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Creative Writing Concentration

The College of Communication at Rowan University offers a program of study in creative writing leading to a Concentration in Creative Writing. In order to complete for the Concentration, students must complete 18 hours of approved course work selected from the following list:

(Prerequisites are in inside brackets.)
CRCR 07.290 Creative Writing I [College Composition I]
CRCR 07.291 Creative Writing II [Creative Writing I]
CRCR 07.309 Writing Children’s Stories [30 s.h.]
CRCR 07.391 Writing Fiction [Creative Writing I]
RTF 03.393 Film Scenario Writing [75 s.h.]
CRCR 07.395 Writing Poetry [Creative Writing I]
WA 01.320 Field Experience in Writing Arts
JRN 02.313 Magazine Article Writing [45 s.h.]
WA 01.401 The Writer’s Mind [College Comp. II and 45 s.h.]

Under specific conditions, it is also possible for students to take the following graduate classes in creative writing under “senior privilege.”

MAWR 02.505 Poetry Workshop [Senior Privilege: See below.]
MAWR 01.558 Fiction Workshop
MAWR 02.505 Writing the Novel
MAWR 02.523 Writing the Memoir
MAWR 02.515 Creative Non-fiction Workshop

Senior Privilege Policy
Seniors at Rowan University who have earned at least 3.0 GPA may request permission from The Graduate School Dean to register for one graduate-level course per semester. The total number of all graduate credits taken shall not exceed 6 semester hours. Students may take a graduate course for application to either an undergraduate or graduate degree but may not apply the course to both. For a student to enroll in a graduate course, recommendations are required from both the student’s undergraduate program advisor and the chairperson of the department(s) in which the graduate course(s) is housed. Furthermore, final approval of exceptions to this policy must be obtained from the Dean of The Graduate School.

Rowan University Literary Awards
(Click on the links for .pdfs of the winning entries.)

Edward J. Czwartacki Award for Fiction
2008, First Place, "Echoes," by Bill Stewart, MAW program
Second Place, "I Need a Bike," by Joe Carlough, 2009
Third Place, tie, "Translation," by George Jacob, MAW program; "Things that Can’t be Seen," by David Brennan, MAW program
Honorable Mention, "Kuwait, Briefly," by Kamala Lane, 2008; "The Heart of the Storm," by Daniel Paganelli, 2008; "Rabbi," by Steven R. Levine, 2008

R.U. Award for Poetry
2008, First Place, "Snapshots from the Field," by Jonathan Guito, 2008
Second Place, "Poems 2008," by Katherin Fitzpatrick, 2010
Third Place, "The Homewrecker’s Handbook," by Justin Davis, 2010
Honorable Mention, individual poems, "Hunger," "Pay to Play" by Janelle Tillman, 2010; "Penny Arboretum," "Crystals," "Passion fruit," by Joe Carlough, 2009; "Brother, Sister," by David Brennan, MAW program; "Dragonflies," "Chicago," by Joan Hanna, 2009; "Feeling 'Goodness'," by Anthony Belluscio, 2009; "Finding Daddy," by Calley Steel, 2010

R.U. Award for Creative Nonfiction
2008, First Place, "Snuff," by Rebecca Bland, MAW program
Second Place, "Wonderland," by David Brennan, MAW program
Honorable Mention, "Never There," by Christina Weil, 2008; "Realization through Service," by Mike Breuning, 2011; "Holes in My Pockets," by Gabriel Arnold, 2011

Avant
Twice a year, the undergraduate literary magazine, Avant, publishes poems, stories, creative nonfiction, photography, and artwork. Students may submit their work to Room 220A of the Mark M. Chamberlain Student Center. Email: avantzine@hotmail.com.

Faculty in Creative Writing

Ron Block

Julia Chang

Denise Gess