Professional Writing and Rhetoric

The Professional Writing & Rhetoric Major affords students disciplined instruction in writing alongside dynamic opportunities for writing, collaboration, and revising for diverse audiences (academic, professional, and public) and in diverse genres and media. Students will work with faculty to develop identities as writers and plan a workable career path that centers on critical inquiry, cultural analysis, and document drafting. This multifaceted approach to writing will help students see how writing works in different contexts and for different occasions, and how to leverage their expertise in writing to gain a competitive foothold in the many arenas writing takes place in the professional world.

The program focuses on student-centered, practice-based learning and high-impact practices such as peer review, reflective writing, audience and genre analysis, and content creation.

Faculty in the program value:

• rhetorical effectiveness
• intellectual rigor
• critical inquiry
• creativity
• meta-awareness
• accessibility and inclusivity

Students who pursue the PWR major will learn to:

• move between multiple audiences and genres;
• constructively critique the writing of their peers as well as their own;
• approach different writing occasions in creative, analytical, and reflective ways;
• and understand the experiences of others in an effort to promote inclusivity and accessibility through writing.

Dearborn Discovery Core (General Education)

All students must satisfy the University’s Dearborn Discovery Core requirements, in addition to the requirements for the major.  Students must also complete all CASL Degree Requirements.

Requirements 

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Pre-major Requirement		3
COMP 105	Writing & Rhetoric I
or COMP 110	Honors Writing & Rhetoric I
Gateway Requirement		3
COMP 106	Writing & Rhetoric II
or COMP 220	Honors Writing & Rhetoric II
Writing Across Contexts		10
COMP/ENGL 327	Advanced Writing
Select two courses from the following:
COMP/ENGL 223	Intro to Creative Writing
COMP 270	Tech Writing for Engineers
COMP 280	Business Writing & Rhetoric
COMP 317	Case Studies in Prof & Tech Writing 1
COMP 341	Writing in the Professions 1
COMP 390	Topics in Composition
Mid-major Requirement		4
Select one course from the following:
COMP 317	Case Studies in Prof & Tech Writing 1
COMP 341	Writing in the Professions 1
Writing Specializations		12
Select 3 courses from the following:
COMP 320	Science Writing
COMP 364	Writing for Civic Literacy 2
COMP 436	Memoir and Travel Writing
COMP/COMM 462	Transnational Rhetorics
COMP/COMM/WGST 466	Arguing Feminism: Rhetoric, Writing & Advocacy
COMP/ENGL 468	Read/Writ Young Adult Fiction
COMP 470	Writing for Games
COMP 475	Supporting Literacies
COMP 485	How Writing Works 2
Capstone Experience		5
COMP 300	Writing Studio
Select one course from the following:
COMP/COMM 364	Writing for Civic Literacy 2
COMP 485	How Writing Works 2
Total Credit Hours		37

¹

If students take both COMP 317 and COMP 341, one can count toward the Mid-Major requirement and the other toward Writing Across Contexts requirement.

²

If students take both COMP 364 and COMP 485, one can count toward the Capstone requirement and the other toward Writing Specializations requirement.

Notes:

1. If students petition or place out of COMP 105 (AP credit), the pre-major requirement is met.
2. At least 15 of the 31 credit hours must be taken at UM-Dearborn.
3. Total credit hours: 31 does not include the pre-major and gateway requirements.

Learning Goals

1. Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills
2. Writing & Editing Skills for a Variety of Forms, Styles, and Scripts
3. Media Literacy
4. Research Skills in Gathering and Critically Evaluating Information
5. Appreciation of Diversity & Global Contexts
6. Understanding of and Application of Link between Theory & Practice