Required Specializations

Focused Areas of Study For Professional Writing Majors

Professional Writing students will tailor their degree to gain a high degree of specific, marketable technical expertise.

Your specialization will allow you to explore your interests through a diverse set of electives while still working within a career-focused curriculum. Your specialization can be supplemented with other Professional Writing electives and/or a minor. Your faculty advisor in the Division of Communication & Creative Media will help you map out the best academic path to reach your desired career and/or graduate studies goals.

Specializations in the Professional Writing Major

• The specialization in Creative Writing/Literature will allow you to expand their skillsets to encompass multiple genres and teach the skills required to make a living as a writer.
• The specialization in Editing/Publishing will equip you with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to join the next generation's leaders in publishing. You'll gain experience with all aspects of the publishing process while also learning essential skills like editing and targeted communication
• The specialization in Journalism will teach the fundamental skills of both print and online journalism, including proper interview techniques, meeting deadlines and researching and writing stories. In addition to writing stories in multiple journalistic forms, courses branch into broadcast media production to give you the skills in video and audio you will need to be marketable.  You may also join the staff ofThe Crossover, Champlain's news and arts publication to gain additional journalism experience.
  
  

Optional Specializations
There is an optional concentrated area of focus in Screenwriting, which is available for Professional Writing majors to include as complementary study to their required specialization. In the Screenwriting specialization, you will dive deeply into the techniques and practices of screenwriting. Your faculty advisor will advise you about the possibility of adding this optional specialization as it relates to your overall graduation requirements and professional goals.

Learn more about the optional Screenwriting specialization.