What is KUPW?
The Professional Writing Program at Kutztown University is a unique and rewarding course of study offered by the English Department of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Featuring a diverse curriculum that can be tailored to suit any individual career path, the program provides students with the skills and knowledge required for professional success after their undergraduate experience has come to an end. More than 250 majors and minors are currently enrolled in a wide array of courses in fields such as journalism, creative writing, public relations and technical writing.
The pride of the Professional Writing Program is its strong emphasis on professional preparation, highlighted by the senior coursework that students are required to complete. The Program's strong internship component includes at least one pre-professional experience of the student’s choosing with the ultimate goal of helping the student identify and pursue his or her professional goals.
Students will also enroll in a Professional Seminar during their internship experience. This seminar reinforces and builds upon their previous coursework while facilitating a small community of students who can actively share knowledge, experience and build long-lasting relationships.
The Value of a Professional Writing Degree
We live in an age of burgeoning technology, free information and rapid communication. In such a small world, the ability to communicate effectively is critical. The written word has always been an important aspect of human communication; now more than ever, it is an inescapable facet of our everyday lives.
News travels at the speed of light, around the world, into print, to our computers—it doesn’t write itself. Thousands of plays, television shows and movies are produced each year, but before they reach their audience, they must be written. Corporations send written correspondences at dizzying rates, CEOs and politicians deliver speeches to millions of people every day, countless magazines are published on every topic imaginable, and writers make all of these things possible.
There are no limits to the importance of writing in our society, and thus, no limits to the possibilities and opportunities a degree in professional writing can provide for you. The internet alone is becoming a nearly bottomless source of employment for writers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports: “Online publications and services are growing in number and sophistication, spurring the demand for writers and editors, especially those with Web experience.”
To give you an idea of the opportunities for writers today, here is a small sample of careers in professional writing:
- Advertising
- Consulting
- Copywriting
- Corporate Communications
- Development
- Desktop Publishing
- Editing
- Education
- Grant Writing
- Human Resources
- Journalism
- Law
- Magazine Writing
- Management
- Media
- Medical Writing
- Public Relations
- Publishing
- Science Writing
- Script Writing
- Speech Writing
- Technical Writing
- Travel Writing
Is Professional Writing Right For You?
Do you like communicating with other people? Do you look forward to a limitless pool of jobs to choose from? Do you have a passion for the written word?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, a degree in Professional Writing might be precisely what you’re looking for.
Navigation
Important Dates
Tues. Sept. 16
PW Orientation
SUB Multipurpose Room
Fri. Sept. 19
Information Session - Senior Comprehensives
Lytle 214
Thurs. Sept. 25
Internship Meeting I
Academic Forum 102
Tues. Oct. 21
Block Advising
Academic Forum 102
Fri. Oct. 24
Senior Comprehensive Exams
Old Main 130
Thurs. Nov. 6
Internship Meeting II
Academic Forum 102
More Information
[English Department] [241 Lytle Hall] [Kutztown University]
[Kutztown, PA 19530] [610.683.4353]
[© 2006 Kutztown University of Pennsylvania] [Last updated on 1.31.08]
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