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English - Professional and Technical Writing Concentration

Program Codes: BAENGPW
Bachelor of Arts

Introduction
The English department constitutes a major humanizing force within the university. Our courses engage with diverse literary and cultural texts, giving our students the opportunity to practice critical reading and effective writing, thus preparing students for career options and advanced study. English majors develop skills in writing, information literacy and research, oral communication, cultural awareness, reading comprehension, and literary analysis.

The English department at Mercyhurst offers a B.A. in English, as well as the following concentrations: Creative Writing, Professional and Technical Writing, Secondary English Education, and Pre-Law. The English department also houses the Theatre Minor and the Film Studies Minor. These programs allow students     to personalize their studies while acquiring the breadth of knowledge and skills found in the traditional English major.

The English Department sponsors the Mercyhurst Literary Festival, the Mercyhurst Theatre Program, and Lumen, the campus arts journal. We have a chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, an international honor society formed to recognize English majors and minors who achieve high standards of excellence in their chosen linguistic or literary fields.

English Department Mission Statement
The Department of English offers programs of study that teach students to think critically and imaginatively about literature, language, and culture. Our goal is     to produce discerning and creative readers, writers, and thinkers who have the communication skills needed to excel professionally. English majors and minors study challenging American, British and world texts, while cultivating their skills in oral communication, digital literacy, creative writing, research and information literacy, and professional writing.

Program Outcomes:
  • Demonstrate the key elements of successful writing (e.g., thesis and organization) when writing for a variety of purposes and audiences.
  • Analyze texts in a variety of ways (e.g., cultural, historical, and theoretical approaches) to be familiar with critical approaches and situate texts within their cultural, political, and historical contexts.
  • Independently deliver an effective oral presenation.
  • Find, assess, and correctly utilize appropriate research materials.
  • Prepare  and  deliver  a  project that demonstrates written, verbal and digital communication skills needed to negotiate current professional writing contexts.

 

Program Requirements:

English majors must maintain an overall 2.0 GPA. English majors with a concentration in Secondary Education preparation must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA  and at least a 3.0 GPA  in their major courses. English majors must earn a C or better in any course from the major meant to fulfill a degree requirement. No required course in the major may be taken on a Pass/Fail basis.

All English majors are highly encouraged to take an internship and/or study abroad. All majors will undergo a sophomore review with their advisor during their sophomore year of study or upon transferring into the English major.

The English major with a Professional and Technical Writing Concentration allows students to acquire a grounding in the theory and practices of rhetoric in a digital age. The curriculum prepares students to work in a variety of professional settings and master the writing and design strategies that are most effective for the intended audience.

REACH
Mercyhurst - REACH and outREACH
39
Professional and Technical Writing Concentration Required Courses (48 Credits)

Choose One:

LITERARY STUDIES
Course Code:
ENG 200
Active Term:
All Terms
/ All Years
Course Description:

This course focuses on the analysis and interpretation of various literary genres, exploring how language is used to enlighten, influence, and entertain readers. This class will involve reading, writing, and researching, as well as analyzing the course themes of identity, gender and class in a number of texts.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 200
LITERARY STUDIES
3
FILM STUDIES
Course Code:
ENG 201
Active Term:
Randomly
/ Odd Years
Course Description:

Focuses on a single topic and examines how film has been used to create different stles of narrative. The topics vary and may include such courses as Shakespeare on Film, Studies in Detective Fiction, Jane Austen on Film, Ecocinema, and the Hollywood Musical.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 201
FILM STUDIES
3

Take the Following: 

INTRO TO ENGLISH MAJOR
Course Code:
ENG 205
Active Term:
Fall Term
/ All Years
Course Description:

Introduces students to the discipline of English studies, with emphasis on close reading, major genres, and critical/theoretical approaches. Readings will be drawn from a range of literary periods and traditions.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 205
INTRO TO ENGLISH MAJOR
3
INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSIONAL WRITING
Course Code:
ENG 241
Active Term:
Fall Term
/ All Years
Course Description:

This class is designed to deepen students' understanding of the writing situation - audience, and purpose - within the context of other professional activities. It is designed to enable students to write accurately and thoughtfully about a subject while creating documents that solve problems and improve situations through effective communication.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 241
INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSIONAL WRITING
3
INTRO TO TECHNICAL WRITING
Course Code:
ENG 243
Active Term:
Fall Term
/ Randomly
Course Description:

The intent of this class is to prepare you for the type of professional communication you are likely to engage in during your first post-college jobs and beyond. This course focuses on technical communication -- the presentatiion of specialized information in an accessible way to a variety of different audiences, but audiences who, no doubt, will expect clarity, accuaracy, and professionalism from you.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 243
INTRO TO TECHNICAL WRITING
3
EDITING & STYLE
Course Code:
ENG 311
Active Term:
Spring Term
/ All Years
Course Description:

