About the Course
Fictional worlds often stay with us even longer than the stories that are set within them. They can be havens or nightmares, futuristic glimpses of what our world could be, or looking-glass critiques of reality. But how are these worlds created? In this course, we will learn about the process of worldbuilding, discussing its techniques and best practices. In addition to building our own worlds, we’ll practice critical thinking and analysis as we look to famous worlds from literature and film to discover what makes worldbuilding successful, meaningful, and ethical. For a final project you might design a travel brochure marketing a world to tourists, a vlog of a visit to another world, or a museum exhibit created by one civilization about a society that preceded it.
The content in Literary Worldbuilding overlaps with the CTY course Worldbuilding. Students who have already taken Worldbuilding may wish to consult with an enrollment advisor before enrolling in this course.
Learning Objectives
- Deploy necessary literary and craft-based strategies to compose and revise compelling and detail-oriented world-narratives
- Articulate the connections between craft elements and a given text’s social, political, and historical contexts based on critical analysis
- Provide and receive critiques on written and visual works based on evidence and critical reading with the aim of helping the author of the world achieve their desired aesthetic, ideological, and rhetorical effects
About Advanced Enrichment courses
These courses offer above-grade-level material that is presented in a novel context, explored with other advanced learners, and guided by a CTY educator to help prepare students for higher-order thinking and college-style academic challenges. Students work individually and may finish the course early if they complete all requirements before the course end date.
Requirements
CTY courses have grade-level requirements and most require minimum test scores. Some courses may also have prerequisites.
Identification DetailsDates and Tuition
Online
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Days: Every Mon for 6 weeks
Times: 9 - 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time)
Register by: June 8, 2026
Time Commitment:
Please acquire all course materials by the course start date, unless noted as perishable. Items marked as “perishable” should not be acquired until the student needs them in the course. If you have questions about these materials or difficulty locating them, please contact [email protected].
Families will be notified by email of any required materials one week prior to the course start date.
Time Commitment: 2.5-3.5 hours per week (1.5 hours of class time, 1-2 hours of independent work). Course will include 6 sessions over 6 weeks.
All online course times are Eastern time.
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Days: Every Wed for 6 weeks
Times: 7 - 8:30 p.m. (Eastern time)
Register by: August 11, 2026
Time Commitment:
Please acquire all course materials by the course start date, unless noted as perishable. Items marked as “perishable” should not be acquired until the student needs them in the course. If you have questions about these materials or difficulty locating them, please contact [email protected].
Families will be notified by email of any required materials one week prior to the course start date.
Time Commitment: 2.5-3.5 hours per week (1.5 hours of class time, 1-2 hours of independent work). Course will include 6 sessions over 6 weeks.
All online course times are Eastern time.
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Days: Every Thu for 6 weeks
Times: 7 - 8:30 p.m. (Eastern time)
Register by: September 15, 2026
Time Commitment:
Please acquire all course materials by the course start date, unless noted as perishable. Items marked as “perishable” should not be acquired until the student needs them in the course. If you have questions about these materials or difficulty locating them, please contact [email protected].
Families will be notified by email of any required materials one week prior to the course start date.
Time Commitment: 2.5-3.5 hours per week (1.5 hours of class time, 1-2 hours of independent work). Course will include 6 sessions over 6 weeks.
All online course times are Eastern time.
Registration Fee and Financial Aid
Tuition and fees will be waived or reduced for students who qualify for financial aid.
Learn more about Financial Aid