Creative Writing, BA - New England College
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Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing, BA

The Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing at New England College offers a distinctive curriculum. It blends a workshop-focused classroom approach with a wide-ranging set of hands-on and individually guided practicum opportunities.

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Creative Writing BA Program Overview

Emphasizing the creative community as an essential element of any creative endeavor, the Creative Writing Department features an energetic and engaging award-winning faculty. Published and active in their fields—they are dedicated to providing the one-on-one availability that distinguishes an NEC education. With a focus on individual transformation, the bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing program bolsters and broadens existing areas of interest, as opposed to shepherding students toward a singular aesthetic. The result is a knowledge-based, experiential course of study with an eye on blossoming rather than funneling.

The goal of the Creative Writing BA at New England College is to prepare students for a professional writing career or graduate work in the creative arts.

Students will approach creative writing as a craft‐based discipline rooted in the study of literature and writing. Through genre workshops and literature courses, students will gain the analytical, critical, and creative skills to develop an informed practice of craft, resulting in the production of original works grounded in the historical and theoretical knowledge of the discipline. In this context, the Creative Writing curriculum emphasizes the authenticity and integrity of public voice.

Creative Writing Bachelor’s Degree Program Highlights

Transformative

Expertise

Forward-Thinking
Approach writing as an experiential craft that encourages idea exploration. Study under esteemed professionals active in the writing field. Gain the perspective to effectively pursue a career as a professional writer.

Why Earn Your BA in Creative Writing?

Earning a bachelor’s degree in creative writing will help you approach writing as a discipline—one that enables you to explore the world through your own unique style and voice as you develop. It can also immerse you in a tight-knit community of creatives who are aiming for the same goals as you. Additionally, a creative writing program can potentially connect you with professional writers, including your own professors.

 

BA in Creative Writing Learning Outcomes

Through the Creative Writing BA, you can learn to:

  • Explore different creative writing genres.
  • Understand how literary analysis informs the writing process.
  • Develop a broad approach to writing that encourages personal creative growth.
  • Break down the elements of effective feature writing in journalism.
  • Fortify an appreciation of the cultural significance of fiction writing.
  • Examine the different professional applications of creative writing.

What Can You Do with a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing?

Journalist

$48,370*

 Editor 

$63,350*

 Marketing Manager

$133,380*
*Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of May 2021

Why Choose NEC?

New England College (NEC) is a private, nonprofit college founded in 1946 to serve the needs of servicepeople attending college on the GI Bill after World War II and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Today, NEC is an innovative, military-friendly institution and one of the top five liberal arts colleges in New Hampshire.

NEC offers 60 associate and bachelor’s degrees, as well as more than 20 master’s degrees and one doctoral degree program, all delivered by dedicated faculty focused on giving students opportunities to live what they learn. With access to many clubs, outdoor activities, natural areas, internships, and professor-led trips, NEC students have many ways to meet new people and try new things.

At NEC, the world is your classroom.

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Recognition and Rankings

Best College In New Hampshire as ranked by Inteligent.com

NEC Ranked Top College in New Hampshire

New England College in New Hampshire has earned recognition as a leading college in the state, as acknowledged by Intelligent.com, a credible source for evaluating higher education programs.

 

 

 

 

Edurank logo for best college in New Hampshire

NEC Ranked Leading College in New Hampshire

New England College in New Hampshire has earned recognition as a leading college in NH, as acknowledged by EduRank, a credible source for evaluating higher education programs.

 

 

 

 

AcademicInfluence.com logo for best college in New Hampshire

NEC Ranked Top College in New Hampshire

New England College in New Hampshire has earned recognition as one of the best colleges in New Hampshire, as acknowledged by Academic Influence, a credible source for evaluating higher education programs.

 

 

Jennifer Militello Named New Hampshire’s Next Poet Laureate

MFA in Creative Writing FacultyNew England College proudly announces that Jennifer Militello, accomplished poet and director of the College’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, has been named as New Hampshire’s next Poet Laureate after the State’s Executive Council confirmed Gov. Chris Sununu’s nomination of Militello.

