creative writing bfa

Undergraduate Creative Writing (BFA)

Develop the talent and technique it takes to excel as a creative writer in our BFA program.

About the Undergraduate Creative Writing Major

Words have power. They can catapult people out of their mindsets, throw them out of time, motivate them to rethink beliefs, and move them to introspection and tears. At Emerson College, writers have the opportunity to examine the power of the written word and experiment with offbeat ideas, novel approaches, and timeless topics. 

Our undergraduate Creative Writing BFA program is designed for the imaginative, the curious, and the poetic. Housed in the Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing in the School of the Arts, the program’s faculty challenge you to sharpen your writing skills and find your own voice, ensuring that you leave Emerson as a formidable communicator—and also a unique one. Our writing courses give you a deep understanding of how writing as an art form has developed over time and across cultures, leaving you well-positioned to succeed in creative writing—a life of provoking and persuading, entertaining and educating, imagining and inspiring.

I enjoy the Creative Writing program because I am able to focus on specific genres….I am able to explore different forms of writing to solidify what I am interested in and what I am not interested in. I have learned a lot from my professors, who are all experienced writers—they are very helpful.

Real-World Experience as a Writer

Creative Writing majors have ample opportunity to gain real-world learning experience. Here are a few examples:

• Students can write or work for a number of student literary journals and magazines, including Redivider, em Magazine, The Emerson Review, Concrete Literary Magazine, and Your Magazine.
• Emerson hosts a Pitch Slam event during which students give a one-minute pitch to a board of local and national editors for the opportunity to have their writing published. 
• Beyond campus, students have access to coveted internships through our alumni network, which includes New York Times –bestselling authors, editors, and publishing professionals. Recent internship sites include: Boston magazine, Reader’s Digest , and Yale University Press.
• Through a partnership with Penguin Random House, students are mentored during a semester-long program.

Careers for Creative Writing Majors

Our Creative Writing graduates have gone on to become prominent authors, screenwriters, and critics. Examples of careers include:

• Acquisitions Editor
• Book Reviewer
• Social Media Specialist
• Writing Instructor

Notable Writing, Literature and Publishing Alumni

• Lara Egger, Author, H ow to Love Everyone and Almost Get Away with It
• Alex Garner, Assistant Editor, Museum of Modern Art
• Jaweed Kaleem, National Correspondent, Los Angeles Times
• Kira Salak, Travel Writer and Contributing Editor, National Geographic

Meet Our Faculty

Ready to pursue your daring ideas.

• Learn More about the Undergraduate Creative Writing (BFA) Program
• Apply to the Undergraduate Creative Writing (BFA) Program

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Creative Writing, BFA

Among Public National Universities, U.S. News & World Report

Featured in the Fiske Guide to Colleges

Nationally, Best Online Bachelor's Programs, U.S. News & World Report

Our alumni work as:

BFA graduates can apply their training in positions that call for writing and editing. This includes options in digital/tech fields.

BFA students who earn the certificate in publishing are equipped to move into careers in the publishing industry.

BFA graduates are qualified to move into fields of professional communication, including those with government agencies and marketing firms.

With training in powerful communication, our students are uniquely equipped to attend law school.

Participate in a rigorous apprenticeship in the art and craft of creating literature

Develop critical faculties, understanding of literary forms, and aesthetic judgment

Build a strong foundation in the historical literary tradition and a grounding practice of the art of writing

Construct a thoughtful interdisciplinary foundation for understanding the relationship of creative writing to other arts and scholarly areas

“ I admire the energy, artistic nuance, and emotion with which a writer can carry a story. This is what I love about reading what other writers have created: discovering the heart of a story. ”

Liberal Arts Foundation

We encourage our graduate students to become people of letters, and our goals for undergraduates are no less ambitious.

We offer a broad liberal arts education that fosters creativity, exercises communication skills, sharpens analytical perception, and encourages informed, integrated cultural viewpoints.

Studio-Academic Experience

Our BFA program provides aspiring writers an apprenticeship in writing, informed by the close study of literature among a community of professional writers.

As a studio-academic experience in writing fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction, our BFA program unites passionate people who believe the creation of art is a pursuit valuable to self and culture.

Sample Courses

How do i major in creative writing.

Students may  declare a major  in pre-creative writing at any point upon completing at least 24 hours of college credits.

Admission to the full creative writing major comes through application only.

Application process

• Complete at least   24 hours of college credits
• CRW 207: Introduction to Fiction Writing
• CRW 208: Introduction to Poetry Writing
• CRW 209: Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing
• Submit BFA application for admission through Canvas  
• Submit creative work/portfolio for review by faculty members

Application deadlines

• September 15

Explore More Program Details

Learn more about the Department

Related Programs

English, b.a..

Provides an exceptional academic experience grounded in critical inquiry, creativity, and application through three robust curriculum tracks in literary studies, professional writing, and teacher licensure.

History, B.A.

Teach, research, and write about the history of just about everywhere.

Philosophy and Religion, B.A.

Foster philosophy and the study of religions and to encourage a critical appreciation of the deepest issues of human experience of the past and present, in our own culture and globally.

Certificate & Graduate Programs

Creative writing, mfa.

A terminal degree that focuses on the study and craft of creative writing.

Publishing Certificate

A pathway to careers in the publishing industry.

 Professional Writing Certificate

The certificate in professional writing advances writing skills by providing foundational education in rhetoric, design and editing.

Learn more about updates regarding the 2024–2025 FAFSA process.

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Writing at Pratt

Pratt’s BFA in Writing prepares you to become a highly proficient and self-sustaining creative writer. Through our studio-based approach and our commitments to inquiry, creative research, and critical self-reflection, you’ll expand your creative range, investigate the cultural and historical forces that have sculpted literary traditions, become an expert practitioner, and explore other fields offered at Pratt. Your creative expression is our focus, balanced with professional preparation and community engagement to prepare you to navigate the changing literary landscape. Combining rigor with care, we actively shape your time at Pratt and connect you to campus resources, so that—despite the solitude that sometimes attends the writing life—you’ll feel supported and equipped to achieve your goals. 

The Experience

Interdisciplinary, socially engaged, and deeply personalized, our tight-knit writing community values a plurality of voices and approaches to writing, both on and off the page. You’ll gather with your peers twice a week for intensive studios, where feedback sessions, generative writing, and collaborative thinking take place. You can explore specialized writing electives in screenwriting, dystopian fiction, environmental writing, psychoanalysis, and feminist thought. First-year foundational courses include critical thinking and writing, world literature, writing elements, and community as classroom. A small student-to-faculty ratio on the Brooklyn campus fosters an intimate sense of community, as do on-campus readings and departmental social events.

