With pens in hand, students in the Northwestern undergraduate Creative Writing program cultivate imagination and pure expression.

Founded in 1980, NU’s undergraduate Creative Writing program was one of the first in the country and is known for its alumni community, professors and extensive curriculum. Recent graduates from the program include Veronica Roth, known for her bestselling “Divergent” series, Pulitzer Prize finalist Karen Russell and poet Peter Kline.

After taking English 202: Introduction to Creative Writing, Communication senior Haley Groth said she felt a reignited passion that made her decide to apply to the program. 

“The class reinvigorated my reading, and it got me back into an old hobby that I didn’t expect to get back into when I was in college,” Groth said. “Just getting to study writing and reading, I get to hear about a lot more perspectives than I do in any other sort of class.”

Students interested in the program can apply as Creative Writing majors after their freshman year. Students frequently choose to take Creative Writing courses in their sophomore years, according to the program website –– before completing a year-long sequence in a genre of their choice: fiction, poetry or creative nonfiction. The department offers an Honors Program and two minor options, including a sequence-based minor and a cross-genre minor.

“It is a competitive, portfolio-based program that people have to apply for,” said Juan Martinez, the director of the program. “We do ask so much more of the students because we want to make sure that they’re ready for it. It’s a big commitment.”

According to Martinez, about 90 students have applied to the sequence courses annually for the last three years – 40 for fiction, 30 for poetry and 20 for creative nonfiction. With each genre offering 15 spots, about half of the applicants are accepted. 

Medill sophomore Chloe Mintz said she is aware of the program’s selective criteria but plans to apply to the program for next year.

“There’s always that hesitant side and I worry that I won’t be accepted, but it definitely will not deter me from applying,” Mintz said. “I think there’s a good chance of possibly getting in, and I’d say that just having gone through the college application, you just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Weinberg senior Annie Horowitz is set to graduate as a Creative Writing major this year. 

Those accepted into the sequence are assigned to a single cohort for the year, workshopping and receiving feedback from professors and peers. Horowitz said her experience in the program was worthwhile.

“It can definitely be one of those classes that’s really dependent on your creativity,” Horowitz said. “When you have to produce at a consistent rate, it can be very difficult. Writing is a very solitary activity most of the time. I feel a lot more confident about my voice and my ability to write.”

Horowitz said the program faculty encourages students to pursue the creative connection between reading and writing.

Martinez added the curriculum relies on its size to provide an intimate environment for students to comfortably express their thoughts.

“The program is so dependent on the idea of having a consistent cohort that’s going to be working together for the whole year,” he said. “Having a group of people around you who are going to be giving you support is really good.”

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