best creative writing programs in minnesota

• Creative Writing Major

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Bfa in creative writing in minnesota  .

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Your creativity can take you to the stars, and we're here to give you the fuel. Hamline's creative writing major empowers you with the skills you'll need in your career in creative writing, whether that's in publishing, communications, writing, or more. 

You'll develop communication and organizational skills that employers covet and learn how to collaborate, give and receive constructive feedback, conduct research, and operate under deadlines—abilities that will serve you well in any field, from publishing and teaching to nonprofits, law, and marketing. Our BFA faculty consist of well-known authors whose work includes the books shown above; additionally, actively publishing, award-winning writers and filmmakers visit classes regularly and provide context for your growing skills in a professional, post-college setting in Minnesota or beyond.

From the craft and process of writing to strategies of digital storytelling, the BFA in creative writing builds a comprehensive toolkit in your studies of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, literary traditions, textual analysis, and the theoretical dimensions of reading and writing. You can craft work in any number of genres, from realistic or speculative fiction; formal poetry or spoken word; and memoir, personal essay, lyric essay, and more.

Explore the creative writing major

Creative writing major.

Explore the creative writing BFA, and take a deep dive into the craft and process of writing.

Creative writing courses

Enhance your major – or explore an interest – with one of Hamline's many creative writing courses.

Creative writing program details

Engaged learning projects for creative writing majors.

At Hamline, creative writing majors participate in research with faculty as early as their first year, something usually reserved for graduate students at other institutions. You'll design and conduct your own research project based on your individual interests and goals.

The list of possible creative writing projects is as varied as our students. For example, picture yourself:

• Co-editing and publishing the BFA program’s annual award-winning undergraduate online literary magazine, Runestone
• Examining the publishing fields of specific genres, including speculative literature, folk and fairytale, fantasy, flash fiction, and sportswriting
• Working at one of the many Twin Cities publishing houses or literary organizations
• Leading one of Hamline’s student-run publications, such as The Fulcrum literary magazine, Untold Magazine lifestyle publication, or The Oracle student newspaper

During your research process, you’ll collaborate with professionals at major research institutions, publish your research in academic journals, and present your work at local, regional, and national conferences.  

Learn more about undergraduate research at Hamline 

Internships for BFA in creative writing students

We make sure you leave Hamline with work experience in creative writing on your resume. And the opportunities are boundless. Whether you want to explore a career in publishing, communications, journalism, education, or more, we have internship opportunities for you.

Examples of past creative writing student internships include:

• Graywolf Press, publishing intern
• Minnesota Historical Society, oral history office intern
• Minnesota Women’s Press, advertising sales intern
• KFAI Fresh Air Radio, journalism and content intern
• Saint Paul Public Schools, communications intern
• Milkweed Editions, editorial intern
• Alight (formerly the American Refugee Committee), operations intern
• The Loft Literary Center, communications intern
• The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School, operations intern  

Explore internships

Explore career paths for creative writing

What can you do with a major in creative writing? Our innovative courses and one-on-one mentoring by faculty will provide you with the tools to succeed in a variety of careers, such as:

Examples of possible positions

• Essayist, poet, or fiction writer
• Magazine writer and editor
• Book publisher
• Teacher or professor
• Literary critic
• Nonprofit manager

Actual positions acquired by new grads

• Editorial Coordinator, American Academy of Neurology
• Freelance Editor, Fantasy Flight Games
• Lead Communications and Digital Media Specialist, NewPublica
• Marketing and Communications Associate, Northern Clay Center
• Educator, Hunting Learning Center
• Staff Writer, Iowa Information

Take your studies further with graduate school

Our graduates have gone on to graduate schools across the country in the pursuit of master’s and doctoral degrees. Examples of programs and schools include:

• MFA in creative writing, Hamline University
• MFA in fiction, Pacific University 
• MFA in poetry, Western Michigan University 
• MFA in creative nonfiction, University of South Florida 
• MFA in fiction, University of North Carolina at Wilmington 
• MFA in writing for children and young adults, Hamline University
• MFA in writing for children and young adults, The New School in New York

Runestone  

Runestone is an online undergraduate literary journal that provides mentorship and hands-on experience for student editors as they publish and promote the nation’s finest undergraduate writers in an online forum. Undergraduates—mentored by graduate students—also comprise the student editorial board.  

Visit Runestone

Creative writing program news

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Related programs, english and communication studies, digital storytelling, writing, editing, and publishing, theatre and dance: performance, production, and community, take your next step today.

Interested in creative writing? We’d love to send you information, including more on creative writing programs and student life at Hamline.

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1536 Hewitt Avenue, MS-C1930 Saint Paul , MN 55104 United States

1536 Hewitt Avenue, MS-A1730 Saint Paul , MN 55104 United States

1536 Hewitt Ave

Saint Paul, MN 55104

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