The BFA Writing offers a suite of courses designed to prepare undergraduates for a life in writing, in all of its dimensions. Taken in the first year, the “Community as Classroom” course will immerse you in the vast literary series, institutions, venues, and activities across the city, as sources not only for what kinds of things are happening in writing right now but also the artistic lineages they are part of.

Professional Development 

We help our students build meaningful, creative, and sustainable writing lives, especially in the years following graduation. The third year course “Writer as Worker” provides concrete skills and guidance to discern, acquire, and plan for a professional development track in the spring semester. Weekly visits with guest authors, agents, editors, journalists, teachers, filmmakers, and theater artists helps you make informed choices about the work/life experiences you’d like to explore in the coming semesters, and beyond. Practical survival skills and support like internships, job search basics, grants, fellowships, and grad school are covered as ways to build a writing life that inspires you.

Internship & Fieldwork

A one-semester credit-bearing internship or independent fieldwork project is accompanied by a guided professional exploration course. Depending on your interests, you could intern at a publishing house, literary agency, film/TV studio, podcast network, news publication, arts organization or nonprofit. Fieldwork projects could include starting a literary journal, publishing a zine, planning a symposium, developing a podcast pilot, building an artist website, learning how to produce and fund theatrical and film productions, and many others. Past sites have also included The Poetry Project, Nightboat Books, Belladonna* Collaborative, Ugly Duckling Presse, The Brooklyn Rail , and Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. The accompanying course ensures your work becomes an educational opportunity through which you can effectively discern the material realities of the writing life and the labor that sustains it.

Berlin, Germany is an ideal city for you to broaden your cultural, intellectual, and creative horizons. For a writer, spending a semester abroad can be a powerful experience, offering you the chance to shift perspectives, learn new cultural narratives, and form more expansive world views, all of which deepen and complicate your imaginative potential. The chance to learn a new language is also a direct way to more fully understand and develop your own native language. The Pratt Berlin study abroad program offers sophomores and juniors a chance to spend a semester in one of Europe’s most vibrant artistic and literary cities. Housed in a newly renovated button factory in Kreuzberg, one of Berlin’s most central and exciting neighborhoods, the program offers writing majors and minors in creative writing, critical and visual studies, and humanities and media studies a full 16 credits of core classes and electives with BFA Writing faculty. Visit Pratt’s Study Abroad Program page .

Events and Visiting Writers

Our Writer at Large program, the annual Michael Mahoney Memorial Reading, the MFA’s Writing Activisms series, and other events bring renowned writers to campus for readings, workshops, and manuscript consultations. Beyond these events, department faculty regularly invite writers to spend time with their classes including Ottessa Moshfegh, Ross Gay, Simone White, Layli Long Soldier, Alexander Chee, Jonas Hassen Khemiri, Michelle Tea, Asiya Wadud, Chloë Bass, Sarah Thankam Mathews, and others.

Writer-at-Large 

The Leslie Scalapino Lecture in Innovative Poetics

Learning Resources

We develop disciplinary fluency in our program of study and we celebrate the interdisciplinary nature of design critical to address the plurality and complexity of the environments in which we operate.  Learning resources

Our Faculty

Pratt’s distinguished faculty of ou- tstanding creative professionals and scholars share a common desire to develop each student’s potential and creativity to the fullest. All are practicing writers who are engaged in New York City’s vibrant literary community. Bringing different views, methods, and perspectives they provide a rigorous educational model in which students make and learn. See all Writing faculty and administrators .

Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts

Assistant Professor

Laura Henriksen

Visiting Assistant Professor

Christian Hawkey

Laura Elrick

Associate Professor

Dianca Potts

Alysia slocum laferriere.

Acting Assistant Chairperson; Visiting Assistant Professor

Christopher Perez

Visiting Professor

Anna Moschovakis

Adjunct Associate Professor – CCE

Sarah Mathews

Pratt’s distinguished alumni are leading diverse and thriving careers, addressing critical challenges and creating innovative work that reimagines our world.

Where They Work

• Carly Tagen-Dye, Editorial Assistant, People Magazine
• Anika Jade Levy, Founding Editor, Forever Magazine 
• Alexa Trembly and Emory Harkins, Twenty Stories Bookstore
• Ryan Carson, Founder, NO OD NY
• Erin Perez, Poetry Teacher, Saint Ann’s School

MFA Programs Attended by BFA Writing Alumni

• Erica Ammann, Brown University MFA Literary Arts Program
• Leia Bradley and Anika Jade Levy, Columbia University MFA Writing Program
• Adrian Shirk, University of Wyoming MFA Creative Writing Program
• Cristina Merino, The New School MFA Creative Writing Program

Alumni Publications

• Adrian Shirk, Heaven Is a Place on Earth (Counterpoint, 2022)
• Laura Henriksen, Laura’s Desires (Nightboat Books, 2024)
• Phoebe Robinson, Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes (Tiny Reparations Books, 2021) 
• Brandi Spering, This I Can Tell You (Perennial Press, 2021)
• Kate Gavino, A Career in Books (Plume, 2022)

Success Stories

Culture & community.

New Writing Studios Offer Space to Create and Collaborate

An Award-Winning Film Editor’s Childhood Creativity Flourished at Pratt

In a Shifting Design Industry, a Pratt Grad Supports Future Creative Leaders

Writing alumni stories, ready for more.

@prattwriting

From the Catalog

Sample courses.

• WR-101 Writer’s Studio I 4 credits
• WR-102 Writer’s Studio II 4 credits
• WR-110 Critical Thinking & Writing I 3 credits
• WR-120 Writing Elements I: The Sentence 3 credits
• WR-121 Writing Elements II: Forms 3 credits

Program Overview

The BFA in Writing at Pratt Institute prepares students to become highly proficient and self-sustaining creative writers. Through our studio-based approach and our commitments to inquiry, creative research, and critical self-reflection, we invite students to expand their creative range, to investigate the cultural and historical forces that have sculpted the literary traditions they seek to enter, to become expert practitioners, and to explore the other fields on offer at Pratt. Our focus is students’ creative expression, balanced with professional preparation and community engagement via hands-on courses, internships, and colloquia, so that students are prepared to navigate the changing literary landscape. Our pedagogy combines rigor with care, and the department administration and faculty work actively on behalf of students to shape their time at Pratt and to connect them to campus resources, so that—despite the solitude that sometimes attends the writing life—students feel supported and equipped to achieve their goals.

Learning Outcomes

Via completion of the program, BFA Writing students will:

• Expand their creative process through practices of creative making, experimentation, and play
• Learn to ask and investigate a question through the refinement of curiosity, attention, and research
• Acquire an eloquent critical language for discussions of their work and its place in diverse literary traditions
• Demonstration through informed reading and writing practices, an understanding of the social and historical forces that have shaped their imagination
• Develop expertise in a selected form or genre
• Learning to assemble a revised, cohesive, and polished body of work
• Acquiring professional skills and knowledge that will support a working life

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• Creative Writing

BA and BFA in Creative Writing

Why study with us?

