables a student to acquire a useful understanding of concepts and analysis without the same degree of coverage as would be obtained in a major. A grade of C or better is required for a course to be counted toward a minor. If a student fails a course required for the minor, the course must be retaken at NYU; a course taken outside the University will not normally be allowed to substitute for a minor requirement. No course for the minor may be taken as pass/fail. Students may use Core Curriculum classes to fill minor requirements but at least 12 credits of the minor must be unique to the minor, meaning that it is not double-counted with any other major, minor, or core requirement.

Additionally, no single course may be used to meet more than two requirements. 

NYU Policies

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.

NYU Shanghai Policies

Additional academic policies can be found on the NYU Shanghai Academic Policies page. 

Program Policies

Global Network Courses

Requirements may be met through taking equivalent courses in the Global Network with the prior approval from the Area Head of the Writing Program.

In previous years, students have taken the following courses to fulfill their Creative Writing Minor requirement:

ARTS-UG 1560 Introduction to Dramatic Writing: The Short Play (Fall 2021, New York)

CRWRI-UA - 816 Intermediate Fiction Workshop (Spring 2023, Fall 2022, New York)

CRWRI-UA 815 Creative Writing: Intro Prose and Poetry (Spring 2024, New York)

FILMM-UH - 1012 Forms of Writing for Screen (Fall 2022, Abu Dhabi)

WRTNG-UG 1537 Crafting Short Fiction from the Sentence Up (Fall 2023, New York)

WRTNG-UG 1560 -001The Art and Craft of Poetry (Spring 2023, New York)