Below is a list of the classes students can expect to take at Centenary University as Professional Writing majors/minors. The projects mentioned are examples of things done in the past, but they can be subject to change.
Required courses (2):
WRI 2100: Introduction to Professional Writing (4 credit)
This is the first class students are required to take for the Professional Writing major/minor. Student will learn the overall components of Professional Writing such as business writing and how to properly use visuals for formal documents.
Documents may include legal memorandas, e-mails, brochures, slide presentations, white papers, and proposed projects.
Course Project Example:
- Mind-mapping in the archives: With this project, students are taken down to the archives to look at old scrapbooks from past students. In order to make these scrapbooks concise and easy to understand to an audience, students will have to create a visual aid such as a Prezi, Mindmeister, or website.
Project Example:
Princess Berry and Grace Tyler chose Regina Baker’s scrapbook and put it’s contents into a prezi.
Link: https://prezi.com/ywikfarwmwla/regina-bakers-scrapbook/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
WRI 4180-OL: Internship Or Capstone Project (4 credit)
Students are also required to take this class for the Professional Writing major/minor. Students are required to find an internship or find a project related to writing. The class is meant to give students an opportunity to gain new skills and learn about writing in the workplace.
List of Electives— (2) are required:
WRI 3160: Writing in the Digital World (4 credit)
This class teaches students the different types of digital and analog writing. They can also expect to learn about audience, reviews, blogs and multi modality.
Course Project Example:
- Mashup/Text Remix: For this assignment, students are required to take two different modes such as a text, a video, or a picture and combine them in a creative way. The purpose of the assignment is to have students think about target audience and multi modality.
Project Example:
This mashup was created by Kristen Knight and it combines the movie Jaws with the children’s song, baby shark.
Link: https://youtu.be/hEkaXg3G_ns
Example: This mashup was created by Princess Berry and it presents Pennywise from Stephen King’s IT as a friendly clown looking to host children’ s birthday parties.
Link: https://berryp1.wixsite.com/pennywise-the-clown
WRI 3140 Writing for Civic Engagement (4 credit)
Students will start with their own passion for a particular topic or issue, and use this passion to inform their writing. Understanding of ethos will be explored considerably as students produce documents such as op-ed pieces, policy briefs, educational documents or brochures, websites, or grants.
In this class, students will write opinion pieces, policy briefs, educational documents or brochures, websites, or grants.
WRI 3180 Rhetorical Theory: The Rhetorical Tradition (4 credit)
This course will explore a variety of rhetorical texts and theories, beginning with the Greek and Roman and ending with modern composition theories. Emphasis will be placed on key terms and concepts, with attention to implications for contemporary roles of rhetoric and writing in modern society.
COM 3013 Non‐Fiction Freelance Writing and Editing (4 credit)
This course introduces students to the possibilities of marketing their nonfiction writing and to the editorial needs of publications. Topics of discussion include editorial requirements for writing for magazines, trade and professional journals, book publishers, and online outlets. While helping students hone their writing skills, the course covers approach techniques for marketing their article ideas and issues of publication law and ethics.
This class will teach students how to be successful freelance writers. In addition to writing and learning how to publish editorials, students will also be taught about query letters, book publishing, and journals.
COM 3018 Writing for Public Relations (4 credit)
Students will learn about writing pieces for public relations such as news releases, press statements, product articles, and newsletters. They will be given a chance to create their own public relations writing project.
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