Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing and Applied Arts

Write your own destiny!

Want to create the storyboard for a video game? Or maybe lead the charge in an advertising agency? What about finding the next big author by working in a publishing house? With a B.F.A. in Writing and Applied Arts, you can do that and more.

Our program focuses on developing your writing ability while also building marketable skills so you can find a job.

The B.F.A. in Writing and Applied Arts is a craft-focused, community-facing program offering a range of workshops, including novel writing and revision, romance writing, poetry, world-building, creative nonfiction, environmental writing, grant writing, professional writing, placemaking, and writing for professional clients. Small class sizes (10 to 25 students) place student work at the center of discussion. Students can write and revise a novel, poetry manuscript, memoir, tabletop game narrative, or public-facing awareness campaign with mentored feedback. In addition, through its focus on Applied Arts, the B.F.A. in Writing and Applied Arts offers opportunities for students to discover and tell our region’s untold stories—connecting a student’s love of reading and writing to real-world problem-solving, advocacy, and change.

Students choose one of four interdisciplinary emphases:

• Community Storytelling Emphasis. Students in the Community Storytelling Emphasis bring writing to broader communities by organizing regional events, developing community workshops, writing for social justice, and advocating to tell untold stories.
• Editing and Publishing Emphasis. Students in the Editing and Publishing Emphasis learn all aspects of editorial production in preparation to become copyeditors, publishers, publicists, content developers, and promotional and marketing professionals.
• Game Writing Emphasis. Students in the Game Writing Emphasis use skills of game craft, world-building, and choice networks to become creators of interactive experiences for tabletops, screens, historical sites, and public spaces.
• Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis. Students in the Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis work with clients to master the production of effective technical manuals, dynamic data visualizations and user interfaces, as well as engaging multimedia designs.

Want to create the storyboard for a video game? Or maybe lead the charge in an advertising agency? What about finding the next big author by working in a publishing house? With a B.F.A. in Writing and Applied Arts, you can do that and more. Our program focuses developing your writing ability while also building marketable skills so you can find a job.

Building a portfolio; getting experience at one of our on-campus publications; maybe even publishing the work you’ve developed in this program – these are all things you can do to stand out to future employers. Possible careers include:

• Technical Writer
• Podcaster
• Editor
• Screenwriter
• Literary Agent
• Community Engagement Director
• Comic Book Writer
• Publisher
• Social Media Specialist
• Novelist
• Marketing Specialist
• Copywriter

Admissions Information