Creativity used to be a term reserved for alternative professions and hobbies. Today, it is being embraced in offices around the world.  – Forbes

Our multi-disciplinary focus on creativity, storytelling, empathy, and poetics develops the professional skills valued in today’s workplace. Students can prepare for jobs in the private sector, hone their writing skills for publication, or develop a portfolio for applying to an MFA program.

BA in Creative Writing

A traditional creative writing degree of 120 credits with background in literature and literary studies. See the Degree Requirements for BA in Creative Writing.

BFA in Creative Writing

An intensive program of 120 credits that prepares students to be professional writers. There are currently 35 BFA degrees in creative writing in the U.S.. See the Degree Requirements for BFA in Creative Writing.

Creative Writing Minor

A program of 24 credits including fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. See the Degree Requirements in Creative Writing Minor.

For the current Catalog, please visit the Boise State Undergraduate Catalog . Creative Writing is listed in the Theatre, Film and Creative Writing portion of the catalog.

Department of Theatre Arts and Creative Writing

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Creative Writing, BFA

Anything is possible in the worlds that you create.

• Creative Writing

Creative Writing – Bachelor of Fine Arts

Offered as a Bachelor of Fine Arts Major

The BFA in Creative Writing at SOU is a structured sequence of workshops and seminars with fiction, poetry, and non-fiction at its core. Electives can be chosen from a wide range of relevant fields including songwriting, playwriting, digital composition, comics, and more, giving students the opportunity to interact with visual artists, musicians, digital innovators, and others within the larger arts complex at SOU. The Emergent Forms reading series brings in different writers each quarter (past guests include Lyn Hejinian, Douglas Kearney, Joshua Clover, Dodie Bellamy, Clark Coolidge, Sandra Simonds, Rodrigo Toscano, Chris Nealon, Catherine Wagner, and many other stars of the contemporary writing scene). Seniors collaborate to produce Main Squeeze, the student literary magazine. The BFA degree culminates in a capstone project that showcases students’ work and creates a powerful centerpiece for their portfolios as they move on to the next phases of their careers.

Program Preparation

The BFA in Creative Writing is designed for students who have a inner passion for writing and want to take their skills to the next level. If writing is your one true love, then this is the place for you to flourish.

Degree Roadmap

Through the course of the Creative Writing program, students learn to develop their own styles, to communicate original ideas clearly, and to present their understanding of themselves and the larger world through cogent, expressive writing in a variety of forms. They study established traditions as well as emerging content and methods. Students are encouraged to be curious, adaptive, and flexible to develop lifelong habits to generate good work and remain current in a changing market.

The capstone is the culmination of the BFA degree where students create a body of written work, drawing on readings, research, and experience with close faculty mentorship and critique with the class cohort. The result is a polished portfolio piece that serves as a springboard to the next step, be it the professional world or graduate school.

Guided Pathways

Contact: David Bithell –  541.552.7033 –  [email protected]

Associate Degree Paths

AAOT English Interest, RCC – AAT English, RCC – AAOT English Flightpath, UCC

Similar Majors

English, BA

Similar Minors & Certificates

Creative Writing, Minor – Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Certificate

Similar Micro-Credentials

Foundations of Professional Writing

Sample Graduate Degrees

MFA in Creative Writing, UO – MFA in Creative Writing, OSU – MFA in Creative Writing, PNCA

Credit for Prior Learning – Learn More

Career Opportunities & Outlook

Section contents: creative writing programs.

• Creative Writing BFA
• Creative Writing Minor

Achieve Your Degree in Creative Writing at SOU

Contact creative writing.

SOU Creative Writing Program 1250 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 541.552.6101

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Bachelor of Fine Arts

Bfa in creative writing in minnesota  .

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• In this section

Your creativity can take you to the stars, and we're here to give you the fuel. Hamline's creative writing major empowers you with the skills you'll need in your career in creative writing, whether that's in publishing, communications, writing, or more. 

You'll develop communication and organizational skills that employers covet and learn how to collaborate, give and receive constructive feedback, conduct research, and operate under deadlines—abilities that will serve you well in any field, from publishing and teaching to nonprofits, law, and marketing. Our BFA faculty consist of well-known authors whose work includes the books shown above; additionally, actively publishing, award-winning writers and filmmakers visit classes regularly and provide context for your growing skills in a professional, post-college setting in Minnesota or beyond.

From the craft and process of writing to strategies of digital storytelling, the BFA in creative writing builds a comprehensive toolkit in your studies of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, literary traditions, textual analysis, and the theoretical dimensions of reading and writing. You can craft work in any number of genres, from realistic or speculative fiction; formal poetry or spoken word; and memoir, personal essay, lyric essay, and more.

Explore the creative writing major

Creative writing major.

Explore the creative writing BFA, and take a deep dive into the craft and process of writing.

Creative writing courses

Enhance your major – or explore an interest – with one of Hamline's many creative writing courses.

Creative writing program details

Engaged learning projects for creative writing majors.

At Hamline, creative writing majors participate in research with faculty as early as their first year, something usually reserved for graduate students at other institutions. You'll design and conduct your own research project based on your individual interests and goals.

The list of possible creative writing projects is as varied as our students. For example, picture yourself:

• Co-editing and publishing the BFA program’s annual award-winning undergraduate online literary magazine, Runestone
• Examining the publishing fields of specific genres, including speculative literature, folk and fairytale, fantasy, flash fiction, and sportswriting
• Working at one of the many Twin Cities publishing houses or literary organizations
• Leading one of Hamline’s student-run publications, such as The Fulcrum literary magazine, Untold Magazine lifestyle publication, or The Oracle student newspaper

During your research process, you’ll collaborate with professionals at major research institutions, publish your research in academic journals, and present your work at local, regional, and national conferences.  

Learn more about undergraduate research at Hamline 

Internships for BFA in creative writing students

We make sure you leave Hamline with work experience in creative writing on your resume. And the opportunities are boundless. Whether you want to explore a career in publishing, communications, journalism, education, or more, we have internship opportunities for you.

