creative writing colleges in illinois

2024 Best Colleges with Creative Writing Degrees in Illinois

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1-12 of 12 results

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL •

• • Rating 3.7 out of 5   1,484 reviews

Alum: Northwestern has an incredible network of professors who are preforming cutting-edge work in all their fields. Impressively, after an entire undergrad career there is only one professor who I would name as not a good professor, and that review is simply isolated to their teaching ability, not their subject knowledge. The learning support system is also extensive, and students are incredibly supportive as well. There is a culture of enabling yourself and those around you to reach new heights. While all the academics and research are amazing, I would say Northwestern needs to work on its accessibility to mental healthcare and ties to the greater Chicagoland community. There could be many more community outreach programs designed to benefit the diverse and interesting Chicago population, from academics to student life. ... Read 1,484 reviews

• grade  A+ Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 7%

Net price $29,999

SAT range 1470-1570

#1 Best Colleges in Illinois .

Blue checkmark.

EVANSTON, IL ,

1484 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Northwestern has an incredible network of professors who are preforming cutting-edge work in all their fields. Impressively, after an entire undergrad career there is only one professor who I would... .

Read 1484 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : A+ ,

Acceptance Rate : 7% ,

Net Price : $29,999 ,

SAT Range : 1470-1570 ,

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL •

• • Rating 3.82 out of 5   1,291 reviews

Junior: I am an athlete at UChicago. Because this is an academically rigorous school, it can be hard to balance my studies with practices and having a social life, but that's also dependent on what someone studies. It's also a competitive environment academically, and things like greek life aren't very popular here. However, a lot of the professors here are incredible and I feel like the hard work I'm putting in now will pay off in the long run because I'll be more prepared for what I want to do after college. ... Read 1,291 reviews

Acceptance rate 6%

Net price $33,727

SAT range 1510-1580

#2 Best Colleges in Illinois .

CHICAGO, IL ,

1291 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Junior says I am an athlete at UChicago. Because this is an academically rigorous school, it can be hard to balance my studies with practices and having a social life, but that's also dependent on what someone... .

Read 1291 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 6% ,

Net Price : $33,727 ,

SAT Range : 1510-1580 ,

Augustana College - Illinois

Rock Island, IL •

• • Rating 3.75 out of 5   806 reviews

Junior: I am a current Junior at Augustana College in Rock Island Illinois. Augustana College is a private liberal arts college that holds about 2,500 students across all four grades. Augustana boasts about its STEM programs as well as its faculty to student ratio. Augustana is a leading liberal arts college in the country with aggressive degree programs and intimate class settings that create lifelong memories. Augustana plans diligently for five-star housing and dining accommodations for all students. The city that Augustana sits in can be dangerous at night, but Augustana has a rigorous public safety team that works fiercely to protect students as much as possible. Overall, this is a fantastic educational institution.! ... Read 806 reviews

• grade  B+ Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 69%

Net price $24,472

SAT range —

#13 Best Colleges in Illinois .

ROCK ISLAND, IL ,

806 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Junior says I am a current Junior at Augustana College in Rock Island Illinois. Augustana College is a private liberal arts college that holds about 2,500 students across all four grades. Augustana boasts about... .

Read 806 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : B+ ,

Acceptance Rate : 69% ,

Net Price : $24,472 ,

Western Washington University

BELLINGHAM, WA

• • Rating 3.71 out of 5   2,373

Portland State University

PORTLAND, OR

• • Rating 3.64 out of 5   2,672

Vermont State University Johnson

JOHNSON, VT

• • Rating 3.19 out of 5   341

Bradley University

Peoria, IL •

• • Rating 3.53 out of 5   1,241 reviews

Graduate Student: I love the professors so far! I still need to take my classes, but I already have an excellent taste of what my next 2.5 years will be like! I will have many opportunities to grow, learn, and engage with others. There will be many moments of creating, collaborating, and innovating with my classmates. ... Read 1,241 reviews

• grade  B Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 76%

Net price $25,312

SAT range 1060-1280

#16 Best Colleges in Illinois .

PEORIA, IL ,

1241 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says I love the professors so far! I still need to take my classes, but I already have an excellent taste of what my next 2.5 years will be like! I will have many opportunities to grow, learn, and engage... .

