English and Professional Writing

Combine your love of language and literature with the career-oriented skills offered by professional and technical writing.

In English studies, students develop their critical and creative skills as readers, writers, and thinkers by engaging with great literature and challenging rhetoric. In professional and technical writing, students learn to solve real-world problems using clear, concise communication and carefully constructed documents to reach clients and stakeholders. It’s no wonder, then, that bringing these two fields into a single major can help prepare students for fulfilling personal and professional lives.

The Bachelor of Arts in English and Professional Writing requires a minimum of 122 credit hours overall, with the major itself requiring 42 hours in the following areas:

  • Professional and Technical Writing core (12 hours)
  • English Foundations (9 hours)
  • Professional and Technical Writing electives (9 hours)
  • English Electives (12 hours)

We also offer a minor and a certificate in Professional and Technical Writing for students who want to supplement their major in another field with the strong communication skills professional and technical writing offers.

Additionally, students attending the Parkville campus can complete the Bachelor of Arts in English program if they prefer.

Locations & Learning Options

Open to all Park students, the English and Professional Writing major is pioneering a new approach to distance education at Park. While the majority of courses can be completed in 8-week, fully online sessions, several of the core courses are offered as 16-week blended web conference classes taught by our full-time Parkville faculty and mixing a single 75-minute online class session each week with asynchronous online readings and assignments.

Students at the Parkville campus can take any combination of face-to-face, online, and blended classes to fulfill the major requirements.

Locations

  • Online
  • Parkville

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Stacey Kikendall

Dr. Stacey Kikendall

Chair, Department of English & Interdisciplinary Studies
Associate Professor of English
stacey.kikendall@park.edu

Amy Mckelenburg-Faenger

Dr. Amy Mecklenburg-Faenger

Director of ParkWrites
Professor of English
amy.mecklenburgfaenger@park.edu

Brandi Handley

Brandi Handley

Assistant Director of ParkWrites
Assistant Teaching Professor of English
brandi.handley@park.edu

Dr. Silvia Byer

Dr. Silvia Byer

Program Coordinator - Modern Languages
Professor of Modern Languages
silvia.byer@park.edu

Stephen Grover

Dr. Stephen David Grover

Program Coordinator - First Year Writing and Professional Writing
Assistant Professor of English
david.grover@park.edu

Glenn Lester

Glenn Lester


Associate Professor of English
glester@park.edu

A truly versatile degree, English and Professional Writing will prepare you for whatever life brings. Professionally, you will become an expert at analyzing rhetorical situations and crafting clear communication across a range of genres and media. Personally, you will develop greater empathy and an appreciation for the beauties of human art and endeavors.

In the end, you’ll discover that pursuing the degree has made you a creative problem solver and critical thinker who is an asset to your workplace, your community, and your family.

Careers with an English and Professional Writing Degree

  • Technical Writing
  • Web Development
  • Scholarly, Literary, or Technical Editing
  • Law
  • Government and Public Administration
  • Education
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Related programs

Park University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Park University is a private, non-profit, institution of higher learning since 1875.