Here are some answers to frequently asked questions that may be helpful to you.
How do I change my major or minor to Professional Writing?
For more information about changing your major or minor, please reach out to your academic advisor, PW co-directors Dr. Emily Legg & Dr. Heidi McKee, or contact the English Department directly.
Dr. Emily Legg, Co-Director of Professional Writing
leggem@MiamiOH.edu
Department of English
513-529-5221
English@MiamiOH.edu
Dr. Heidi McKee, Co-Director of Professional Writing
mckeeha@MiamiOH.edu
Department of English
513-529-5221
English@MiamiOH.edu
What are the special admission requirements, if any?
There are no additional admission requirements for this program. The curriculum is flexible, and it is possible to start the major as late as junior year.
What courses do I take in the PW major?
For details on the PW curriculum, please see the the current Miami Bulletin 2023-2024 To see what courses are being offered each semester, you can visit Miami’s course list page.
As a Professional Writing major, you have a wide range of course choices in rhetoric, editing/publishing, digital media, technical communication, public writing, etc. In addition to Professional Writing courses, you can also take courses from other programs, including Creative Writing, Interactive Media Studies, Journalism, Linguistics, Literature, Media and Culture, and Strategic Communication.
What is the difference between the different tracks?
Please see the Miami Bulletin 2023-2024 on the English Department’s PW site.
Can I “double-dip” track electives within the major?
Within the PW major, you may not “double-dip” a course as both a track-elective and an open-elective. For example, if you take ENG 222: Rhetoric of Information and Data Visualization, the course can either be used as a track elective or as an open elective but it cannot be used for both at once.
How do I declare a track, and does that appear in my DAR?
You work with your PW advisor to select a track. It is easy too to change your track. Your DAR (Degree Audit Requirement) may not immediately reflect your track choice; however, don’t worry. Your advisor and the Chief Departmental Advisor for the English Department will make sure that your DAR aligns with your track selection.
Does my track selection appear on my transcript or my diploma?
No, your track selection does not appear on either your transcript or your diploma. Most PW majors choose, however, to list their track selection on their resumes to show their area of specialization.
I have selected a “self-designed” track. Do I just put “self-designed” on my resume?
You could, but that wouldn’t be very descriptive for potential employers or graduate school admission committees. Your advisor will work with you to ensure that your self-designed track has a specific focus and a self-named title. For example, a PW major who minored in the College of Creative Arts, who held an internship writing for a museum, and who took classes focused on public writing—such as Grant Writing—called her self-designed track “Writing for the Arts.”
Are there any prizes or scholarships given specifically to PW majors?
Each year the Department of English has a number of prizes and scholarships to award to majors. The scholarships are, with one exception, open to majors in English-Literature, English-Creative Writing, Professional Writing, and Linguistics.
To find out which prizes and scholarships are applicable to Professional Writing majors, and for more information about application deadlines and requirements, please visit the English Department website.
The Mary Jo Priest Award is one prize specifically for Professional Writing majors.
What kind of professional careers do PW majors typically pursue?
Please see the Career and Placement page on this site.
Will I have opportunities in courses to work with client-based and community-based projects?
Yes! Many courses in the Professional Writing major involve partnering with community organizations to research and write print and digital communications. Please see Community Projects. For example, recently PW majors (and Rhetoric and Writing minors) created a web site for Reily Township, photos and an article available here:
Reily Township launches student-created website developed through Miami community collaboration
Professional Writing has two capstones: ENG 415 Capstone in Professional Writing and ENG 495R Capstone in Rhetoric and Writing? May I take both if I wish? How do I choose which one to take if I take just one?
Yes, you may enroll in both ENG 415 and ENG 495R, but it is only required that you complete one. (If you do enroll in both, one may count as an open elective.)
Both courses help prepare you to be a strong writer and communicator. Each semester the specific projects and foci in 415 and 495 change, but in general here are the differences in the classes.
ENG 415 focuses on content and content strategy development. In ENG 415 students always complete a client-/community-project, creating content and content strategy for a local non-profit organization, such as writing a brochure, creating videos and posts for social media, or designing and writing for a website. ENG 495R focuses on rhetorical theory and argument. In 495R students analyze and write for public discourse or political rhetoric or the rhetorics of social movements, for example. Sometimes 495R has a client-/community-partner, but more often the writing is academic-focused or public-focused writing.
Each semester course descriptions are sent out on the PW email listserv about the specific foci of each section, so be sure to discuss with your advisor which capstone course aligns best with your academic and professional goals.
Whom may I contact for more information?
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Emily Legg, Co-Director of Professional Writing
leggem@MiamiOH.edu
Dr. Heidi McKee, Co-Director of Professional Writing
mckeeha@MiamiOH.edu