Program: Professional Writing [PWRT] - SUNY Cortland - Modern Campus Catalog™

2007-2008 Undergraduate Catalog

Apr 06, 2025

Professional Writing offers a well-rounded, liberal arts education with courses in creative writing, editing, technical writing, business writing, and writing with new media. For more information please visit our website http://www.cortland.edu/profwriting

Career Potential

Editor
Technical writer
Web Content Developer
Communications manager
Grant Writer
Creative Writer
Freelance writer
Media Writer

Professional Writing Courses to Total 34 Credit Hours:

A. Required Courses: 25 credit hours

PWR 209 - Writing in the Digital Age (4 cr. hr.)
PWR 295 - Introduction to Professional Writing (3 cr. hr.)
PWR 393 - Technical Writing (3 cr. hr.)
PWR 395 - Revising and Editing (3 cr. hr.)
PWR 399 - Rhetoric (3 cr. hr.)
PWR 495 - Internship in Professional Writing (3-15 cr. hr.)
PWR 497 - Senior Seminar in Professional Writing (3 cr. hr.)

One course in creative writing:

PWR 212 - Writing Fiction (3 cr. hr.)
or
PWR 213 - Writing Poetry (3 cr. hr.)
or
PWR 315 - Writing Creative Non-Fiction (3 cr. hr.)

B. At least nine hours of elective professional writing courses, six hours at the 400 level.

C. Additional Courses: 12 credit hours

English courses: Nine credit hours with at least six credit hours at the 300 level or higher.

Philosophy course in ethics:

PHI 203 - Social Ethics (3 cr. hr.)
or
PHI 240 - Social and Political Philosophy (3 cr. hr.)
or
PHI 382 - Marxist Philosophy (3 cr. hr.)

Total Credit Hours Required for Graduation: 124

Example of the B.A. in Professional Writing over Four Years

First Year

Fall Total credit hours: 16-17

Foreign language
CAP
GE course
GE course

COR 101 - The Cortland Experience: A First Year Seminar (1 cr. hr.)
CPN 100 - Academic Writing I (3 cr. hr.)
or
CPN 102 - Academic Writing in the Community I (4 cr. hr.)

Spring Total credit hours: 16-17

Foreign language
GE course
GE course
GE course

CPN 101 - Academic Writing II (3 cr. hr.)
or
CPN 103 - Academic Writing in the Community II (4 cr. hr.)

Second Year

Fall Total credit hours: 16-18

Foreign language
GE course
GE course

PWR 209 - Writing in the Digital Age (4 cr. hr.)
PWR 295 - Introduction to Professional Writing (3 cr. hr.)

Spring Total credit hours: 18

Foreign language
GE course
Philosophy elective
English elective
Minor or elective

PWR 212 - Writing Fiction (3 cr. hr.)
PWR 214
or
PWR 315 - Writing Creative Non-Fiction (3 cr. hr.)

Third Year

Fall Total credit hours: 18

GE course
GE course
Minor or elective
Minor or elective

PWR 395 - Revising and Editing (3 cr. hr.)
PWR 399 - Rhetoric (3 cr. hr.)

Spring Total credit hours: 15

PWR elective
PWR elective
English elective
English elective

PWR 393 - Technical Writing (3 cr. hr.)

Fourth Year

Fall Total credit hours: 15

Minor, elective or internship
Minor, elective or internship
Minor, elective or internship
Minor, elective or internship

PWR 495 - Internship in Professional Writing (3-15 cr. hr.)

Spring Total credit hours: 15

PWR elective
Minor or elective
Minor or elective
Minor or elective

PWR 497 - Senior Seminar in Professional Writing (3 cr. hr.)