Professional and Technical Writing M.A./M.S.
The Department of English offers graduate work leading to the Master of Arts in Writing and the Master of Science in Professional and Technical Writing. The 48-credit M.A./M.S. in Professional and Technical Writing is designed for students who are prepared to undertake advanced work in the field. The program is designed for those who wish to work in the professional writing industry.
The program has rolling admissions which follow the University's admission deadlines as follows: April 1st for Fall admission; Sept. 1st for Winter; and Nov. 1st for Spring.
Please note that Graduate Assistantship applications can only be accepted from fall term applicants, who must meet the April 1 deadline.
Admission Requirements
Admission to graduate study is granted on the basis of evidence of suitable preparation and the probability of success in the intended field of study; strong writing skills are considered central. Applicants do not need to have a previous degree in English or Writing, but must hold a B.A. or B.S. degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Applicants must also submit the following:
- A letter of introduction.
- A complete set of transcripts. A transcript from each post‐secondary institution you have attended is required. Unofficial transcripts or photocopies are acceptable. You will be asked to upload a transcript for each institution in one of the following supported file types: PDF, JPG, PNG, GIF, or TIF.
- A minimum of three letters of recommendation.
- A writing sample of fifteen to thirty pages from customary genres, including (but not limited to) descriptions, specifications, computer documentation, proposals, memoranda, formal reports, newsletters, on‐line documentation, or web pages. Writing samples should represent your best work and demonstrate mastery of basic craft and promise of success in technical/professional writing. Your writing sample can be comprised of one or multiple bodies of work equal to the page requirements listed above.
You will be asked to upload your writing samples and optional material such as a C.V. or resume in one of the following supported file types: PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, or TXT.
Note: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required for admission.
Requirements
The department requires a minimum of 28 graduate credits in writing. The remainder of the student's program may, with the approval of the adviser, include coursework in fields related to writing. In every case, the student's program must be approved by the adviser.
Students will complete 16 core credits (4 courses), 20 technical writing elective credits (5 courses), and 12 credits (3 courses) of open electives that may involve coursework in another discipline.
Students will be required to submit a final project in addition to completing their course work. This project will be either a portfolio of their work demonstrating competence at a professional level or a research-based thesis.
Note: the M.S. option does not require students to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. In cases where a student does opt to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English, the M.A. in Professional and Technical Writing will be awarded.
Core Courses (16 Credits)
4 courses form the foundation of the curriculum. These 4 courses reflect the curriculum’s balanced attention to critical academic inquiry and professionalization for work in industry, government or the non-profit sector. Core courses do not have to be taken sequentially, although students starting in the fall quarter are advised to enroll in
WR 525 their first term.
| Wr 525 | Advanced Technical Writing | 4 |
| Wr 531 | Advanced Topics in Technical Writing Technologies | 4 |
| Wr 532 | Frameworks for Technical Writing | 4 |
| Wr 533 | Research Methods for Technical Writers | 4 |
Technical Writing Electives (20 Credits)
| Wr 510 | Selected Topics in Writing | 0-6 |
| Wr 524 | Grant Writing for Professional Writers | 4 |
| Wr 526 | Document Design | 4 |
| Wr 527 | Technical Editing | 4 |
| Wr 529 | Writing Computer Documentation | 4 |
| Wr 531 | Advanced Topics in Technical Writing Technologies | 4 |
| Wr 560 | Introduction to Book Publishing | 4 |
| Wr 572 | Copyediting | 4 |
| Wr 562 | Book Design Software | 4 |
| Wr 566 | Digital Skills | 4 |
| Wr 565 | Intellectual Property and Copyright | 4 |
| Eng 513 | Teaching and Tutoring Writing | 4 |
| Eng 514 | Contemporary Composition Theories | 4 |
| Eng 515 | Research Methods in Rhetoric and Composition | 4 |
| Eng 590 | Advanced Topics in Rhetoric and Composition Studies | 4 |
| Eng 516 | History of Rhetoric | 4 |
| Eng 525 | Practical Grammar | 4 |
Open Electives (12 Credits)
Students may take any additional 500-level courses in Wr or Eng.
Students may also use open elective credits to tailor their degree to their interests using the by-arrangement options below:
Wr 503 Thesis: 6-9 credits for students pursuing the thesis option. Minimum of 6 credits required for thesis option students.
Students are limited to a combination of 8 credits of Wr 501, Wr 502, Wr 505 and Wr 509, and a combination of 8 credits of Wr 504 and Wr 511.
Student may also do relevant graduate coursework outside of the department for open elective credit with approval from the Director of Professional and Technical Writing. Relevant courses are commonly offered in Communications, Applied Linguistics and The School of Business, although other units may also offer relevant courses.
Students with a GTA teaching appointment are required to take the following courses:
| Eng 518 | College Composition Teaching | 1 |
| Eng 519 | Advanced College Composition Teaching | 1 |
| Wr 509 | Teaching Technical Writing | 1 |
Total Credit Hours: 48