viu creative writing and journalism

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• International Students
• Current Students

Creative Writing and Journalism (BA)

• Program Length  4 Years
• Credential  Bachelor Degree
• Options  Major , Minor
• Fully Available at  Nanaimo
• Partially Available at  Cowichan, tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River)

Do you want to write for a living? In VIU’s Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and Journalism program, learn the skills you need to become a master of words from professors who are published, award-winning authors, poets and journalists.

Experience small class sizes for a unique workshop format in many creative writing courses, and more one-on-one time with instructors at Vancouver Island University's journalism school.

Whether you want to work in the publishing, entertainment or journalism industries, this degree in Journalism and Creative Writing will sharpen your literary skills and introduce you to the realities of working as a professional writer. 

The Creative Writing and Journalism (BA) Program

The Creative Writing and Journalism department offers introductory, intermediate and advanced-level courses in book publishing, dramatic writing (including writing for the stage and scriptwriting for radio, television and film), fiction, journalism, and poetry, leading to a  B.A. with a Major or Minor in Creative Writing  and a  B.A. with a Minor in Journalism . Students have the opportunity to combine applied and creative writing skills with a background in all aspects of print and electronic publishing including editing, distribution, promotion, and production of print materials.

Note:  some courses may not be offered every year.

Program Outline

Requirements for a creative writing major.

Students must fulfill all the  Institutional B.A. degree requirements , including  Degree English Requirements  and courses listed below.

Note:  All senior-level courses require completion of at least one prerequisite course at the 200-level; students must attain a minimum grade of “B-” in the prerequisite course in order to progress to a senior-level course in the same genre.

Note : All 200-level courses have a 100-level prerequisite. Also, note that students must complete 200-level courses in at least three genres in order to have sufficient prerequisites for entry into courses in three genres at the senior level.

*  Directed Studies courses  CREW 450  - (Directed Studies in Writing and Publishing I) and  CREW 451 - (Directed Studies in Writing and Publishing II) may, depending on the nature of the project, be used to satisfy genre requirements for any of the five genres.

**   CREW 452  - (Special Projects in Writing and Publishing) can be used to meet either Non-fiction or Publishing categories depending on the nature of the student's project.

Note:  Upper-level Creative Writing (CREW) courses can be taken no more than twice for credit.

Requirements for a Creative Writing Minor

Note:  Required courses applied to the Journalism Minor may not also be applied to another Major or Minor.

Note:  Students taking  CREW 300  - (Creative Non-Fiction Workshop) and/or  CREW 301  - (Advanced Feature Writing) may use  ENGL 315  - (Advanced Workshop in Composition) as part of their upper-level credits.

Recommended Electives

Courses in  English ,  Graphic Design ,  Media Studies ,  Music ,  Theatre , or  Visual Arts  are recommended. Students wishing to pursue careers in journalism should consider taking upper-level courses in  Digital Media Studies ,  History ,  Political Studies ,  Economics ,  Media Studies ,  Philosophy ,  Sociology , or  Women's Studies .

Requirements for a Journalism Minor

Students are advised to consider completing a Major in a complementary discipline such as Political Studies, Economics, History, Sociology, First Nations Studies, Women's Studies, Business, Criminology, or Global Studies.

Program Fees

Domestic Fees | International Fees

Domestic Fees

Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees

When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee .

When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee .

Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.

The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.  

All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.

International Fees

Tuition in the above table is based on $776.48 per credit, up to a maximum of $10,870.72 per semester for 15 credits; $776.48 per credit beyond 15 credits. Ancillary Fees in the above table are based on $33.10 per credit, up to a maximum of $463.40 per semester for 15 credits; $33.10 per credit beyond 15 credits.

Start Date, Deadlines, and Additional Application Details

Domestic (canadian), international.

Further information on this program can be found on the Department website.

• Future Students
• International Students
• Current Students

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Honours, Majors, and Minors

Program calendar icon program length, program credential icon credential.

• Bachelor Degree

Program location icon Fully Available at

Program location icon partially available at.

• tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River)

Dear future thought-leaders, poets, historians, social-changers, justice fighters, social entrepreneurs and CEOs: your Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree awaits. If you have a passion for writing, debating, questioning and above all – learning – join VIU’s most customizable program and tailor your experience to hone in on the subjects that matter most to you as a Honours Bachelor of Arts, Major or Minor student.

The skills gained from a BA are vast and apply to many different fields. VIU's BA degree graduates go on to successful careers in many different areas, or continue into post-graduate studies equipped with critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills with a social and cultural perspective that is arguably unparalleled by any other program.

The Bachelor of Arts Programs

VIU’s Bachelor of Arts degree, with a wide selection of Honours, Majors, and Minors options, builds on VIU’s strong record of arts undergraduate education, dating back to 1969. Graduates of VIU have gone on to graduate schools and professional schools at major universities, while others have used their degree to directly enter successful careers.

At the lower-level, Vancouver Island University offers courses in some 50 disciplines and interdisciplinary studies. At the upper-level, the BA program offers selected Honours, Majors, and Minors, and new ones are being planned.

A liberal arts education helps students develop skills in written and spoken communication, creative thinking and problem-solving, leadership and teamwork, social and cultural awareness, and adaptability to shifting trends.  Given its range and flexibility, the VIU BA degree provides a sound preparation for both employment and further education.

General Degree Requirements

Total credit requirement.

Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits chosen from courses numbered 100-499.

Note 1:  Courses consisting primarily of field work, co-op placement, or preceptorship/internship are not normally eligible for selection within this category.

Note 2:  As a complement to all BA Degree Requirements, students are encouraged to take six credits or more of Mathematics/Science courses.

Note 3:  Students who have completed courses with a “T” after the course number (i.e. 100T) should consult with the BA Degree Advisor regarding applicability of these courses.

Degree English Requirements

All students in undergraduate degree programs at VIU are required to complete  6 credits of first-year English composition and literature courses .

*  In the following  Bachelor of Arts, Majors and Minors,  students with a minimum "B+" in  ENGL 115  or ENGL 117  are granted an exemption and are not required to complete any further credit towards the English requirement.

• Anthropology Major & Minor
• Biology Minor
• Criminology Major
• Economics Minor
• Geography Major & Minor
• Global Studies Major & Minor
• History Major & Minor
• Liberal Studies Major & Minor
• Media Studies Minor
• Philosophy Major & Minor
• Physical Education Minor
• Political Studies Minor
• Psychology Minor  only
• Sociology Major & Minor

Requirements for Honours, Majors and Minors

There are many options available within the Bachelor of Arts Program. Students are required to complete all requirements for either an Honours, Major, or Double Minor degree option, each of which have unique requirements.

Advisors are available to help students explore and consider their options. By the end of their first year, students should consult with one of the  BA Degree Advisors  to discuss their plan to satisfy the degree requirements.

Upper-level Requirement

A minimum of 42 VIU credits in courses numbered 300-499, with a minimum 2.0 (“C”) Grade Point Average calculated on all upper-level courses attempted or completed. If such a course has been repeated,  the highest grade obtained will be included in the calculation .

Residency Requirement

A minimum of 60 credits must be taken at VIU to meet the  residency requirement .

Honours programs  

Honours programs have all the requirements for a Major, plus an additional 12 specified credits (minimum) in the discipline which are normally taken in lieu of electives. These additional credits are typically made up of a methods/theory course at the upper-level, and include a graduating essay or major project (where such courses and projects are not already required for the Major).

Senior Project

A senior project is “optional” for certain Majors and all Honours; students are strongly encouraged to plan their senior project during third year and to schedule its completion during fourth year. Each senior project will have a designated project supervisor, who will assist the student to identify the resources required to complete the project successfully.