Read 1241 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : B ,

Acceptance Rate : 76% ,

Net Price : $25,312 ,

SAT Range : 1060-1280 ,

North Central College

Naperville, IL •

• • Rating 3.7 out of 5   923 reviews

Alum: North Central College will always hold a special place in my heart. I met some of my best friends, mentors, and even my husband while attending NCC. It is a place that we love to come back to and share the sense of community with our kids. There have been some big changes over the last 10 years which shows that NCC is keeping up with the needs of students and faculty for both today and future generations. I am proud to be an alum and will forever rock the red and white! Go Cards! ... Read 923 reviews

Acceptance rate 68%

Net price $26,207

SAT range 1030-1230

#26 Best Colleges in Illinois .

NAPERVILLE, IL ,

923 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says North Central College will always hold a special place in my heart. I met some of my best friends, mentors, and even my husband while attending NCC. It is a place that we love to come back to and... .

Read 923 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 68% ,

Net Price : $26,207 ,

SAT Range : 1030-1230 ,

College of DuPage

Glen Ellyn, IL •

• • Rating 3.82 out of 5   1,709 reviews

Sophomore: This is a commuter college, so meeting people is not as easy. However, there are a lot of organizations in which to get involved. There are so many scholarships to apply to at COD. I received three that helped me to pay my tuition. Also, there are so many opportunities to participate in the Arts for free. I visited the Lyric Opera in Chicago twice and several art exhibits and author discussions. If you keep a competitive GPA, there are many transfer scholarships. You can even have your taxes done here. COD has so much to offer and the professors really care. ... Read 1,709 reviews

Acceptance rate 100%

Net price $5,440

#13 Best Community Colleges in Illinois .

GLEN ELLYN, IL ,

1709 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says This is a commuter college, so meeting people is not as easy. However, there are a lot of organizations in which to get involved. There are so many scholarships to apply to at COD. I received three... .

Read 1709 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 100% ,

Net Price : $5,440 ,

• Will you get in? Understand your chances of getting accepted into any college in the country, and it's completely free

Knox College

Galesburg, IL •

• • Rating 3.65 out of 5   546 reviews

Sophomore: Strong English and Psychology program. Not a best college for CS. Cafeteria food has gotten better significantly during a last few years (even compared to big university). There should be an upgrade in campus food grade. Some students act like high schoolers which makes me frustrated (I do not think it is the only problem at Knox though). Politically it is extreme left within campus but politically right outside the campus (Galesburg town itself). Definitely international students & LGBTQ+ friendly campus. You must actively seek your own group or campus activities if you want yo adjust fast. However, I love professors and academics so far. Seek your academic chance actively, then you will earn what you want (tmi: Professors in education department are so sweet!!). If you love city life, this campus may not be ideal. But as time goes, you may like the town's quietness. ... Read 546 reviews

• grade  B minus Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 70%

Net price $25,476

SAT range 1150-1380

GALESBURG, IL ,

546 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says Strong English and Psychology program. Not a best college for CS. Cafeteria food has gotten better significantly during a last few years (even compared to big university). There should be an upgrade... .

Read 546 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : B minus ,

Acceptance Rate : 70% ,

Net Price : $25,476 ,

SAT Range : 1150-1380 ,

Millikin University

Decatur, IL •

• • Rating 3.51 out of 5   637 reviews

Freshman: My first semester at Millikin has been such a wonderful experience. Not only am I surrounded by peers who are kind and supportive, but I have also been lucky enough to experience professors who care very much about the content they are teaching and the students who receive it. I am a Musical Theatre major and plan on adding a digital marketing minor in my sophomore year. What I appreciate the most about this program is that even as a freshman, there are a plethora of opportunities to build upon my craft. From performances, to leadership and advococy, I have been able to involve myself in many opportunities much earlier than freshman in other programs can. In terms of change, I wonder if an adjustment in the order in which we take certain courses would be beneficial. For musical theatre majors specifically, we learn to build our resumes and websites later on, when it might be more helpful to do so earlier so that we can keep updating rather than rushing towards the end of our education. ... Read 637 reviews

Acceptance rate 75%

Net price $20,055

SAT range 960-1190

DECATUR, IL ,

637 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says My first semester at Millikin has been such a wonderful experience. Not only am I surrounded by peers who are kind and supportive, but I have also been lucky enough to experience professors who care... .

