Carnegie Mellon University

Professional Writing - Minor

The Professional Writing Minor consists of 6 courses. Students must also take the First-Year Writing experience as a prerequisite.

Learn how to declare a minor in Professional Writing.

Curriculum: 6 courses, 54 units minimum

All courses are 9.0 units each, unless otherwise noted.

PREREQUISITE: First-Year Writing (1 or 2 courses, 9 units):

Option 1: Take one full-semester course

76-101 Interpretation and Argument
76-102 Advanced First-Year Writing*

*By application/invitation only

Option 2: Take two half-semester mini courses at 4.5 units each

76-106 Writing About Literature, Art, and Culture
76-107 Writing About Data
76-108 Writing About Public Problems

Professional Writing Core Course (1 course; 9 units):

76-270 Writing for the Professions
76-271 Introduction to Professional & Technical Writing

200- or 300-Level Core Courses (2 courses; 18 units):

76-26x (Introductory Genre Writing Course in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or screenwriting)
76-373 Argument
76-389 Rhetorical Grammar
76-390 Style

300- or 400-Level Writing Courses (2 courses; 18 units):

Course options include but are not limited to:

76-302   Global Communication Center Practicum (6 units)
76-354   Watchdog Journalism
76-359   User Experience Methods for Documents            
76-360   Literary Journalism Workshop   
76-372   News Writing               
76-378   Literacy: Educational Theory and Community Practice         
76-389   Rhetorical Grammar      
76-391   Document & Information Design
76-395   Science Writing
76-396   Non-Profit Message Creation    
76-415   Mediated Power and Propaganda           
76-425   Science in the Public Sphere       
76-474   Software Documentation            
76-476   Rhetoric of Science         
76-481   Introduction to Multimedia Design (12 units)
76-487   Web Design (12 units)
76-491   Rhetorical Analysis         
76-494   Healthcare Communications

200-Level or Above English Elective (1 course; 9 units):

Please consult the list of courses published each semester by the Department for current offerings. In choosing English Electives, students are encouraged to sample courses from across the Department.