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About the concentration in Writing
The Concentration in Writing integrates professional and creative writing into a cohesive course of study that emphasizes clarity, creativity, and strategic communication. Drawing on both workshop-based creative practice and scenario-driven professional writing, the concentration helps students develop versatile writing skills applicable across academic, artistic, and workplace settings. Students build expertise in business writing, brand storytelling, audience-centered communication, and literary forms such as fiction, poetry, nonfiction, journalism, and screenwriting. Like a traditional major, the writing concentration is intentionally structured to progress from foundational concepts to advanced applications, allowing students to deepen their skills while tailoring their coursework to personal interests and career goals.
Earn certificates
Students who complete the requirements for the concentration in Writing can also earn the following certificates:
Note that these certificates are not earned automatically upon completing your degree; your advisor will help ensure that your academic plan meets the requirements of these certificates.
What will I learn in the Writing concentration?
Students in the Writing concentration will learn to write with clarity, purpose, and creativity across a wide range of professional and artistic contexts. The concentration is designed to help develop flexible, confident writers who can adapt style, tone, and structure to different audiences and goals.
Specifically, students will learn how to:
- Develop strong writing foundations by mastering grammar, style, revision, and clarity for academic and professional settings
- Apply creative techniques to real-world communication, including storytelling, narrative structure, and voice for branding, marketing, and public audiences
- Write across genres and platforms, such as fiction, poetry, nonfiction, journalism, screenwriting, op-eds, white papers, and social media
- Engage audiences strategically by tailoring content for different readers, stakeholders, and media formats
- Use feedback and editing practices through workshop-based courses that emphasize collaboration, critique, and revision
- Integrate research and data into writing, producing persuasive, evidence-based arguments and presentations
- Build a professional writing identity, including portfolio development and an understanding of publishing, presentation, and career pathways
- Explore interdisciplinary applications of writing, connecting communication skills to careers in business, communications, marketing, media, and the arts
By the end of the concentration, students will have both the creative range and professional skill set needed to write effectively in complex, evolving environments, and the required skills to adapt their writing to support long-term academic and career goals. This concentration is also strong preparation for interdisciplinary graduate and professional programs.
Courses
Students in the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree will choose a concentration to tailor their undergraduate education to specific personal and professional goals. Courses within each concentration may be taken in any order unless prerequisites are specified.
Students must complete foundational courses for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree. In addition, students in this concentration focus their studies by completing a total of 12 courses (12 c.u.*):
- 4 Creative Writing courses
- 4 Professional Writing courses
- 4 additional courses with input from an academic advisor
Creative Writing (select 4 c.u.)
- CRWR 1010: The Craft of Creative Writing
- CRWR 1600: Modern and Contemporary US Poetry
- CRWR 2010: Poetry Workshop
- CRWR 2400: The Art of Editing
- CRWR 2500: Writing and Meditation
- CRWR 2700: The Craft of Fiction
- CRWR 2800: Narrative Collage
- CRWR 3000: Writing About Place
- CRWR 3200: Screenwriting
- CRWR 3600: Advanced Nonfiction
- CRWR 3700: Journalism Workshop
Professional Writing (select 4 c.u.)
- PROW 1000: Fundamentals of Professional Writing
- PROW 1020: The Elements of Style: Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
- PROW 1030: Introduction to College Writing
- PROW 2000: Writing with Data
- PROW 2010: Designing Effective Presentations
- PROW 2030: Writing for Public Audiences: The Op-Ed and White Paper
- PROW 3010: The Power of Storytelling
- PROW 3020: Professional Persuasion: Writing Strategies for Fundraising and Beyond
- PROW 3030: Publishing Your Research: Writing Journal Articles and Book Chapters
- PROW 4000: Writing for Social Media
- PROW 4010: Composing a Professional Identity
Advisor approved electives (select 4 c.u.)
Students may choose to use the 4 c.u. to pursue advanced certificates by completing 2 additional c.u. in Creative Writing or Professional Writing—or both. Additional course selections to. Be applied to the Writing concentration can be chosen from:
- Any Creative Writing or Professional Writing course
- CLCH 3000: Communicating Science (this course has suggested pre-requisites)
- Up to 3 advisor approved transfer courses
Career pathways and related jobs
The Writing concentration prepares graduates for a wide range of roles that value strong communication, storytelling, and editorial skills, including:
- Content writer or content strategist
- Marketing or brand communications specialist
- Social media manager or digital content developer
- Technical or professional writer
- Editor or editorial assistant
- Grant writer or fundraising communications specialist
- Journalist or media writer
- Public relations or corporate communications associate
- Speechwriter or op-ed writer
- Screenwriter or creative writing professional
- Publishing, media, or arts administration roles
Learning outcomes
Students who complete the Writing concentration will be able to:
- Produce clear, compelling, and audience-appropriate writing across professional, academic, and creative contexts
- Apply storytelling, persuasion, and narrative techniques to business, marketing, and public-facing communication
- Analyze and revise written work using workshop feedback, editorial principles, and professional standards
- Integrate data, research, and evidence into persuasive and informative written projects
- Demonstrate fluency in multiple genres, including fiction, poetry, nonfiction, journalism, and digital media
- Develop a professional writing identity aligned with career goals in communications, publishing, or the arts
- Collaborate effectively with peers in editorial, workshop, and project-based writing environments
*Academic credit is defined by the University of Pennsylvania as a course unit (c.u.). A course unit (c.u.) is a general measure of academic work over a period of time, typically a term (semester or summer). A c.u. (or a fraction of a c.u.) represents different types of academic work across different types of academic programs and is the basic unit of progress toward a degree. One c.u. is usually converted to a four-semester-hour course.