Read 637 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 75% ,

Net Price : $20,055 ,

SAT Range : 960-1190 ,

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

• • Rating 3.73 out of 5   734 reviews

Senior: I love SAIC, don't get me wrong-- I made the best friends of my life here, and got to take some very interesting classes. But it does seem like a big shiny veneer when you get here as a Freshman, and slowly over the course of the undergraduate career the scales fall from your eyes. SAIC has wonderful classes, but student life is mostly just neglected and students kind of have to fend for themselves after the first year. Academic advising is a joke, and all the different advisors will tell you different things. The dropout rate is so high because most students get here and don't know what they're doing. The school does not pay their workers enough, especially adjunct professors, and it shows. All in all though, I'd say it was worth it to go here, simply for what I learned and who I met. You really do have to take full advantage of the school to get your money's worth. ... Read 734 reviews

• grade  C+ Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 81%

Net price $50,214

SAT range 1120-1360

734 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Senior says I love SAIC, don't get me wrong-- I made the best friends of my life here, and got to take some very interesting classes. But it does seem like a big shiny veneer when you get here as a Freshman, and... .

Read 734 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : C+ ,

Acceptance Rate : 81% ,

Net Price : $50,214 ,

SAT Range : 1120-1360 ,

Columbia College Chicago

• • Rating 3.64 out of 5   2,782 reviews

Junior: Columbia College Chicago is an extremely diverse and welcoming college. The college offers many resources for students of all backgrounds and interests. There are many advisors for each major that help students navigate the school life and offer different programs. The college offers different ways to connect and network to major companies in different industries. Even the teacher will help with navigating different industries, especially if they've had experience from the specific industry or company. There are many mentors and tutoring opportunities, both on campus and online. The campus has a student building for food, relaxing, and extracurricular activates. But even though the food tastes good, it can be expensive. ... Read 2,782 reviews

• grade  C Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 96%

Net price $25,262

2782 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars.

Featured Review: Junior says Columbia College Chicago is an extremely diverse and welcoming college. The college offers many resources for students of all backgrounds and interests. There are many advisors for each major that... .

Read 2782 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : C ,

Acceptance Rate : 96% ,

Net Price : $25,262 ,

Principia College

Elsah, IL •

• • Rating 4.04 out of 5   68 reviews

Sophomore: My overall experience with Principia College has been really good. I personally like the small classes that allow more 1-on-1 work with the teachers. Through my first year all of the teachers were there for me and I always felt like a good fit for the school even though I come from a very big Highschool in the city. There are a couple things that could be better though such as price and financial aid as there are some students are here for almost little to nothing, and I am struggling just to make the first payment even though I am having hardships at home. ... Read 68 reviews

Acceptance rate 84%

Net price $19,816

SAT range 1020-1220

ELSAH, IL ,

68 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says My overall experience with Principia College has been really good. I personally like the small classes that allow more 1-on-1 work with the teachers. Through my first year all of the teachers were... .

Read 68 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 84% ,

Net Price : $19,816 ,

SAT Range : 1020-1220 ,

Blackburn College

Carlinville, IL •

• • Rating 3.37 out of 5   123 reviews

Freshman: Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois is known for its unique approach to education. The college is one of the few in the United States that requires students to work on campus as part of their education. This work program allows students to gain valuable work experience while earning money to help pay for their education. Blackburn College is also known for its commitment to sustainability. Another great thing about Blackburn College is its small size. With a student body of around 600, students have the opportunity to get to know their professors and fellow students on a more personal level. This can lead to a more engaging and collaborative learning experience. Blackburn College also has a strong liberal arts curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving. Students are encouraged to explore a variety of subjects and to think creatively about the world around them. Blackburn College has a strong sense of community and The college is located in a small town. ... Read 123 reviews

Acceptance rate 66%

Net price $19,016

SAT range 880-1130

CARLINVILLE, IL ,

123 Niche users give it an average review of 3.4 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois is known for its unique approach to education. The college is one of the few in the United States that requires students to work on campus as part of their... Blackburn College is also known for its commitment to sustainability. Another great thing about Blackburn College is its small size. With a student body of around 600, students have the opportunity to get to know their professors and fellow students on a more personal... Blackburn College also has a strong liberal arts curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving. Students are encouraged to explore a variety of subjects and to think creatively... Blackburn College has a strong sense of community and The college is located in a small town. .

