The Bachelor of Arts in Writing degree educates students in the art and craft of written communication, combining liberal arts ideals with practical, real-world applications. Students in the program can concentrate on creative writing (fiction, poetry, and other imaginative forms), professional writing (journalism, public relations, advertising, and information design for technical communication), and writing for the media.
Students have the opportunity of working on a one-on-one basis with professors who integrate research and publishing in their courses. Students also have publishing opportunities with four student publications: The Minaret, the University of Tampa’s student newspaper; Neon, the student literary magazine; The Moroccan, the student yearbook; and Splice Journal, student journal focusing on communication, art and culture. Students can earn credit for working on the newspaper staff and for editorial positions on the other two publications.
The Department of English and Writing sponsors a Writers at the University series in which writers such as Derek Walcott, Margaret Atwood and Li-Young Lee have visited the campus for public readings and guest appearances in classes. The department also hosts a Scholars Symposium series to which nationally and internationally recognized scholars are invited to lecture in their particular fields of expertise.
Topics of Study
- fiction
- drama (stage and alternative performance)
- screenwriting
- poetry
- creative nonfiction
- teaching writing (children and adults)
- journalism
- technical writing and editing
- information design
- writing for broadcast news
- writing for advertising and public relations
Career and Graduate School Opportunities
Writing majors in recent graduating classes have been accepted into a variety of excellent law or graduate programs throughout the nation, including Emory University, Indiana University, New York University, Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, Iowa State University, the University of South Florida and the University of Florida.
Professionally, the success rate is also high. Recent graduates from the English program are now working for The Tampa Bay Times, The Brandon News, the Hillsborough County Public School system, Alachua County Schools, PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Raymond James, Continental Airlines, the Tampa Chamber of Commerce and Diamond Shamrock.
Connie May Fowler ’82, nationally known author, wrote Before Women Had Wings and River of Hidden Dreams. Another alumnae, Amy Hill Hearth ’82, co-authored the New York Times bestseller Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters’ First 100 Years, and more recently, In a World Gone Mad: A Heroic Story of Love, Faith and Survival.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
- Student Publications
- Saunders Writing Center
- Writers at the University
- Scholar’s Symposia
Students have participated in a variety of internships at locations such as:
- What’s UP? — a street paper in Washington, D.C.
- Raymond James
- Maverick Media
- Tampa Bay Times
- Schifino Lee Advertising in downtown Tampa
- Fox Television/Channel 13
- Winner Koenig Advertising
- CNN-Atlanta
- Creative Loafing
- American Red Cross
- Florida Blood Services
- Florida Aquarium
- Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
- Ruth Eckerd Hall
- ALS Foundation
- Tampa Bay Business Journal
- University of Tampa Press
- WMNF Community Radio 88.5 — in local and international news
On-Campus Associations
- International English Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta
- The Minaret (student newspaper)
- Neon (student literary magazine)
- The Moroccan (student yearbook)
- Splice Journal (student journal focusing on communication, art and culture)