Professional Writing Minor

WHY STUDY PROFESSIONAL WRITING?

Are you looking for that extra edge to prepare you for an internship, graduate school or a career? Excellent writing skills make a difference!

Through courses that understand “writing” as encompassing written, oral, visual, and electronic multimodal communication, students in the Professional Writing Minor will acquire the intellectual and practical skills needed to perform well as strong writers and communicators in their working lives after UCLA. While the Professional Writing Minor is overseen by the UCLA Department of English in collaboration with Writing Programs, the Minor is open to students across all disciplines.

Begin creating a digital portfolio of your work, learn to write a successful proposal or pitch to a specific audience, practice the art of public speaking, design effective visual documents, tighten your grammar and editing skills, learn to communicate sophisticated ideas or research in an accessible way—all this awaits you in the Professional Writing Minor.

IMPORTANT DATES

Fall 2025*

*Please note that if you are a Fall 2025 transfer student, the earliest you may apply is Winter 2026.

October
3 – Application deadline for Fall 2025 applicants at 5pm PST. Applications received after this date will be reviewed during Winter 2026 (see below).
20-24 – Fall applicants notified via email of application status.
27-31- Advising appointments for new minors. Meet with the Professional Writing Minor advisors during these dates to be declared in time for Winter enrollment!

November
3– Priority enrollment pass for Winter 2025. Only declared minors with priority group permissions can enroll in PWM classes!
6 – First enrollment pass for Winter 2025. Only declared minors can enroll in PWM classes!
13 – Second enrollment pass for Winter 2025. Non-declared minors may enroll in PWM classes if space is available.

WINTER 2026: 

January
9 – Application deadline for Winter 2026 applicants at 5pm PST. Applications received after this date will be reviewed during Spring 2026.

February
2-6 Winter applicants notified via email of application status. Advising appointments for new minors. Meet with the Professional Writing Minor advisors during these dates to be declared in time for Spring enrollment!
9– Priority enrollment pass for Winter 2026. Only declared minors with priority group permissions can enroll in PWM classes!
12 – First enrollment pass for Winter 2026. Only declared minors can enroll in PWM classes!
19 – Second enrollment pass for Winter 2026. Non-declared minors may enroll in PWM classes if space is available.

SPRING 2026

April
3 – Application deadline for Spring 2026 applicants at 5pm PST. Applications received after this date will be reviewed during Fall 2026.

May – June
4 – 8 May – Spring applicants notified via email of application status. Advising appointments for new minors. Meet with the Professional Writing Minor advisors during these dates to be declared in time for Fall enrollment!
15 June– Priority enrollment pass for Fall 2026. Only declared minors with priority group permissions can enroll in PWM classes!
18 June – First enrollment pass for Fall 2026. Only declared minors can enroll in PWM classes!
25 June – Second enrollment pass for Fall 2026. Non-declared minors may enroll in PWM classes if space is available.

SUMMER 2026

June – September

Applications received during Summer 2026 will be reviewed for Fall 2026 acceptance in October 2026.

Have questions about course content or the minor’s design?

Contact:

Michael C. Cohen, Faculty Coordinator for Writing in the English Majors & the Professional Writing Minor
cohenm@humnet.ucla.edu

Have questions about enrollment, academic procedures, or the application process?

Contact:

Sara Hosegera, Curriculum Coordinator, UCLA Writing Programs
shosegera@humnet.ucla.edu

Steph Bundy and Diana Laguna, Undergraduate Advisors, Department of English
MyUCLA MessageCenter (Advising Unit: English)

Requirements for the Professional Writing Minor

Students seeking to declare the minor in Professional Writing must: (1) be in good academic standing (overall grade-point average of C or better); (2) have satisfied the Writing II requirement; and (3) submit a brief essay of application. Students will be asked to submit a copy of their transcripts for verification, to respond in an essay of 500 words to questions about why they want to enroll in this minor and what they hope to gain from it professionally, and to submit one writing sample that they feel represents their best work in college so far (a paper of 1000 words or less, written for a class that is NOT a freshman composition class).

Prerequisite: One Writing II course or its equivalent.

