Professional Writing, Literacies, and Rhetoric Minor

Department of English, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

25 Credits

Introduction

The Professional Writing, Literacies, and Rhetoric Minor is a 25-credit minor that includes courses that focus on deepening and extending your thinking and rhetorical flexibility. That is, these courses are designed to help students to develop the capacity to anticipate and appropriately respond to the particular needs of readers, and to build and examine texts, both print and digital, for widely differing contexts.

Courses taken for credit in minor programs may not be counted toward English majors.

Why Consider a Professional Writing, Literacies, and Rhetoric Minor?

Writing, in all its diverse forms, is the backbone of a university education and is also critical for most professions. Good written communication includes the ability to think deeply, reflectively, and rhetorically and develops a capacity to both foster and adapt to change. The versatility and flexibility that the Professional Writing, Literacies, and Rhetoric Minor offers will benefit your work in college and beyond because writing (or composing) effectively in different environments matters regardless of the life you’re chasing after. Simply put, good writing, in whatever form it takes, can make lots happen - for you and for others.

Contact Information

Donna Qualley, Professional Writing, Literacies, and Rhetoric Minor Advisor Humanities 319 360-650-3256 Donna.Qualley@wwu.edu

Sample Careers

While some careers are focused specifically on writing expertise (professional writing, technical writing, grant writing, literary writing, feature writing, reviewing, publishing, copy-editing, etc.), employers in almost every profession desire people with rhetorical awareness and a range of writing proficiencies. For example, a Professional Writing, Literacies, and Rhetoric Minor will benefit project managers, user experience experts, game designers, medical professionals, even engineers. The passions that you take up will almost surely involve writing.

Major/Career Resources

www.wwu.edu/careers/students_choosingamajor.shtml

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

Meet in person with the Professional Writing, Literacies, and Rhetoric Minor advisor, Donna Qualley, to declare this minor.

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.