Writing Studies Minor

"As I grappled with ideas and practices of writing as a discipline, I became a more informed writer. I sought to improve my writing by seeking feedback, consulting resources such as handbooks, and using the knowledge acquired from my writing classes." - Bongumusa Khoza , Economics Major, Writing Studies Minor, '17

The Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program (WSAP) offers a minor in writing studies. This minor provides an extended study of writing for students from all disciplines. It draws on theory and research in writing studies to help students understand different disciplinary practices around writing, speaking, and argument. This minor also provides a flexible writing curriculum to complement students’ academic and professional interests.

Learn more about the goals of the minor in writing studies.

Minor requirements: at least 6 courses including 1 core course, minimum 22 credits.

Core Courses

Analysis of writing at different textual levels (these courses also include practice). Students must select at least one course from the following:

  • WRTG 250/LIN 161: Modern English Grammar
  • WRTG 251/LIN 160/ENG 288: The Rhetorical Sentence
  • WRTG 252/ENG 136: Principles and Practices of Copyediting
  • WRTG 253/BCS 163: Cognition & Writing
  • WRTG 265/PHL 106/ENG 284: Writing Across the Disciplines: Argument and Evidence
  • WRTG 282: Research Methods in Writing Studies

Tracks within the Minor

Within the minor, we have four writing studies tracks:

  • General Writing Studies
    • This minor (as well as the cluster) draws on theory and research in writing studies to help students understand different disciplinary practices around writing, speaking, and argument. It previews the minor and writing studies as a field.
  • Language, linguistics, and writing
    • This minor (as well as the cluster) focuses on how language works at the sentence, clause, or phrase level and relates that knowledge to the discourse goals of the text as a whole.
  • Digital and multimodal communication
    • This minor (as well as the cluster) focuses on how composing choices and their effects depend not only on audience and purpose, but also—in critical ways—on the mode of communication.
  • Theory and Practice in Writing and Speaking
    • This minor immerses writers in particular disciplinary or professional practices. It draws on theory and research in writing studies so that writers can become flexible communicators and successful across   diverse communication contexts.

All courses are four credits unless otherwise noted. WRTG 103, WRTG 104, and all versions of WRTG 105 may not be used for the minor. Students cannot take courses pass/fail and must earn at least a 2.0 average for these courses. No major and minor may overlap by more than two courses; no two minors may overlap by more than two courses.

General Writing Studies Track (Select at least one course from each of the other tracks)
  • Language, Linguistics, Writing
  • Digital and Multimodal Communication
  • The Practice of Writing and Speaking
Language, Linguistics, and Writing Track (3 of the 6 courses must be from this track)
  • WRTG 250/LIN 161: Modern English Grammar
  • WRTG 251/LIN 160/ENG 288: The Rhetorical Sentence
  • WRTG 253/BCS 163: Cognition & Writing*
  • WRTG 263/ENG 289/LTS 263: Translation: Interpreting & Adapting (available in different disciplines and modes)
  • WRTG 290B: Topics: Writing About and With Artificial Intelligence
  • LIN 162/AAS 162: Modern African-American English
Digital and Multimodal Communication Track (3 of the 6 courses must be from this track)
  • WRTG 247: Spoken Communication and Peer Tutoring*
  • WRTG 260/DMS 260: Writing Across Technologies*
  • WRTG 261/ENG 288/DMS 250: Writing in the Digital World*
  • WRTG 263/ENG 289/LTS 263: Translation: Interpreting & Adapting (available in different disciplines and modes)
  • WRTG 290A: Topics: Extended Reality, Communication, and the Metaverse
  • WRTG 290B: Topics: Writing About and With Artificial Intelligence
  • WRTG 370: Creating Digital Identities
Theory and Practice in Writing and Speaking (3 of the 6 courses must be from this track)
  • WRTG 245/ENG 285: Advanced Writing & Peer Tutoring*
  • WRTG 247: Spoken Communication and Peer Tutoring*
  • WRTG 252/ENG 136: Principles and Practices of Copyediting*
  • WRTG 262/BIO 274W: What Do You Mean I Can’t Do That?  Learning to Write Like an ‘Insider’ in your Discipline(s) (formerly Reading and Writing about Research in the Social, Natural, and Applied Sciences)* (designed for students in social, natural, and applied sciences, but open to others)
  • WRTG 265/PHL 106/ENG 284: Writing Across the Disciplines: Argument and Evidence (designed for humanities and social sciences students, but open to others)
  • WRTG 266/GSW 276: Words Have Power: Writing for Social Change
  • WRTG 267: Legal Writing and Analysis (temporarily discontinued)
  • WRTG 370: Creating Digital Identities
  • WRTG 396/BIO 396W: Research Paper Writing in Biology (designed for biology students; other need instructor permission)
Professional Writing Courses that Count toward the Writing and Speaking Track

No more than one 27X course counts toward the minor. All 27X courses are two credits.

  • WRTG 272/BIO 272W: BIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH: Communicating Your Professional Identity*
  • WRTG 273: ENGINEERING: Communicating Your Professional Identity*
  • WRTG 274/CSP 274W/PSY 274W: PSYCHOLOGY: Communicating Your Professional Identity*
  • WRTG 275: MATHEMATICS: Communicating Your Professional Identity*
  • WRTG 276/IR 299/PSC 299: LAW, POLICY, AND SOCIAL GOOD: Communicating Your Professional Identity*
  • WRTG 277: CROSS-DISCIPLINARY: Communicating Your Professional Identity*
  • WRTG 278: PUBLIC HEALTH: Communicating Your Professional Identity*

*Prerequisite: completion of the primary writing requirement (PWR)

Courses from other Programs or Departments that Count toward the Minor

Students may apply two non-WSAP writing-focused courses toward the writing studies minor, but no more than one creative writing course.

  • AH 209: Writing on Art
  • BCS 207: Advanced Undergraduate Research in Cognitive Science (prerequisite: BCS 206)
  • DMS 200W: Digital Portfolio (permission of instructor required for non-digital media studies majors) This course cannot be used in conjunction with WRTG 370 toward fulfilling a minor.
  • ENG 134: Public Speaking
  • ENG 135: Introduction to Debate
  • ENG 132: Feature Writing & Multimedia or ENG 281: Advanced Feature Writing (instructor permission required)
  • ENG 282: Humor Writing
  • PHL 105: Reason and Argument
  • PSC 202: Argument in Political Science

For questions about other non-WSAP courses, please contact:

Deborah Rossen-Knill, MFA, PhD
WSAP Executive Director
Professor
(585) 273-3583
deb.rossen-knill@rochester.edu

Stefanie Sydelnik, PhD
Associate Director
Associate Professor
(585) 273-3584
stefanie.sydelnik@rochester.edu 

Goals of the Minor

  • Draw on writing studies theory and research to gain a rich understanding of different discourse practices around writing, speaking, and argument.
  • Develop and use systematic language knowledge at all levels of a composition (phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, full work) in order to recognize different language choices and their effects on audiences, actualize the communicator’s agency, and effectively convey the communicator’s meaning across diverse genres, communities, and contexts.
  • Draw on the minor’s flexible, cross-disciplinary writing curriculum to develop and communicate individual, academic, and professional identities, interests and goals.
  • Recognize and value diverse voices and lived-identities in listening, reading, and research. Practice speaking and writing that draw on multiple voices and lived-identities--including students’--in ways that are purposeful and attentive to different rhetorical contexts and serve the larger community.
  • Develop awareness of and ability to participate in the increasingly multi-modal, digital, and global nature of communication.