Creative Writing

Write your way to a great career

If writing is your passion, MCC's Creative Writing A.A. degree program offers an exciting opportunity to make writing part of your life. You might also be surprised at the variety of professional fields that involve creative writing, including:  

  • Journalism
  • Publishing
  • Marketing
  • Education
  • Advertising
  • Television
  • Web Content Writer
  • Grant Writing

At MCC you'll learn from professors who are published writers themselves. You'll meet other aspiring student writers and share your work in a mutually supportive environment. Your MCC studies will culminate with learning about submitting your own work and publishing opportunities in Rochester and throughout the country.

Complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree in English or Creative Writing

Through classroom experiences, you'll sharpen your writing skills while exploring a variety of writing disciplines and career pathways. You'll also take foundation courses that lead to successful transfer to a bachelor's degree in English, Creative Writing, and more—at outstanding four-year colleges like these:

  • SUNY:

    • Geneseo
    • Brockport
    • Oswego
    • Potsdam

  • Goddard College
  • St. John Fisher College
  • Nazareth College
  • University of Rochester

Get in touch with Monroe Community College's admissions office to learn more about the opportunities you can create with an associate degree in creative writing. Contact us at (585) 292-2200 or admissions@monroecc.edu.

For information about the Creative Writing degree program itself, please contact Maria Brandt at mbrandt@monroecc.edu.

CREATIVE WRITING

A.A. Degree - Transfer Program

Department:English/Philosophy

School(s): Arts & Humanities

MCC Program Code: CW01

This program's design is based on: New MCC General Education

Description
This program of study is designed for students who are interested in cultivating the strong writing skills that writing careers will require. The program includes courses conducive to transferring into a baccalaureate degree in English and/or Creative Writing, while keeping pathways open for baccalaureate degrees that emphasize more professional writing as well. Accordingly, the program is structured so students can (1) deepen their skills through scaffolded coursework and (2) broaden their experience with multiple genres and career pathways. The program culminates in a capstone course that familiarizes students with submission processes, transfer opportunities, and publishing/reading venues both in Rochester and around the country, preparing them for the next stage of their personal/professional lives as writers.

Program Learning Outcomes
1. Analyze and evaluate written creative texts across multiple genres;
2. Revise and edit their own original, written, creative texts across multiple genres;
3. Produce their own professional-quality original written creative work;
4. Submit their own original written creative work to professional venues.
5. Draft, revise, and edit their own original written texts across multiple, non-creative academic and professional genres.

Employment Potential
For related jobs: Career Coach
Occupational Resource: https://www.onetonline.org

Requirements for Program Entrance
Waiver of accuplacer reading and sentence level tests; placement into ENG 101 or ENG 200 (minimum score of 81 on reading test and minimum score of 65 on sentence level test); or completion of TRS 200 with a C or better; or completion of TRS 105 with a C or higher; or completion of ESL 201 with a C or higher, or ENG 200 placement.

Distribution Requirements

Credit Hours
FIRST SEMESTER
ENG 101 College Composition OR
OPEN ELECTIVE ##

3
ENG 105 Introduction to Literature
3
ENG 113 Introduction to Creative Writing
3
MTH 150 Survey of Mathematics OR higher ###
3
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - AMERICAN HISTORY (SUNY-AH) ELECTIVE
3
First Semester Total:
15
SECOND SEMESTER
ENG 200 Advanced Composition
3
ENG 213 Creative Writing**
3
PHL 101 - Introduction to Philosophy OR
PHL 103 - Introduction to Ethics OR
PHL 105 - Technology and Values
3
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - SOCIAL SCIENCES (SUNY-SS) ELECTIVE
3
PROGRAM ELECTIVE***
3
Second Semester Total:
15
THIRD SEMESTER
ENG 233 Creative Writing Workshop-Poetry** OR
ENG 243 Creative Writing Workshop-Playwriting** OR
ENG 253 Creative Writing Workshop-Nonfiction** OR
ENG 263 Creative Writing Workshop-Short Fiction**
3
ENG 250 Professional Communication OR
ENG 251 Technical Communication OR
COM 130 Media Writing OR
COM 131 Principles of Journalism
3
AAD 104 - Introduction to Graphic Design, 2D OR
COM 115 - Computer Generated Images OR
PHO 101 - Photography for Non-Majors I OR
MCC GENERAL EDUCATION - TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY (MCC-TL) ELECTIVE
3
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - OTHER WORLD CIVILIZATIONS (SUNY-OWC) OR
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - WESTERN CIVILIZATION (SUNY-WC) ELECTIVE#
3
PROGRAM ELECTIVE***
3
Third Semester Total:
15
FOURTH SEMESTER
ENG 233 Creative Writing Workshop-Poetry** OR
ENG 243 Creative Writing Workshop-Playwriting** OR
ENG 253 Creative Writing Workshop-Non-Fiction** OR
ENG 263 Creative Writing Workshop-Short Fiction**
3
ENG 273 Creative Writing Capstone: Publishing in the Profession
3
HED 210 - Integrative Health and Wellness OR
HED 130 - Foundations of Personal Health and Wellness OR
PPE 150 - Adventure Bound OR
MCC GENERAL EDUCATION - HEALTH AND WELLNESS (MCC-HW) ELECTIVE
3
SUNY- GENERAL EDUCATION - NATURAL SCIENCES (SUNY-NS) ELECTIVE
3-4
PROGRAM ELECTIVE***
3
Fourth Semester Total:
15-16
TOTAL CREDITS:
60-61

**Course must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
***Any 200-level ENG literature class. Meet with advisor regarding transfer requirements.
#A SUNY-FL course could be substituted provided that the course selected also satisfies MCC-GLO.
##Students with an English 101 placement must take ENG 101.
###MTH 150 or any other SUNY-M course with a higher number.

Revised: 7/27/2018


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School of Arts & HumanitiesThe School of Arts & Humanities is a collection of disciplines, from languages and communication to visual and performing arts, that prepare you for creative and expressive professions.