As a Professional Writing major, you have choices! You can take Professional Writing (PRWR) as an Honours BA (120 credits) or regular BA (90 Credits) or through the ENPR Specialized Honours in English and Professional Writing BA (120 credits).
Whatever path you choose, Professional Writing will set you up for success as an effective writer within and beyond university. Our courses will equip you with a strong foundation in writing for various audiences and purposes. You'll develop a strong grasp of English grammar and mechanics, scholarly and journalistic research skills, document design principles and tools, as well as substantive and copyediting strategies. You really can't go wrong!
Which is right for you, PRWR or ENPR?
Why PRWR?
If your focus is on writing as a profession—as an editor, publisher or author—or in a profession—as a web designer or corporate communicator—PRWR is the program for you.
It builds foundational writing skills and understandings through the first two years and then offers four areas of specialization from which to choose in the upper years: digital authoring, corporate/organizational writing, periodical writing, and book publishing.
PRWR allows you to take a number of Professional Writing electives. It also affords the opportunity to pursue an Honours Double Major or Honours Minor degree. You can also complete a 90-credit BA in PRWR.
Why ENPR?
The ENPR Specialized Honours BA allows you to really focus on the intersections of English and Professional Writing. This program is ideal if you're looking to pair literary study with related fields such as book publishing and periodical writing. Digital authoring and corporate/organizational writing are considerable assets for any writing expert.
In the fourth-year book publishing capstone, you will gain hands-on experience publishing books for a Canadian publishing house.
In the ENPR degree program, you will be able to take three Professional Writing elective courses as well as a handful of electives outside the Major; however, not enough to comprise an Honours Minor degree.
PRWR permits the most flexibility to take elective Professional Writing courses, such as:
- Race and Culture in Professional Writing
- Professional Writing and the Senses: Composing with Beer, Food and Beyond
- Programming for Professional Writers
- Studies in Non-Fiction
- Reading the News: Examining the Rhetoric of the Press
- Activist Rhetorics
- Video Game Rhetorics
In the past students have paired PRWR with:
- Creative Writing
- Linguistics
- History
- Arts, Media, Performance & Design
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Business and Society
- Humanities
Comparison of General Degree Requirements
| PRWR Honours BA | PRWR BA | ENPR Specialized Honours BA | |
| Total Credits | 120 | 90 | 120 |
| General Education Credits | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Credits in the Major (Required courses: PRWR for PRWR; PRWR or EN for ENPR) | 48 | 36 | 78 |
| Credits outside the Major (Not PRWR for PRWR; Not PRWR or EN for ENPR) | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Free Choice Credits (Can be additional PRWR courses for PRWR; additional PRWR or EN courses for ENPR) | 33 | 15 | 3 |
| Possibilities | TThe number of free choice credits allows you to take several additional PRWR elective courses, to complete a Double Major with another program, or to declare an Honours Minor with another program. Fulfills requirements for Graduate School applications | he number of free choice credits allows you to take several PRWR elective courses. Does not fulfill requirements for Graduate School applications | The degree requirements leave 9 credits available for PRWR or EN electives. Fulfills requirements for Graduate School applications |
Which path is right for you?
If you're not sure and would like to connect with an advisor, reach out!
We'd love to chat about your goals and provide guidance on how best to achieve them.
For more information see the Academic Calendar.
