Professional Writing Minor
Internship Course
Writing 150. Internship in Writing
2-4 units
Prerequisites: Upper-division standing and consent of instructor. Course required for credit in the minor.
Fieldwork experience and weekly seminar.
Professional Editing
Writing 151A. Copyediting
4 units
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
Develop expertise in the principles of grammar, punctuation, and copyediting. Application of these principles to a wide range of professional documents. Create style guides and notes to the author—to provide advice to authors on issues of clarity and ambiguity—to supplement the copyedited work.
Writing 151B. Style and Usage
4 units
Prerequisites: Writing 151A; consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
Editing of professional work, including best-selling nonfiction and fiction, with an emphasis on issues of style and usage. Collaborative magazine project—imagined, written, and edited solely by group members. The course concludes with collaborative presentations and a final print or online portfolio of student work.
Journalism
Writing 152A. Advanced Beat Reporting
4 Units
Prerequisite: Must be admitted to the Professional Writing Minor for enrollment.
The first of two capstone courses in the Journalism track of the Professional Writing Minor. Students pitch, report, write and revise news and feature articles in a particular "beat" area, enhancing their proficiency in journalistic research and writing.
Writing 152B. Multiplatform Journalism
4 Units
Prerequisite: Writing 152A; upper division standing. Must be admitted to the Minor in Professional Writing for enrollment.
Second capstone course for the Journalism track in the Professional Writing Minor. Focus on creating a long form feature using narrative and multimedia elements (photos, videos, audio, data visualization) and a professional website featuring journalism writing samples suitable for professional audiences.
Civic Engagement
Writing 153A. Civic Engagement and Public Writing
4 units
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
Focus on defining civic engagement, its forms and genres. Students explore intersections between individual agency and civic issues with an emphasis on public writing. Assignments involve the study and practice of writing by civically engaged citizens.
Writing 153B. Writing for Civic Organizations
4 units
Prerequisites: Writing 153A; consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
Focus on the writing genres that advance the civic purpose of organizations. Students study and produce print and multi-media documents to meet the needs of civic organizations in management, marketing, public relations, and fundraising.
Multimedia Communication
Writing 155A. Document Design and Production
4 units
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
Information design in print media; focus on grammatical and rhetorical expertise. Projects include flyers, brochures, resumes, and other graphics, with a focus on understanding the intersections of writing and visual design. Project-based course culminating in print portfolio.
Writing 155B. Digital Portfolio
4 units
Prerequisites: Writing 155A; consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
Creation of digital work using software and coding. The major project is the design and production of a professional website, using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, WordPress, and other tools. Focus on developing effective design and communication skills within a digital environment.
Business Communication
Writing 157A. Business Communication for Client Projects
4 units
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
Development of written, visual, and oral skills for workplace organizations (business, government, or non-profit). Through a client-based project, students will develop collaborative writing and project management skills, along with professional genres such as status reports, promotional plans, and news releases.
Writing 157B. Strategic Business Communication
4 units
Prerequisites: Writing 157A; consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
Through guest speakers, readings, and case study discussions, students will explore business communication strategy in reputation management, corporate social responsibility, crisis communication, and external/internal communication. Students will prepare a variety of professional genres for their final print portfolio and website.
Science Communication
Writing 159A. Scientific Literacy
4 units
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
First capstone course for the Science Communication track of the Professional Writing minor. Focus on developing scientific literacy, including abilities to historically situate, interpret, critique, and compose professional STEM genres. Project-based course culminating in document portfolio.
Writing 159B. Science Communication for the Public
4 units
Prerequisites: Writing 159A; consent of instructor; enrollment in the Professional Writing Minor.
Second capstone course for the Science Communication track of the Professional Writing minor. Focus on critiquing and composing scientific content for nonspecialist and public audiences, using various genres, media, modes, and technologies. Project-based course culminating in document portfolio.
Alternative to Internship
Writing 161. Digital Storytelling
4 Units
Prerequisite: Must be admitted to the Professional Writing Minor for enrollment.
Analysis and production of multimedia, interactive, digital narratives in a range of genres and using a range of technologies.
Writing 162. Advanced Public Speaking
4 Units
Prerequisite: Must be admitted to the Professional Writing Minor for enrollment.
Advanced analysis and practice of writing and delivering oral presentations, including scripts and visual aids, with an emphasis on rhetoric and delivery techniques. Assignments include a career pitch, strategic industry analysis, and TED-style expert lecture for specific audiences and purposes.