Available Honours, Majors and Minors

• Anthropology (BA) Honours, Major, Minor
• Aquaculture (BA) Minor
• Biology (BA) Minor
• Chemistry (BA) Minor
• Computer Science (BA) Minor
• Creative Writing and Journalism (BA) Major, Minor
• Criminology (BA) Major, Minor
• Digital Media (BA) Minor
• Digital Media Studies (BA) Major
• Earth Science (BA) Minor
• Economics (BA) Major, Minor
• English (BA) Honours, Major, Minor
• Geography (BA) Honours, Major, Minor
• Global Studies (BA) Major, Minor
• History (BA) Honours, Major, Minor
• Indigenous/Xwulmuxw Studies (BA) Major, Minor
• Kinesiology (BA) Minor
• Languages and Culture (Romance Languages) (BA) Minor
• Liberal Studies (BA) Major, Minor
• Mathematics (BA) Major, Minor
• Media Studies (BA) Minor
• Philosophy (BA) Honours, Major, Minor
• Political Studies (BA) Major, Minor
• Psychology (BA) Honours, Major, Minor
• Sociology (BA) Honours, Major, Minor
• Studies in Women and Gender (BA) Major, Minor
• Visual Art (BA) Major, Minor

Admission Requirements

See  general admission  requirements for academic programs.

Notes on Admission

• Other high school courses are often required to meet individual course prerequisites.
• There are additional requirements for admission to the Major in Criminology and Major in Visual Arts .

Program Fees

Domestic fees.

Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees

When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee .

When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee .

Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.

The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.  

All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.

International Fees

Start date, deadlines, and additional application details, domestic (canadian), international.

Further information on this program can be found on the Department website.

Previous versions of this program can be found in the Program Archive .

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Creative writing and journalism (ba) in canada at viu canada.

Similar Programs

Detailed information of creative writing and journalism (ba) in canada at vancouver island university, program overview, program overview for creative writing and journalism (ba) in canada:.

Do you want to write for a living? In VIU’s Bachelor of Creative Writing and Journalism, learn the skills needed to become a master of writing from publishing professors, award-winning writers, poets, and journalists. 

Experience a unique seminar-style small class teaching in many creative writing courses, and experience it with a lecturer from the School of Journalism of Vancouver Island University. 

Whether you want to work in publishing, entertainment, or journalism, this journalism and creative writing degree will improve your literary skills and introduce you to the realities of working as a professional writer. 

The Department of Creative Writing and Journalism provides introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses in book publishing, drama writing (including drama writing and radio, television, and film scriptwriting), novels, journalism, and poetry, and earns a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree with a major or expertise in creative writing and a minor in journalism.

Students have the opportunity to combine creative and applied writing skills with a background in all aspects of print and electronic publishing, including editing, distribution, promotion, and production of printed materials. 

Note: Some courses may not be offered every year.

Eligibility for Creative Writing and Journalism (BA)

The eligibility for creative writing and journalism (ba) in canada for both domestic and international student is:.

Students are eligible for admission to University Academic programs if they meet one of the following conditions:

• graduation from a B.C. secondary school, or equivalent, with a minimum “C” grade in either English 12 or English 12 First Peoples;
• visiting student from a college or university (a “Letter of Permission” from the home institution is required);
• a transfer student from a college or university (at least 24 transferable university-level credits completed);
• English 12 with a minimum "C+" grade or equivalent.
• A minimum "C+" grade in one of Principles of Mathematics 11, Applications of Mathematics 11, Foundations of Mathematics 11, Pre-calculus 11, or equivalent. A mathematics assessment and placement examination is available for applicants without this admission requirement.

Test Eligibility

These are the test eligibilities for the creative writing and journalism (ba) to qualify..

The English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements for Creative Writing and Journalism (BA) in Canada: are:

• TOEFL(ibt): 88
• IELTS(academic): 6.5

International Student Tuition Fees and Costs

The international student tuition fees and costs for creative writing and journalism (ba) in canada., domestic student tuition fees and costs, the domestic student tuition fees and costs for creative writing and journalism (ba) in canada., other information.

Students are advised to consider completing a Major in a complementary discipline such as Political Studies, Economics, History, Sociology, First Nations Studies, Women's Studies, Business, Criminology, or Global Studies.

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