Professional Writing and Information Design, BS

Program Coordinator: Donna Kain (252-328-6041; kaind@ecu.edu)

The Professional Writing and Information Design, BS will prepare students for careers in writing and designing information for industry, science, technology, engineering, government, and health contexts; editing and publishing; user experience and usability; information design, documentation, content creation, and document management.

Technical communicators and information designers bridge the gap between subject matter experts (e.g., scientists and engineers) and those who must understand or implement their ideas. These information professionals are in demand by software, hardware, consumer electronics, pharmaceutical, and financial services industries.

In the program, students will study concepts and practices in writing and digital literacy; multimedia composition; documentation; editing and publishing in print and electronic media using a range of editorial and citation styles; document design, production, and management; user experience, usability, and accessibility of information; web-based writing, management, and design. Graduates will leave the program knowledgeable in these fields’ important concepts and with skills focused in one or more related areas.

Minimum degree requirement is 120 s.h. as follows:

1. General education requirements - 40 s.h.

(For information about courses that carry general education credit view the General Education Program section.)

2. Core - 46 s.h.

a. Persuasive and technical/professional writing - 33 s.h.

Choose three courses from the following:

b. Language - 6 s.h.

Choose one course from the following:

c. Professional development - 7 s.h.

3. Electives - 15 s.h.

Choose ENGL, FILM, or LING electives (exclusive of writing foundations courses [GE:EN]).

Note: Qualified undergraduates may take 5000-level ENGL courses as electives.