WRITING, LINGUISTICS and CREATIVE PROCESS

Brian Clements, Chair
ClementsB@wcsu.edu
Higgins Hall 219B, Midtown campus
(203) 887-8876

Krista Brooks, Department Secretary
Higgins Hall, 201, Midtown campus
(203) 837-9041
Fax (203) 837-3953

Faculty

Dr. Brian Clements, Chair	Dr. Kelli Custer	Prof Anthony D’Aries
Dr. Oscar De Los Santos	Dr. Edward Hagan	Dr. Michael Lewis
Prof John Roche

 

Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing program prepares students for careers in fields that include creative writing, technical writing, public relations, online and print journalism, as well as writing intensive professions such as the law, publishing, business and education. Students may choose one of three B.A. degree options: 1. Creative Writing, 2. Business and Technical Writing, 3. Journalism and Public Relations.

Mission

To prepare students for careers as professional writers, the Department of Writing, Linguistics and Creative Process focuses on the following objectives:

• Engaging students through innovative and cutting-edge writing programs in writing as a process of making form and meaning.
• Training professional writing students for work in business, publishing in all its facets, and teaching.
• Immersing students in the rich environment of professional writing activities and talent available in New York City and author-endowed Fairfield and Litchfield counties.
• Emphasizing writing as key to critical thinking.
• Highlighting the importance of linguistics and understanding the basic components of language and texts to professional writers.
• Assisting students with the development of style, voice and attunement to genre.
• Creating a community of writers at Western that fosters an awareness of the importance of writing across the curriculum.

General Education Writing Requirement

The Department of Writing, Linguistics and Creative Process participates broadly in the university’s general education program. The general education writing requirement consists of a sequence of three courses: a Tier 1 Writing course (WRT 101 Composition I), a subsequent Tier 2 Writing-Intensive course, and, finally, a Tier 3 Writing-Intensive course.

The department’s First-Year Coordinator supervises placement of entering students. Most students’ placement is based upon SAT or ACT test scores.

Students are placed into either Writing Tier 1 or Tier 2:

1. Tier 1: Student will take WRT 101: Composition I.
2. Tier 2: Student may take a writing-intensive course (W2). Any student placed directly into Tier 2 need not take WRT 101.

The following courses offered by the Writing department fulfill the general education Writing Intensive Tier 2 course requirement:

WRT 103W: Composition II: Modes of Research (W2, IL)
WRT 210W: Managerial Writing (W2)
WRT 273W: Writing Identity (W2)
WRT 245W: Technical Writing: Topic (W2)
WRT 371W: Writing the Weird: Conspiracy Theories (W2)

The following courses offered by the Writing department fulfill the Creative Process (CP) general education course requirement:

WRT 102: Introduction to the Creative Process (CP)
WRT133: Introduction to Writing Fiction (CP)
WRT134: Introduction to Writing Poetry (CP)
WRT 171W: Conversations with Predecessors (CP)
WRT 172W: Conversations with Contemporaries (C-)
THR/WRT 244W: Playwriting Workshop I (CP)
WRT 274W: Form and Inspiration (CP)

DEGREE PROGRAMS IN PROFESSIONAL WRITING

Bachelor of Arts

Major in Professional Writing with three options:
Business and Technical Writing
Creative Writing
Journalism and Public Relations

Minor Programs
Broadcast Journalism
Creative Writing
Journalism
Professional Writing

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN PROFESSIONAL WRITING (B.A.)

Students must complete all general education requirements, the required major courses listed below, the courses and credits listed in one of the options below, and additional free electives for a total of 120 semester hours.

Important note:  Students must have an overall G.P.A. of 2.5 or better in courses used to satisfy the major.

Learning Outcomes

Students who earn degrees in Professional Writing will:

1. Demonstrate strong critical thinking skills through writing for a variety of audiences, purposes, and situations.
2. Demonstrate an extensive ability to identify, assess, and perform—in both academic and professional settings—the types of writing for the chosen area of focus, such as creative writing, professional writing, and journalism.
3. Demonstrate a working ability to identify and perform types of writing outside of the specific area of focus.
4. Produce a senior portfolio that demonstrates an increasing level of professionalism in writing in terms of choice of topic, application of style, and ability to produce error-free texts

Courses Required for all B.A. in Professional Writing Majors:

All Professional Writing majors in the three B.A. options must take the following courses:

Core (9 S.H.)

WRT 171W: Conversations with Predecessors (CP)
WRT 172W: Conversations with Contemporaries (CP)
WRT 274W: Form and Inspiration (CP)

Writers’ Studio (9 S. H.)

WRT 190FY Writers’ Studio FY
WRT 290 Writers’ Studio II
WRT 390 Writers’ Studio III

Required Upper-Level Courses (9 S.H.)

LNG 320: Modern English Grammar
WRT 442W: Publication Design and Development
WRT 465W: Thesis Project (W3)

Writing Electives (6 S.H.):  

Any two (2) WRT courses at 200-level or above.

Additional Courses Required for Each Option in the Major   

In addition to the above courses required of all Professional Writing majors, students must take the following courses according to their Option of choice:

Business and Technical Writing Option (18 S.H)

WRT 210W: Managerial Writing (W2)
WRT 245W: Technical Writing (W2)
     Plus any four courses from among the following:
WRT 246: Science Writing
WRT 247: Multimedia Writing
WRT 255W: Advertising, Copywriting, and Promotion
WRT 270W: News Writing
JLA/WRT 321W: Legal Writing, Research, and Analysis
WRT 340W: Public Relations Writing, Concepts, and Practices
WRT 490: Practicum/Internship

Creative Writing Option (18 S.H.)

