Professional Writing Program

The Professional Writing Program, housed in the Department of English, is intended for those individuals who wish to pursue writing-related careers in business and industry. The program provides students with an excellent opportunity to enhance their credentials and career marketability. In addition, the program makes available to those already involved in writing for business and industry the opportunity to further develop professional skills important to their careers.

Outcomes, Professional Writing Program

Writing:

Understand the basic nature of language, its structure, its uses, and its rhetorical power
Write competently and efficiently in a range of rhetorical genres to multiple audiences for various purposes
Communicate technical information effectively and purposefully, both in print and online documents • Implement effective documents design, both in print and online work
Organize documents coherently
Demonstrate knowledge of proper editing skills
Control the conventions of standard written English

Research:

Command effective research skills, both in print and non-print sources
Understand and implement usability testing in documents.
Demonstrate competency in interviewing subject matter experts.

Oral Presentation:

Demonstrate effective oral and presentation skill

Teamwork:

Communicate and work effectively in a team

Technology Skills:

Demonstrate use of computer technologies in written, oral, and visual communication
Demonstrate an understanding of the influence of technology in contemporary culture

Minor/Emphasis/Certificate

English majors may select an emphasis in professional writing. Besides completing 18 credits in professional writing courses,

English majors choosing the emphasis also take

Note:

Non-English majors in the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, and students in the College of Business and the College of Engineering and Applied Science may select a minor in professional writing.

Unclassified students and students with a baccalaureate degree may select a certificate in professional writing.

Curriculum Requirements

To complete the program, students complete 18 credit hours with a C or better from among the following courses:

Prerequisites for Professional Writing Program

ENGL 131 or equivalent transfer credit or a baccalaureate (for ENGL 301, ENGL 141 is also a prerequisite). Students must complete 9 credits in the program to enroll in ENGL 315.

Upon approval from the program director, 3 credits may be applied towards completion of the program from among the following courses in other departments: INFS 380, VA 210, CS 107, JOUR 290 and ENGL 480. Students cannot apply one of these courses both to the program and to another requirement they may need to fulfill. For other questions concerning the Professional Writing Program, contact Dr. K. Alex Ilyasova at (719) 255-4037.