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

Complete one of the following introductory-level courses

After completing one of the introductory courses above, complete three of the following:

  • HCOM 332: Poetry Writing Workshop
  • HCOM 333: Women's Writing Workshop
  • HCOM 334: Fiction/Creative NonFiction Wr
  • HCOM 432: Social Action Writing
  • HCOM 432S: Social Action Writing
  • Or two of the above courses and any single course from within HCOM or across the majors that allows you to do more research into the subject of your social action writing. You must present a rationale that the course is in some way related to your interest in social action writing.

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.