English (BA) - Professional Writing Concentration

Program Overview

The Department of English provides graduates with the essential foundations of critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. English majors often engage in undergraduate research projects, presenting conference papers at local, regional, and national conferences, and publishing work in peer-reviewed journals. Our award-winning student literary journal, Arden, and the D. L. Jordan Endowment for Creative Writing provide students opportunities to gain editing and publishing experience as undergraduates. English-Professional Writing majors are also encouraged to participate in experiential learning activities, including internships and study abroad.

The BA in English-Professional Writing track prepares students for writing careers in business or industry. The track offers courses in technical writing, news writing, business writing, and writing for digital media. Internships with Columbus-area organizations provide students with valuable hands-on experience. Professional writing students develop strong skills in electronic research, writing, layout, web design, and editing.

Career Opportunities

In addition to pursuing traditional careers in the discipline—like teaching, library science, journalism, and creative writing—our graduates succeed in business, law, and medicine. Our majors also pursue graduate degrees in English, creative writing, rhetoric, and technical communication.

Program of Study

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core IMPACTS Area : Institutional Priorities ¹		4-5
Choose one of the following communication options		3
COMM 1110	Public Speaking
Foreign Language Course Options
AMSL, ARAB, CHIN, FREN, GERM, GREK, ITAL, JAPN, KREN, LATIN, PORT, SPAN - 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002; SWAH - 1001, 1002.
Take one of the following courses		1-2
ITDS 1779	Scholarship Across the Disciplines
LEAD 1705	Introduction to Servant Leadership
PERS 1506	Perspectives 1-hour
PERS 1507	Perspectives 2-hour
Core IMPACTS Area : Mathematics & Quantitative Skills ¹		3-7
DATA 1501	Introduction to Data Science	3
MATH 1001	Quantitative Skills and Reasoning	3
MATH 1101	Introduction to Mathematical Modeling	3
MATH 1111	College Algebra	3
MATH 1113	Pre-Calculus	4
MATH 1125	Applied Calculus	3
MATH 1131	Calculus with Analytic Geometry I	4
MATH 1132	Calculus with Analytic Geometry II	4
MATH 1165	Computer-Assisted Problem Solving	3
MATH 1401	Introduction to Statistics	3
MATH 1501	Calculus I	4
MATH 2125	Introduction to Discrete Mathematics	3
STAT 1401	Elementary Statistics	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Political Science and U.S. History		6
HIST 2111	U. S. History to 1865	3
or HIST 2112	U. S. History since 1865
POLS 1101	American Government	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Arts, Humanities, and Ethics		6
Select one Fine Arts course		3
ARTH 1100	Art Appreciation
ARTH 2125	Introduction to the History of Art I– Prehistoric through Gothic
ARTH 2126	Introduction to the History of Art II– Renaissance through Modern
MUSC 1100	Music Appreciation
THEA 1100	Theatre Appreciation
ITDS 1145	Comparative Arts ²
Select one Humanities course		3
ENGL 2111	World Literature I
ENGL 2112	World Literature II
ITDS 1155	The Western Intellectual Tradition
ITDS 1774	Introduction to Digital Humanities
PHIL 2010	Introduction to Philosophy
ITDS 1145	Comparative Arts ²
Core IMPACTS Area : Communicating in Writing		6
ENGL 1101	English Composition I	3
ENGL 1102	English Composition II	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences ^1,3		7-11
ANTH 1145	Human Origins	3
ASTR 1105	Descriptive Astronomy: The Solar System	3
ASTR 1106	Descriptive Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies	3
ASTR 1305	Descriptive Astronomy Lab	1
ATSC 1112	Understanding the Weather	3
ATSC 1112L	Understanding the Weather Lab	1
BIOL 1125	Contemporary Issues in Biology Non-Lab	3
BIOL 1215K	Introductory Biology	4
BIOL 1225K	Contemporary Issues in Biology with Lab	4
CHEM 1151 & 1151L	Survey of Chemistry I and Survey of Chemistry I Lab	4
CHEM 1152 & 1152L	Survey of Chemistry II and Survey of Chemistry II Lab	4
CHEM 1211 & 1211L	Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry I Lab	4
CHEM 1212 & 1212L	Principles of Chemistry II and Principles of Chemistry II Lab	4
CPSC 1105	Introduction to Computing Principles and Technology	3
CPSC 1301K	Computer Science I	4
ENVS 1105	Environmental Studies	3
ENVS 1105L	Environmental Studies Laboratory	1
ENVS 1205K	Sustainability and the Environment	4
GEOG 2215	Introduction to the Geographic Information Systems	3
GEOL 1110	Natural Disasters: Our Hazardous Environment	3
GEOL 1121	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology	3
GEOL 1121L	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology Lab	1
GEOL 1122	Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology	3
GEOL 1322	Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology Lab	1
GEOL 2225	The Fossil Record	4
PHYS 1111 & PHYS 1311	Introductory Physics I and Introductory Physics I Lab	4
PHYS 1112 & PHYS 1312	Introductory Physics II and Introductory Physics II Lab	4
PHYS 1125	Physics of Color and Sound	3
PHYS 1325	Physics of Color and Sound Lab	1
PHYS 2211 & PHYS 2311	Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics I Lab	4
PHYS 2212 & PHYS 2312	Principles of Physics II and Principles of Physics II Lab	4
Core IMPACTS Area : Social Sciences		6
Select one Behavioral Science course
ECON 2105	Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 2106	Principles of Microeconomics
PHIL 2030	Moral Philosophy
PSYC 1101	Introduction to General Psychology
SOCI 1101	Introduction to Sociology
Select one World Cultures course		3
ANTH 1107	Discovering Archaeology
ANTH 1105	Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 2105	Ancient World Civilizations
ANTH 2136	Language and Culture
ENGL 2136	Language and Culture
GEOG 1101	World Regional Geography
HIST 1111	World History to 1500
HIST 1112	World History since 1500
ITDS 1156	Understanding Non-Western Cultures
Core IMPACTS Total Hours		42
Health and Wellness		3
KINS 1106	Lifetime Wellness	2
or PHED 1205	Concepts of Fitness
Select one of the following		1
Any PEDS course
MUSC 1206	Body Mapping (Music Majors Only)

