The B.A. in Professional Writing program at Marshall University prepares students for a variety of writing careers using multiple media and digital tools. Working professionals require a range of writing skills that cross all fields and disciplines. They must write with clarity, purpose, and a solid understanding of their audience. This takes training, and our goal in the Department of English at Marshall University is to prepare students to delve into every writing challenge with confidence and savvy. We teach students to work with a wide range of documents, such as proposals, business plans, and reports, while also composing within digital environments for a variety of purposes. Professional writers can specialize in technology, science, health care, journalism, fund development, any given trade, or all of these things and more to build a portfolio and a busy career.
- Find out which of our academic programs is right for you.
- Meet some of our current students and hear about their favorite Marshall moments.
- Receive invitations to special events for future students.
- Get help with the application and enrollment process.
Students of the program have a special opportunity to intern with a small, independent local company called Mountain State Press, which promotes writing in Appalachia.
An across the spectrum education provides the opportunity to students to work in multiple fields.
Connection to the Marshall University Writing Center through the program, allowing students an employment opportunity while learning on the job.
Students graduating with a BA in Professional Writing are prepared to succeed in any field where excellent communication and collaboration skills are needed and valued. Professional Writing skills are necessary in career fields across the spectrum.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in media and communication occupations is projected to grow 4 percent through 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations, and will result in about 46,200 new jobs. Demand for media and communication occupations is expected to arise from the need to create, edit, translate and disseminate information through a variety of different platforms.
- Technical and Scientific Communication
- Business Communication
- Editing and Publishing
- Journalism
- Public Relations
- Digital Communications