University Catalog 2024-2025

Undergraduate Certificate in Professional Writing

Undergraduate Certificate in Professional Writing (16-ENGL-CPW)

The undergraduate certificate program in Professional Writing is for non-degree-seeking students who wish to sharpen their publication skills and master the fundamentals of editing and writing for the workplace. The two required courses in editing and technical document design address editing, revision. planning, drafting, and designing documents for publication. Students choose three additional elective courses for the program based on their interests. and may focus their elective courses in journalism. technical writing, or creative writing.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must have completed the first year of college English or equivalent (credit, transfer credit, or credit by exam). Applicants must be enrolled as Non-Degree Studies (NDS) students and should not be concurrently seeking a degree at NCSU during the time of certificate courses. Applicants must submit an online form to the director of Professional Writing to begin the process of enrollment, and should be enrolled as NDS students by the deadline for NDS course registration. 

Program Coordinator

Jamie Larsen
Director of Professional Writing
104 Tompkins Hall 
jlarsen@ncsu.edu
919-515-4118

List of Eligibility Requirements for the Undergraduate Certificate in Professional Writing

  1. Non-degree student status
  2. There are no other required examinations, presentations, or external learning experiences except those required by the courses listed.
  3. A total of 15 hours is required.
  4. Satisfactory completion of the certificate program requires:
    1. Completion of the coursework noted above.
    2. A grade of C- or better in all courses used to satisfy the certificate requirement.
    3. An overall GPA of2.0 or better for all courses used to satisfy the certificate requirements.

Plan Requirements 

Required Courses (2):
Introduction to Editing
Technical Document Design and Editing
Elective Courses (Choose 3):
Designing Networked Communications
Writing in Rhetorical Traditions
Communication for Engineering and Technology
Communication for Business and Management
Communication for Science and Research
Professional Internships
Introduction to News and Article Writing
Advanced News and Article Writing
Editorial and Opinion Writing
Computer Documentation Design
Analysis of Scientific and Technical Writing
Analyzing Style
Advanced Technical Writing, Editing and Document Design
Publication Management for Technical Communicators
Introduction to Creative Nonfiction
Fiction Writing
Poetry Writing
Screenwriting
Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop
Intermediate Fiction Writing Workshop
Intermediate Poetry Writing Workshop
Major American Authors