Six Upper Division Courses:

One Professional Writing Core course:

• ENGCOMP 130A: Professional Writing: Digital Writing and Web Literacy
• ENGCOMP 130B: Professional Writing: Business and Entrepreneurship
• ENGCOMP 130C: Professional Writing: Science and Technology
• ENGCOMP 130D/130DX: Professional Writing: Non-Profits and Public Engagement
• ENGCOMP 130E: Professional Writing: Arts and Entertainment

Two Professional Writing electives from the English Department or Writing Programs:

• ENGL 110A: Writing in English Major: Analytical
• ENGL 110C: Writing in English Major: Public Readers, Public Writers
• ENGL 110E: Writing in the English Major: Advanced Essay
• ENGL 110P: Writing in the English Major: Pre-Professional Portfolio
• ENGL 110V: Writing in English Major: Variable Topics in Professional Writing
• ENGL M138/ENGCOMP M138: Topics in Creative Writing: Creative Non-Fiction**
• ENGL M191P: Careers in the Humanities
• ENGCOMP 131A: Specialized Writing: Law and Politics
• ENGCOMP 131C: Specialized Writing: Medicine and Public Health
• ENGCOMP 131D: Specialized Writing: Media and Communications
• ENGCOMP 131E: Specialized Writing: Travel Writing
• ENGCOMP 131F: Specialized Writing: Sports Writing
• ENGCOMP 132D: Topics in Rhetoric and Writing: Variable Topics
• ENGCOMP 132E: Specialized Writing: Travel Writing
• ENGCOMP 133: Topics in Writing for Multimedia Environments
• ENGCOMP 134: Topics in Science Writing
• ENGCOMP 135: Writing for Audio
• ENGCOMP 136: Practical Writing and Editing
• ENGCOMP 137: Writing for Public Speaking

**ENGL/ENG COMP M138 must be on an approved non-fiction topic.

One approved elective from other departments across campus (see table here).

One additional upper-division course from any of the above 3 categories (Core, English/English Composition elective, or campus elective).

One writing capstone course, cumulative portfolio course, or internship course**:

• ENGL 195CE: Community and Corporate Internships in English (click here to learn more about ENGL 195CE enrollment)
• ENGL 197: Individual Studies in English
• ENGL 199: Directed Research or Senior Project in English
• ENGL/ENGCOMP M185: Professional Writing Capstone

**To learn more about capstone options, please attend one of our capstone info sessions for declared minors. For an overview of all of the minor’s capstone options, you can review the Winter 2026 PWM capstone workshop HERE.

Alternative courses for any of the above categories may be considered for credit by petition.

Transfer students may petition for credit for courses completed at other prior college-level institutions.

Professional Writing Courses in Writing Programs

130A. Professional Writing: Digital Writing and Web Literacy
Emphasis on writing for digital environments such as websites, blogs, newsletters, and social media. Common professional settings for these skills include journalism, political campaigns, Internet marketing, and corporate communication.

130B. Professional Writing: Business and Entrepreneurship
Emphasis on developing written, oral, and visual communication skills for entrepreneurial settings. Common tasks include pitching an idea, seeking funding for a startup, and promoting a product or service.

130C. Professional Writing: Science and Technology
Emphasis on communicating complex technical concepts and scientific research findings in a clear and accessible way to non-specialist audiences.

130D. Professional Writing: Nonprofits and Public Engagement
Development of the ability to write persuasively and effectively in the nonprofit and public sectors. Writing genres include mission and vision statements, grant proposals, public service announcements, and outreach campaigns.

130DX. Community-Engaged Professional Writing:  Nonprofits and Public Engagement

Development of ability to write persuasively and effectively in both nonprofit and public sectors.  Writing genres may include mission and vision statements, grant proposals, public service announcements, and outreach campaigns.  Community engagement is integrated and sustained through meaningful work off-campus and/or remote with nonprofit partners selected by the instructor, as well as ongoing critical reflection on that work.

130E. Professional Writing: Arts and Entertainment
Emphasis on the ability to write about creative material and performances in fields such as film, TV, theater, music, art/design, podcasts, and videogames. Writing genres include critical reviews, recaps, promotional materials, treatments, and profiles.

131A. Specialized Writing: Law and Politics
This course will increase students’ capacity to think analytically and write compelling legal documents. It will emphasize students’ capacity to read legal texts, organize ideas, create and refine prose, and improve editing skills to write (and argue) persuasively in a legal context. Writing genres may include law office memos, case studies, contracts, appellate briefs, advocacy letters, and pleadings.

131C. Specialized Writing: Medicine and Public Health
Advanced writing course designed to help students develop stylistic, formal, and argumentative sophistication in various rhetorical contexts, including different sections that emphasize rhetorical values of major professions and research areas.