Read 123 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 66% ,

Net Price : $19,016 ,

SAT Range : 880-1130 ,

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• 2024 Best Colleges with Playwriting and Screenwriting Degrees

University of La Verne

LA VERNE, CA

• • Rating 3.89 out of 5   1,254

GLEN ELLYN, IL

• • Rating 3.82 out of 5   1,709

University of Miami

CORAL GABLES, FL

• • Rating 3.86 out of 5   3,064

Showing results 1 through 12 of 12

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Department of English

• Why English Studies?
• Why Creative Writing?
• Career Success
• BA in English/Creative Writing
• Graduate Admissions
• Undergraduate Studies
• MA/PhD in Literary/Writing Studies
• Undergraduate Course Offerings
• Graduate Course Offerings
• MFA in Creative Writing
• Blogs & Digital Projects
• Conferences & Series
• PhD Dissertations
• Reading, Research, & Discussion Groups
• Undergraduate Resources
• Graduate Resources
• Convocation
• Faculty Resources
• Department Calendar
• Department News
• Administration
• Faculty by Specialty Areas
• Affiliate Faculty
• Emeriti Faculty
• Specialized Faculty
• Graduate Students
• Stay Connected
• Get Involved
• Give to English
• Undergraduate Alumni Spotlight
• Graduate Alumni Spotlight

The Creative Writing Major

The undergraduate Creative Writing major at the University of Illinois, formerly known as the Rhetoric major, is one of the oldest of its kind in the country. Now in its seventh decade, the major combines small workshops (poetry, fiction, nonfiction) and a variety of literature courses.

Note: We also offer a Creative Writing minor. For an overview of our minor requirements, click here .

The undergraduate Creative Writing major at the University of Illinois, formerly known as the Rhetoric major, is one of the oldest of its kind in the country. Now in its seventh decade, the major combines small workshops (poetry, fiction, nonfiction) and a variety of literature courses. The result is a strong but flexible program of study that develops students' analytical and creative skills and prepares them for work or graduate study in any number of fields.

Students in the undergraduate program edit and publish an annual journal, Montage Arts Journal , which features poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual art by University of Illinois undergraduate student writers and artists. For more information about Montage , visit montagejournal.wordpress.com .

Through our program, writers shape their literary voices, develop distinctive styles, and intensify their written, critical, and editorial skills. Students write about what matters most to them and learn about contemporary literary publishing through developing their imaginative, expressive, and dynamic writing.

Creative Writing Major Requirements

Literature for creative writers (6 credit hours).

• CW 100: Introduction to Creative Writing
• CW 200: Reading for Writers

Craft (3 credit hours)

• CW 243: The Craft Essay:  Creative Reading, Reflection, and Revision  

Creative Writing Workshops (12 credit hours)

Creative Writing majors must complete at least one of the following 3-course (9-hour) sequences:

• CW 106: Poetry Workshop I
• CW 206: Poetry Workshop II
• CW 406: Poetry Workshop III
• CW 104: Fiction Workshop I
• CW 204: Fiction Workshop II
• CW 404: Fiction Workshop III

The remaining 3 hours in this category can be satisfied by a fourth CW Workshop outside of the chosen sequence.  CW 404 and CW 406 may be repeated once for credit, but may not be repeated to fulfill this requirement.

Writing and Literature (3 credit hours)

3 hours of Writing and Literature coursework, either:

• 3 hours of non-Workshop CW coursework (CW 460, or another approved non-Workshop CW course)
• 3 hours of ENGL coursework

Additional Literature Coursework (12 credit hours)

12 additional hours of approved ENGL coursework, including:

• 9 hours of approved ENGL Literature coursework
• 3 hours of an ENGL Difference & Diaspora course

For more information on the Creative Writing major and minor, please visit our listings in the Academic Catalog:

• Creative Writing Major - full, detailed requirements
• Creative Writing Minor - full , detailed requirements
• Creative Writing Courses

