Why Study Professional Writing?

Do you like…

• Gaining skills in writing, speaking, and design?

• Facilitating real-world group projects to help small, local businesses achieve their goals?

• Communicating scientific and technical information across various platforms?

• Cultivating rapport with peers, faculty, and clients?

Do you need…

• To fine-tune your communication skills?

• To develop skills tailored to your future career goals?

• To learn how to write grants for your future career?

• Experience collaborating with clients?

Picture yourself…

• Engaging with a wide variety of multimodal pieces

• Collaborating with local organizations in the Laramie community

• Developing skills to give you a competitive edge

• Organizing, editing, and writing a variety of pieces for meaningful causes

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The minor is meant to support students’ preparation as future professionals who write. Almost all careers carry with them a significant writing and communication component. This aspect of most careers can be vital to success and typically increases as employees gain experience and responsibility. Those who write and communicate effectively—those who are able to write clearly, persuasively, and intelligently using the genres and media privileged in their respective fields—regularly distinguish themselves from their peers. Declare the Professional Writing Minor today!

How is this relevant to me and my future career?

By pursuing a minor in professional writing, you can add an important component to your preparation for life as a professional. Some examples are:
In business, you may write pitches, memos, proposals, progress reports, analytical reports, letters, emails, social media content, and business plans.
In art, you may write résumés, grant proposals, artist’s statements, magazine articles, blog posts, and portfolio websites.
In engineering, you may write analytical reports, feasibility reports, memos, project updates, and proposals, as well as shape and report large amounts of data.
In the health sciences, you may write patient referrals, grant proposals, annual reports, promotional materials, and various kinds of web content.

Is the Professional Writing Minor right for me?

From writing the everyday email, report, social media update, or even text message, to crafting the big project proposal in your future profession, expressing yourself—and doing so well—sets you apart from the crowd. Clear, concise communication is vital to demonstrating your professionalism, personality, and point of view in any setting. No matter your current academic major or future professional aspirations, sharpening your communication skills will help you to gain a distinct competitive edge. The comprehensive, versatile coursework within the minor pairs well with many academic majors the University of Wyoming offers. Join a community of thinkers, writers, and problem solvers, and develop marketable skills that are valued in any setting. 

Testimonials

"The Professional Writing Minor has improved my writing substantially.  When I started college, I had never written an essay before; now people in my field ask me to edit their papers.  My improved writing skills have helped me write top quality grant and scholarship applications.  In most fields, written reports are how we communicate with our peers. If you want to stand out in your field, improve your writing.”

-–UW student William White

“If you are taking the [professional writing] courses and taking them seriously, they do apply. They’re some of the more real courses I took during my collegiate career. The skills you learn are exactly the skills you will use if you are working in a professional environment.”

--UW Alum Sara DiRienzo

“The Professional Writing Minor is an extremely adaptable program that can benefit anyone. It's an opportunity to improve your writing skills if you need it or delve deeper into communication if it's already something you enjoy. I love it because it's given me a background of experiences and knowledge that have sincerely influenced my perspective and how I communicate.”

--UW Alum Jacklynn Pham

"I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Professional Writing Minor to anyone.  It not only made me a well-rounded and confident writer, but I believe it helped me get accepted into graduate school and obtain my current job.  During one of my job interviews the interviewer asked me for details about the professional writing minor, so I told them about a couple of the classes and described why they had given me strong writing skills.  Two days later I got the job.  Coincidence?  I'll let you decide"

--UW Alum Ben Parkhurst

“Completing the Professional Writing Minor was the best decision I made during my undergraduate education. The Professional Writing Minor was as beneficial as my major in preparing me to succeed in the workplace and in graduate school. I continue to use the skills developed through the minor daily in my job as a communications manager for a non-profit organization. In addition, the innovative learning provided by the minor has allowed me to excel through my research and writing in graduate school.”

--UW Alum Caitlin White