Creative Writing & Social Action, Minor

This minor offers you an opportunity to explore your interests in creative writing and social action, and to tailor your minor curriculum to your major. You acquire the creative, critical, visual, and cultural tools necessary to write poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and life stories. You do service learning around community writing projects, and collaborate with community partners.

The minor advances your creative writing craft, prepares you to more effectively express your creative ideas, and asks you to use writing to address social issues. It prepares you for careers in writing, editing, publishing, and social action.

Required Courses

Please note: Twelve of the units taken to complete a minor (6 of which are upper division) may not be used in fulfillment of other minors, concentrations, or major requirements.

Complete one of the following introductory-level courses:
HCOM 330 - Intro Creative Writing Units: 4
HCOM 339S - Creative Writing and Service Learning Units: 4
After completing one of the introductory courses above, complete three of the following courses:
HCOM 332 - Poetry Writing Workshop Units: 4
HCOM 333 - Women’s Writing Workshop Units: 4
HCOM 334 - Fiction/Creative NonFiction Writing Units: 4
HCOM 432 - Social Action Writing Units: 4
HCOM 432S - Social Action Writing Units: 4
HCOM 433 - Life Histories & Creative Narrative Units: 4
HCOM 434 - Creative Publishing and Critical Storytelling Units: 4

Learning Outcomes

LO 1: Basic Competency in Creative Writing

Students demonstrate basic skill in the craft of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

LO 2: Production and Presentation of an Art Project

Students produce a portfolio of social action poems and stories that actively responds to a public issue, and present it to a diverse public audience.

LO: 3 Understanding of Social, Cultural, Historical, and Political Contexts

Students demonstrate informed and ethical reflection on a significant social issue out of which their social action writing emerges.