Examples of past creative writing student internships include:

• Graywolf Press, publishing intern
• Minnesota Historical Society, oral history office intern
• Minnesota Women’s Press, advertising sales intern
• KFAI Fresh Air Radio, journalism and content intern
• Saint Paul Public Schools, communications intern
• Milkweed Editions, editorial intern
• Alight (formerly the American Refugee Committee), operations intern
• The Loft Literary Center, communications intern
• The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School, operations intern  

Explore career paths for creative writing

What can you do with a major in creative writing? Our innovative courses and one-on-one mentoring by faculty will provide you with the tools to succeed in a variety of careers, such as:

Examples of possible positions

• Essayist, poet, or fiction writer
• Magazine writer and editor
• Book publisher
• Teacher or professor
• Literary critic
• Nonprofit manager

Actual positions acquired by new grads

• Editorial Coordinator, American Academy of Neurology
• Freelance Editor, Fantasy Flight Games
• Lead Communications and Digital Media Specialist, NewPublica
• Marketing and Communications Associate, Northern Clay Center
• Educator, Hunting Learning Center
• Staff Writer, Iowa Information

Take your studies further with graduate school

Our graduates have gone on to graduate schools across the country in the pursuit of master’s and doctoral degrees. Examples of programs and schools include:

• MFA in creative writing, Hamline University
• MFA in fiction, Pacific University 
• MFA in poetry, Western Michigan University 
• MFA in creative nonfiction, University of South Florida 
• MFA in fiction, University of North Carolina at Wilmington 
• MFA in writing for children and young adults, Hamline University
• MFA in writing for children and young adults, The New School in New York

Runestone  

Runestone is an online undergraduate literary journal that provides mentorship and hands-on experience for student editors as they publish and promote the nation’s finest undergraduate writers in an online forum. Undergraduates—mentored by graduate students—also comprise the student editorial board.  

Visit Runestone

Creative writing program news

Pelster-Wiebe Podcast Interview

Pelster-Wiebe Publishes Essay

Related programs, english and communication studies, digital storytelling, theatre and dance: performance, production, and community, take your next step today.

Interested in creative writing? We’d love to send you information, including more on creative writing programs and student life at Hamline.

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What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

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Extracurriculars.

List of All U.S. Colleges with a Creative Writing Major

Writing has been my passion practically since I learned to read in kindergarten. I would write stories about princesses and my family dog, Gansett. When it came time to look at colleges, I was set on attending one with a strong creative writing program. Ultimately, I graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars.

Today, colleges across the country offer creative writing as a major. Because writing skills are essential for a wide range of careers, and because most curricula emphasize broad liberal arts competencies, a degree in creative writing can set you up for success in numerous fields, whether you want to be an editor or a lawyer.

Interested in majoring in creative writing? Learn which schools offer the major and what to look for in a program.

Overview of the Creative Writing Major

Creative writing is about more than spinning tales. For your major, you’ll generally need to pursue a curriculum grounded in literature, history, foreign language, and other humanities courses, along with distribution courses, if the college requires them.

Most creative writing majors must participate in workshops, in which students present their work and listen to peer critiques, usually with a certain number of advanced courses in the mix. In some cases, colleges will ask you to specialize in a particular genre, such as fiction, poetry, or playwriting. 

To succeed in creative writing, you’ll need to have a tough spine, in order to open yourself up to feedback from your classmates and instructors. You may need to give readings in public — if not as an undergraduate, certainly during your career. Of course, a passion for creating is essential, too, as is a willingness to revise your work and learn from the greats and your peers.

A creative writing major opens up doors to many careers, including journalism, content marketing, copywriting, teaching, and others. Even careers that don’t center around writing often have a strong writing component: you’ll need to write reports, deliver presentations, and so on.

Some writers go on to earn an MFA, which will help you hone your craft. It’s also often a prerequisite for teaching creative writing at the college level.

What to Look for in a College as a Creative Writing Major

Published authors on faculty.

Many world-renowned authors have another claim to fame: professorships. Writers who have taught their craft include (among many others):

• Maya Angelou (Wake Forest University)
• Colson Whitehead (many colleges, including Vassar College and Columbia University)
• Stephen Dixon (Johns Hopkins University)
• Viet Thanh Nguyen (University of Southern California)
• Eula Biss (Northwestern University)
• Toni Morrison (Princeton University)

Be aware that as an undergraduate, you may not be able to learn from the greats. That’s why it’s important to look into which courses these faculty teach before you have dreams of being mentored by Salman Rushdie — who is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU.

Genres Offered

While many schools that have creative writing majors offer fiction and poetry courses and tracks, there are some niche genres that could be more difficult to find. If you’re interested in playwriting, for example, you won’t find that at every school. Before you decide on a program, be sure it includes the genres you’d like to explore further, whether that’s flash fiction, creative nonfiction, or something else.

Workshopping Opportunities

The core of most quality creative writing curriculum is workshopping. This means sharing your work in your classes and listening to your peers discuss and critique it. While this may sound intimidating, it can do a lot to help you hone your work and become a better writer. Look for colleges that make this the bedrock of their curriculum.

Showcasing Opportunities

Are there opportunities to present your work, such as college-sponsored readings where undergraduates can participate? Or, perhaps the school has a great literary journal. At my school, students could submit their plays and have them performed by fellow students. 

List of All U.S. Colleges With a Creative Writing Major

What are your chances of acceptance.

No matter what major you’re considering, the first step is ensuring you’re academically comparable to students who were previously accepted to the college or university. Most selective schools use the Academic Index to filter out applicants who aren’t up to their standards.

You’ll also want to demonstrate your fit with the school and specific major with the qualitative components of your application, like your extracurriculars and essays. For a prospective creative writing major, the essay is particularly important because this is a way to demonstrate your writing prowess. Activities might include editing your school’s newspaper or literary journal, publishing your work, and participating in pre-college writing workshops.

Want to know your chances of being accepted to top creative writing schools? Try our Chancing Engine (it’s free). Unlike other calculators, it takes your individual profile into account, including academic stats and qualitative components like your activities. Give it a try and get a jumpstart on your journey as a creative writing major!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

BFA in Creative Writing

A BFA in Creative Writing educates students who have decided to develop and hone their creative writing skills. This intensive undergraduate program provides students with a strong foundation in the fundamentals of multiple genres of creative writing and in its interdisciplinary breadth. By working closely with the department’s nationally and internationally acclaimed and well-published authors—including novelists, poets, screenwriters, memoirists, game designers, and essayists—as well as with their fellow students, the program’s undergraduates actively participate in a creative and literary community that focuses on successfully learning the craft of writing in multiple genres.

Our curriculum is writing and workshop intensive, offering students many opportunities to develop their writing in community with other BFA students. Every year of the program features cohort classes in such subjects as introduction to creative writing; introduction to form, craft, and influence; and introduction to digital editing and publishing. Students also take creative writing courses in an array of genres. They learn about a variety of literatures so they can build a portfolio of literary influences and hone their style. They pursue electives in other theories, histories, and practices of artistic expression. The program concludes with a year-long, thesis style course sequence that includes developing a major creative writing project with a thesis director, workshopping with fellow senior BFA students, and learning about such aspects of being a professional writer as finding an agent, publishing, and giving public readings. Upon completion of the degree, the successful student will have completed a creative senior thesis.

For more details about the curriculum, see the Academic Program page.

For more information, contact the Department of English at 662-915-7439 or bfacreativewriting@olemiss.edu.

