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OBU—Oklahoma Baptist University

Creative Writing

OBU’s Creative Writing program opens opportunities for you to imagine, explore and build your personal writing skills on the foundation of Christian faith. Your unique vision and creativity can blossom as you learn aspects of fiction, poetry, non-fiction, playwriting and screenwriting.

You will be instructed and inspired by our faculty who are published writer-scholars. As you are exposed to a variety of different genres, you can expand your imagination and gain a deeper love for culture, strengthen your creative talent, and develop writing that reflects your individual style.

Elena Streett

Class of 2026

“I love this program because the professors challenge us to write in genres and styles that are unfamiliar to us. We also read the work of great writers of the past and study how fiction and poetry evolved throughout history.”

Benefits of OBU Creative Writing Program

Faculty Mentors

Our faculty, who teach in a small class setting, are active, published writer-scholars and serve as personal mentors. As they actively write and submit their works for publication, they in turn, can offer individual, relevant and effective guidance to your work. You will enjoy regular and direct interaction with faculty who instill a solid foundation of faith and biblical perspective through their teaching and their personal lives.

Key Enrichment Events

OBU hosts the annual Lamppost Literary Conference and the Visiting Writer Seminars, events where you can interact with contemporary and renowned writers and thinkers and be inspired by a robust community of readers and storytellers. The Lamppost Conference features keynote speakers, panels and breakout sessions and a student writing competition. The Visiting Writer Seminars bring a nationally-known writer to campus each year.

Incredible Education, Affordable Cost.

OBU provides a minimum $10,000 per year scholarship to every incoming first-time freshman and $8,000 to every incoming transfer student. And you could qualify for even more financial aid! Many of our students also receive money through federal Pell grants and OBU Bison Grants.

To get an estimate of what your cost to attend OBU might be, please check out our Net Price Calculator. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how affordable an OBU education really is. Especially considering the incredible academic quality, personal mentor relationships with faculty and staff, and strong Christian commitment you will experience at OBU. You won’t find an experience like this anywhere else!

Program Information

Student Organizations

Sigma Tau Delta

Sigma Tau Delta is a long-established international English honor society dedicated to academic excellence and literacy. OBU students attend the annual convention nearly every year, often presenting their research or creative works. Several of our students have served as regional representatives to Sigma Tau Delta’s national Board, and gained valuable leadership experience as they network with other students across the nation. OBU’s chapter is active on campus and in the community and is also a way to build strong relationships between English or Creative Writing majors and faculty. 

The Round Table

The Round Table is a Creative Writing club on campus that meets regularly where students share their work in progress and encourage one another’s writing. It is a creative hub for both new and experienced writers.

Internship Experiences

Students in the Creative Writing program gain valuable internship experiences that align with their interests and career goals. They grow professionally through placements with such entities as Gateway to Prevention & Recovery, Level 21 online magazine, Oklahoma Sports & Fitness, Countywide and Sun, Shawnee News-Star, Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency, various communication offices, law offices, and with experiences in grant writing.

In addition, ENGL 3783: Internship in Writing fulfills a requirement for Creative Writing and allows students to achieve practical experience in a professional writing/publishing business.

Double Major or Minor

Creative Writing majors must declare a minor area of study and also have twelve elective hours in their degree plan. As a result, students often seek a double major or double minor to enhance career prospects. A Creative Writing major may be paired with any other Bachelor of Arts major; students may select any minor(s) that OBU offers. Minors found within the Language and Literature division include Spanish, TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), Professional Writing and Editing, English and Creative Writing.

Faith Integration

The Creative Writing program at OBU allows you to approach literature and writing from a Christian perspective. 

While we integrate faith in all our courses, our capstone ENGL 4973: Theology, Literature and Writing course ensures students graduate with a deep understanding of how Christian faith relates to our discipline. Our faculty demonstrate a solid foundation of faith and biblical perspective through their instruction and personal lives.

Job Opportunities and Outcomes

OBU Creative Writing graduates have a 100% placement rate in post-graduate employment and in admission to graduate schools.

Recent graduates have found employment at:

  • Stonewall Homes
  • Reaching Souls International
  • Green Heart-Western Europe
  • BCD Travel (software developer)
  • WatersEdge (communications office)
  • Liberty Academy (Shawnee)

Post-graduate institutions include, but are not limited to:

  • Seattle Pacific University
  • Texas Tech University
  • The College of Charleston
  • The School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London
  • University of Arkansas
  • University of Central Oklahoma
  • Western Colorado University

Program Options

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Minors

World-Class Faculty

OBU faculty are experts in their fields and will be with you every step of the way.

Dr. Brent Newsom

Dr. Brent Newsom

Associate Professor of English

Dr. Edward English

Dr. Edward English

Assistant Professor of English

Dr. Kaine Ezell

Dr. Kaine Ezell

Professor of English

Dr. Benjamin Myers

Dr. Benjamin Myers

Crouch-Mathis Professor of Literature
Professor of Literature and English
Director of the Honors Program

Dr. Alan Noble

Dr. Alan Noble

Associate Professor of English

Dr. Charles Swadley

Dr. Charles Swadley

Associate Professor of English and Spanish

Division of Language and Literature