The Professional Writing minor seeks to develop undergraduates’ professional writing skills to enhance their career prospects; connect writing to their vocational exploration and goals; and apply reading, writing, and critical and creative thinking skills to real-world contexts and situations.
The Professional Writing minor builds upon the reading, writing, and critical and creative thinking skills developed in the foundations and core curriculum. The minor can be added to any major in order to enhance writing skills in relation to a variety of careers and professional contexts. Professions and employers desire the “soft skills” of writing and communication, and these skills may lead to improved job performance and opportunities.
The required classes for the minor develop skills in studying and composing a variety of genres of professional writing in print, multimedia, and digital formats; drafting, revising, giving/receiving feedback, and editing; analyzing the rhetorical situation, audience, and purpose of texts/documents; discussing how students’ writing skills connect to jobs and careers; and analyzing how writing and work impact and can improve society and communities.
The Professional Writing minor will be awarded after completion of at least 15 credit hours of approved courses. Undergraduates will take a total of at least four credits from either ENGL 276 Studies of Professional Writing (4 credits) or ENGL 252 Explorations in Professional Writing (2 credits)
They will take at least two classes (2, 3, or 4 hours) from the “Writing in Specific Genres and Context” category, and at least 2 of those hours must be satisfied by an English class. Students will complete one course (2, 3, or 4 hours) from the “Writing and New Media” category, and will then take an additional elective (2, 3, or 4 hours) from any category, reaching at least fifteen credits in total.
In consultation with the student’s major advisor and the director of the minor, students in the English major Writing track will only be able to use 3 English classes to satisfy both the English major Writing track and minor in professional writing.
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