CPW Home | Program | Faculty | Courses | Declaring your English major
Whether you want to write a novel, a poem, a technical document, a marketing proposal, a feature news story, or a blog, The University of Waterloo English's Creative and Professional Writing (CPW) major will give you the tools you need to realize your writing ambitions. This unique degree provides you with instruction and practice in a variety of writing fields, allowing you to pursue or combine a broad range of writing-focussed careers. Your development as a writer will be given a solid foundation through our other offerings in literature, language, and rhetoric.
The University of Waterloo is home to a vibrant literary culture. In addition to interacting with experienced faculty, students can attend regular readings and talks by professional writers. Undergraduates have opportunities to share their work beyond the classroom through writing showcases, open mics, and events run by the UW English Society.
The international literary journal, The New Quarterly, housed in St. Jerome’s University College at UW, organizes the annual Wild Writers Festival, which brings authors to Waterloo from across the country.
An overview of recent events can be found on our blog, Words in Place.
Degree Options
Students can pursue their Creative and Professional Writing major via a four-year honours degree, a four-year general degree, or a three-year general degree. See the Creative and Professional Writing Program page for more information on the degrees and their requirements.
Elements of the degree
Your Creative and Profession Writing degree will develop your knowledge and skills in two key areas:
Creative Writing
Your CPW degree will give you the opportunity to practice writing in a broad range of creative genres, including fiction, poetry, screenplays, literary nonfiction, and drama. You'll deepen your skill in the areas you already have an interest in and develop new skills and interests in other areas of creative writing.
Professional Writing
Your CPW degree will also give you practice in professional communication, allowing you develop skills in business communication, technical communication, writing for the media, editing, copywriting, and information and digital design. The dual focus on creative and professional communication will give you more flexibility as you pursue your career ambitions.
Co-op
You can enrich your Creative and Professional Writing degree through co-op experiences. The University of Waterloo has the world’s largest co-op program. In their study terms, English co-op students can pursue their interests and develop their skills; on their co-op terms, they can gain employment experience that will make them stand out in the job market.
Want more information?
Contact our undergraduate officer, Heather Smyth.
See the Creative Writing posts on our blog, Words in Place, for news on UWaterloo English faculty and students who have published creative works and on English program writing events.