Writing

Professional & Technical

General Requirements

Admission to the program is contingent upon good academic standing and acceptance by the department.

The department will not accept D transfer credit in the major. Achievement of a C or better is expected for all major courses at Chicago State University.

Completion of 120 semester hours of work: 36 credit hours of University General Education consisting of the following:  6 credit hours of English Composition; 3 credit hours in Oral Communication (ENG 2011 preferred); 3 credit hours in Mathematics; 9 credit hours in Social Sciences (in at least two disciplines); 9 credit hours in Humanities/Fine Arts (including 3 hours in Humanities and 3 hours in Fine Arts); 6 credit hours in Natural Sciences, one physical science (chemistry, geography, physical science, or physics) and one biology; one course must have a lab. Other requirements for the department and the College of Arts and Sciences:  6 credit hours in a single foreign language (including 3 credit hours for the College); 3 credit hours of Critical Thinking, 3 credit hours Diversity, and 3 credit hours Interdisciplinary courses embedded in the preceding courses and selected from a list of approved courses; 48 credit hours of Core English classes; 15 credit hours of English electives (ncluding 3 credit hours of 2000-level literature courses and 3 credit hours from 4000-level literature courses); 15 credit hours of University electives.  All courses must be selected with the departmental advisor’s approval. Students must also pass the examination on the state and federal constitutions.

Specific General Education Requirements (36):

• General Education (36), including the following
• ENG 1230/1240 OR 1270/1280 (6)
• Oral Communication (3 -- ENG 2011 preferred)
• Social Sciences (9)
• Natural Sciences (6)
• Mathematics (3)
• Humanities (9)
• Foreign Language (same language) (6 for the Department and the College)

Required Courses (48)

• ENG 1360 Essentials of English Grammar (3)*
• ENG 2020 Feature Writing (3)
• ENG 2060  Writing for Advertising (3)
• ENG 2100  Writing & Editing Nonfiction (3)
• ENG 2160 or 2190 Survey American Literature I or II (3)
• ENG 2260 Elements of Literary Study and Research Writing (3)
• ENG 2280 Critical Strategies for Writing and Research (3)
• ENG 2330 or 2340 Reading British Literature I or II (3)
• ENG 2370  Desktop Publishing for Beginners (3)
• ENG 2910 or 2940  African American Literature I or II (3)
• ENG 4311  Shakespeare (3)
• ENG 4337  Classical Rhetoric (3)
• ENG 4338  Language (3)
• ENG 4379  Workshop in Publishing (3)
• ENG 3870  Advanced Research Methods or ENG 4327 Methods & Materials of Literary Research (3)
• ENG 4395 Internship Writing (3-12 hours) (3 required)

RECOMMENDED ENGLISH ELECTIVES (15)

Select from the following:  ENG 2010, 2090, 2120, 2150, 2550, 2800, 2920, 2930, 4324, 4332, 4361, 4381, 4383, 4386 or other literature and linguistics courses

UNIVERSITY THESIS REQUIREMENT IS MET BY ENG 3870 OR 4327 (3)

*Students can test out of ENG 1360, which is the prerequisite for ENG 2100, by taking and passing the department's Grammar Competency Examination (GCE).  A passing score of 75% or higher earns a student 3 credit hours of proficiency for ENG 1360.

Program Objectives

For successful completion of the writing option, students must

1. demonstrate competence in exact and effective communication of technical information in several subject areas and in addressing a range of different audiences for a variety of purposes.
2. understand the importance of language factors such as semantics in communication.
3. understand the role, importance, and methods of conducting research in technical communication.
4. be adept in solving problems involved in research and communication.
5. have a full working knowledge of the range of available media, including non-print media, for technical communication.
6. be competent in operating word processing programs.
7. be competent in the areas of desktop publishing, personal computing, , email, computer security, and using current softward programs and technology.
8. know how to prepare and use computer graphic aids.
9. understand the fundamentals of business communication.
10. be acquainted with professional organizations and become a participating member of at least one
11. be knowledgeable about publications that print technical articles and about the respective requirements of such publications
12. be aware of job opportunities in technical writing and publishing locally, regionally, and nationally.