131E:  Specialized Writing:  Travel Writing
Lecture, four hours. Requisite: satisfaction of Entry-Level Writing and English Composition requirements. Designed for juniors/seniors. Advanced writing course designed to help students develop stylistic, formal, and argumentative sophistication in various rhetorical contexts, including different sections that emphasize rhetorical values of major professions and research areas. May be taken independently for credit. P/NP or letter grading.

131F. Specialized Writing:  Sports Writing

Offers foundation of genres and experiences crucial to successfully navigating a career in writing for sports media. Study of variety of concepts and perspectives related to sports. Investigation of developments in the sports media complex. Development of practical skills in oral and written communication within sports media. Students engage with a range of sports content and cultural trends in order to spark new interests and gain breadth of knowledge. Examination of what constitutes successful sports writing in genres such as game previews and recaps, fantasy sports analysis, athlete profiles, sports debate shows, and podcasts; and application of these conventions in writing. Focus on improving writing skills through collaboration, feedback, and revision.

132D. Topics in Rhetoric and Writing: Variable Topics
Study of specific topics in relationship between rhetoric/writing and social or political history.

133. Topics in Writing for Multimedia Environments
Special topics course in professional writing exploring current developments, issues or debates within the art, entertainment, social media, or videogame industries.

134. Topics in Science Writing
Special topics course in professional writing exploring current issues, developments or debates within a specific field of science or technology.

134A.  Academic Science Writing

Writing academic science and engineering research articles, and other professional genres, such as reviewer comments and letters to the editor with resubmissions.  Introduction to and practicing of methods to communicate about science and technology with attention to the conventions of genre, consideration of academic audiences, identifying and meeting goals, and writing with clarity.  Introduction and discussion of current issues, developments, and debates related to science publishing and professionalism.  Designed for students working in science and engineering laboratories or planning to enter PhD or MD/PhD programs.

134B. Ethics in Science Communication

Exploration of current issues, developments, or ethical debates within science communication. Exploration and practice of ethical science communication, and explanation and disentanglement of current problems in the field.

134XP. Science Writing for Public Engagement and Community Science Projects

Students learn methods of communicating with diverse public audiences, participate in community-engaged science work, and write about and for a partner organization. Introduction to the fields of science relevant to the collaborating organization being served. Emphasis on accountable conduct toward other students, the instructor, and organization members. Includes intensive writing

135. Professional Writing: Writing for Audio

Emphasis on writing for listening audiences such as podcasts and radio, building brand awareness to reach them, and engineering clean audio. Common professional settings for these skills include audio journalism, political campaigns, Internet marketing, and corporate communication.

136. Practical Writing and Editing
Focus on developing grammatical precision and rhetorical range in professional writing combined with experience proofreading and editing one’s own writing as well as that of others.

137. Writing for Public Speaking
Emphasis on careful preparation, rehearsal, and delivery of professional presentations including the design of effective visuals in a variety of multimodal forms. Student performances recorded for extensive self, peer, and instructor feedback.

M138. Topics in Creative Writing: Creative Non-Fiction (cross-listed with English)
Introductory workshop in writing creative non-fiction. May not be used to satisfy workshop requirements for English creative writing concentration.

M185. Professional Writing Capstone (cross-listed with English)

Topical writing workshop on rhetorical strategies useful in written and multimodal genres. Intended to provide students with opportunity for serious engagement with writing project in their minor specialization under close faculty supervision and in constructive writing group. Reading, discussion, oral presentations, rhetorical analysis, and development of professional portfolio. Students develop their capstone projects, including identifying appropriate models, generic expectations, and rhetorical choices.

195. Community or Corporate Internships in English Composition
Internship in supervised setting in community agency or business. Students meet on regular basis with instructor and provide periodic reports of their experience.

Professional Writing Courses in the English Department

110A. Writing in the English Major: Analytical
Furthers students’ abilities to write literary and cultural analyses by treating writing as a process: creating, revising, pondering, cutting, and seeking reactions.

110C. Public Readers, Public Writers
Broadens students’ concept of what it means to write about literature by exploring the what, why, and how of literary criticism for a general (rather than a specifically academic) 21^st-century audience.

110E. Writing in the English Major: Advanced Essay
Seminar/workshop addressing advanced analytical writing about literature and culture; offers students the opportunity to explore and expand their skills at various kinds of complex critical thought.

