The creative writing curriculum on the Upper Iowa University Fayette Campus is designed to be taken alongside the literature coursework of the English major, or as a minor area of concentration alongside any major offered on campus. Students of creative writing take the annually recurring Introduction to Creative Writing, Craft and Technique of Creative Writing and two of three advanced workshops (in fiction, poetry and non-fiction writing). A creative writing thesis rounds out the coursework. Students benefit from working closely with faculty who are published authors themselves, and have the chance to submit work for awards through the program's membership in the Associated Writing Programs. A creative writing group is active on campus.

Students may also attend workshops by invited authors and editors during our International Authors Day and Midwestern Literary Project held on campus in fall and spring, respectively, each academic year. Students also have the opportunity to take part in a project-based learning experience writing, editing, publishing and publicizing UIU's literary journal, Volga River Review, featuring the poetry, fiction and non-fiction works of students, faculty, staff and alumni university-wide.