The faculty of the Creative Writing Program represent a diverse range of writing and teaching styles and interests and are actively working in various genres and media, including poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, theater, and film. Faculty members have received numerous awards and fellowships. A small selection of these includes the Yale Series of Younger Poets, the Native Writers' Circle Award of the Americas Lifetime Achievement Award, the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Fiction, the FC2 National Fiction Competition, a Whiting Award, the A. Poulin Jr. Poetry Prize, the Kate Tufts Discovery Prize, the William Peden Prize, the Academy of American Poets Award, the Bakeless Prize, Wallace Stegner fellowships, and fellowships from the NEA, Guggenheim Foundation, Yaddo, MacDowell, Bread Loaf, Sewanee, and many others.

Follow the links below to learn more about our undergraduate Creative Writing program's core faculty members:

Ángel García

Janice N. Harrington

Amy Hassinger

Christopher Kempf

Julie Price

John Rubins

Ted Sanders

Alex Shakar

Corey Van Landingham

David Wright

• The Creative Writing Minor
• UIUC's Creative Writing Club
• Our MFA in Creative Writing

Best Creative Writing colleges in Illinois 2024

Best creative writing colleges in illinois for 2024.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 31 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 20 Master's degrees, and 11 Bachelor's degrees.

Augustana College offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 7 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 7 Bachelor's degrees.

Blackburn College offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2022, 5 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 5 Bachelor's degrees.

Bradley University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city.

Chicago State University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 3 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 3 Master's degrees.

University of Chicago offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 37 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 37 Bachelor's degrees.

Columbia College Chicago offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 62 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 40 Bachelor's degrees, and 22 Master's degrees.

DePaul University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 27 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 27 Master's degrees.

College of DuPage offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 9 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 9 Certificates.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 4 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 4 Master's degrees.

Find local colleges with Creative Writing majors in Illinois

List of all creative writing colleges in illinois.

Course Catalog

Creative Writing, BALAS

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Creative Writing

Undergraduate Degree Programs in English

English, BALAS with concentrations:

English, English Concentration, BALAS

English, English Teaching Concentration, BALAS

English, Topics in English Concentration, BALAS

General education: Students must complete the Campus General Education requirements.

Minimum required coursework equates to 36 hours in CW and ENGL courses. Twelve hours of 300- or 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus, of which at least three (3) hours must be Creative Writing Courses CW 404 and CW 406

Minimum hours required for graduation : 120 hours

CW 404 and CW 406 may be repeated once for credit, but may not be repeated to fulfill this requirement.

Some sections of CW 199, CW 202, and CW 463 may or may not count as a non-Workshop class, depending on the topics offered in a given semester.

These hours must be taken at the 200-level or above.

A maximum of 3 hours of 100-level coursework may be counted towards the Additional Literature Coursework requirement.

Chosen from a list maintained by the Creative Writing Program and the English Advising Office.

Chosen from the Difference & Diaspora list maintained by the English Program and the English Advising office.

Sample Sequence This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.

Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. See the corresponding section on the Degree General and Education Requirements page .

• Concepts: Students will identify, analyze, and use the elements of literary craft appropriate for their chosen writing genre.
• Writing: Students will develop a personal style, apply craft techniques that they learn during workshops, and choose from several strategies to revise written work.
• Workshop: Students will identify and learn to use the most effective worship practices.  They will learn how to critique the written work of their peers, both orally and in writing, in constructive and mutually beneficial ways.
• Reading: Students will read, analyze, and evaluate contemporary and other literature from the perspective of literary craft and the study of creative writing.
• Literary Community and Profession: Students will learn to evaluate, discuss, and research contemporary literary publishing and editing.

department website: English creative writing website: Creative Writing department faculty: English Faculty advising: English & Creative Writing advising

overview of college admissions & requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences college website: https://las.illinois.edu

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2023-2024 Catalog (PDF)

A copy of the full 2023-2024 catalog.

English - Creative Writing

The Creative Writing sequence in the English major has a distinguished national reputation for encouraging alternative and hybrid forms of writing while emphasizing the study of theory and Creative Writing pedagogy.

The Creative Writing program respects and encourages innovation. Students have the opportunity to develop their talents by focusing on Creative Writing courses in their genre of choice: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or a combination. They will study literature from a diverse standpoint while learning how literary artists utilize literary theory and aesthetics.

