Chatham University’s Master of Professional Writing (MPW) program is a broad-based course of study that leads to a unique, professional degree. Students will explore the practice of writing in a variety of professional contexts, including technical writing, political writing, business and financial writing, writing for electronic media, web design, and critical writing. By bringing together students from a variety of different backgrounds, the MPW program offers an educational experience that more accurately reflects the realities of today’s shifting and expanding business world.

The MPW program consists of 30 credits completed in the online format. Students will gain experience working in a variety of business formats and will be prepared to assume positions that demand highly-developed communication skills. Chatham University’s MPW program allows students to complete a focused Professional Writing Degree or to pursue a concentration in Web-Content Design or Technical Writing.

Admission Requirements

Learning Outcomes

4. Professional Practice
    a. Students must develop projects with an understanding of a diversified audience.
    b. Students must properly document their projects, choosing appropriate forms of media.
    c. Students must have an understanding of relevant journals, festivals, firms, etc. for later distribution or field contribution.
    d. Students must develop field-appropriate professional portfolios and be able to communicate their projects clearly.
    e. Students must develop attitudes of professional responsibility and accountability.
    f. Students must develop professional discipline (time-management, organizational skills).

Curriculum

+Degree Requirements

30 credits

PWR601	Introduction to Professional Writing This foundational course is designed as an introduction to professional writing genres, models, standards, and formats of the online Master of Professional Writing degree. The course features practical writing and editing experience in a collaborative work environment. The class will establish a basic level of writing skills among MPW students and will begin with the development, or enhancement, of students' skills in analysis, synthesis, summarizing, and expository writing. In the latter part of the course, students focus on the techniques that make professional writing flow and hold the reader's interest. A workshop approach helps beginning writers learn to craft their work so that it reads smoothly and communicates effectively. Topics include creating leads that command interest, developing a story idea without floundering, making graceful and unobtrusive transitions, enriching the theme, and perfecting the ruthless art of self-editing. Students write short essays and critique their own published work.	3
PWR699	Professional Writing Portfolio This course must be taken as each student's last course in the MPW program. This capstone course is a self-directed, guided independent practicum in which the student will produce a written project to the specifications of a "client" in one of the disciplinary areas of study. At the same time, students will have the opportunity to participate in a workshop-style program in which they will analyze the editorial and communication interests of various consumers of writing services (corporate communication offices, magazines, online venues, etc.). The workshop will explore many areas of the business of being a writer and cover copyright and contracts, cover and query letters, standard business practices - and strategies for success.	3
Choose 24 credits from:
PWR606	Grant Writing This course focuses on teaching the conventions and fundamentals of writing successful grants for nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies.	3
PWR616	Technical Writing This course teaches students how to prepare letter reports and technical reports about subjects that require technical explanations, diagrams, charts, and jargon understood by technical readers. In addition, this course teaches students how to present technical information to technical readers so they understand the concepts and can apply them in their work.	3
PWR617	Teaching Technical Writing This course prepares the student to seek technical writing training and teaching positions, as well as pursue subsequent doctoral studies in professional writing. Topics covered include best-practices in teaching, as well as developing course objectives and syllabi. Professional journal publishing and curriculum vita preparation will also be presented.	3
PWR620	Political and News Writing Political and News Writing	3
PWR621	Use of New and Social Media This course seeks to give students the skills and confidence to create interesting and informative digital presentations based on simple presentation design and delivery options. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: PWR601 Introduction to Professional Writing	3
PWR625	Business and Organizational Writing This course teaches students the rhetorical principles and writing practices necessary for producing effective business letters, memos, reports, and collaborative projects in professional contexts. All sections are offered in networked computer classrooms to ensure that students taking the course are prepared for the writing environment of the 21st century workplace. The course teaches the rhetorical principles that help students shape their business writing ethically, for multiple audiences, in a variety of professional situations. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: PWR601 Introduction to Professional Writing	3
PWR632	Science and Environmental Writing This course focuses on the practice of writing about science, environment, medicine, and technology for audiences ranging from the general public to scientists and engineers. It starts with basic science writing for lay audiences, emphasizing organization and clear writing techniques and also explores problems of conveying highly complex technical information to multiple audiences, factors that influence science communication to the public, and interactions between scientists and journalists.	3
PWR641	Financial Writing This course is concerned with the communication of financial information in writing: How should financial professionals construct documents? What are the writing techniques needed to make the numbers tell their own story? Topics include genres of financial writing (reports, presentations, correspondence), successful writing strategies (audience analysis, grammar usage, information gathering), organizing information, and using tables and charts.	3
PWR662	Writing for Digital Media This class will prepare students to enter these fields by teaching the strategies and skills needed to make compelling interactive experiences. Specifically, students will focus on developing their abilities to conceptualize, design, and create multimedia applications. Areas of focus will include: strategies for understanding and documenting audience needs and expectations; basics of effective user interface design; and typical process and artifacts involved with multimedia application development.	3
PWR670	Principles of Information Architecture In this course students will learn about the evolution of the discipline and the underlying principles and fundamentals, including task analysis, scenario development, taxonomy creation, and findability design. We will build on these basics with practical and contemporary applications and tools. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: PWR601 Introduction to Professional Writing	3
PWR673	Web Design and Development I This course will provide an introduction to the technical skills needed for designing on-line content and interactive multimedia. Current multimedia tools for use in creating web-based products will be taught with ample opportunity for practice. Students learn authoring tools and multimedia techniques while covering topics, including non-text-based communication, integration of visuals, the animation of text and graphics, and digital video web-deployment.	3
PWR674	Web Design and Development II A continuation of Web Design and Development I, this course will advance student knowledge and understanding of multimedia authoring tools.	3
PWR675	Visual and Interface Design Students will use audience analysis to help develop wireframes and storyboards, progress to full interface design, as well as gain an appreciation for the basic elements of design and how content is an integral part of design. Students will focus on interactions and behaviors. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: PWR601 Introduction to Professional Writing	3
PWR694	Client Project This required course for the Web Content Development concentration includes working on a client project for a real business customer. Students learn to develop statements of work, client agreements, and gain experience with direct application of web content development principles.	3