¹: The hours applied in the Institutional Priorities; Mathematics & Quantitative Skills; and Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences areas must add to 18 credit hours.
²: ITDS 1145 Comparative Arts, though listed under both Fine Arts and Humanities, may be taken only once.
³: At least 4 of the credit hours in this area must be in a lab science course.

Major Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Requirements
Complete the core requirements for this program		45
Core Total		45
Field of Study Requirements
Minimum grade of C is required in each ENGL course
ENGL 2155	Introduction to Literary Studies: Critical Methods	3
ENGL 2156	Introduction to Literary Studies II: Poetics	3
ENGL 2157	Writing for the English Major	3
Foreign Language 1002		3
Foreign Language 2001		3
Select one of the following:		3
ENGL 2111	World Literature I
ENGL 2112	World Literature II
ENGL 2135	Multicultural Literature
Field of Study Requirements Total		18
Required for the Major
Minimum grade of C is required
Select the following 5 times:		0
ENGL 1000	English Convocation
ENGL 3171	Print and Web Design	3
ENGL 3172	Social Media for the Professional	3
ENGL 3167	Journalism	3
ENGL 3168	Professional Editing	3
ENGL 4000	Baccalaureate Survey	0
ENGL 4698	Internship	3
ENGL 5000U	Professional Writing Portfolio	0
ENGL 5149U	Grant Writing	3
ENGL 5155U	Theories of Rhetoric	3
ENGL 5195U	Technical and Scientific Writing	3
Required for the Major Total		24
Major Electives
Minimum grade of C is required
Select two Literature courses at 3000 level or higher		6
Select 3-4 of the following:		9-12
ENGL 3128	Opinion Writing
ENGL 3156	Advertising Writing
ENGL 3158	Writing in the Workplace
ENGL 4177	Advanced Topics in Professional Writing
ENGL 5167U	English Grammar
Select 0-1 of the following:		0-3
ENGL 3105	Introduction to Fiction Writing
ENGL 3106	Introduction to Poetry Writing
ENGL 3107	Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing
ENGL 3108	Introduction to Playwriting
ENGL 3109	Introduction to Screenwriting
Major Electives Total		18
General Electives
Professional Writing students are strongly encouraged to declare an academic minor		18
General Electives Total		18
Total Credit Hours		123

