The Master of Arts in English, with Emphasis in Professional Writing, reflects the expertise of our faculty and the career ambitions of our students, who are either already working in, or desire to work in, professional positions that involve writing and documentation, in business, industry, and government.
The Professional Writing Emphasis focuses on students mastering procedures and techniques to create and publish reader-driven writing typical of the workplace, such as proposals, specifications, procedures, reports, formal correspondence, and white papers. With this degree and the skills acquired in getting it, our graduates are well prepared to succeed in securing high-paying jobs in a variety of corporate and government settings.
Professional writing and other technical communication skills are important for anyone who creates or manages content at work. Our programs can prepare you for a career or help you to advance in your current career in non-profit, research, government, industry, and corporate communications.
Sample careers include those which call for expertise in information design, usability awareness, and written expression:
To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.
You must additionally complete:
Read the full policy here.
In addition to University Requirements:
| Minimum Units for Completion | 33 |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Optional |
| Research | Individualized research may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option. |
| Progression Plan Link | View Program of Study |
Student Learning Outcomes
In addition, each student completes an electronic portfolio of his or her professional work and also completes an application project, which involves finding a specific and actual problem in the working world, doing the research to solve that problem, and presenting those results to the appropriate management supervisors for implementation. Examples of past projects include development of a training and orientation program for new employees; creation of a new website for a specific clientele; evaluation of a county court’s procedures for filing and accessing court records, which resulted in an entire new system; and many other such practical, on-the-job projects.
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
This Master’s degree requires 33 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 33 units:
Foundations (3 units)
Select one of the following courses:
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.