Any six courses from among the following:
WRT 242W: Poetry Workshop I (CP)
WRT 243W: Fiction Workshop I (CP)
WRT/THR 244W: Playwriting Workshop (CP)
WRT 247: Multimedia Writing
WRT 261: Forms of Poetry
WRT 262: Forms of Fiction
WRT 271W: Human Interest Writing
WRT 273W: Writing Identity
WRT 339W: Creative Essay
WRT 342W: Poetry Workshop II
WRT 343W: Fiction Workshop II
WRT/THR 346W: Playwriting Workshop II
WRT 345: Writing Prose Poetry & Flash Fiction

Note: In order to take WRT 342W Poetry Workshop II, the student must first take WRT 242W Poetry Workshop I and WRT 261 Forms of Poetry. In order to take WRT 343 Fiction Workshop II, the student must first take WRT 243W Fiction Workshop I and WRT 262 Forms of Fiction.

Journalism & Public Relations Option (18 S.H.)

WRT 270W News Writing
WRT 340W: Public Relations Writing, Concepts and Practice
WRT 373W Editing and Copyediting
And any three courses from among the following:
WRT247: Multimedia Writing
WRT 255W: Advertising, Copywriting, and Promotion
WRT 271W: Human Interest Writing
WRT 279: Sports Writing
JLA/WRT 321W: Legal Writing, Research, and Analysis (W2)
WRT 335W: Fact-Based Opinion Writing
WRT 338W: Writing about Specialized Subjects
WRT 375: Book, Performance, and Restaurant Reviewing
WRT 490: Practicum/Internship
COM 230: History of Mass Media
COM 243: Broadcast Writing

Required Portfolio: As a graduation requirement, all B.A. Professional Writing majors must submit a writing portfolio during the semester prior to graduation. In most cases, the student will complete the portfolio in the context of the Thesis course during the final semester.

Course Restrictions
For a complete list of prerequisites, corequisites and other restrictions for all courses, please consult the Course Description section of this catalog.

MINORS IN PROFESSIONAL WRITING

Minor in Broadcast Journalism (18 S.H.)

Required Communication courses:
COM 146: Basic Video Production
     Plus two classes selected from the following list:
COM 243: Broadcast Writing
COM 246: Intermediate Video Production
COM 247: Live News & Election Coverage
COM 252: Media Performance Techniques (prereq. THR 181)
COM 270: Fundamentals of Radio Broadcasting
COM 442: Communication Law

Required Writing courses:
WRT 270W: News Writing
     Plus two classes selected from the following list:
WRT 279: Sports Writing
WRT 333W: Editorial Environment
WRT 335: Fact-Based Opinion Writing
WRT 338W: Writing about Specialized Subjects
WRT 375W: Book, Performance, and Restaurant Reviewing
WRT 490: Internship/Practicum in Writing

Minor in Creative Writing (18 S.H.)

WRT 242W: Poetry Workshop I (CP) or WRT 243: Fiction Workshop I (CP)
     Plus any five courses from among the following:
WRT 255W: Advertising, Copywriting, and Promotion
WRT 271W:  Human Interest Writing
JLA/WRT 321W: Legal Writing, Research, and Analysis (W2)
WRT 335W: Fact-Based Opinion Writing
WRT 338W: Writing about Specialized Subjects
WRT 340w:  Public Relations Writing, Concepts and Practices
COM 230: History of Mass Media
COM 243: Broadcast Writing

Note: In order to take WRT 342W Poetry Workshop II, the student must first take WRT 242W Poetry Workshop I and WRT 261 Forms of Poetry. In order to take WRT 343 Fiction Workshop II, the student must first take WRT 243W Fiction Workshop I and WRT 262 Forms of Fiction.

Minor in Journalism (18 S.H.)

Required course:
WRT 270W:  News Writing
     Plus any five courses from among the following:
WRT 255W: Advertising, Copywriting, and Promotion
WRT 271W:  Human Interest Writing
JLA/WRT 321W: Legal Writing, Research, and Analysis (W2)
WRT 333W:  The Editorial Environment
WRT 335W: Fact-Based Opinion Writing
WRT 338W: Writing about Specialized Subjects
WRT 340w:  Public Relations Writing
COM 230: History of Mass Media
COM 243: Broadcast Writing

Minor in Professional Writing (18 S.H.)

Required courses:
WRT 210W Managerial Writing (W2)
WRT 245W Technical Writing (W2)
     Plus any two of the following Creative Writing courses:
WRT 242W: Poetry Workshop I (CP)
WRT 243W: Fiction Workshop I (CP)
WRT/THR 244W: Playwriting Workshop (CP)
WRT 342W: Poetry Workshop II
WRT 343W: Fiction Workshop II
     Plus any two of the following Journalism/Public Relations courses:
WRT 255W: Advertising, Copywriting, and Promotion
WRT 270W:  News Writing
JLA/WRT 321W: Legal Writing, Research, and Analysis (W2)
WRT 338W: Writing about Specialized Subjects
WRT 340W:  Public Relations Writing, Concepts and Practices

Note: In order to take WRT 342W Poetry Workshop II, the student must first take WRT 242W Poetry Workshop I and WRT 261 Forms of Poetry. In order to take WRT 343 Fiction Workshop II, the student must first take WRT 243W Fiction Workshop I and WRT 262 Forms of Fiction.