Written Communication at Eastern Michigan University: The Strands

Writing Studies Strand Professional Writing Strand Technical Communications

Writing studies is for students most
interested in studying writing as a
discipline within the academy. Its flexible
plan for exploring writing is an excellent
background for students considering
graduate work in writing and rhetoric.
Students take these three courses:
ENGL 328: Writing, Style, and Technology
ENGL 417: Rhetoric and the Written Word
ENGL 484: Seminar in Written
Communication
Students take one of the following:
ENGL 310: Writing and Civic Literacy
ENGL 354: Critical Digital Literacies   ENGL 444: Writing for the World Wide Web
Students take one of the following:
ENGL 424: Technical Writing
ENGL 427: Technical Editing
ENGL 444: Writing for the World Wide Web  Documentation
Students take one of the following:
JRNL 306: Feature Writing
CRTW 335: Creative Writing  12 Credit hours from the list of restricted
Restricted Elective Courses:
The professional writing strand reflects the
variety of career options in writing taught
within the Department of English Language
and Literature. It combines study in
technical communications, journalism, and
public relations.
Students take all five of these courses:
JRNL 215: News Writing and Reporting
JRNL 312: Introduction to Public Relations
ENGL 323: Writing in the Professional World
ENGL 424: Technical Writing (to be revised)
ENGL 484: Seminar in Written
Communication
Students take one of the following
courses:
ENGL 354: Critical Digital Literacies
ENGL 427: Technical Editing
ENGL 428: Writing Computer
ENGL 444: Writing for the World Wide Web  electives not required for this strand.
Restricted Elective Courses:
electives not required for this strand.
Strand
The technical communications strand is
designed for students interested in careers
in the ever-expanding fields needing
technical communicators: document
designers, web developers, technical
editors, project managers, and proposal
writers, just to name a few.
Students take all six of these courses:
ENGL 324: Intro to Technical Writing
ENGL 424: Technical Writing
ENGL 427: Technical Editing
ENGL 428: Writing Computer
Documentation
ENGL 484: Seminar in Written
Communication
Restricted Elective Courses:
12 Credit hours from the list of restricted

12 Credit hours from the list of restricted

electives not required for this strand.

Restricted Electives
Students in all strands can pick three courses from the following list, but they cannot double count courses required in their specific strand:

ENGL 310: Writing and Civic Literacy
ENGL 323: Writing in the Professional World
ENGL 324: Intro to Technical Writing
ENGL 326: Research Writing
ENGL 328: Writing, Style, and Technology
ENGL 354: Critical Digital Literacies
ENGL387 Cooperative Education in English
ENGL 417: Rhetoric and the Written Word JRNL 215: News Writing and Reporting
ENGL 424: Technical Writing JRNL 306: Feature Writing
ENGL 427: Technical Editing JRNL 312: Introduction to Public Relations
ENGL 428: Writing Computer Documentation CRTW 335: Creative Writing 
ENGL 444: Writing for the World Wide Web
ENGL488/489/490 Internship in Technical Writing
(1/2/3 hrs)
Written Communication at Eastern Michigan University
EMU’s major in written communication is designed to study the rapid and important
changes to the practice and profession of writing. This new and revised program
offers three “strands” or emphases within our one major: Writing Studies, Professional
Writing, and Technical Communication. Each strand offers guidance for the practice
and study of writing, while simultaneously offering flexibility through restricted
elective offerings.

What if I am already a major in Professional Writing or Technical Communication? Has

anything changed?
No-- all of the classes required for Professional Writing and Technical Communication are still being
offered. As is the case with all programs, you are always able to graduate with the program as it was described in
the undergraduate catalog published the year you began your studies at EMU. You can continue in the Professional
Writing or Technical Communication programs just as you did before. You might be interested though in taking
the two new courses in the program--English 310: Writing and Civic Literacy and English 354: Critical Digital
Literacies-- as a restricted elective.

What has changed?

• The program is now one “major” with three options.
“Professional Writing” and “Technical Communications” are now both “strands” or tracks of classes within one
major, Written Communication, and we have added a new strand to the program called “Writing Studies.” These
strand requirements and brief descriptions are on the opposite side of this sheet.

• We have added two new courses.

English 310: Writing and Civic Literacy is “An examination of the role of writing and rhetoric in shaping an
informed public. Students use writing and related media to explore, analyze and advocate on issues of public
concern. Emphasizes Literacy as the art and responsibility of contemporary citizenship.”

English 354: Critical Digital Literacies is a course which “engages students in examining the new literacy
practices of digital writing forums and technologies in concert with projects where they employ, learn and
experience new digital writing technologies.”

• English 417 has changed.

English 417 has changed from being “Writing About Controversies” to “Rhetoric and the Written Word.”

Can you explain the restricted elective options?

In short, you cannot “double-dip” in the courses you take, meaning you cannot count any of the required
courses as one of your restricted electives. However, you can take courses that are choices among required
courses as restricted electives. For example, students in the Writing Studies strand have to take either English 310:
Writing and Civic Literacy or English 354: Critical Digital Literacies. If a Writing Studies student takes both of these
classes, then one of them will apply to their program as a restricted elective.

Where can I go to get more advice?

An academic advisor in the writing program, of course! Contact one of the following:

Cheryl Cassidy -Program Coordinator (cheryl.cassidy@emich.edu)

Steve Benninghoff (steve.benninghoff@emich.edu) | John Dunn (jdunnjr@emich.edu)

Steven D. Krause (skrause@emich.edu) | Derek N. Mueller (derek.mueller@emich.edu)