Professional Writing Option

The English major with a Professional Writing Option requires 27 hours of English literature courses and 18 hours of Professional Writing courses, including the following specific requirements:

Composition Requirements, not counted toward the major requirement of 27 hours:

ENGL 131 - Rhetoric and Writing I
ENGL 141 - Rhetoric and Writing II

Literature Requirements:

ENGL 190 - Introduction to Literary Studies for Majors (a prerequisite to all other literature courses designed for English majors)
ENGL 251, 252, 253 and 254 - Survey of British Literature Series
ENGL 338 and 339 - Survey of American Literature Series
ENGL 395 - Chaucer; or 397 - Shakespeare I; or 398 - Shakespeare II

Senior Seminar:

Any 400 level English literature course. (Please note this excludes ENGL 405-3 Advanced Fiction Workshop, ENGL 483-3 Rhetoric and Writing, ENGL 485-3 History of the English Language, ENGL 490-4 Peer Tutoring of Writing, and ENGL 491-4 Projects in the Teaching of Writing.)

At least 16 of the 27 required hours must be in upper-division courses (i.e., 300 and 400 level). All English majors with a Professional Writing Emphasis are required to pass the Senior Comprehensive Exam prior to graduating.

Professional Writing Requirements:
In addition to 27 hours in English literature courses, students complete 18 hours from among the following Professional Writing courses::

ENGL 301 - Advanced Composition
ENGL 307 - Business and Administrative Writing
ENGL 309 - Technical Writing and Presentation
ENGL 311 - Advanced Grammar
ENGL 312 - Editing and Style
ENGL 313 - Document Design in Professional Writing
ENGL 314 - Project Management in Professional Writing
ENGL 315 - Professional Writing Internship
ENGL 316 - Tools for Technical Writers

No course will count toward the major or emphasis if the grade is below C-. English 131 (or equivalent transfer credit or a bachelor's degree in hand) is a prerequisite for Professional Writing Emphasis courses. Upon approval from the English Department, 3 credits can be applied towards the Emphasis from among the following courses: CS115, CS 316, CS 330, VA 210, and INFS 380.