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I've been looking into USC for a little while, but I'm a little unsure. What can you tell me about their English department and humanities in general? Is it a very good department, or 2nd rate? I'm particularly interested in creative writing, btw.

By Mommydog (Mommydog) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 02:51 am: Edit

bump

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 12:07 pm: Edit

There are better places than USC for English - especially if you want to do creative writing.
In southern California, better choices would be UCLA, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, Pepperdine, University of Redlands, Pomona, Scripps (if female), Occidental. This is just my opinion, however.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 03:49 pm: Edit

Agreed.

By Fuzzymittens (Fuzzymittens) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 05:22 pm: Edit

I know that UC Irvine has a really good program. Would it be on par or above/below that of UCLA?

Those are the only two places in Cali I'd want to go to, otherwise I'll go out of state.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 07:09 pm: Edit

If your main interest is comparative literature, go for UCLA. They have an excellent department. However, if you want more of a creative writing component, go for UCI. Although their creative writing program is geared towards graduate students, they offer more class opportunities in creative writing for undergrads than UCLA. They also have a unique major in creative journalism (non-fiction) which sounds super (and at least would give you some skills to earn a living after graduation.)


If you'd like some suggestions for schools outside of California with good writing programs, let me know.

By Fuzzymittens (Fuzzymittens) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 07:19 pm: Edit

Thanks. I'm most definitely interested in creative writing, more towards fiction (slight interest in poetry).

As for out of state, I've been considering NYU, Middlebury & Cornell (despite almost negligible chance of admission to those two, heh), and UEA (tops creative writing in UK).

I've already eliminated several other choices for various reasons, but if you have some to suggest, I'd be enthralled to hear them.

By Fuzzymittens (Fuzzymittens) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 02:46 am: Edit

~lalala

By Fuzzymittens (Fuzzymittens) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 09:42 pm: Edit

And, speaking of NYU, does anyone know how good their creative writing program is?

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 01:20 am: Edit

Here's a few more schools to consider outside of Calif - all with excellent creative writing programs: Kenyon, the University of Denver, Emerson, Denison, Bucknell, Brown, Bard, U of Arizona, Oberlin, Trinity College, Tufts, U of Iowa, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Hamilton, Grinnell...

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 01:21 am: Edit

And NYU's creative writing program is considered very good. Oh, almost forgot: Sarah Lawrence

By Fuzzymittens (Fuzzymittens) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 02:00 am: Edit

Having looked into Emerson a while ago, I was sort of put off by the apparent weakness in academics, though the structure of the creative writing program was certainly intriguing.

And be damned if I could glean any information from John Hopkins english dept. site.