Undergraduate Program
Creative Writing At Yale
The Writing Concentration At Yale
Creative writing at Yale is set in the context of a university where the arts flourish. Its four schools of the arts-- Drama, Music, Art, and Architecture--and its long tradition of nurturing students with superb artistic gifts make it among the great places of the world for undergraduates to develop their talents. The arts at Yale are not merely a classroom activity; they are an integral part of life. As writers and artists, undergraduates are surrounded by other students, faculty, and visitors whose own projects and presentations ensure an unusually sophisticated creative environment. Each year the English department brings to campus some of the most accomplished writers of the world. The Writing Concentration is thus closely connected to the culture of the arts that distinguishes Yale in general.
The philosophy of the Yale program is that the study of creative writing should occur in the context of a larger study of literature. Wide, deep (and usually voracious) reading is imperative to good writing. An understanding of the traditions of literature, and close familiarity with the best that has been written, are essential to the difference between mere fluency and great writing. And where, except for solitary reading, is a key place to get this background, if not in college?
For this reason, the Writing Concentration is a part of the English major and builds on its literary richness; it is not a separate degree or certificate. It aims to give English majors with a demonstrated interest and achievement in writing an opportunity to plan the writing courses they take in a coordinated way and to do advanced work in tutorial. The Writing Concentration accepts a limited number of serious writing students in their junior and senior years. Concentrators are taught by distinguished professional writers who have direct contact with students, in small classes and one-on-one conferences, helping them to discover their goals and shape their sense of themselves as writers.
Students in the Writing Concentration take at least four required courses: these include intermediate and advanced courses in writing, at least two of which focus on one genre and at least one in another. The goal is to develop strong writers' skills in concert with fine readers' insights, and students complete at least 11 courses in the major in addition to writing concentration courses. In the senior year, students complete the Writing Concentration senior project, in which they produce a single sustained work or a portfolio of shorter works. Like the senior essay, the senior project is read and commented on by a second faculty member who confers with the project's advisor. Students present their work in an annual evening group reading called "The Concentrator's Ball."
Students from all disciplines in Yale College enroll in the department's writing courses. Often, students take a creative writing course or two as part of larger study in the liberal arts. Or they take English 120, "Reading and Writing the Modern Essay," or Yale's famous course, "Daily Themes," in which students write 300 words daily and attend a weekly lecture and weekly tutorial to test their non-fiction powers or improve their writing fluency. In many semesters, Yale's residential college seminars also include some courses in creative writing.
The English department's upper-level writing courses (English 450-469) are open to all students on the basis of the instructor's judgment of their work. Instructions for the submission of writing samples for admission are available in LC 107. Students may in some cases arrange a tutorial in writing (English 470), normally after having taken intermediate and advanced writing courses.
Applications for upper-level writing courses, the Writing Concentration, and the Writing Concentration Program Senior Project, with a list of deadlines, can be found at www.yale.edu/english/undergraduate-applications.
The Writing Faculty
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