The sequence helps students advance in their writing apprenticeships and broaden their understanding of their genre through both artistic and scholarly lenses. It encourages reading in literature generally and provides an opportunity to study language and linguistics, which enhances a student's understanding of their fundamental tools.

• Meet Our Faculty
• Course Requirements (Catalog)
• Sample Plans of Study

Point of Pride

Each year Illinois State hosts the English Studies at Large conference , giving students the opportunity to present critical work and engage students from other universities.

Why study English - Creative Writing?

Creative Writing allows students to explore such topics as fiction, poetry and poetics, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, the novel, memoir, literary journalism, women's literature, narrative theory, memory and trauma studies, digital technologies and the African diaspora, African American literature, and oppositional/experimental poetics.

It also allows students to study popular culture in fiction, defining the black aesthetic, the relationship of music and fiction, moral philosophy as it relates to literary production, animals, animality, veganism, hybrid texts, hybrid writing, the sociology of literary production and cultural formation of literary taste, and transgeneric writing.

Schedule a Visit

Come see campus and meet with campus representatives either in person or virtually. Optional chances to meet with academic department, honors, and financial aid.

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How to Apply

Applying to illinois state.

Applying by our priority deadline is encouraged for best consideration for your academic program and for scholarships. Start your application today !

• Freshmen: Apply Now
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Contact Information

• Department of English
• (309) 438-3667
• Stevenson Hall 409
• College of Arts and Sciences

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2024 Best Creative Writing Bachelor's Degree Schools in Illinois

College Factual looked at 7 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Creative Writing Bachelor's Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 141 bachelor's degrees in creative writing to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

• Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools List

Choosing a Great Creative Writing School for Your Bachelor's Degree

Overall Quality Is a Must

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

• Major Focus - How much a school focuses on creative writing students vs. other majors.
• Major Demand - How many other creative writing students want to attend this school to pursue a bachelor's degree.
• Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized creative writing related body.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for creative writing students working on their bachelor's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The creative writing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings , including this list of the Best Creative Writing Bachelor's Degree Schools in Illinois.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Schools for Bachelor’s Students to Study Creative Writing in Illinois

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in creative writing.

Top Illinois Schools for a Bachelor's in Creative Writing

University of Chicago is one of the best schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in creative writing. Located in the city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a bachelor’s in creative writing from University of Chicago

Northwestern University is a good option for students interested in a bachelor's degree in creative writing. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. More information about a bachelor’s in creative writing from Northwestern University

Every student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in creative writing has to take a look at North Central College. Located in the city of Naperville, North Central is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. More information about a bachelor’s in creative writing from North Central College

Augustana College is a good choice for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in creative writing. Augustana is a small private not-for-profit college located in the small city of Rock Island. More information about a bachelor’s in creative writing from Augustana College

Knox is a small private not-for-profit college located in the distant town of Galesburg. More information about a bachelor’s in creative writing from Knox College

Located in the large city of Chicago, Columbia is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population. More information about a bachelor’s in creative writing from Columbia College Chicago

School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. More information about a bachelor’s in creative writing from School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Related Programs

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Best Creative Writing Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Creative Writing Schools in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

Other Rankings

Best associate degrees in creative writing, best doctorate degrees in creative writing, best master's degrees in creative writing, best overall in creative writing.

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Creative Writing Related Rankings by Major

Creative Writing is one of 4 different types of Writing Studies programs to choose from.

Majors Similar to Creative Writing

Notes and references.

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS ) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s ( College Scorecard ).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO . More about our data sources and methodologies .

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14 Best colleges for Creative Writing in Illinois

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Illinois ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 80.8K citations received by 5.73K academic papers made by 14 universities in Illinois was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

For Creative Writing

2. University of Chicago

3. University of Illinois at Chicago

4. Northwestern University

5. Loyola University Chicago

6. DePaul University

7. Illinois State University

8. Northern Illinois University

9. Eastern Illinois University

10. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

11. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

12. Wheaton College - Illinois

13. Illinois Wesleyan University

14. Western Illinois University

Closest to Illinois states to learn Creative Writing

Art & design subfields in illinois.