Militello’s five-year term as Poet Laureate begins in April 2024. She will serve as an ambassador for poets in the Granite State and elevate the visibility and value of poetry in New Hampshire.

“I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to serve poetry and poets here in New Hampshire,” stated Militello. “I can’t wait to connect with writers and readers, students and teachers, as I move into this incredible role. And I feel fortunate to have the continued support of New England College as an institution that values the creative arts.”

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The Henniker Review Returns

After a publication hiatus, The Henniker Review is back and in print, ready to be enjoyed by the New England College community once again.After a publication hiatus, The Henniker Review is back and in print, ready to be enjoyed by the New England College community once again.

The 2024 edition was celebrated and debuted Wednesday, May 15, in the New England Room of NEC’s Danforth Library. This edition, as readers have come to expect, features the work of talented writers. Look for your copy around campus or at hennikerreview.org.

The Henniker Review, founded in 1971 by New England College professor Don Melander began as an annual literary publication featuring both emerging as well as established creative writers and visual artists. In 2019, in addition to the annual print publication, the editorial staff created a digital-based version that publishes writers and artists on a revolving basis. The Henniker Review is housed in the Humanities Division at New England College. Learn more about The Henniker Review and view digital content at hennikerreview.org.

Degree Requirements

Creative Writing, BA

Download Course Requirements

Requirements

Grades of C‐ or better are required for any course credit to count toward the major in Creative Writing.

(56 Credits)

CW Core Courses:
Genre Workshops:

Take three (3) courses from the following list:

Advanced Genre Workshops:

Take two (2) courses from the following list:

Literary Movements:

Take three (3) courses from the following list:

Contemporary Literature Electives

Take 8 credits in:

Liberal Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum, Bachelor's Degree

Electives

Select additional electives to reach 120 credits for a Bachelor's degree. 

Faculty

  • Andrew Morgan

    MFA in Creative Writing Faculty

    Professor, Creative Writing
    Office: Spaulding, Henniker Campus
    Phone 603.428.2349
    Email: amorgan@nec.edu

    Bio

    Andrew Morgan is a poet and fiction writer who has been teaching at New England College for the last 15 years. He has been the recipient of a Slovenian Writer’s Association Fellowship which sponsored a month long writing residency in the country’s capital city of Ljubljana and his recent work can be found in magazines such as Conduit, Stride, Fairy Tale Review, Pleiades, Divine Magnet, Post Road, and New World Writing. His first book, Month of Big Hands was published by Natural History Press in 2013. Morgan teaches in both the undergraduate as well as graduate creative writing programs.

  • Dr. Jennifer Militello

    Program Director, MFA in Creative Writing
    Office: Spaulding 203, Henniker Campus
    Phone: 603.428.2309
    Email: jmilitello@nec.edu
    Professional Website: jennifermilitello.com

    Recent Press

    • The Pact, Tupelo Press, 2021
    • Knock Wood, Dzanc Books, 2019
    • A Camouflage of Specimens and Garments, Tupelo Press, 2016
    • Body Thesaurus, Tupelo Press, 2013
    • Flinch of Song, Tupelo Press, 2009
    • Anchor Chain, Open Sail; Finishing Line Press, 2006

     

    Other notable press:

    • Knock Wood featured at NHPR
    • “Opinion” in The Nation
    • Reading at Georgetown University
    • “The Punishment of One Is the Love Song of Another” in Best American Poetry 2020

     

    Educational Background
    PhD, Bath Spa University
    MFA, University of North Carolina Greensboro
    BA, University of New Hampshire

    Bio
    Jennifer Militello is the author of six books of poetry and nonfiction, including, most recently, The Pact and Knock Wood, winner of the Dzanc Nonfiction Prize. Her work has been called “positively bewitching” by Publishers Weekly and “contemplative and fascinating” by Booklist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Charles Simic has called her “one of the best poets of her generation.”

