A variety of learning experiences

Creative Writing – Liberal Arts Diploma

Program Details

Length: 2 years

Total Credits: 60

Intake Terms: Fall

Campus: Castlegar

Student Loans: This program is eligible for student loans

Credential Received

Diploma in Liberal Arts Creative Writing

Overview

Program Summary

Whether you are interested in taking individual courses or pursuing a creative writing diploma/degree, Selkirk College welcomes you. Join the program’s core faculty, as well as guest speakers and visiting writers who will take you on an exciting journey designed to immerse you in creative processes and help you find your voice.

What defines our creative writing program is a community of writers composed of small class sizes and intimate workshops. Gain confidence in communicating your ideas in a truly magical setting. Imagine sitting by the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers to draft a poem or walking along the Castlegar campus trails—a significant gathering place for Indigenous Peoples—to conjure the final scene in your short story. In Nelson, classes are held at the Tenth Street Campus, also home to Selkirk’s renowned Digital Arts and Music programs.

Situated in one of the most beautiful regions on earth, Selkirk College offers a safe, peaceful and vibrant sense of place for writers to explore their imaginations in fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama. Our creative writing classes are fully transferable to universities across Canada.

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of an Associate of Arts or Liberal Arts Diploma program, learners will be able to:

  1. Explain terms, concepts and theories of the discipline(s)
  2. Read, write and communicate effectively and creatively across academic disciplines
  3. Ask informed questions to deepen the level of enquiry
  4. Use quantitative and qualitative evidence to support claims
  5. Research and analyze evidence from scholarly and professional publications
  6. Synthesize and summarize literature and data
  7. Demonstrate developing critical, creative thinking and problem-solving skills
  8. Use current and emerging technology
  9. Demonstrate collaborative skills in a multicultural environment
  10. Conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner in an academic environment

Program Admission Requirements

Academic Requirements

In addition to meeting the general admission requirements to Selkirk College, applicants to the University Arts and Sciences program must meet the following requirements to be considered fully qualified:

  • Minimum grade of 60% in English 12 or English 12 First Peoples or equivalent. Students who do not meet this requirement must write the Language Proficiency Index (LPI) test and achieve a minimum of level 4 to attain equivalency.

Additional Requirements

  • Students whose first language is not English must fulfill the college’s English language proficiency requirement. See Policy 8611: Admissions.
  • Mature students must meet the English 12 requirement.
  • If you are a student who lacks the admission requirements, you may still gain entry to the program by taking a combination of Academic Upgrading and university courses in your first year. This may extend the length of your program.

Graduation and Promotion

To achieve a credential in this program, you must complete all course requirements and achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00.

Program Courses

Term 1

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours

Required Courses

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours
CWRT100Introduction to Creative Writing I

3.00

45
ENGL110College Composition

3.00

45

Elective Courses

The following is a suggested selection of courses. Students are advised to meet with a Selkirk College counsellor to discuss course options.

Take three (3) general elective 100-level courses.

See the UAS Courses by discipline page for course selections.

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours

Term 2

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours

Required Courses

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours
CWRT101Introduction to Creative Writing II

3.00

45
ENGL111Introduction to Literature

3.00

45

Elective Courses

The following is a suggested selection of courses. Students are advised to meet with a Selkirk College counsellor to discuss course options.

Take three (3) general elective 100-level courses.

See the UAS Courses by discipline page for course selections.

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours

Term 3

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours

Required Courses

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours
CWRT200Manuscript Development I

3.00

60
ENGL200A Survey of English Literature I

3.00

45
Plus one (1) additional 200 level English course.

Elective Courses

The following is a suggested selection of courses. Students are advised to meet with a Selkirk College counsellor to discuss course options.

Take two (2) general elective 100- or 200-level courses.

See the UAS Courses by discipline page for course selections.

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours

Term 4

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours

Required Courses

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours
CWRT201Manuscript Development II

3.00

60
ENGL201A Survey of English Literature II

3.00

45
Plus one (1) additional 200 level English course.

Elective Courses

The following is a suggested selection of courses. Students are advised to meet with a Selkirk College counsellor to discuss course options.

Take two (2) general elective 100- or 200-level courses.

See the UAS Courses by discipline page for course selections.

CodeTitleCreditsTotal Hours

Additional Program Policies

Effective Term:

Grading Table: