Writing & Literature

The Writing & Literature students have a genuine passion for reading and writing. Students complete rigorous coursework in Creative Writing, Literary Study, and Writing Studies, with considerable freedom to design their own course of study. Students work closely under the guidance of a faculty mentor to create a publishable body of creative and scholarly work for their senior portfolio.

By integrating these three areas of exploration, students will receive a well-rounded education in writing. Work in Creative Writing will help students develop their voice and gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s publishing environment. The close reading and criticism performed through Literary Study will help students better understand and analyze literature. Experience in Writing Studies invites students to consider the composition, circulation, and purpose of writing in professional, academic, civic, and digital contexts. This interdisciplinary approach to writing will prepare students for a fulfilling writing life as well as a variety of careers, including professional writing, publishing, marketing, or graduate-level study.

Some students receive funding from CCS to support their research or creative activities through the Traveling Undergraduate Research Fund.

Curriculum

The purpose of the Writing & Writing and Literature curriculum is to provide students with the grounding and guidance that will allow them to successfully pursue their independent scholarly and creative endeavors.

Freshman and Sophomore colloquia in the three areas of study provide exposure to the forms of inquiry within these related fields and to the cutting edge research of UCSB faculty in these disciplines. Most upper division courses are taken in various College of Letters and Science Departments, such as Comparative Literature, English, Writing, the languages, and ethnic studies.

The latter half of a student’s undergraduate career focuses on pursuing an independent project in research and/or creative writing, which culminates in the Senior Portfolio.

For a full list of requirements, please download the major sheet to the right.