English Major

Put your mark on the North American Review, the oldest literary magazine in the United States, which is published at UNI and recently celebrated its bicentennial. Students are involved in all aspects of the magazine from reviewing submissions to editing and layout to business operations.

Through the Creative Writing Practicum class, students can assist with the production of the North American Review, undertaking individual supervised reviewing, editing or design assignments outside the classroom environment. This course is worth 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): junior standing. (Variable)

“The positive relationships and rapport I’ve built with professors here at UNI is something I will never forget about my college experience. Here, I contribute to the discussion in every class and try to avoid missing one not because of an attendance grade, but because my English professors make me actually want to be there.

Something really exciting about my time here is that I landed a position as an on-air host for Iowa Public Radio’s Studio One. I’ve always had a passion for creating and enjoying music, but this was my first experience working at a radio station. I admit that this was an incredible stroke of luck, but that’s where my advice stems from: you can do absolutely anything you want during your collegiate years if you stay motivated through passion, be your own best advocate, and strive to create a vast network of meaningful connections.”

– Cecilia Mitchell 

Craft of Creative Nonfiction
Written exercises in forms, patterns, and techniques in creative nonfiction. Readings in creative nonfiction with particular attention to narrative structures and strategies. 

Elements of Creative Writing
Attention to basic elements in the writing of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, including the imaginative uses of perspective and voice, narration and setting, story and plot, memory and reflection, dialogue and characterization, image and metaphor, and diction and sound. 

The Profession of Editing
Examination of editing strategies and responsibilities in scholarly and professional settings. Emphasis on understanding of editing resources, editor roles in document development, and the politics of grammar and style.