Students will learn practical editing techniques, as well as the rhetorical factors (e.g., legibility, readability, layout, and integration of text/images) that contribute to the effectiveness and usability of print documents. Students will work on individual projects and engage in collaborative exercises intended to sharpen their teamwork, editing, writing, and audience-awareness skills and learn to communicate with the authors of texts. This class may use Lumen as a practical workshop.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 311
EDITING & STYLE
3
WRITING FOR THE WEB
Course Code:
ENG 315
Active Term:
Spring Term
/ Even Years
Course Description:

This course examines how users read on the web, how authors should write their web pages, and, accordingly, how to design, rich, appropriate content for web sites. In so doing, this course offers a practicum in the novice and intermediate use of (X)HTML, HTML, editing, graphics, and presentation software.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 315
WRITING FOR THE WEB
3
PROFESSIONAL DISCOURSE
Course Code:
ENG 317
Active Term:
Fall Term
/ Odd Years
Course Description:

In this course, students will focus on effective, professional public discourse. Drawing on strategies of rhetorical criticism, students will gain an understanding of the persuasive value of style, arrangement, and delivery of public debate, and presentation.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 317
PROFESSIONAL DISCOURSE
3
GRANT WRITING
Course Code:
ENG 386
Active Term:
Spring Term
/ Odd Years
Course Description:

This course is designed for students who hope to enter professional careers requiring knowledge of grant writing. The course will teach students the mechanics of proposal writing and the political and social aspects of "grantsmanship," as they develop their skills in identifying sources of grant funding, doing useful research to support their applications, and tailoring their proposals to specific audience interests.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 386
GRANT WRITING
3

Choose Two: 

200 Level Literature Electives (3 credits)
200 Level Literature Electives (3 credits)

Take the Following: 

300 Level Seminar in Literature (3 credits)
300 Level Elective Seminar in 20/21st Century Lit (3 credits)

ENGLISH INTERNSHIP
Course Code:
ENG 475
Active Term:
All Terms
/ All Years
Course Description:

An off-campus, non-classroom learning experience directly related to English and making use of skills acquired in the pursuit of an English major. Juniors/Seniors.

Credit:
0-12
Instruction methods:
Field
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 475
ENGLISH INTERNSHIP
0-12
SENIOR ENGLISH PROJECT
Course Code:
ENG 490
Active Term:
Spring Term
/ All Years
Course Description:

This capstone seminar is designed for students to prepare and present publically, a significant and sophisticated written project in literary scholarship, technical writing, or creative writing.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture, Project
Total hours: 45
x
ENG 490
SENIOR ENGLISH PROJECT
3

Choose Two of the Following Electives:

BASIC COMPUTER DESIGN
Course Code:
ART 128
Active Term:
All Terms
/ All Years
Course Description:

This foundational course introduces students to basic design concepts, computer literacy and software competency. Through various exercises, students will experience four of the basic types of publishing tools used by designers -- Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design and Dreamweaver.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Studio
Total hours: 45
x
ART 128
BASIC COMPUTER DESIGN
3
TYPE & PUBLICATION DESIGN
Course Code:
ART 320
Active Term:
Fall Term
/ All Years
Course Description:
Multi-page layout is the emphasis in this class. Students learn how to handle text, integrate images into layout, and develop an upper level sense of typography. Projects may include: poster design, cook book layout, newsletter design, interactive IPad application, and book jacket design. Students learn how to use Adobe InDesign in concert with Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, and After Effects.
Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Studio
Total hours: 22.5
Prerequisites:
ART-221
x
ART 320
TYPE & PUBLICATION DESIGN
3
INTRO TO SOCIAL MEDIA
Course Code:
COM 260
Course Group(s):
INTELLIGENCE ELECTIVES
Active Term:
All Terms
/ All Years
Course Description:
This course introduces students to social media in its many forms, which have changed the role of communication professionals.
Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
x
COM 260
INTRO TO SOCIAL MEDIA
3
MULTIMEDIA WRITING
Course Code:
COM 352
Active Term:
Fall Term
/ Odd Years
Course Description:
This course provides instruction and experience writing and editing copy for a variety of communication materials. The class explores a variety of tools at the professional communicator's disposal as well as how these are applied to various situations and audiences. Students develop competencies in creating content and understanding structure of writing for both print and web.
Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
Prerequisites:
COMM-259
x
COM 352
MULTIMEDIA WRITING
3

300 Level Seminar in English/Theatre (3 credits) 
300 Level Seminar in English/Theatre (3 credits)  

Professional and Technical Writing Minor

Required Courses

ENG 241 Introduction to Professional Writing - 3 credits

ENG 243 Introduction to Technical Writing - 3 credits

ENG 311 Editing and Style - 3 credits

ENG 315 Writing for the Web - 3 credits

ENG 317 Professional and Public Discourse - 3 credits

ENG 386 Grant Writing - 3 credits

Related Programs

BAENGL

English

BAENGCW

English - Creative Writing

BAENGPL

English - Pre-Law

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