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Queens University of Charlotte
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New creative writing major adds a chapter to Queens’ literary history
Undergraduate program launches this fall with concentrations in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction
Charlotte, N.C. (July 2, 2009) – Queens University of Charlotte has long been a haven for the local literary community, hosting local, regional and national authors’ readings that are open to the public.
Now the university is adding a new chapter to its literary history by expanding its undergraduate English program to include a major in creative writing.
“English majors tend to be not only avid readers, but also aspiring writers,” said Emily Seelbinder, chair of the English department at Queens. “We have always incorporated attention to the craft of writing in our study of literature, and courses in creative writing have long been a part of our program.”
The new major will allow Queens undergraduates to delve more deeply into the study of poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction.
“Despite its intense concentration on writing, the program remains committed to the rigorous study of the literary tradition, emphasizing the important connections between reading and writing, the literature of the past and the innovations of the present,” said Morri Creech, Queens writer-in-residence.
Celebrated writers who have taught at Queens include the late Paul B. Newman and award-winning poet Cathy Smith Bowers. Charlotte native and poet Ashley Capps studied with Smith Bowers while completing her Queens undergraduate degree. Capps recently won the Akron Poetry Prize, a national award that led to the publication of her first book.
Queens already offers a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. Elizabeth Strout, who recently won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel “Olive Kitteridge,” is one of several award-winning faculty in that program. She will be reading on the Queens campus in November as part of the English Department Reading Series.
Queens University of Charlotte is a private, co-ed, Presbyterian-affiliated comprehensive university with a commitment to both liberal arts and professional studies. Located in the heart of historic Charlotte, Queens serves approximately 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students through its College of Arts and Sciences, the McColl School of Business, the Presbyterian School of Nursing, the Wayland H. Cato, Jr. School of Education, the School of Communication and Hayworth College for Adult Studies.
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