Writing, B.A.

Program Overview

The writing major is always a wise choice: All fields need strong writers! 

As a writing student at PLNU, you will strengthen both the craft and art of your writing. A Bachelor of Arts in Writing will allow you to pursue your passion for written communication and to prepare for a lifetime of meaningful work. Through engagement with a diverse array of texts, genres, and writers who are experts in their fields, you will gain both creative and advanced writing and editorial skills for the full gamut of careers that need great writers.

PLNU's writing professors have an in-depth understanding of this dynamic field, and all of them are published writers!

Our faculty have been published in literary journals such as:


Boulevard, Diagram, Fairy Tale Review, The International Poetry Review, New Letters, The Normal School, Poet Lore, Ruminate, The Rumpus, So to Speak, and Verse Daily; in periodicals such as The New York Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, and Boston Magazine; and even in peer-reviewed journals from other fields, such as American Journal of Nursing.

Department faculty have received book awards and major national grants, including several from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Fulbright Fellowship Grant, and the Del Amo Foundation.

What Does It Mean To Be a Writing Major?

As a writing major, you'll read texts from around the world and from local authors, approach literary works from a variety of theoretical perspectives, and develop analytical thinking and writing skills.

Courses in creative writing and professional writing will guide you through developing your own writing projects and learning how to engage with the larger writing community, and you will have opportunities to publish your work in local, national, and international publications. As part of the curriculum, you’ll have the chance to edit Driftwood, the creative arts journal, and to write for The Point, PLNU's campus newspaper.

Experience That Translates to Career Success

Writing majors participate in practical internships, cultivating contacts and experience in the fields of publishing, social media, technical writing, journalism, business, law, and more. Past students have interned with organizations such as CBS; The San Diego Union-Tribune; San Diego Writers, Ink; San Diego Magazine; Youth Assistance Coalition; ENTITY Magazine; Agape Editions; Dunn DeSantis Walt & Kendrick; and other local and national publications and organizations.

Writing majors also may elect to do senior honors projects, which involve extensive research and writing, and these may be creative pieces, critical papers, or hybrid projects. These projects are excellent preparation for graduate school and often lead to novels, poetry collections, memoirs, graphic novels, and more.

The Re-Emergence of Poetry article image

The Re-Emergence of Poetry

In the last few years, poetry has enjoyed an astonishing re-emergence.

Course List

For information about the courses required for the Writing, B.A. program, view the PLNU Catalog. 

Course Information

Major Map

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Student Support

For most students, the transition into college life is one full of adjustments. There is the excitement of newfound freedoms, but also some uncertainty as you begin to make choices and take responsibility for your own future. 

At PLNU, we’re committed to supporting you — academically, professionally, spiritually, personally — so that you may be successful both in your time as a student and beyond. That’s why we offer a holistic support system that focuses on your unique experiences, particular needs, and personal and professional goals — resulting from our deep concern for you, our student.

With a focus on authentic relationships and personalized attention, our goal is to help transform you so you can follow your calling in your own career and life.

Student Support

Career Opportunities

Writing is an integral skill that can help you find a fulfilling vocation in nearly any field. Many professions require a writer who can think critically, articulate strong arguments, and write comprehensible narratives. From science to business to the fine and practical arts, a writing degree can be utilized anywhere and everywhere.

Studying in such an expansive field provides endless opportunities in the workforce. As a writing major you will have plenty of chances to develop interpersonal skills that will prepare you for future employment. Writing majors strive to be great communicators and collaborators by exposing themselves to a varied number of texts, genres, and writers. By doing so, writing majors are graced with a wide range of advanced knowledge and analytical skills that employers are always looking for in potential workers.

With a diverse set of class requirements and a broad scope of skills, writing majors excel at a plethora of things, not just writing (although they're great at that too!).

A Bachelor of Arts in Writing might lead to (but is not limited to) careers in:

  • Social Media
  • Business 
  • Law
  • Copywriting and Editing
  • Journalism
  • Technical Writing
  • Creative Writing 
  • Teaching
  • Marketing and Advertising
  • Publishing
  • Public Relations
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

What can you do with a writing degree?

PLNU alumni have gone on to work as news analysts, reporters, journalists, writers and authors, postsecondary teachers, teaching assistants, marketing managers, technical writers, customer service representatives, copywriters, and many other occupations.

The following are examples of positions that PLNU writing alumni currently hold:

Marketing Managers 

2020 Median annual salary $133,460

Marketing managers work to plan and oversee marketing strategies and changes that are being implemented in their organizations. They must be good communicators willing to work amongst teams and serve as a messenger between upper management. Marketing managers actively collaborate with coworkers about potential marketing modifications and to analyze outcomes of marketing projects. 

Writers and Authors 

2020 Median annual salary $67,120

Authors are creative and intelligent minds that work diligently to develop skillfully constructed pieces of work for the public to read and enjoy. Authors utilize their love for the written word and language in order to capture people's attention, educate readers, and teach others about the beauty of imagination and the magic of reading.

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

2020 Median annual salary $49,300

Reporters, correspondents, journalists, and news analysts are personable and committed people dedicated to informing the public about international, national, and local news and events. They work under the broad scope of reporting; many work as writers for print newspapers and magazines, website writers, or reporters for television and radio.

Technical Writers 

2020 Median annual salary $74,650

Technical writers work to transfer information between mediums. They must be apt at researching and be able to write in a way that is specific and informative. They have opportunities to work with multiple forms of media and must be willing to adapt and learn about new topics and technology that they will be working with. They strive to write comprehensible and easily consumable information for readers.

Alumni listed the following skills as the top strengths they acquired as a writing student at PLNU: 

  • Creative Writing
  • Copy Editing
  • Proofreading
  • Copywriting
  • Fundraising
  • Event Planning

Using Your Writing Degree: 

Writing majors are well-rounded and expressive individuals who excel in communicating and collaborating through the written word. By studying writing at Point Loma Nazarene University — whether your specialization be poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or something in between — you’ll learn that writing as a craft is an invaluable skill.

As award-winning freelance journalist and novelist Chuck Palahniuk said, “The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.” 

Apply to PLNU today or get connected with one of our counselors for additional support and answers to any questions you may have.

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