Curriculum
The three-semester MAPW program requires a total of 12 courses (minimum of 39 credits) plus a required professional internship, usually done in the summer between the second and third semesters. The 12 courses include 6 required core courses, which provide basic skills foundational to all communications careers, and 6 electives, which allow you to customize the degree to match your specific interests. In addition to the 12 courses, students take a one-credit Professional Seminar during both their first s to provide guidance in options for electives and internships and support in the job search.
The standard M.A. in Professional Writing curriculum follows the sequence illustrated below (unless you are a CMU student taking the 4+1 accelerated program). The sequence is designed to develop fundamental skills in the first semester and allow for flexibility and choice in the remaining two terms. While the curriculum, particularly the first semester, is structured to meet the needs of full-time students, it is also flexible enough to support part-time enrollment using the sequence below as a general guide.
|
Fall
|
Professional |
Style |
Rhetorical Grammar |
Professional Seminar |
Document & Information Design |
|
Spring |
Advanced Document and Information |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
|
Summer |
Required Internship
|
|
Fall |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
The options available for the 6 electives allow students to customize the degree to support a range of career options. All 6 are "free" electives; the only restrictions are that selections must be approved by the MAPW advisor and that within the set of 6, one must be a course designated by the department as a Rhetoric course, and one must be a course that includes a substantive focus on research or research methods relevant to your career plans as a professional writer.
Students may use elective courses to pursue a broad interest in communication or to focus on a more specific career path. Career paths most commonly pursued by MAPW students include writing for print and new media, information architecture and web design, technical writing, public and media relations/corporate communication, editing and publishing, and science/healthcare communication. The section on Possible Career Paths provides detailed information on career paths and the elective course options relevant to each.
For current CMU students: The MAPW 4+1 is an accelerated master’s program (usually majors or minors in the English department or BHA or BHS students with relevant coursework) can qualify to complete the M.A. in Professional Writing in 2 semesters instead of the usual three. Current CMU students interested in this accelerated MAPW program can view more information online here or view our MAPW 4+1 PDF
View Descriptions of the MAPW Core Courses
Core Course Descriptions
Professional and Technical Writing
This course introduces you to the theory, research, and practice of professional writing. Through reading, discussion, projects, and writing workshops, you develop a rhetorically-grounded approach to analyzing communications problems and producing a range of professional documents. The user-centered approach views professional documents not as examples of generic formats but as a means to accomplish specific purposes, for example, learning to construct a web page, securing publicity for an organization, or getting funding for a project. Because writers need a range of skills that go well beyond the actual inscribing of words on a page or screen, you learn how to interview experts, work with clients, test documents on actual users, manage collaborative writing projects, and related professional skills. The course includes five or six major writing assignments and a final portfolio of finished work that serves as the foundation for the professional portfolio you'll use in applying for internships and full-time positions.
Style
This course is designed to help you develop the professional judgment to make stylistic choices appropriate for particular audiences and contexts, and the skill to implement those choices. Students develop a vocabulary of style, assess the effect of stylistic choices on readers, and become better editors of their own writing and that of others. The intellectual foundation for the course is derived from the "Plain English" movement; its principles help professional writers achieve clarity, precision, coherence, and conciseness in their writing. Students also gain experience working with clients and explaining the rationale for recommended stylistic changes.
Rhetorical Grammar
The primary objective of this course is to provide professional writers with a framework for identifying and authoritatively discussing the grammatical forms and constructions they will be using. The course also includes some linguistic analysis, a consideration of English orthography, and discussion of the notions of standards and correctness in language. The concern throughout is to develop an understanding of those elements of grammar and usage that are the foundation for good professional writing and for leadership in professional writing settings.
Document & Information Design
Today, many professionals are responsible for the visual design of documents. This course provides students who have already learned the foundation of written communication with an opportunity to develop the ability to analyze and create visual-verbal synergy in printed documents. Students will be introduced to the basic concepts and vocabulary, as well as the practical issues of visual communication design through a series of hands-on projects in various rhetorical situations. Assigned readings will complement the projects in exploring document design from historical, theoretical, and technological perspectives. Class discussions and critiquing are an essential part of this course. Adobe Creative Studio (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) will be taught in class, and used to create the assigned projects.
Advanced Document & Information Design
This course builds on the foundational visual design skills introduced in 76391/791 Document & Information Design, and provides students with opportunities to further develop their skills through a series of larger and more complex document and information design problems. Assigned readings will complement the projects in exploring document design from historical, theoretical, and technological perspectives. Class discussions and critiquing are essential parts of this course. Adobe Creative Studio (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) will be used to complete the assignments.
Professional Seminar
In this once-a-week seminar, practicing professionals in fields ranging from science journalism to public relations, corporate communication, marketing, print journalism, web design and information architecture come to campus to talk informally with students about the fields in which they work. Interaction with these professionals provides both workplace contacts and overviews of possible internship and career paths. Visiting professionals talk about their own and related careers, show samples of their work, and answer student questions. Related activities include resume workshops and portfolio reviews.
Organizational Communication
Communications are the essence of an organization. Members of an organization who are proficient in various modes of communications and who appreciate the influences of both formal organizational structures and informal social networks generally excel, while those less skilled frequently derail. To help students navigate organizations effectively, this course blends theory and practice in exploring the field of organizational communication. Specific topics include: structures and cultures of organizations; identity and branding; communicating organizational change; communicating to influence and lead; communicating within teams and networks; communication technology; and communication requirements related to performance management, conflict resolution, and globalization. After completing the course you should be able to: describe social and cultural influences on organizational communication, discuss current and emerging issues in organizational communication, identify ways to manage organizational identity and lead effective change, analyze team and network dynamics, and understand and practice key genres of organizational communication.