Graduate Programs

Professional Writing Degree (M.S)

Required Core (18 credits)

One of the following:

IDHP 651 / HLTH 651 HLTH 639 PRWR 691 PRWR 731

Planning and Marketing Health in Business and Industry (3) Introduction to Health Behavior and Health Promotion (3) Research in Professional Writing (3) Science and its Public Audience (3)

1. Teaching Writing (18 credits)
   Nine to 18 units are selected from the courses listed below. If fewer than 18 units are selected from these courses, the remaining credits are chosen from the list of general elective courses at the end of this section.
   
   Required Courses (consult with teaching writing adviser):
   

   SCED 603

   Teaching Writing Across the Curriculum (3)

   or
   

   SCED 605

   Theory, Research and Practice in Teaching Composition (6) (by invitation only)

   or
   

   SCED 558

   Writing as a Learning Tool in the Secondary School (3)

   
   Electives:
   

   EDUC 661 EDUC 665 EDUC 667 EDUC 785 EDUC 761 WRIT 633

   Responding to and Evaluating Writing (3) Practicum in Writing Instruction (3) Writing as Thinking (3) Research in the Teaching of Writing (3) Introduction to Research in Education (3) Teaching College Composition (3)

   
   
   Teaching College Writing (18 units)
   
   Nine to 18 credits are selected from the courses listed below. If fewer than 18 credits are selected from these courses, the remaining credits are chosen from the list of general elective courses at the end of this section.
   
   Required Courses
   

   PRWR 621

   Business Writing (3)

   or
   

   PRWR 623 PRWR 633 PRWR 797

   Technical and Scientific Writing (3) Teaching College Composition (3) Internship in College Teaching (3)*

   
   
   *Or the equivalent. Students who have experience teaching at the college level or who have other comparable experience may apply to the MPW director for a waiver of this requirement. Students who wish additional experience in the classroom may elect to take a tutoring/observation/teaching practicum before enrolling in Internship in College Teaching.
   
   Electives

   PRWR 627 PRWR 641 PRWR 660 PRWR 6XX PRWR 6XX PRWR 705

   Modern Rhetoric (3) Theory of Creativity (3) Semiotics for the Professional Writer (3) Language and Ideology (3) Poetics (3) Writing Creative Nonfiction (3)

   
   
   Journalistic Writing (18 units)
   Nine to 18 semester hours are selected from the courses listed below.
   

   MCOM 507 MCOM 5xx MCOM 601 MCOM 603 MCOM 621 MCOM 635 MCOM 651 MCOM 670-673 MCOM 713 MCOM 715 MCOM 781 MCOM 795 MCOM 880

   Writing for New Media (3) Literary Journalism(3) Media Writing (3) Criticism in Mass Media(3) Mass Media Law and Regulations (3) Journalism Ethics(3) Media and Politics(3) Special Topics in Mass Communication(3) Freelance Writing (3) Specialized Reporting (3) Internship in Journalism (3) Independent Study in Mass Communication (3) Graduate Project in Mass Communication (3)

   
   
   If fewer than 18 units are selected from these courses, the remaining units are chosen from the following courses:
   

   PRWR 625 PRWR 670-679 PRWR 705 PRWR 713 PRWR 730 PRWR 731

   Design, Layout and Production (3) Special Topics in Writing (3) Writing Creative Nonfiction (3) Freelance Writing (3) Writing Reviews (3) Science and its Public Audience (3)

   
   
   Scientific Writing (18 units)
   

   PRWR 623

   Technical and Scientific Writing (3)

   
   
   And 6 credits from:

   PRWR 660 PRWR 670 PRWR 729 PRWR 731 PRWR 795

   Semiotics for the Professional Writer (3) Topics in Writing (3) (when applicable) Corporate Communications Consulting (3) Science and its Public Audience (3) Independent Study in Writing (3)

   
   Nine credits from the following departments: biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics or psychology.
   
   The scientific writing specialization does not offer a thesis option.
   
   Creative Writing (18 units)
   Nine to 18 units are selected from the courses listed below. If fewer than 18 units are selected from these courses, the remaining units are chosen from the list of elective courses at the end of this section.
   

   PRWR 641 PRWR 647 PRWR 651 PRWR 653 PRWR 670 PRWR 705 PRWR 795 PRWR 897

   Theory of Creativity (3) Writing Poetry (3) Writing Short Fiction (3) Writing the Novel (3) Topics in Writing (3) (when applicable) Writing Creative Nonfiction (3) Independent Study in Writing (3) Thesis (6)

   
   
   Electives:
   Up to three of the following courses may be elected by students to supplement their work in any special application except scientific writing.
   

   PRWR 619 PRWR 621 PRWR 623 PRWR 625 PRWR 627 PRWR 660 PRWR 670 PRWR 705 PRWR 713 PRWR 729 PRWR 730 PRWR 731 PRWR 795

   Communication in the Profit/Nonprofit Sectors (3) Business Writing (3) Technical and Scientific Writing (3) Design, Layout and Production of Printed Matter (3) Modern Rhetoric (3) Semiotics for the Professional Writer (3) Topics in Writing (3) Writing Creative Nonfiction (3) Freelance Writing (3) Corporate Communications Consulting (3) Writing Reviews (3) Science and its Public Audience (3) Independent Study in Writing (3)

For information on all matters related to admissions, fees, or registration, please contact the Graduate School at 410-704-2501.

College of Graduate Studies and Research
7800 York Road, Suite 216

Phone: 410-704-2501
Fax: 410-704-4675
E-mail: grads@towson.edu