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

• Undergraduate
• Creative Writing

The Creative Writing Major

The Creative Writing Major is an undergraduate concentration within the English Department at Northwestern University and one of the first and finest undergraduate Creative Writing programs in the country. Its reputation is based on the accomplishments of its graduates, the generosity of its accomplished professors, and a pedagogy that creates a fruitful symbiosis between close reading and inventive writing. Award-winning authors teach poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as courses that cross genres, guiding students to examine literary works as writers and encouraging them to study the best literary models. Professors and students work in a close-knit community as they write their own stories, novellas, poems and essays within the living tradition of literature.

Most Creative Writing Majors begin taking creative writing courses in their sophomore year and complete the yearlong “sequence” of study during their junior year, and some have the opportunity to complete an additional honors project before graduation (see Recommended Schedule for Prospective Writing Majors below). Students also learn from prominent visiting writers at our annual Festival of Writing in the Spring.  Recent graduates of the program include MacArthur “Genius” Award Winner Karen Russell; Veronica Roth, whose bestselling novel “Divergent” was first drafted while she was a student; poet Peter Kline; and award-winning essayist Angela Mears.

Current Creative Writing faculty include   Chris Abani ,  Brian Bouldrey ,   John Bresland ,   Averill Curdy ,   Sheila Donohue ,   Reginald Gibbons , Juan Martinez , Shauna Seliy , Charif Shanahan ,  Natasha Trethewey , Daisy Hernández ,  and   Rachel Jamison Webster .

The Creative Writing program also offers two minors; the Sequence-based Minor and, for those not pursuing one of the year-long sequences, the non-application based Cross-genre Minor in Creative Writing .

See past and upcoming Creative Writing events.

Undergraduate publication opportunities

Recommended Schedule for Prospective Writing Majors

Courses for prospective creative writing majors, in a recommended order..

*Denotes courses that are REQUIRED for the Creative Writing Major

ENG 202-Introduction to Creative Writing

(can be taken in Fall quarter of Freshman year. This provides an introduction to all three genres and prepares you for our other CW courses.)

ENG 210-1,2 - English Literary Traditions       or ENG 270-1,2 - American Literary Traditions

(While not required for creative writing, these are excellent background courses for writing students, and also serve as prerequisites for the English literature major.)

* ENG 206 - Reading and Writing Poetry

* ENG 207 - Reading and Writing Fiction    

* ENG 208 - Reading & Writing Creative Nonfiction

(You may take 206, 207, or 208 in any order.  You should have taken or be enrolled in any one of these when you're applying. )

Students may apply to the Creative Writing Program in the Spring of your Sophomore Year or in the Spring of your Junior Year.

Click here to apply. Applications close April 29th, 2024 at 11:59pm. 

Some students fulfill their requirements--of 206, 207 and 208--well before the time of application to the program. If that happens, we recommend that you stay in writing practice and continue building your portfolio by taking one of our 300-level writing courses, English 306, 307, 308, or 309. Please see Juan Martinez , Director of Creative Writing, for further suggestions and help with course planning.

Initial Required Courses

All students interested in the Creative Writing Major must take one introductory course --poetry (ENG 206), fiction (207), or creative nonfiction (208)--and at least be enrolled in another before applying to the major. Students can only apply to the major in any genre for which they've completed (or are enrolled) in its 200-level component; you can only apply for poetry after having taken or enrolling in ENG 206, for fiction after ENG 207, for creative nonfiction after ENG 208.

At the 200-level, no prior knowledge of a genre is required to enroll.

• No English Department creative writing course may be audited or taken pass/fail.
• School of Professional Studies courses offered under the titles ENG 206, 207 and 208 do not count toward any course of study within the Creative Writing program.

Admission to the Program

Admission to the next stage of the Creative Writing Major or the Sequence-based Minor in Creative Writing, the year-long 300-level advanced course sequences, is competitive. Admission to the program is granted primarily on the basis of manuscript quality and the student’s promise. An applicant may be admitted to study as a major, a minor, or a sequence-only student.

For fiction and nonfiction applications, your writing sample should be 7-15 pages.

For poetry applications, your writing sample should be 4-5 poems.

No preference in admission is currently given to those who apply to the sequences, though there are later opportunities open only to Creative Writing Majors, including participation in senior honors, one-on-one conferences with visiting writers-in-residence, and the winter senior readings series.  Students may apply for admission to the sequence courses no earlier than the spring of their sophomore year.   