+Web Content Development Concentration

As we move increasingly toward an experience economy that values the overall feel as much as – or more than – the good or service itself, content design roles are growing in demand. Additionally, as Web 2.0, social media, and community content authoring have become ubiquitous, the danger of information pollution threatens to overwhelm content consumers. Businesses are driven to hire skilled professionals to architect their content in a consumable, usable manner. The MPW Web Content Development concentration will focus on the many aspects of professional writing centered on developing content for the web, from architecting to writing, teaching students to do more than craft the written word. Students will adopt a highly user-focused approach to content development, from user-story creation through digital media development, as students learn the new media skills needed in this modern digital age. This concentration also requires a portfolio and networking-enhancing client project that gives students direct opportunities to apply their skills to a real-life business project. The MPW Web Content Development concentration will enable students to take their skills straight to the market place.

2 core courses
PWR601	Introduction to Professional Writing This foundational course is designed as an introduction to professional writing genres, models, standards, and formats of the online Master of Professional Writing degree. The course features practical writing and editing experience in a collaborative work environment. The class will establish a basic level of writing skills among MPW students and will begin with the development, or enhancement, of students' skills in analysis, synthesis, summarizing, and expository writing. In the latter part of the course, students focus on the techniques that make professional writing flow and hold the reader's interest. A workshop approach helps beginning writers learn to craft their work so that it reads smoothly and communicates effectively. Topics include creating leads that command interest, developing a story idea without floundering, making graceful and unobtrusive transitions, enriching the theme, and perfecting the ruthless art of self-editing. Students write short essays and critique their own published work.	3
PWR699	Professional Writing Portfolio This course must be taken as each student's last course in the MPW program. This capstone course is a self-directed, guided independent practicum in which the student will produce a written project to the specifications of a "client" in one of the disciplinary areas of study. At the same time, students will have the opportunity to participate in a workshop-style program in which they will analyze the editorial and communication interests of various consumers of writing services (corporate communication offices, magazines, online venues, etc.). The workshop will explore many areas of the business of being a writer and cover copyright and contracts, cover and query letters, standard business practices - and strategies for success.	3
5 concentration courses
PWR662	Writing for Digital Media This class will prepare students to enter these fields by teaching the strategies and skills needed to make compelling interactive experiences. Specifically, students will focus on developing their abilities to conceptualize, design, and create multimedia applications. Areas of focus will include: strategies for understanding and documenting audience needs and expectations; basics of effective user interface design; and typical process and artifacts involved with multimedia application development.	3
PWR670	Principles of Information Architecture In this course students will learn about the evolution of the discipline and the underlying principles and fundamentals, including task analysis, scenario development, taxonomy creation, and findability design. We will build on these basics with practical and contemporary applications and tools. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: PWR601 Introduction to Professional Writing	3
PWR674	Web Design and Development II A continuation of Web Design and Development I, this course will advance student knowledge and understanding of multimedia authoring tools.	3
PWR675	Visual and Interface Design Students will use audience analysis to help develop wireframes and storyboards, progress to full interface design, as well as gain an appreciation for the basic elements of design and how content is an integral part of design. Students will focus on interactions and behaviors. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: PWR601 Introduction to Professional Writing	3
PWR694	Client Project This required course for the Web Content Development concentration includes working on a client project for a real business customer. Students learn to develop statements of work, client agreements, and gain experience with direct application of web content development principles.	3
Note: Basic web design skills, including raw HTML and CSS coding, are a required prerequisite to PWR 674. We strongly recommend completing PWR 673 Web Design I, and consider it a required course for the concentration if the student does not already possess these skills. Contact the Program Director or the current instructor for PWR 674 with any questions about meeting this requirement.
3 electives courses

