Public and Professional Writing

  • BA
  • Major
  • Minor
A smiling student sits in a classroom with an open book on the table in front of them.

Employers want to hire people with excellent written communication skills. Because all professional fields require some form of writing, the Public and Professional Writing program will prepare you to become a strategic, flexible writer – an in-demand writer!

The program will teach you about the various forms of writing that you are likely to encounter in the workplace, including the most current technologies, and how to adapt and innovate for different audiences and purposes. Focus on writing as a way to develop the critical thinking, relationship-building and design skills necessary for all aspects of professional life. Through the Public and Professional Writing program, you will:
Learn how to best meet the needs of your target audience
Create professional documents, including proposals, reports, presentations, websites, client correspondence, and digital media
Become adept at working in collaborative environments by drafting, editing, designing, and revising documents with others
Learn how to use a variety of tools for writing in digital environments, including the most current technology innovations
Gain the professional literacy skills and cultural awareness necessary for success in dynamic, global workplaces, from the sciences and business to the arts

With training in professional writing on your resume, you will be a standout who will have a portfolio of top-quality work to show to prospective employers!

See the curriculum.

Minors

The minor in Public and Professional Writing will teach you about the various forms of writing that you are likely to encounter in the workplace and how to adapt your writing for different audiences and purposes. You will create professional documents including proposals, reports, presentations, websites, and digital media. 

The 18-credit minor has two required courses: Introduction to Public and Professional Writing and Strategies for Argument. You will also take one applied course (Technical Writing, Workplace Writing or Clarity and Style) and will choose from an array of elective courses that include Digital Writing, Grant Writing, The Rhetoric of Political Writing, Writing Women Safe and Visual Rhetoric and Writing, among others. 

The Public and Professional Writing minor is the perfect complement to any major and is excellent preparation for graduate study or for careers in many fields, including business, government, education and nonprofit work. 

See the curriculum.

Career Opportunities

Grant Writer
Nonprofit Communications Manager
Social Media Coordinator

Technical Writer
Content Strategist
Public Relations Specialist

Editor
Speech Writer

Featured Faculty

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Undergraduate Admissions Office

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Department of Writing Studies

Uniting professional communication and rhetorical studies, the Department of Writing Studies' dedicated faculty of scholars and working writers prepare and empower students to be dynamic thinkers and writers in the 21st century.