English and Professional Writing Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

An English and Professional Writing major studies literature and language and builds strong writing and analysis skills. English and writing majors study literature, rhetoric, composition, creative and professional writing.

An English and Professional Writing major includes coursework in literature surveys, rhetoric and composition, professional and technical writing, creative writing, and editing and more. You build skills such as writing, editing, critical reading, and research. Typical degrees: bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

Typical courses include literature surveys, rhetoric and composition, professional and technical writing, creative writing, editing, and literary analysis. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. English and Professional Writing is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s, and a doctoral or professional degree takes several more years beyond that. Part-time study takes longer.

Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. In the latest federal data, 197 colleges reported certificate awards, 242 colleges reported associate awards, 1,222 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, 469 colleges reported master’s awards, and 147 colleges reported doctoral awards.

Career paths connected to english and professional writing include writer, editor, technical writer, proofreader, journalist, and high school teacher. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include writer (typical training: Years of practice), editor (typical training: Writing experience plus on-the-job learning), technical writer (typical training: 4 years or technical background plus writing training), proofreader (typical training: Short on-the-job training), journalist (typical training: 4 years), and high school teacher (typical training: 4 years plus licensing).

English and Professional Writing majors build skills such as writing, editing, critical reading, research, and argument.

Good pairings include Marketing (applies writing to content and brand work), Education (prepares you to teach English), and Legal Studies (fits legal writing and pre-law).

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as writer, editor, and technical writer, and enjoy subjects like literature surveys and rhetoric and composition. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes literature surveys, rhetoric and composition, and professional and technical writing; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

1,501 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

California (183), New York (101), Pennsylvania (95), Texas (82), and Ohio (57), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

1,243 of the colleges that offer english and professional writing also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

English and Professional Writing studies literature and language and builds strong writing and analysis skills. Communications studies how people create, share and interpret messages in person and through media. English and Professional Writing leads to careers such as writer and editor, while Communications leads to careers such as public relations specialist and technical writer.

English and Professional Writing studies literature and language and builds strong writing and analysis skills. Journalism teaches you to report, write and produce news across print, broadcast and digital media. English and Professional Writing leads to careers such as writer and editor, while Journalism leads to careers such as journalist and editor.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to english and professional writing, such as Writer Training.