Creative Writing at Yale

Students from all disciplines in Yale College enroll in the department’s creative writing courses.  For students who wish to try their hand at learning basic elements of craft, the department recommends English 123, Introduction to Creative Writing.  This course, combining the small workshop format with lectures and readings by distinguished writers, offers hands-on experience in fiction, poetry, and drama.  It is open to all undergraduates, without prerequisite or application.

Other introductory options in creative writing include English 120, Reading and Writing the Modern Essay, as well as 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 450-475) 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 can be found at Deadlines and Applications on the Department of English site.

The English Department has also created The Writing Concentration as a special program for its majors who want to embark on a challenging pursuit of writing excellence.

The department also supports a wide range of public readings, both by our own faculty and by distinguished visiting writers.  For details on upcoming events, see the Creative Writing Events Calendar, the English Department Events Calendar, or follow Yale Creative Writing on Twitter and Facebook.