New Writing Degree at CapU

CapU students can now pursue their dream of becoming professional writers on the North Shore, with a new four-year bachelor’s degree in writing.

Officially called the Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Writing & Literature, the new program welcomes its first cohort of students in the Fall of 2025.

The program was developed to offer its students a versatile skillset that will set them up for success in any career path they choose.

“Future teachers will be drawn to our program, as well as writers, publishers, marketing professionals, future librarians and journalists and lawyers,” Leah Bailly, an English instructor at CapU and convenor of the program, said. “Most jobs in the arts and entertainment sector, including digital games and film, will require strong writing skills.”

Students in the degree can choose to specialize in one of two concentrations: Critical and Creative Writing or Literature and Culture, but they can still take courses across both areas.

“It will be the first BA program in B.C. that combines the study of creative writing and literature, so students can explore both the creative and scholarly side of writing,” Bailly said. “This is not a traditional degree in any sense.”

An evolving set of courses

As part of their evolution into professional writers, students will work diligently throughout the program to develop a strong sense of voice and express ideas in a way unique to their skills and experience.

“This major is unique, not only in how it brings together literary study and creative writing but also in the possibilities it opens for engaging with literature in ways that are relevant to students today,” CapU English instructor Cassidy Picken said.

Instructors will also challenge students to consider how literary traditions and practices have changed over time.

This takes the form of three Words in the World seminar courses, which tackle specialized areas in the literary world and involve a high level of shared inquiry and collaborative dialogue among the students.

“I’m excited about how the degree will encourage both instructors and students to rethink traditional categories of literary history and culture,” Picken said. “It’s a degree that will require me to keep learning alongside my students, revising my understanding of writing and its place in the world.”