English, Creative Writing, Diversity Studies
Haley Weideman added a diversity studies minor to learn how best to represent marginalized voices in a classroom.
Expand your imagination
Hone creative thinking skills and grow as a writer.
Classes encourage experimentation, while providing guidance in writing basics in a lively, supportive environment. You’ll be mentored by published authors—including an effervescent poet and a witty novelist—and study with students who share your passion for written expression.
Through Mount Mercy’s creative writing minor, you will expand your imagination and practice writing poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Students who study creative writing take multi-genre writing courses as well as more focused writing courses on topics such as the personal essay and creating characters. Independent studies are also available, providing students with limitless options of study.
Curriculum
Build a prolific portfolio to share with publishers.
See yourself in print to share with future employers through Mount Mercy’s annual creative writing magazine, Paha Review; or the university’s award-winning student newspaper, Mount Mercy Times.
You'll also meet and learn from nationally known authors through the university’s Visiting Writers Series.
I would tell future students that they should value how much their instructors care about them and take advantage of how accessible they are compared to other universities.
Orlando Clark '20
English
Orlando Clark dreams of playing professional soccer, a sport that has created many other opportunities for him, and helping to improve his country.
What are the next steps?
Mount Mercy offers competitive tuition and generous scholarships.
We also encourage all students to apply for federal, state, and other kinds of financial assistance.
Learn more about:
- Federal and state grants and loans
- MMU-offered scholarships
- Tuition reimbursement from employers
- 10% tuition discount for employees of partner organizations
- Veterans benefits such as the Yellow Ribbon program and G.I. Bill®
We make it easy by accepting applications year-round! No deadline, no fee, no pressure.
- Create your application
- Apply under standard admissions criteria or go "test optional"
- Request official transcripts from all institutions previously attended. Mail to:
* Mount Mercy University Admissions
1330 Elmhurst Drive NE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402
* If you are applying for an accelerated program, please mail to "Accelerated Programs"
For more detailed instructions on how to apply, see our Admissions page.
Visiting writer series
When you study at Mount Mercy, you learn not only from your fellow students and our faculty, but also from the many prestigious writers who visit campus and share their expertise and vision.
Every semester we host at least one visiting writer. During each visit, the writer leads an interactive workshop in which they offer inspiration and tips that enable you to create (and sometimes share) new writing. After the workshop event, there is a live reading in which the writer shares their most recent work with you, followed by a Q&A—your time to ask the writer questions. You can also have the chance to chat with the visiting writer over dinner or while they are signing your book.
Past visiting writers include poet laureates, award-winning journalists, best-selling novelists, and Oprah-picks.
Careers in creative writing
Experience sets you apart.
Through internships, job shadowing and other career preparation, Mount Mercy students learn how to put their creative writing minors to use in the professional world, pursuing exciting careers in any number of fields related to their profession.
A minor in creative writing prepares you to work and communicate with people in a variety of careers.