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B.F.A. or B.A. concentration in Creative Writing

The study of Creative Writing immerses you in great literature and the art of generating your own fictions, poems, essays, plays, and screenplays. Through it, you come to know the elements of the writer’s craft and the imaginative energy of the writer’s life.

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 As you study Creative Writing, you will experiment with different creative forms, skills, styles, and devices; develop a distinctive creative voice and style across literary genres; gain advanced aptitudes in a specific genre; and discover the value of writing expertise across a wide variety of mediums, contexts, and professional settings. Holistically, a BFA or BA concentration in Creative Writing will enable you to:

• Read closely, critically, and with an aptitude for innovation
• Write clearly, eloquently, and artfully
• Know a rich range of literary terms, forms, genres, periods, theories, and writers
• Study creative genres in distinct historical, cultural, biographical, formal, and theoretical contexts
• See how writing and literature can enrich, complicate, and transform the human experience
• Produce original writing projects

The BA degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing (36 cr.) is ideal for students who want to hone their writing skills while double majoring or minoring in at least one other discipline. Students who concentrate in Creative Writing often add second majors or minors in Art, Theatre, or Music; Art History; Psychology; Communication; History, Religion, Philosophy, Political Science; Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies; Race & Ethnic Studies; etc. The BA combines a thorough foundation in literary studies and critical thinking with the opportunity to specialize in a specific genre through the sequence of intermediate and advanced Creative Writing courses.

The BFA in Creative Writing (48 cr.) is designed for students who plan to pursue graduate study or careers in writing, editing, or publishing. By providing more extensive, holistic advanced training and professional development, the program prepares students to enter writing-related careers in publishing, editing, public service, or informal teaching. Culminating in the completion of a Senior Creative Writing Project, the BFA offers students the opportunity to work on their own creative manuscripts with an English faculty member throughout their senior year. 

Current students applying for the BFA program in Creative Writing will submit a portfolio of their creative work after their first or second year at Otterbein. Portfolios are due May 1 and must be submitted via email to Tess Schwarz at tschwarz@otterbein.edu . Portfolios will be reviewed by Creative Writing faculty for admission to the BFA program for the following academic year. Students will be notified of acceptance by mid-May.

Portfolio Contents & Format Guidelines

· Portfolios should have a title page with your name and your student ID number.

· Please number all of the pages except the title page, and include your last name with each page number: (“Fitzington – 2”)

· Showcase your strongest creative writing in at least one genre:

• 5 – 10 pages of poetry
• single-space poetry
• start a new page with each poem

Fiction or Creative Non-Fiction

• 6 – 10 pages for fiction or creative non-fiction
• double-spaced prose
• if submitting multiple pieces, start a new page with each

Playwritting

• 10 – 20 pages for playwriting

If you are submitting work in more than one genre, the entire sample should total 25 pages or less.

Learn More in the Catalog

Learn more about these majors in the  catalog . If you are an existing student, be sure to look at the catalog for the year you entered Otterbein.

*NOTE:   KMERI refers to Otterbein's learning goals. It stands for  Knowledgeable ,  Multi-literate ,  Engaged ,  Responsible , and  Inquisitive . To learn more about KMERI , visit our  University Learning Goals page .

Goddard College

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Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Goddard College (BFAW) is an undergraduate degree program comprised of a community of learners, students, and faculty who aspire toward innovation, creativity, and experimentation within the realm of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, playwriting, other poetic and prose works, all hybrids, and any genres we can’t even conceive of yet! We see creative writing as an art and craft done individually and with others, an engaged study of literature, an understanding of language and the social context, and reflection on the role of the artist in the world. The program is low-residency and grounded in the principles and practices of student-centered, emancipatory education.

The BFA community values experimentation and innovation and encourages students to write in hybrid forms, across genres, and between art forms: visual art / creative writing hybrids are encouraged, for example, as are academic and theoretical works mixed with the creative. Students are invited to produce an experimental thesis. This program is non-tracking and genre-bending. BFAW students, in concert with faculty, design a program that aligns with socially engaged art-making and a foundation of transgressive makership that is the basis of Goddard College.

Students will also have access to practices in publishing, support around lo-fi and established publishing practices, alongside an interrogation of the practices of producing and sharing work.

About Goddard

Education for real living, through the actual facing of real life problems

• The Goddard Difference

Our philosophy starts with the idea experience and education are intricately linked

The  BFA in Creative Writing Faculty  are writers who have been published and produced internationally, and are recognized in their fields. Faculty members work one-on-one with students as faculty advisors throughout the semester, as well as facilitating group studies, teaching workshops at residency, and acting as second readers to students’ final projects. Our faculty is comprised of national and international scholar practitioner with extensive experience supporting students taking charge of their learning. Faculty members’ work with students is focused, clear, and rigorous.

Twice a year, at the  start of each semester , students attend an intensive eight-day residency at the College’s  Plainfield, Vermont campus . Residencies are a rich time of exploration, connection, and planning.

Degree Requirements

All students must satisfy  General Requirements for the BA/BFA at Goddard College . In addition, students pursuing the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing will demonstrate a particular competency in the arts and humanities.

Example Workshops / Group Studies

• “Divination and The Document”  a nonfiction group study that will explore divinatory poetics/writing as it relates to documentary modes: how can relationships to chance and randomness function as a mechanism for makership? How do practices of divination (somatics, astrology, tarot, bibilomancy, chiromancy) relate to “the document”–particularly when “documents” often functions as tools of white/western bureaucracy & supremacy? Can we use these practices to rebuild a radical kind of makership? We’ll look at Bhanu Kapil, M NourbeSe Phillip, and others who use these kinds of practices on behalf of nonfiction & we’ll make some things together! All are welcome!
• “Magical Realism as a tool for Social Justice”  In this group study we will explore the world of magical realism, its origins, and contemporary usage. Students will be given a number of writing prompts designed for the student to produce magical realist fiction. We will read a variety of short stories and novel excerpts by writers such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Toni Morrison, Etgar Keret, Aimee Bender, and others. Students will write short responses to the readings, and we will meet via Zoom during the semester in a workshop format.
• “Decolonizing Craft: Methods and Material”  this group study explores and reconfigures the colonial gaze of craft techniques belonging to other cultures that is rampantly primitivized, fetishized, appropriated, stolen and stripped of their original context.
• “WTF is Workshopping?”  The intention of this workshop is to provide artists and writers of all genres (including hybrid, experimental modes) a supportive space to share work and receive feedback during the semester. At the same time, we will engage in a philosophical inquiry about the structure of feedback giving and receiving in the arts and creative writing worlds: what actually is “workshopping”? What’s the point? Can we dismantle the hierarchical (racist, classist, cisheterosexist, colonialist, ableist etc…) structures that rule these environments? We’ll do it together, try different techniques, and share work.

