Overview of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing Program

Write for the love of it; write for a living! That is how you will spend your time in the BFA program. In creative writing workshops* you hone your writing talent. In professional writing workshops** you learn how to translate your passion into a career. The BFA in writing at Bemidji is one of only fifteen in the United States. When you join the fastest growing program in the English Department, you join a community of "mine own kind" (American poet Ezra Pound).

* Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, scriptwriting.
** Web/electronic, technical, freelance.

But what can you do, really, with a degree in writing?  

The US Department of Labor Statistics predicts a ten to twenty percent increase in the opportunities for writers and editors over the next ten years, especially in writing for the Web. Someone will get those jobs. Why shouldn?t it be you?

The BFA also prepares you for graduate study for a Master of Arts in English or a Master of Fine Arts in Writing. Our graduates have been accepted in many MFA programs including those at Bowling Green State University, Notre Dame University, the Iowa Writers Workshop, Ruttger's University, Emerson Univerisy and, of course, Bemidji State.

Steps to the BFA Degree

• Talk to your advisor about your interest in the BFA Writing program.
• Plan your studies according to your interests. Possible concentrations could include freelancing, web content writing, or media writing.
• Take all required courses.
• Complete your Grad Plans a year before graduation.

Not interested in a full writing major? Add an Emphasis in Writing, Electronic Writing, or a Minor - these programs allow you develop valuable writing skills no matter what field you've chosen.