Program Map

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall		Credit Hours
ENGL 1101	English Composition I (minimum grade of C)	3
STAT 1401	Elementary Statistics (preferred; or MATH 1001 Quantitative Skills and Reasoning or higher math course)	3
AREA D	Lab Science	4
POLS 1101	American Government	3
Area B2	ITDS 1779 (2), LEAD 1705 (2), PERS 1506 (1; may be repeated with different topic), PERS 1507 (2)	2
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
ENGL 1102	English Composition II (minimum grade of C)	3
DATA 1501	Introduction to Data Science (preferred; or other Area D math, science, tech course)	3
AREA D	Non-Lab Science (or another lab science)	3
ENGL 2136	Language and Culture (or other appropriate Area E course)	3
HIST 2111 or HIST 2112	U. S. History to 1865 or U. S. History since 1865	3
	Credit Hours	15
Second Year
Fall
Area C	Humanities. Select one of the following:	3
ENGL 2111	World Literature I
ENGL 2112	World Literature II
or other Area C Humanities course
Area B1	COMM 1110 Public Speaking or foreign language 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002	3
PSYC 1101	Introduction to General Psychology (or other Behavioral Science) (minimum grade of C)	3
Area C	Fine Arts. Select one of the following:	3
ARTH 1100	Art Appreciation
ITDS 1145	Comparative Arts
MUSC 1100	Music Appreciation
THEA 1100	Theatre Appreciation
PEDS Physical Education		1
KINS 1106 or PHED 1205	Lifetime Wellness or Concepts of Fitness	2
ENGL 1000	English Convocation	0
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
ENGL 2157	Writing for the English Major (minimum grade of C; Area F)	3
Area F	Select one of the following (minimum grade of C):	3
ENGL 2155	Introduction to Literary Studies: Critical Methods
ENGL 2156	Introduction to Literary Studies II: Poetics
ENGL 3172	Social Media for the Professional (minimum grade of C; Area G)	3
Area F	Select one of the following (minimum grade of C):	3
ENGL 2111	World Literature I
ENGL 2112	World Literature II
ENGL 2135	Multicultural Literature
AREA F	Foreign Language 1002	3
ENGL 1000	English Convocation	0
	Credit Hours	15
Third Year
Fall
Area F	Select one of the following (minimum grade of C):	3
ENGL 2155	Introduction to Literary Studies: Critical Methods
ENGL 2156	Introduction to Literary Studies II: Poetics
ENGL 3171	Print and Web Design (minimum grade of C; Area G)	3
AREA H	ENGL Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
ENGL 3168	Professional Editing (minimum grade of C; Area G)	3
AREA F	Foreign Language 2001	3
ENGL 1000	English Convocation	0
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
ENGL 3167	Journalism (minimum grade of C; Area G)	3
AREA H	ENGL Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
ENGL 5195U	Technical and Scientific Writing (minimum grade of C; Area G)	3
AREA H	ENGL 3000-Level Literature (minimum grade of C)	3
Area I	General Elective	3
Area I	General Elective	3
ENGL 1000	English Convocation	0
	Credit Hours	18
Fourth Year
Fall
ENGL 5149U	Grant Writing (minimum grade of C; Area G)	3
AREA H	ENGL Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H	ENGL 3000-Level Literature (minimum grade of C)	3
ENGL 5155U	Theories of Rhetoric (minimum grade of C; Area G)	3
AREA I	General Elective	3
ENGL 1000	English Convocation	0
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
ENGL 4000	Baccalaureate Survey (Area G)	0
ENGL 4698	Internship (minimum grade of C; Area G)	3
ENGL 5000U	Professional Writing Portfolio (Area G)	0
AREA H	ENGL Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA I	General Elective	3
AREA I	General Elective	3
AREA I	General Elective	3
	Credit Hours	15
	Total Credit Hours	123

Admission Requirements

There are no program specific admission requirements.

Additional Program Requirements

There are no specific academic regulations.

Academic Catalog 2024-2025