The Creative Thesis / Senior Study

You will present your Senior Study in the form of:

• A manuscript of 25-100 pages of creative work. Hybrid and experimental manuscripts are welcome as are hybrid visual art and written manuscripts.
• A 15-30 page reflective critical paper on the subject of craft, integrating literary criticism and explication of the writer’s own work.
• A reflective essay on the cultural/societal responsibilities of the writer.
• Bibliography and annotated bibliography.
• A reading of your senior study manuscript work to the residency community, followed by a question and answer period facilitated by members of the BFAW faculty.

You will leave the program with a complete draft of a creative manuscript that has gone through a number of revisions. At the same time, you will have gained a deep connection to your writing peers, many of whom will continue to sustain you as the work of writing continues.

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Important Announcement

Demo Description

The Board of Directors for Goddard College have made the difficult decision to close the college at the end of the 2024 Spring term.  

Current Goddard students will have the opportunity to complete their degrees at the same tuition rate through a teach-out with like-minded institution, Prescott College . Updates and scholarship funds will be available in the coming weeks and months. Information will be posted to www.goddard.edu . 

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Enrollment in the Creative Writing major is dependent on the successful completion of 2000-level Creative Writing courses, as well as a committee-approved portfolio of original creative work. Once admitted to the program, Creative Writing majors complete 3000- and 4000-level workshops and compose a senior creative thesis, which they present to the campus community.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in creative writing are expected to:

• Use writing effectively-including current modes and evolving techniques and technologies-to explore subject matter and to communicate;
• Develop understanding of subject matter in relation to larger historical and/or cultural contexts, including multicultural contexts;
• Make connections between theory and practice. Students apply theory to understand texts, solve problems, and teach effectively. Students generalize from experiences with texts, communication situations, and teaching situations;
• Develop skills of creative and/or critical thinking.

Out of the four required 3000/4000-level workshops, the student must have at least one in both genres.

BG Perspective (BGP) Requirements

Must complete at least 1 course in each of the following:.

   English Composition and Oral Communication    _____________________________    ________

   Quantitative Literacy    _____________________________    ________

Must Complete at least 2 courses in each of the following:

   Humanities and the Arts    _____________________________    ________     _____________________________    ________    

   Natural Sciences - at least one Lab Science required    _____________________________    ________     _____________________________    ________                                                                                      

   Social and Behavioral Sciences    _____________________________    ________     _____________________________    ________                                                                        

Complete total required BGP credit hours by selecting courses from any of the above categories:

   _____________________________    ________     _____________________________    ________     _____________________________    ________     _____________________________    ________                                                                                    

University Requirements

Designated courses in Humanities and the Arts and the Social and Behavioral Sciences domains may be used to fulfill both the BGP requirement and one of the following university requirements:

Cultural Diversity in the US    ____________ International Perspective       ____________

Composition Requirement: WRIT 1120                                

Total BGP Credits: Must be at least 36                       

Foreign Language (FL for CW)

Foregin language (___yrs of hs___).

   ________1010_________________    ________  ​   ________1020_________________    ________  ​   ________2010_________________    ________     ________2020/2120____________    ________ 

Lab Science  

   _____________________________    ________ 

Multidisciplinary Component

Select from approved offerings, in consultation with an advisor and a faculty mentor. Four courses total, each with a different subject prefix. At least two courses at 3000/4000 level. Courses applied to the Arts & Sciences MDC may not be used to fulfill other Arts and Sciences degree requirements, nor may they be used to fulfill major, minor, BGP or other program requirements.       _____________________________    ________     _____________________________    ________     _____________________________    ________     _____________________________    ________  

Major Requirements

• ENG 99 - Creative Writing Common Time (must complete 4 semesters)
• ENG 2040 - Imaginative Writing
• ENG 2050 - Craft of Poetry
• ENG 2060 - Craft of Fiction
• ENG 2090 - Creative Writing Workshop
• ENG 3120 - Poetry Workshop
• ENG 3130 - Fiction Workshop

Choose Two 4000-Level Workshops

• ENG 4120 - Poet’s Workshop
• ENG 4130 - Fiction Writer’s Workshop
• ENG 4140 - Creative Nonfiction
• ENG 4210 - Special Topics in Creative Writing
• ENG 4250 - Graphic Novel Workshop
• ENG 4970 - Senior BFA Thesis Workshop

Literature Courses

• ENG 2610 - World Literature from Ancient Times to 1700
• ENG 2620 - World Literature from 1700 to Present

Choose Three the Following Courses

• ENG 3200 - Modern Poetry
• ENG 3230 - Modern Fiction
• ENG 3300 - Contemporary Poetry
• ENG 3330 - Contemporary Fiction
• ENG 3450 - Literature for Adolescents

Practicum/Vocational/Literary Citizenship

Choose one of following three courses..

• ENG 3870 - Literary Editing and Publishing
• ENG 4890 - Internships in English Studies (Must be 3 Hrs.)
• COOP 50 - Cooperative Internship or Academic Internship

Total Hours: 39-42

Minor requirements.

(Usually 21 Hours; NO Courses in Major Can Be Used in a Minor)

Electives and Non-Credit Courses

For graduation you will need:.

• 122 credit hours minimum.
• Minimum GPA 2.00.
• At least 30 credit hours of BGSU course work.
• 40 credit hours at the 3000/4000 level.
• Completion of all degree requirements, including the BG Perspective Core.
• A major, and if required, a minor, specialization or emphasis.

Any substitution or waiver of courses required for your major or minor program  must  originate in the department/school offering the major or minor and  must  be approved by the College Office.

To ensure a timely graduation, see a  College Advisor  during the semester prior to your intended graduation.

Remember to complete an  Application for Graduation  by the end of the second week of classes during the fall semester or spring regular session, or by the end of the first week of the summer semester. For the specific dates, check your DARS. You may log onto MyBGSU to complete the online application. After the deadlines, you will need to complete an application in person in the College Office.

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SUBJECT LEAGUE TABLE 2025

A Creative Writing degree will let you flex your storytelling abilities and study the work of literary legends.Our university rankings for Creative Writing include Scriptwriting and Poetry Writing.

