Certificates
Professional and Public Writing
Now, more than ever, employers are seeking students with strong communication and critical thinking skills (see, e.g., AAC&U 2018 and 2021 surveys). Unfortunately, far too many students leave their degree programs with the specialized skills they require but not the so-called “soft” skills that stand to set them apart from their competitors on the job market. This Public & Professional Writing Certificate will meet a growing need in the Texas job market for professional writers, technical writers, and editing professionals. This certificate, which is complementary to any degree a student can earn at TWU, will equip students with the skills employers seek and help students translate knowledge from their degrees to a wide range of audiences.
Each student will complete a capstone project as part of the program. The capstone project will be an independent research-based experiential learning project developed in cooperation with an advising faculty and will be completed via an independent study course. Capstone projects will also include a significant reflective component.
Students will also put together a professional portfolio under the oversight of the advising faculty member.
Students must earn a grade of "C" or higher in courses to earn credit toward the certificate.
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 3433 | Professional Writing | 3 |
| or ENG 3253 | Technical Writing | |
| ENG 4363 | Digital Rhetoric | 3 |
| ENG 4913 | Independent Study (Capstone - final course) | 3 |
| Select three of the following for your chosen concentration | 9 | |
| Creative Writing | ||
| Advanced Expository Writing | ||
| Professional Writing | ||
| Technical Writing | ||
| Grant Writing | ||
| Topics in Writing and Rhetoric (if writing focused) | ||
| Internship | ||
| Total SCHs | 18 | |
Thought Leadership Certificate
Thought leaders are those people in communities and organizations that others turn to for their expertise. They inspire and influence others with their grounded knowledge and innovative thinking. This undergraduate certificate program prepares students to take the knowledge and skills developed while earning their degrees and translate them to the public, teaching them ways to enhance and communicate their credibility as leaders. Through a combination of MWGS coursework focused on social justice and advocacy; English coursework in rhetoric and writing; and a faculty-mentored, student-led community advocacy project, students who complete this certificate will be poised to put their degrees to work as leaders in their communities.
The Thought Leadership Certificate program is offered to any undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student at Texas Woman's University. Each student will complete a capstone project as part of the program. The capstone project will be an independent research-based experiential learning project developed in cooperation with an advising faculty member via an independent study. Capstone projects will also include a significant reflective component. The capstone project and the reflection will serve as primary and secondary artifacts for program assessment.
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| English Courses (Choose 2) | 6 | |
| Advanced Expository Writing | ||
| Technical Writing | ||
| Professional Writing | ||
| Grant Writing | ||
| Topics in Writing and Rhetoric | ||
| Multicultural Womens & Gender Studies Courses (Choose 2) | 6 | |
| U.S. Women of Colors | ||
| Women in Politics | ||
| Ethics and Feminism | ||
| Woman's Roles | ||
| Gender, Identity, and the Law | ||
| Psychology of Women | ||
| Feminist Research Methods | ||
| Texts, Trends, and Issues in Women's Studies | ||
| Feminist Theory | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| The student will complete 20 hours of public service with a culminating project. The student will work with either an MWGS or ENG instructor. | ||
| ENG 4913 | Independent Study | 3 |
| or WS 4913 | Independent Study | |
| Total SCHs | 15 | |
