The Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional and Public Writing is for students wishing to specialize in writing as an area of expertise. Students develop advanced writing strategies and skills with emphasis on rhetorical approaches and practices such as writing anchored to audience, context, purpose; writing attentive to community and cultural dynamics; and writing in consideration of public and professional trends and contexts. Students write in digital spaces including web pages, social media, and content-management systems; write for and in diverse public and disciplinary communities and audiences; and edit and publish in a variety of public and professional contexts. The major prepares students for careers in professional editing and publishing, technical writing, information development, communications management, communications strategy, content management, and web and social media authoring. It also prepares students for graduate work in rhetoric, writing, technical communication, the teaching of writing, and the study of culture.Students interested in the Professional and Public Writing major should contact the Associate Chair and Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures. Students should work closely with the department academic advisor, the program director, and with program faculty to shape a focus or theme in the major that fits their career interests and plans. Internships, management of writing projects, and development of a professional portfolio are all important aspects of student preparation for work in writing-related professions, in public or private settings such as nonprofits, small, and large corporations, or in graduate study.Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Professional and Public Writing