Program type
Major, Minor, Honours
Creative Writing (BA)
Primary campus
Sir George Williams (SGW)
Duration
3 to 4 years
Start term
Fall, Winter
Why study Creative Writing?
Our Creative Writing program, one of the first of its kind in Canada, immerses you in every aspect of the writing life, from the development of ideas to the publication of finished works. As a Creative Writing student, you’ll learn to approach literature from a writer’s point of view as you develop your own craft under the guidance of published writers and fellow students.
Whether it’s through prose, poetry, or drama, our workshops help you find your voice and your subject. Creative writing students also have the opportunity to supplement their regular courses with master classes conducted by internationally renowned writers during the Writers Read at Concordia series. Concordia has hosted writers such as Colm Tóibín, Julian Barnes, Jorrie Graham, Mark Strand, Miriam Toews and George Saunders.
Montreal’s vibrant English-language literary scene offers a showcase for the work of student writers as well as published authors. The skills acquired in our Creative Writing program can help prepare you for a professional life as a writer, editor, or publisher in print or in electronic media. The Honours in English and Creative Writing is a gateway to graduate study in literature or to further study in creative writing.
Program highlights
- Small class sizes enable students to workshop their writing as a group
- Opportunities to develop your writing across numerous genres
Program structure
A Bachelor of Arts degree takes a minimum of three or four years (90 – 120 credits) of full-time study, depending on your academic background.
Program options
- Honours in English and Creative Writing (66 credits)
- Major in Creative Writing (42 credits)
- Minor in Creative Writing (24 credits)
Courses
Admission criteria
Minimum cut-off averages and course requirements
- Quebec Cegep: DEC
- High School: C+
- ACT or SAT is NOT required
- Canadian curricula course requirements
- Accepted international qualifications
- University Transfers (internal/external): C
- Baccalauréat français: 11
- International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma: 26
Additional requirements for admission
Some applicants may be required to write an English language proficiency test, whereby a minimum TOEFL iBT (Internet-based test) score of 100 with a minimum of 22 in the writing component must be obtained.
- Letter of intent
The letter should outline the applicant’s goals for study in creative writing, and a response to one or more literary works that have shaped him/her. - Portfolio of personal work
Applicants must submit a portfolio of a maximum of 15 pages of their best writing in poetry, drama and/or fiction (short stories or novel excerpts). The portfolio must be accompanied by a brief letter of intent (1–2 pages) addressed to the Coordinator of Creative Writing and written with attention to spelling and grammar. - English proficiency
Some applicants may be required to write an English language proficiency test with the following minimum scores: TOEFL iBT (internet-based test) – a minimum score of 100 with 22 in the writing component or IELTS – 7.0 overall with a 6.5 in the writing component.
Minimum cut-off averages should be used as indicators. The cut-off data may change depending on the applicant pool. Applicants who meet the stated minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission to these programs.
Application deadlines
We consider complete applications year round and give priority to applicants who apply by official deadlines.
FALL TERM
March 1 is the deadline to apply for fall term entry. International students are encouraged to apply by February 1 to allow sufficient time for CAQ and study permit application processing.
Late applications will be considered if places are still available. Please check program availability for the term, before you start your application.
WINTER
November 1 is the deadline to apply for winter term entry. International students are encouraged to apply by September 1 to allow sufficient time for CAQ and study permit application processing.
Not all programs are available for winter term entry. Please check program availability for the term, before you start your application.
We reserve the right to close admission to a program at any time after the official deadline without prior notice.
After your degree
Graduates of the program have the knowledge and skill for any career that values critical thinking and superior communication skills, including a professional life as a writer, editor or publisher. You will also be prepared to undertake graduate studies in either English or Creative Writing.
Many graduates have fulfilling writing careers.
Student story
Jade Adams
Major in Creative Writing Minor in Professional Writing
How Concordia’s creative writing program helped Jade Adams find her own path.
Other programs of interest
English and Creative Writing (BA)
- Honours
Immerse yourself in the writing life – and develop a cultural vocabulary – by looking at the human condition through many literary modes, while studying works which include aspects of psychology, history, and philosophy.
Department
Faculty
English Literature (BA)
- Major
- Minor
- Honours
- Specialization
Immerse yourself in the words of past poets or contemporary thinkers. With every turn of the page you have the opportunity to imagine and reflect on lives and worlds different from your own experience, and challenge your assumptions about the meaning of morality and the world from new and unanticipated perspectives.
Department
Faculty