Stony Brook Announces New BFA Degree in Creative Writing

Stony Brook University announces a new undergraduate major in Creative Writing, earning a new degree, the Bachelor of Fine Arts. Modeled after its renowned MFA in Creative Writing program and sharing the same world-class faculty, the BFA supports the creation of original student work in the company of other like-minded artists. It is located on West Campus in the Melville Library.

The Creative Writing major offers a wide selection of writing workshops gathered under broadly defined course numbers, so that students can build their own BFA, specializing in the kind of writing they most yearn to master. In their senior year, they write a book-length manuscript under the one-on-one mentorship of a faculty member. Throughout, they are part of a tightly knit community of rigorous but supportive fellow majors.

Courses specific to the major will be available for current and future Stony Brook students starting in Fall 2019. The first cohort of majors will graduate as BFAs in Spring 2021. With a thriving minor in creative writing in its sixth year, many current students have already taken some of the required courses with such regular faculty as Star Black, Cornelius Eady, Neal Gabler, Paul Harding, Amy Hempel, Kaylie Jones, Megan McAndrew, Lou Ann Walker, and Julie Sheehan, who directs the program.

Admission is selective. “We’re looking for serious writers who are passionate, curious, and eager to take a risk,” said Sheehan,” the kind who are already driven to write poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, plays or screenplays, but who are ready to take it to the next level.” High school students will need to earn admission to both Stony Brook University and to the CW major. They can apply to both simultaneously. Current students have until March 1, 2019, to apply for Fall admission to the major.

Talented writers can learn more about the BFA in Creative Writing at stonybrook.edu/bfa. The program is also hosting an informational session on Wednesday, February 13, 1-2:20 in Melville Library N3045, the first in a series of ‘Imagine Wednesdays.’