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• 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 1 5 2 6 7 1 8 6 9 1 10 2 11 12 17 13 6 14 15 16 16 7 17 5 18 9 19 22 20 13 21 7 22 2 23 5 24 3 25 26 10 27 8 28 13 29 3 30 13 31 14 32 2 33 5 34 16 35 4 36 13 37 7 38 6 39 2 40 2 41 11 42 6 43 8 44 3 45 New 46 47 6 48 8 49 6 50 4
• University of Warwick VIEW COURSES Royal Holloway, University of Londo... VIEW COURSES University of Birmingham VIEW COURSES University of Leeds VIEW COURSES Newcastle University VIEW COURSES Lancaster University VIEW COURSES University of East Anglia UEA VIEW COURSES University of Strathclyde VIEW COURSES University of Kent VIEW COURSES University of Plymouth VIEW COURSES University of Lincoln VIEW COURSES Keele University VIEW COURSES Manchester Metropolitan University VIEW COURSES University of Hull VIEW COURSES Kingston University VIEW COURSES University of Chester VIEW COURSES Edge Hill University VIEW COURSES Bournemouth University VIEW COURSES Bristol, University of the West of ... VIEW COURSES Canterbury Christ Church University VIEW COURSES Aberystwyth University VIEW COURSES Nottingham Trent University VIEW COURSES Brunel University London VIEW COURSES University of Essex VIEW COURSES University of Westminster, London VIEW COURSES Bangor University VIEW COURSES University of Portsmouth VIEW COURSES Teesside University, Middlesbrough VIEW COURSES Bath Spa University VIEW COURSES University of Brighton VIEW COURSES GET PROSPECTUS University of Greenwich VIEW COURSES De Montfort University VIEW COURSES University of Gloucestershire VIEW COURSES Sheffield Hallam University VIEW COURSES Anglia Ruskin University VIEW COURSES York St John University VIEW COURSES Birmingham City University VIEW COURSES University of Chichester VIEW COURSES Liverpool Hope University VIEW COURSES University of Winchester VIEW COURSES University of Salford VIEW COURSES University of Central Lancashire VIEW COURSES Arts University Bournemouth VIEW COURSES University of Worcester VIEW COURSES University of Bolton VIEW COURSES Liverpool John Moores University VIEW COURSES University of Derby VIEW COURSES Falmouth University VIEW COURSES St Mary's University, Twickenham VIEW COURSES University of Wolverhampton VIEW COURSES
• 100% 100% 99% 98% 97% 97% 97% 97% 95% 95% 94% 93% 93% 92% 91% 91% 90% 90% 90% 90% 89% 89% 89% 89% 89% 88% 88% 88% 88% 88% 87% 86% 86% 86% 86% 86% 85% 85% 85% 85% 85% 85% 85% 84% 84% 84% 83% 81% 80% 79%
• 79% 74% 73% 76% 68% 71% 75% 100% 62% 68% 62% 55% 60% 60% 55% 59% 61% n/a 56% 60% 61% 55% 64% 58% 54% 53% 52% 62% 58% 47% 58% 54% 51% 54% 49% 55% 57% 56% 58% 55% 56% 56% 60% 50% 48% 62% 64% 57% n/a n/a
• 77% 77% 76% 74% 79% 78% 74% 71% 77% 80% 88% 87% 80% 92% 83% 80% 80% 75% 79% 84% 81% 81% 82% 78% 72% 77% 85% 82% 76% 78% 82% 77% 79% 76% 79% 87% 76% 83% 76% 77% 81% 85% 89% 77% 82% 84% 80% 80% 76% 72%
• 86% 87% 89% 90% 94% 82% 87% 85% 87% 86% 75% 83% 86% 84% 77% 70% 73% 70% 71% 82% 69% 75% 77% 81% 84% 77% 71% 79% 81% 78% 68% 82% 67% 80% 79% 63% 88% 72% 72% 64% 70% 74% 64% 63% 65% n/a 62% n/a n/a 80%
• 74% 82% 78% n/a 76% 74% 72% n/a 78% 66% n/a 76% 76% n/a n/a 78% 60% 78% 92% 64% 62% n/a 58% 62% n/a 64% 68% n/a 66% 68% 56% 56% 54% 64% 64% 62% 54% 46% n/a 58% 70% 40% 60% 58% 66% 60% 60% 54% 72% 46%

This table was first published on 14 May 2024. 

Read the  University and subject tables methodology  to find out where the data comes from, how the tables are compiled and explanations of the measures used. 

All measures used to compile the tables are available on the full table view. Maximum scores for the measures: 

Overall score: maximum score of 1000 

Entry standards: no maximum score  

Student satisfaction: maximum score of 4

Research quality: maximum score of 4 

Continuation: maximum score of 100 

Graduate prospects – outcomes: maximum score of 100 

Graduate prospects – on track: maximum score of 100 

The following institutions have courses in this subject but insufficient data to be included in the ranking:  

• - Birmingham Newman University
• - Cardiff Metropolitan University
• - Cardiff University
• - Coventry University
• - Goldsmiths, University of London
• - Leeds Arts University
• - Leeds Beckett University
• - Leeds Trinity University
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• - Middlesex University
• - Oxford Brookes University
• - Plymouth Marjon University
• - Queen's University Belfast
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• - University of Bedfordshire
• - University of Dundee
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• - University of Huddersfield
• - University of Leicester
• - University of Nottingham
• - University of Oxford
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'A Gentleman in Moscow' Review — Ewan McGregor Effortlessly Charms From a Gilded Cage

• Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead's chemistry shines in A Gentleman in Moscow as Alexander navigates relationships in his gilded cage.
• The storytelling cleverly deploys nonlinear narrative and amusing dialogue to engage the viewer.
• A slow start evolves into a compelling historical epic within the Metropol's walls.

Based on Amor Towles ’ critically acclaimed novel by the same name, A Gentleman in Moscow is Showtime’s next great historical drama. While the mention of “Moscow” in the title might make the mind’s eye wander down snowy streets in the shadow of Saint Basil's Cathedral, A Gentleman in Moscow is far removed from the sprawl of a struggling society and is instead a far more quaint tale , set within the confines of a grandiose hotel-turned-prison cell.

Like the gilt Fabergé egg that adorns the poster for the series, Count Alexander Rostov’s ( Ewan McGregor ) existence is a reminder of the opulence of bygone days—an ostentatious relic. He serves no real purpose in the grand scheme of things, except to be watched within his gilded cage, and kept account of by authorities, much like the dwindling few eggs that sit in collections around the world. And much like the Fabergé egg, Alexander’s life is inextricably linked to the tragic downfall of the Romanov family and the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 that followed.

The series starts swiftly, with the Bolshevik tribunal sentencing the Count to a lifetime of confinement within the walls of the Metropol Hotel. He is spared a far worse sentencing ( death ) due to the poem that he allegedly penned, which critiqued the upper class and questioned the purpose of the royal family. These are, of course, ideals that the Bolsheviks agree with, even if they are being echoed by a Count who benefited from the institutions he criticized. As with Towles’ novel, much of the Count’s life before the revolution is shown through fragmented flashbacks dotted throughout the series, as well as through illuminating conversations with his compatriots — or, rather, comrades, Mishka ( Fehinti Balogun ) and Prince Nikolai Petrov ( Paul Ready ).

A Gentleman in Moscow

A Russian aristocrat is spared from death and placed on house arrest while the Bolshevik Revolution plays out before him.

