Professional Writing Graduate Certificate (Online)

The Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing is designed to complement traditional, disciplinary graduate and professional degree programs. The Certificate Program’s objectives are to provide students with opportunities to enhance writing and critical thinking abilities, understand cultural and rhetorical influences on writing situations and genres, and study and practice rhetoric and discourse in professional and technical environments. The Certificate will be offered online through the Blackboard system at Murray State University.

Check out a recent article about the new program.

Professional Writing Graduate Certificate (Online)

Admission Requirements

Students who hold an undergraduate degree or are currently enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program may apply for the Professional Writing Graduate Certificate program. Those who already hold a graduate degree may also apply. Applicants must comply with Murray State University requirements (see Chapter 2 of the Graduate Bulletin). Admission requirements also include the following:

For unconditional admission, an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

For conditional admission, program judgment of probable success based on Graduate Record Examination scores, letters of recommendation, and/or other evidence such as a planned program of prerequisite courses.

For non-native English speakers, a TOEFL score of 20 for each section of the iBT, an IELTS score of 6.5 with no band lower than 6.0, a previous degree earned from an accredited U.S. institution, or successful completion of Level 6 of the MSU ESL program is required.

Course Requirements 15 hours

The Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing requires the completion of fifteen hours of graduate-level coursework, chosen from the list of courses approved for the Certificate (below). Relevant independent study courses may count toward the certificate only upon the prior approval of the program coordinator. Students may transfer six hours from another institution upon approval of the coordinator.

ENG 575 Advanced Technical Writing

ENG 576 Rhetoric and Professional Writing

Plus three classes from the following:

ENG 573 Writing Proposals and Grants

ENG 574 Project Design and Usability

ENG 577 Issues in Technical and Professional Writing

ENG 644 Graduate Cooperative Education

Contact
Dr. Paul Walker
7C-20 Faculty Hall
Murray State University
Murray KY 42071-3341

270-809-4533 phone
270-809-4545 fax

The listed requirements provide an example of what is applicable to most students entering Murray State University at the present time. Criteria as they may relate to individual students may vary. The primary source is the Graduate Bulletin applicable at the time of the student enrollment.

Site Directory