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Creative Writing Major and Minor

The ability to write well is a highly valued specialization. Students enrolled in Seaver College's creative writing degree program find careers writing and editing in publishing companies and magazines, corporations, government agencies, and the creative arts. For three decades creative writing has been an integral part of the literary arts community at Pepperdine University. Today our creative writing program is at the center of a large and active community on campus and Pepperdine is proudly one of a few select universities that offer the Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing.

Creative Writing Major (36-38 Units)

Our creative writing major is designed for students desiring careers as professional writers. During our sequential course of study, students develop their talents in fiction, poetry, and writing for screen and television. In addition, our students sharpen their verbal and critical skills and develop a professional attitude about their writing.

 

Creative Writing Minor (20 Units Required)

Interested students can also choose to minor in creative writing. A minor in creative writing offers students experience in the craft and analysis of writing, providing a strong foundation for professional and artistic lives in the literary arts.

What Creative Writing Grads Are Doing

Data collected from the 2023 class within six months of graduation.*

*80% knowledge rate of this major from the 2023 class.

 

50%

Employed Full-Time or Part-Time

25%

Admitted to Graduate School

25%

Full-Time Volunteer or Other Activity

100%

Total Settled Graduates

Why Pepperdine


Pepperdine Seaver College is consistently recognized among the top-ranked universities in California and the United States. We are a Christian university where students grow in knowledge and character. As a liberal arts institution, we focus on providing rich opportunities for intellectual and spiritual exploration for students with a diverse community.

 

 

Located in Malibu, CA

 

13:1 Student-to-Faculty Ratio

 

80% of Students Participate in an International Program

 

120,000 + Alumni Network

Student Opportunities

Experiential Learning

Our campus's proximity to Los Angeles offers a unique and impressive combination of opportunities for our majors, including internships at major talent agencies, major movie production studios, national television shows, and a variety of independent and commercial publishers. In addition to these outside opportunities, Pepperdine offers its creative writing students the chance to work on four University publications: Expressionists, our student-run literary magazine; The Graphic, our award-winning campus newspaper; Currents Magazine, featuring student articles about campus and Malibu.

 

Visiting Writers

Each year our students meet and talk with nationally known writers who offer experience and insight. Visiting writers have included:

  • Maya Angelou
  • Robert Bly
  • Carlos Fuentes
  • Dana Gioia
  • Jorie Graham
  • Donald Hall
  • Maxine Hong Kingston
  • W. S. Merwin
  • Kathleen Norris
  • Kay Ryan
  • Luci Shaw
  • W.D. Snodgrass
  • Christian Wiman
  • Tobias Wolff

 

 

 

 

Visiting Screen and Television Writers

With the development of our MFA in Writing for Screen and Television, we have brought celebrated screenwriters, directors, and actors to speak and teach courses at Pepperdine. These industry professionals have included:

  • Robert Altman: A Prairie Home Companion, Gosford Park
  • Garry Marshall: Princess Diaries, Happy Days
  • Dean Batali: That 70s Show
  • Tom Shadyac: Bruce Almighty, Evan Almighty, Ace Ventura
  • Amy Ephron: A Little Princess
  • Chuck Slocum: Writers Guild of America West
  • Morgan Freeman: Dark Knight, Million Dollar Baby
  • Dick Van Dyke: Dick Van Dyke Show, Diagnosis Murder
  • Patricia Heaton: Everybody Loves Raymond
  • Randall Wallace: Braveheart, Man in the Iron Mask
  • Lester Holt: NBC Nightly News, Today Show

 

Take the Next Step

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Get In Touch

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Start Your Application

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Contact Us

Humanities & Teacher Education Division
Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90263
Office: CAC 300

310.506.4225

Stella Erbes
Divisional Dean & Professor of Education

Genny Moore
Office Manager

Lee Jackson
Administrative Assistant