Release Date March 29, 2024

Cast Leah Harvey, Anastasia Hille, Beau Gadsdon, Bjrn Hlynur Haraldsson, Paul Ready, Johnny Harris, Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Main Genre Drama

Genres Drama

‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ Breathes New Life Into Its Characters

With Ben Vanstone as the guiding hand for the series, A Gentleman in Moscow was smartly adapted from page to screen. Rather than embracing the novel's insular storytelling, with the Count as the sole protagonist, Vanstone has widened the narrative to bring more life to the surrounding characters — particularly the women who come in and out of his life, and the gilded doors of the Metropol. It would have been very easy to frame Anna Urbanova ( Mary Elizabeth Winstead ) as little more than the Count’s on-again-off-again girlfriend. Her life outside of Alexander doesn’t matter on the page; she only exists when she is with him or on his mind. Perhaps with a different creative team, that would have been exactly how she was portrayed, but Vanstone veered far away from playing straight into that trope. Instead, Anna’s life outside of Alexander is given depth . Her career as an actress is a vital subplot that weaves through each episode, headed towards a larger plot point. While she and the Count do fall into bed on numerous occasions, it’s always handled tastefully and shown as a relationship that she holds the reins to. Courting a criminal comes at great personal risk to her budding career, which makes the shifted narrative all the more vital.

A Gentleman in Moscow marks the third time that McGregor and Winstead have shared the screen following their performances in Fargo and Birds of Prey , and their real-life chemistry beautifully carries through into the relationship between Alexander and Anna. They play off each other naturally, and their performances are just as electric, regardless of whether Anna is keeping his delusions of grandeur in check or he’s sprawled out naked on the ground with nothing more than a towel to hide the… Fabergé eggs. McGregor and Winstead's dynamic is half the fun of A Gentleman in Moscow . It’s refreshing to have even more historical romances to talk about around the watercooler — and audiences will be raving about this series given its weekly release schedule.

While Alexander’s relationship with Anna is at the heart of A Gentleman in Moscow , the soul of the series is his unlikely friendships with two little girls who call the Metropol home during different periods of his imprisonment. First is Nina Kulikova ( Alexa Goodall ), a curly-haired spitfire who has everyone in the hotel wrapped around her finger. It’s through Nina that Alexander starts to make genuine connections with the host of characters around him, which changes him for the better. Years after Nina has been set free from Alexander’s gilded cage, a second young girl comes into Alexander’s life: Sofia ( Billie Gadsdon ). Through both girls, Alexander gets to experience what fatherhood might have looked like for him had he not been ensnared by the Bolsheviks.

Another notable and equally unlikely friendship that Alexander makes at the Metropol is the one that he forges with Osip Glebnikov ( Johnny Harris ), the man tasked with ensuring he never leaves the hotel. Glebnikov enlists Alexander in training him to be more of a gentleman. Given his upbringing, he was never afforded the same access to scholarly works or classic literature as Alexander, and this academic pursuit becomes their evening conversations over supper.

One such conversation centers on Victor Hugo ’s seminal work, Les Misérables , which is a cause of confusion for Glebnikov, who withers at the notion of Javert (spoilers for a 162-year-old book) committing suicide. While the conversation about Les Misérables may be brief, the comparison between the two works is undeniable. Alexander, much like Jean Valjean, is a prisoner of circumstances, though on wildly different sides of the scale. While Valjean escapes from his jailor, Javert, for large swaths of time, Alexander is always right where Glebnikov left him within the halls of the Metropol. The true comparison, however, arises when Alexander is tasked with the care of young Sofia by her mother, much in the same way Fantine entrusts Cosette’s future with Valjean. Further comparisons could be made with the setting of both tales, as they are both set against uprisings, revolutions, class disparity, and the sort of socialist discourse that would make Karl Marx sit up in his grave. And, much like the stage musical, A Gentleman in Moscow is all about the turning of the years.

‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ Starts Slow, But Builds to a Pulse-Pounding Conclusion

Spread out across eight episodes, A Gentleman in Moscow spans approximately forty years of Alexander’s life in captivity. With each new episode, a running total of how many days he has spent in his lavish prison is tallied up. Occasionally, the episodes will work backward from each shocking total, which cleverly hooks the audience right from the onset of the episode. Except for his visible aging and waning agility, the Count remains largely stagnant as the world changes around him. He has very little control over his circumstances, which means a lot happens to him, not with him. People come and go around him, relationships are formed, babies are born, those babies grow up and go to war, people die, and Russia evolves—for better and for worse.

The first handful of episodes start slowly, particularly where Alexander’s passivity is concerned, but as he begins to come to terms with his situation and connect with the vibrant world around him, however small it may be, the pace finally picks up. Without revealing too many details about the final episodes of the series, one might be able to imagine what sort of turmoil might visit his gilded cage once Stalin’s regime falls and America starts poking around the ruins of the government. The passage of time is cleverly shown through more than just a running total and graying hair. While Alexander’s wardrobe rarely receives an upgrade, the people around him represent the ever-evolving world beyond the Metropol. Anna is the best bellwether for societal changes as her appearance transforms from a picture-perfect blonde bombshell with rising hemlines to her natural brunette curls and sophisticated elegance. As time continues to pass, she even dons cozy sweaters that mirror Alexander’s own comfortable existence.

While it is unlikely that A Gentleman in Moscow intended for Ewan McGregor to look like a dark academia fever dream, every bit of the Count’s character design screams the aesthetic. From the unkempt coif of permed curls to his longjohns-clad calisthenics in a dusty attic, Alexander looks more like an eccentric history professor than a count whose wings have been clipped. McGregor brings a charming congenitally to the role that makes the Count ever so beguiling , particularly when he gets to act opposite the younger members of the cast. When he’s not going toe-to-toe with Winstead, he’s at his best keeping up with the spry wit of Goodall and Gadsdon's characters.

A Gentleman in Moscow lives up to the expectations set by Towles’ novel and delivers a sprawling historical epic contained within the walls of a single location. The Count’s world might be as small as the Metropol, but he lives vicariously through the relationships he makes — and, by extension, so do we. With mystery, danger, and intrigue threaded throughout, A Gentleman in Moscow has the potential to dominate cultural conversation in the same way that Shōgun and The Gilded Age have nourished audiences who are starved for well-told, compelling tales.

A Gentleman in Moscow lives up to the original novel it adapts, delivering a sprawling historical epic confined to a single location.

• Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead electrify the screen with their chemistry and natural ease together.
• The writing is clever, both with its amusing dialogue and the way it deploys nonlinear storytelling to keep audiences engaged.
• The set and costume design are sumptuous and visually appealing.
• The first handful of episodes are quite slow, but the series does eventually pick up as the story unfolds.

A Gentleman in Moscow premieres March 29 on streaming and on-demand on Paramount+ with Showtime before its on-air debut on March 31.

Watch on Paramount+