    Her work appears in such journals as American Poetry Review, The Nation, The New Republic, The Paris Review, Ploughshares, POETRY, and Tin House, as well as in Best American Poetry, Best New Poets, and Poem-a-Day: 365 Poems for Every Occasion. She has been awarded the Barbara Bradley Award, the Yeats Poetry Prize, the Ruskin Art Club Poetry Award, the Betty Gabehart Prize, and the 49th Parallel Award, as well as grants and fellowships from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, Writers at Work, and the Millay Colony for the Arts.

    Militello taught at Brown University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Rhode Island School of Design before joining the faculty at New England College. She lives in Goffstown, New Hampshire.

    Learn more about New England College’s MFA in Creative Writing program.

  • Maura MacNeil

    Professor, Creative Writing
    Office: Spaulding 204, Henniker Campus
    Phone 603.428.2304
    Email: mmacneil@nec.edu

    Expertise, Awards, and Recent Press
    Awards:

    • NEC Kilgore Faculty of the Year Award, 2007
    • New Hampshire College and University Council’s Outstanding Teaching in Postsecondary Education Award, 2013
    • Periclean Faculty Leadership Grant from the Lang Foundation for the development of the course titled “Community in Our Towns: The NH Town Meeting” with Professor Inez McDermott

     

    Books:

    • This Last Place, Dancing Girl Press, 2019
    • Lost Houses, Kelsay Books, 2016
    • A History of Water, Finishing Line Press, 2007

     

    Founder/Editor: off the margins, offthemargins.com

    Educational Background
    MFA, Vermont College of the Arts
    BA, New England College

    Research Interests

    • Creative nonfiction and memory narrative
    • Hybridity, Contemporary American Poetry, and Poetics
    • Feminist literature and revisionist mythology

     

    Bio
    Maura MacNeil is a professor, writer, and editor who is the author of the poetry collections. Her poetry, prose, and critical writing have been published and anthologized both nationally and internationally in numerous publications. She is the founder and editor of Off the Margins, a website “that pushes the boundaries of language, conventional form, blended genre, and prose flash, featuring women writers who fearlessly tell the truth and risk vulnerability to give voice to their experience.” Her poetry has been nominated four times for the prestigious Pushcart Award. She was a founding member of the Stone Bridge Poetry Project and co-founder and editor of Entelechy International: A Journal of Contemporary Ideas and currently serves on the board of the Monadnock Writers’ Group. She is committed to community-based creative collaboration and is an active presenter for the NH Humanities to Go Program with her program titled “Family, Memory, Place: Writing Family Stories.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to complete the Creative Writing bachelor’s degree program?

NEC’s bachelor’s degree in creative writing program typically takes four years to complete.

 

How is the BA in Creative Writing program structured?

The creative writing BA offered by NEC is an on-campus program structured to be completed in four years. The program requires the completion of 120 credits, which is broken down as follows:
56 credits: Creative Writing major
42 credits: Liberal Arts & Sciences core curriculum
22 credits: Electives

 

What are the benefits of a bachelor’s degree in creative writing?

Earning a creative writing bachelor’s degree helps you develop a more holistic approach to writing built on an integration of creativity, analytical skills, and historical perspective. The degree also prepares you to pursue a professional writing career in industries directly relating to writing and those indirectly related, such as marketing. These careers can offer solid pay for those entering the field. According to the compensation website Payscale, the median base salary for those with a BA in creative writing is $61,000 as of August 2023.

 

How do I enroll in the Creative Writing BA program?

You can apply to NEC’s creative writing bachelor’s degree program by directly applying on the NEC website. NEC does not charge an application fee, and we do not require standardized test scores.

Start Your Application

Writing has the power to inform, entertain, and expose people to new ideas and perspectives. A bachelor’s degree in creative writing can equip you with the knowledge and skills to find your voice and effectively expand your writing’s potential in many different ways.

Learn how enrolling at NEC can help you use the written word to make a significant impact.

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