+Technical Writing Concentration

As everyday practices and corporate technologies grow ever more complex, there is a growing need for technical writers who can cut through the jargon and extract the essence of ideas. Through a combination of writing and design skills, technical writing takes complex technical information and presents it simply for multiple audiences. Technical writers are employed in a wide variety of fields, including science, technology, medicine, robotics, sustainability, education, and finance. Because of the high demand for jobs, employers are able to be very specific in their requirements for employees, and technical writers with specialty training gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

The MPW Technical Writing concentration introduces key skills in Technical Writing and Editing, and then allows students to apply these fundamental skills in content courses such as Science & Environmental Writing and Grant Writing. Because so many technical writers train others in best practices, the program's Teaching Technical Writing course helps students develop as facilitators of learning for the craft of technical writing. In the final semester, students will have the opportunity to develop a professional portfolio and work on real projects for local clients.

2 core courses
PWR601	Introduction to Professional Writing This foundational course is designed as an introduction to professional writing genres, models, standards, and formats of the online Master of Professional Writing degree. The course features practical writing and editing experience in a collaborative work environment. The class will establish a basic level of writing skills among MPW students and will begin with the development, or enhancement, of students' skills in analysis, synthesis, summarizing, and expository writing. In the latter part of the course, students focus on the techniques that make professional writing flow and hold the reader's interest. A workshop approach helps beginning writers learn to craft their work so that it reads smoothly and communicates effectively. Topics include creating leads that command interest, developing a story idea without floundering, making graceful and unobtrusive transitions, enriching the theme, and perfecting the ruthless art of self-editing. Students write short essays and critique their own published work.	3
PWR699	Professional Writing Portfolio This course must be taken as each student's last course in the MPW program. This capstone course is a self-directed, guided independent practicum in which the student will produce a written project to the specifications of a "client" in one of the disciplinary areas of study. At the same time, students will have the opportunity to participate in a workshop-style program in which they will analyze the editorial and communication interests of various consumers of writing services (corporate communication offices, magazines, online venues, etc.). The workshop will explore many areas of the business of being a writer and cover copyright and contracts, cover and query letters, standard business practices - and strategies for success.	3
5 concentration required courses:
PWR606	Grant Writing This course focuses on teaching the conventions and fundamentals of writing successful grants for nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies.	3
PWR616	Technical Writing This course teaches students how to prepare letter reports and technical reports about subjects that require technical explanations, diagrams, charts, and jargon understood by technical readers. In addition, this course teaches students how to present technical information to technical readers so they understand the concepts and can apply them in their work.	3
PWR617	Teaching Technical Writing This course prepares the student to seek technical writing training and teaching positions, as well as pursue subsequent doctoral studies in professional writing. Topics covered include best-practices in teaching, as well as developing course objectives and syllabi. Professional journal publishing and curriculum vita preparation will also be presented.	3
PWR632	Science and Environmental Writing This course focuses on the practice of writing about science, environment, medicine, and technology for audiences ranging from the general public to scientists and engineers. It starts with basic science writing for lay audiences, emphasizing organization and clear writing techniques and also explores problems of conveying highly complex technical information to multiple audiences, factors that influence science communication to the public, and interactions between scientists and journalists.	3
PWR694	Client Project This required course for the Web Content Development concentration includes working on a client project for a real business customer. Students learn to develop statements of work, client agreements, and gain experience with direct application of web content development principles.	3
3 electives courses