Writing Arts Minors
CREATIVE WRITING MINOR
This 18-hour minor allows students to study techniques and strategies used in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, drama, children’s writing, and other genres. Students will learn about narrative, structure, point of view, characterization, style, figurative language, and other strategies that have broad application not only to creative writing, but also academic and professional writing. Students will be encouraged to explore the relationship between a variety of genres and modes of communication. Students will become more aware of theories and strategies of creativity, writing, and reception through the close reading of exemplary texts.
The minor in Creative Writing offers an option for students majoring in Writing Arts who are concentrating in Creative Writing: if these students complete 18 credits in the minor (6 more credits beyond the Concentration, with no double-counted credits between the major and the minor), they will receive the minor, but not the Concentration.
The Minor is also an option for non-Writing Arts majors who are pursuing the CUGS in Creative Writing: those students acquiring 18 credits in the minor (rather than the 12 for the CUGS), will receive the minor and not the CUGS.
The minor in Creative Writing offers an option for students majoring in Writing Arts who are concentrating in Creative Writing: if these students complete 18 credits in the minor (6 more credits beyond the Concentration, with no double-counted credits between the major and the minor), they will receive the minor, but not the Concentration.
The Minor is also an option for non-Writing Arts majors who are pursuing the CUGS in Creative Writing: those students acquiring 18 credits in the minor (rather than the 12 for the CUGS), will receive the minor and not the CUGS.
PUBLISHING AND WRITING FOR THE PUBLIC
The Publishing and Writing for the Public Minor offers students an opportunity to study and create across publics, genres,
and issues, and publish across multiple industries, communities, and media. Students will explore working in the publishing
industry to gain a comprehensive understanding of and practice with the author as client, the text as a dynamic document, and
the written work as product. Students as writers will explore the complex relationship between writing, rhetoric, and the
public sphere, so as to gain agency as entrepreneurial and socially engaged writers who create, reach, and impact audiences
meaningfully. The primary bank of courses focuses on publishing practices, and the secondary bank emphasizes rhetorical
approaches for engaging and creating audiences. This Minor is unique in that it emphasizes the relationship between writers
and publics and helps them to orient themselves toward a profession in publishing. Students will be able to indicate this
formal program of study on their resumes and transcripts, thereby indicating to employers that a student has special
competencies within this area.
and issues, and publish across multiple industries, communities, and media. Students will explore working in the publishing
industry to gain a comprehensive understanding of and practice with the author as client, the text as a dynamic document, and
the written work as product. Students as writers will explore the complex relationship between writing, rhetoric, and the
public sphere, so as to gain agency as entrepreneurial and socially engaged writers who create, reach, and impact audiences
meaningfully. The primary bank of courses focuses on publishing practices, and the secondary bank emphasizes rhetorical
approaches for engaging and creating audiences. This Minor is unique in that it emphasizes the relationship between writers
and publics and helps them to orient themselves toward a profession in publishing. Students will be able to indicate this
formal program of study on their resumes and transcripts, thereby indicating to employers that a student has special
competencies within this area.
TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL WRITING MINOR
This 18-hour minor allows students to study techniques and strategies used in genres of technical and professional writing, including within technical, medical, scientific, nonprofit, and other professional contexts. Students will learn to write in various professional and technical genres, such as reports, proposals, instructions, and educational materials, and will learn to compose for a variety of audiences. A particular focus of the minor will be in learning to communicate complex information to lay audiences. Towards this end, students will gain skills in audience analysis, document design, style and editing, and research. Students will become more aware of theories and strategies of writing through close rhetorical analysis of professional and technical exemplary texts.
The minor in Technical and Professional Writing offers an option for students majoring in Writing Arts who are concentrating in Creative Writing: if these students complete 18 credits in the minor (6 more credits beyond the Concentration, with no double counted credits between the major and the minor), they will receive the minor, but not the Concentration.
The Minor is also an option for non-Writing Arts majors who are pursuing the CUGS in Creative Writing: those students acquiring 18 credits in the minor (rather than the 12 for the CUGS), will receive the minor and not the CUGS
The minor in Technical and Professional Writing offers an option for students majoring in Writing Arts who are concentrating in Creative Writing: if these students complete 18 credits in the minor (6 more credits beyond the Concentration, with no double counted credits between the major and the minor), they will receive the minor, but not the Concentration.
The Minor is also an option for non-Writing Arts majors who are pursuing the CUGS in Creative Writing: those students acquiring 18 credits in the minor (rather than the 12 for the CUGS), will receive the minor and not the CUGS
NEW MEDIA MINOR
The Minor in New Media allows students with an interest in new media to receive advanced and specialized education for critical analysis, skill development and application. The concentration defines new media as evolving media that focuses on interactive and digital technology, often disseminated through non-traditional, social networks.
Advances in media technology have revolutionized the role of practitioners and theorists of communication. News media have gravitated to online, interactive formats; public relations is often transacted among emerging social media; communication scholars examine online interaction as a driving force in communication behaviors, processes and messages; radio, television and film has migrated to platforms where editing is performed on computers; and writers of all genres are finding their markets are increasingly interactive. While interactivity is woven into the structure of all majors in the Ric Edelman College of Communication, students benefit from a concentration specifically designed for those whose goals include a focus on new, evolving media, or who wish to bring additional new media expertise to their careers in communication.
The Minor is open to all students who are enrolled in a major housed within the Ric Edelman College of Communication. Students whose majors are housed outside of the Ric Edelman College of Communication can be eligible to enroll in the program with the permission of the New Media Minor Coordinator. Most courses that are part of the program are housed in the Ric Edelman College of Communication, although the concentration incorporates relevant coursework from other departments.
Advances in media technology have revolutionized the role of practitioners and theorists of communication. News media have gravitated to online, interactive formats; public relations is often transacted among emerging social media; communication scholars examine online interaction as a driving force in communication behaviors, processes and messages; radio, television and film has migrated to platforms where editing is performed on computers; and writers of all genres are finding their markets are increasingly interactive. While interactivity is woven into the structure of all majors in the Ric Edelman College of Communication, students benefit from a concentration specifically designed for those whose goals include a focus on new, evolving media, or who wish to bring additional new media expertise to their careers in communication.
The Minor is open to all students who are enrolled in a major housed within the Ric Edelman College of Communication. Students whose majors are housed outside of the Ric Edelman College of Communication can be eligible to enroll in the program with the permission of the New Media Minor Coordinator. Most courses that are part of the program are housed in the Ric Edelman College of Communication, although the concentration incorporates relevant coursework from other departments.
WRITING ARTS MINOR
No matter what field one is preparing for, good writing is likely to be integral to success. The minor in Writing Arts provides interested students the opportunity to improve their own writing and to better understand and evaluate the writing of others. Doing so enhances one's ability to communicate in a variety of subjects. The 22-hour minor in Writing Arts provides a streamlined version of the major in Writing Arts. Students complete many of the same required courses and other courses that parallel our related electives offerings.
Photo Credit: Cecilia Combs