What is Professional Writing?

What's the difference between a B.A. in English, a B.A. or B.F.A. in Creative Writing, and Champlain's Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing?

Three things.

1. Breadth. Most English programs offer a few courses in writing, but their main focus is studying literature. We're more about writing the next generation of literature than studying the last one. Creative Writing programs tend to have a wider range of offerings, but very few, if any, include not only poetry, fiction, non-fiction and playwriting but also screenwriting, travel writing, technical writing, reviewing, grant writing, oral history gathering and then an internship that might go even farther afield.

2. A real-life approach to your education as a writer. We see it as our job to help you go from being a writing student to a writer. From your very first semester you'll start meeting people who make all or part of their living by writing, and by the time you graduate you'll have completed an internship in your chosen area of writing and we'll have walked you step by step through the process of submitting your work for publication. You'll even learn about bank accounts, grants and taxes!

3. A very real dedication to your writing career. We'll always be looking for opportunities for your writing to go beyond the classroom. If you're a poet, you'll be invited to read in public--at a slam, or even with a jazz band backing you up. If you're writing short personal essays, we'll pass your work on to our friends in public radio. If you're a journalist, we'll hook you up with newspapers and magazines. Even after you've graduated we'll help you make connections that will advance your career.