Department of Languages
Dr. Lucas Hardy, Graduate Director
240 DeBartolo Hall
330-941-3420
lhardy01@ysu.edu
Certificate Description
This four-course certificate (12 semester hours) is designed to meet the needs of students preparing for careers as:
- technical writers and editors;
- company news and information directors;
- or grant and proposal writers for schools, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and fine and performing arts groups.
Frequency of course offerings allows most students to finish the certificate within four semesters.
Admission Requirements
To be eligible for the Professional and Technical Writing graduate certificate, students need not have an undergraduate degree in English, but they must have a B.A. or B.S. degree and meet the requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies at YSU.
Certificate Requirements
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ENGL 6943 | Public and Professional Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 6944 | Document Design and Production | 3 |
| Select two courses from Group A or one course from each Group: | 6 | |
| Group A | ||
| Grant Writing | ||
| Professional and Technical Editing | ||
| Publications Issues and Management | ||
| Professional Communication | ||
| Group B | ||
| Sociolinguistics | ||
| English Grammar | ||
| Discourse Theory | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 12 | |
Although ENGL 6998 Professional Writing Internship does not count toward the 12 semester hour requirement for the certificate, students are strongly urged to take this course or seek equivalent professional experience.
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcome 1: PPW students will WRITE documents to meet the demands, purpose, and interests of a specific client and audience, using relevant rhetorical strategies and concepts.
Learning Outcome 2: PPW students will DESIGN documents to meet the demands, purpose, and interests of a specific client and audience, drawing on principles of visual rhetoric.
Learning Outcome 3: PPW students will REFLECT on and REVISE their documents’ writing and design using concrete criteria set by a specific client and audience.
Learning Outcome 4: PPW students will DELIVER ORAL PRESENTATIONS of their documents’ writing and design using professionally designed visual aid.