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Master of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing

Program Overview

The PTW program is a 36-hour graduate degree offering two options, one technical and the other nonfiction. The technical option focuses on writing for industry, science, business, and government. The nonfiction option focuses on composition and rhetorical theory, nonfiction, and a general application of writing skills, including the teaching of writing. 

The PTW degree requires 36 graduate credit hours in a 4-part curriculum:

  • 12 hours of Core Courses
  • 12 hours of Concentration Courses
  • 6 hours of Cognate Courses
  • 6 hours of Final Project Courses

Core Courses (12 hours) introduce students to important areas of theory necessary to complete the degree. Substitution courses or independent studies are not acceptable for PTW core courses.

7310 Composition Theory
7311 Rhetorical Theory
7312 Language Theory
7313 Theory of Technical Communication

Concentration Courses (12 hours Technical or Nonfiction) allow students to develop a specialization within the program. (No more than 3 Independent Study hours–7150, 7250, 7350–can count toward concentration hours.)

Technical Writing:
5304 Technical Style and Editing
5305 Document Design
5306 Writing for Business and Government
5307 Writing Software Documentation
5346 Topics in Technical Communication
5371 Writing on the Web
5375 Grant Writing
7340 Topics in Technical, Business, and Government Writing
 

Nonfiction Writing:
5202 Teaching Writing in Secondary Schools
5301 Theories of Rhetoric and Writing
5315 Advanced Persuasive Writing
5317 Advanced Nonfiction Writing
5318 Writing Auto/Biography
5321 Editing for Publication
5325 Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Argument
7300 Introduction to Research Methods
7320 Working with Writers

5345 Topics in Persuasive Writing
5347 Topics in Nonfiction Writing
7330 Topics in Nonfiction Writing
7331 Topics in the Essay
7332 Topics in Extended Nonfiction
7335 Topics in Rhetoric

7150, 7250, 7350 Independent Study
7360 Internship/Practicum

Cross Track Courses*:
5305 Document Design
5325 Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Argument
7300 Introduction to Research Methods
7320 Working with Writers
7360 Internship/Practicum

* Check for other cross track courses with the Graduate Coordinator.

Cognate Courses (6 hours) allow students to enroll in classes outside the department to support their PTW concentrations. For example, students might choose speech communication, business, literature, or graphic design. Students may also choose cognate hours from any part of the PTW curriculum. Certain PTW courses (such as internship/practicum hours) and most transfer credits apply to the cognate only.

Final Project Courses (6 hours) require students to develop and present proposals for final projects (RHET 8300) and to complete and defend those projects (RHET 8301). Final projects take a number of forms:

  • Thesis: research on an academic topic involving writing
  • Applied Writing Project: applied project of substantial scope with analytical essay

Graduation Requirements

  • Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on an approved program of study as outlined above
  • Successful completion and oral defense of final project

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Updated 7.17.2010