Professional and Technical Writing Option

General Requirements

Admission to the program is contingent upon good academic standing and acceptance by the department.

The department will not accept D transfer credit in the major. Achievement of a C or better in all major courses at Chicago State University.

Completion of 120 semester hours of work: 45 hours in general education (refer to liberal arts curriculum outline) consisting of 6 hours in Composition, 18 hours in the social sciences, 3 hours in a critical thinking course, 12 hours in natural sciences, and 6 hours in mathematics to include CPTR 106; 51 hours in English; 3 hours in Speech (SPCH 203); 6 hours of the same foreign language, and 15 hours in electives selected with the departmental advisor's approval. *Students must also pass the examination on the state and federal constitutions.

Before proceeding to any 300-level English course, an English major in any of the options must have passed the English Qualifying Examination and completed English 210 and 228 or receive consent of the department.

*See specific requirements for Technical Writing concentration.

Specific Requirements:

GENERAL EDUCATION - 45 credit hours

COMPOSITION - 6 credit hours
ENG 127 and 128

NATURAL SCIENCES - 12 credit hours
6 hours in biological sciences; 6 hours in physical sciences; at least one course must be a laboratory course.

SOCIAL SCIENCES - 18 credit hours
HIST 130 or 131; POL 101; PSYC 141 and 204; 3 additional hours courses in social science in either History or Political Science, and 3 hours in any social
science course.

MATHEMATICS - 6 credit hours
3 hours in mathematics and CPTR 106

CRITICAL THINKING COURSE - 3 credit hours
 
Program Objectives

For successful completion of the professional and technical writing option, students must

• demonstrate competence in exact and effective communication of technical information in several subject areas and in addressing a range of different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• understand the importance of language factors such as semantics in communication.
• understand the role, importance, and methods of conducting research in technical communication.
• be adept in solving problems involved in research and communication.
• have a full working knowledge of the range of available media, including non-print media, for technical communication.
• be competent in operating word processing programs.
• be competent in the areas of desktop publishing, teleconferencing, computer telephones, E-mail, faxing, and computer security.
• know how to prepare and how to use computer graphic aids.
• understand the fundamentals of business communication.
• be acquainted with professional organizations and become a participating member of at least one
• be knowledgeable about publications which print technical articles and about the respective requirements of such publications
• be aware of job opportunities in technical writing locally, regionally, and nationally.

PTW REQUIRED SUPPORTIVE COURSES  (9 hours)

Foreign Language (sample-discipline)  6
SPCH 203 - Basic Speech Communication 3
 

CREATIVE WRITING CONCENTRATION:
 

REQUIRED CREATIVE WRITING COURSES - 18 credit hours
ENG  215, 226, 292, 293, 361, and 381

RECOMMENDED ELECTIVES (Select 3)
ENG 136, 154, 244, 254, 329, 332, 334, 349, 355, 356, 370, 381, 382, 383, 384, and 386

CREATIVE WRITING CONCENTRATION ELECTIVES
ENG 126, 145, 203, 267, 272, 273, 274, 280, 296, 315, 316, 343, 367, 368, 377, and 378
 

PRINT JOURNALISM CONCENTRATION:

REQUIRED PRINT JOURNALISM COURSES - 21 credit hours
ENG 154, 250, 254, 272, 273, 274, 280, 318, and 386

RECOMMENDED ELECTIVES (Select 2)
ENG 136, 203, 209, 212, 337, 339, and 361

PRINT JOURNALISM CONCENTRATION ELECTIVES
ENG 126, 145, 215, 344, 267, 292, 293, 296, 315, 316, 327, 329, 343, 355, 356, 367, 368, 377, 378, 381, 383, 395
 

TECHNICAL WRITING CONCENTRATION:

REQUIRED TECHNICAL WRITING COURSES - 15 credit hours
ENG 209, 212, 280, 318, and 386

RECOMMENDED ELECTIVES (Select 4)
ENG 136, 154, 203, 254, 272, 273, 274, 292, 293, 335, 337, and 339

TECHNICAL WRITING CONCENTRATION ELECTIVES
ENG 126, 145, 215, 244, 267, 292, 293, 296, 315, 316, 327, 329, 343, 355, 356, 367, 368, 377, 378, 381, 383, and 395
 

Required Courses - Number and Name

1.    154 WRITING FOR PUBLICATION (3)

2.    202 FEATURE WRITING (3)

3.    204 TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC WRITING AND EDITING (3)

4.    206 WRITING FOR ADVERTISING (3)

5.    210 WRITING & EDITING NONFICTION (3)
      Prerequisite: Successful completion of English Qualifying Examination and       English136, or consent of the department.

6.    215 PROSE FICTION (3)

7.    216 SURVEY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE I (3)

8.    219 SURVEY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE II (3)

9.    226 ELEMENTS OF LITERARY STUDY (3)
        Prerequisite: Successful completion of English Qualifying Examination

10.   228 CRITICAL STRATEGIES (3)
        Prerequisite: Successful completion of the English Qualifying Examination

11.   233 BRITISH LITERATURE I (3)
        or
        234 BRITISH LITERATURE II (3)

12.   254 NEWS WRITING (3)

13.   272 PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL JOURNALISM I
        273 PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL JOURNALISM II
        274 PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL JOURNALISM III

14.   279 BUSINESS WRITING (3)
        Prerequisite: Successful completion of English Qualifying Examination

15.   280 WRITING RESEARCH PAPERS (3)

16.   291 AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE (3)

17.   292 WRITING THE SHORT STORY (3)

18.   293 THE WRITING OF POETRY (3)

19.   318 WRITING FOR INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT (3)

20.   338 LANGUAGE (3)

21.   361 LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (3)

22.   379 WORKSHOP IN PUBLISHING (3)

23.   381 FICTION (3)
        Prerequisite: Junior or senior status or consent of the department
        or
        383 POETRY (3)
        Prerequisite: Junior or senior status or consent of the department

24.   387 ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS AND PROGRAM OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT (3) or 327
METHODS AND MATERIALS OF LITERARY RESEARCH (3)
       Prerequisite: Successful completion of the English Qualifying Examination and
      ENG 206, 210, 216, 226, 228, 233 or 234, 280 291; consent of the department

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