Click here to apply. Applications close April 29th, 2024 at 11:59pm.

The Sequences

Theory and Practice of Poetry (ENG 393), Fiction (394), and Creative Nonfiction (395):

These year-long sequences of courses ask students to pursue a rigorous program that includes explication and critical writing, imitation and modeling, close reading of literary texts, and the creation of original creative work.  The sequences are arranged in three consecutive quarters.

They begin in the fall with specialized courses in the fundamental technical and rhetorical bases of each genre. Poetry students study the uses of metaphor and mode, and the theory of prosody (including both the major form of poetry in English-accentual-syllabic verse-and the minor forms, accentual, syllabic, and free verse). Fiction students consider the tenets of realism and its alternatives, and practice different approaches to style, characterization, structure, and point of view. Creative nonfiction students focus on essay forms, logical method, authorial tone, and techniques of discourse and description. In all genres, imitations and models of great writers are assigned.

The second half of the sequence in each genre is devoted to intensive writing of a longer original work-a poem of at least 120 lines or an essay or novella of 25 to 35 pages.

Note that in the event further work in fiction, creative nonfiction or poetry is desired outside the year-long sequence, ENG 206, 207, and 208 may be repeated up to two times for WCAS credit. Advanced one-quarter courses in creative writing (ENG 306, 307, 308, 309) are also offered for non-majors.

The application is available here . Applications will close on April 29th at 11:59pm.

Other Required Courses for MAJOR Students

In addition to the sequences, creative writing majors must take:

ENG 392 - The Situation of Writing

“The Situation of Writing,” which is typically offered in the winter quarter, investigates the writer’s relation to the culture, both currently and historically. The course addresses such questions as the relation of criticism to imaginative literature, the rise and fall of specific literary genres, the effect of the university on the production and consumption of literary works, the state of the publishing industry, and international literary contexts.

The “Third-Genre Intro” Course 

English 207 or 208, whichever introductory course was not completed before application to the sequences. This requirement ensures that writing majors will have had experience reading and writing in all three major non-dramatic modes of imaginative writing.

Six 300-level literature classes

These courses must be “pure literature”; that is, courses in which the bulk of the reading is literature and not criticism or theory. They must be selected from English Department offerings ONLY:

• Two on material written prior to 1830
• Two on material written after 1830
• Two from either period

Two non-literature courses related to one another, taught in other department(s).

These courses, in areas such as history, art, classics, and gender studies, broaden the student’s background for the study of literature. These must be approved by a creative writing advisor.

Other Required Courses for Sequence-Based MINOR students

In addition to the sequences, creative writing sequence-based minors must take:

Two 300-level literature classes

• One on material written prior to 1830
• One on material written after 1830

The Cross-genre Minor in Creative Writing

Other program features.

The Annual Writers Festival gives students the chance to learn from and interact with guest Writers-in-Residence for a three-day celebration of master classes, public readings, and a panel discussion on craft. The festival is situated within the larger Evanston Literary Festival, which hosts a number of literary events throughout the city.

Writing by students at Northwestern is recognized by the award-winning student literary magazine, Helicon, and by the  Department of English Annual Writing Competition , held in the spring.

Creative Writing Alumni Testimonials

-- Veronica Roth, author of the bestselling Divergent series

“I still believe our program at Northwestern is as good as any graduate program in the country. It was nice to have the opportunity when I was 19 to spend so much time reading and writing with these other writers. There was such a serious sense of purpose. That’s a testament to Brian and Sheila and the rest of the faculty. They really could create a community.” --Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia!, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and winner of a MacArthur Genius Award.

“As a Creative Nonfiction student in the Creative Writing program, I was pushed hard -- by my professors and fellow writers -- to find my voice. Not just my voice as a writer, but as a person and advocate of my life and experiences. More than anything else, I learned that I am still learning. I am still finding that voice, and always will be. I learned that this fact is okay, it is right, it is what makes me write.”   --Danielle Littman, 2013 graduate.

"We're not just educating people for professional tracks; we're educating them for their lives." --Professor Mary Kinzie, Founder of the Creative Writing Program and award-winning poet.