110P. Writing in the English Major: Pre-Professional Portfolio
Invites students to assess their work in the English major and to anticipate and develop the kinds of writing pertinent to their transition into their professional lives, leading to the creation of a portfolio of each student’s work.

110V. Variable Topics in Professional Writing
Allows English Department faculty to design their own contributions to the Professional Writing Minor according to their special fields of interest and expertise; includes extensive opportunities for critical writing and research in a variety of forms and for a variety of audiences.

M138. Topics in Creative Writing: Creative Non-Fiction (cross-listed with Writing Programs)
Introductory workshop in writing creative non-fiction. May not be used to satisfy workshop requirements for English creative writing concentration.

M185. Professional Writing Capstone (cross-listed with Writing Programs)

Topical writing workshop on rhetorical strategies useful in written and multimodal genres. Intended to provide students with opportunity for serious engagement with writing project in their minor specialization under close faculty supervision and in constructive writing group. Reading, discussion, oral presentations, rhetorical analysis, and development of professional portfolio. Students develop their capstone projects, including identifying appropriate models, generic expectations, and rhetorical choices.

M192. Undergraduate Practicum in English: Journals (cross-listed with Writing Programs)
Hands-on courses offering training and supervised practicum for undergraduates engaged in the publication of campus journals or other public-facing projects.

195CE. Community and Corporate Internships in English
Internship in corporate, governmental, or non-profit setting coordinated through Center for Community Learning, including weekly written assignments, biweekly meetings with graduate student coordinator, and final research project.

197. Individual Studies in English
Individual intensive study, with scheduled meetings to be arranged between faculty member and student. Assigned reading and tangible evidence of mastery of subject matter required.

199. Directed Research or Senior Project in English
Supervised individual literary research and creative projects under guidance of faculty mentor. Culminating paper or project required.

Students* can apply for the minor in Professional Writing if they have met the following requirements:

(1) achieved an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better, (2) completed the Writing II requirement, (3) submitted a 500-word application essay explaining why they want to enroll in this minor, and (4) submitted an additional writing sample that reflects their best work in college so far.

*Students whose primary major resides outside of the College of Letters & Science MUST speak with their School advising unit to confirm that they are eligible to apply for a minor. This includes students from the following Schools: Theater, Film, & Television; Arts & Architecture; Music; Education and Information Studies; Engineering; Public Affairs; Public Health.

**PLEASE NOTE: The PWM application form is temporarily offline for annual updates. Please return to this page in July to access the application form.

Was my application received?
ou should receive a confirmation following the successful submission of your application.  If you do not receive a confirmation, please contact the undergraduate advisors for the minor.

When will my application be reviewed? When will I know if I have been accepted to the minor?
Timelines for application review and decisions can be found here.

Can I enroll in a PWM course if I am not a declared minor?
If you have completed your Writing II requirement, you can enroll in PWM courses on the second enrollment pass.

How many students can enroll in a PWM course? How many students does each course need to enroll to go ahead as scheduled?
Those enrollment numbers depend very much on the individual course. If you are concerned about low enrollment (and possible cancellation) for a course you wish to take, or if a course you wish to take is cancelled and you need information about how to graduate on time with the minor without that course, consult undergraduate advisors for the minor.

When will the course I want be offered?
Course offerings for the PWM depend on a number of factors. Most courses are not offered every quarter, and some courses are added relatively late to the schedule of course offerings. To get the most up-to-date information about upcoming course offerings, consult undergraduate advisors for the minor.

How can I learn more about the capstone requirement?
Declared minors will be invited to a capstone information session in their junior or senior year. You may reference one of our past info sessions here.

Fall 2026- Professional Writing Core Courses

Please note that many of our instructors are dedicated to writing & composition classes for incoming students during the Fall quarter. For that reason, the majority of our PWM courses are offered in the Winter and Spring each year.

Professional Writing: Digital Writing and Web Literacy

English Composition 130A / Prof. Samuelson

Emphasis on writing for digital environments such as websites, blogs, newsletters, and social media. Common professional settings for these skills include journalism, political campaigns, Internet marketing, and corporate communication.

Professional Writing: Nonprofits and Public Engagement

English Composition 130D / Prof. Swanger

Development of the ability to write persuasively and effectively in the nonprofit and public sectors. Writing genres include mission and vision statements, grant proposals, public service announcements, and outreach campaigns.

Fall 2026- Professional Writing Electives in English or English Composition

Westwind Journal

Undergraduate Practicum in English
English M192.1 / Prof. Wilson

This course is for the staff of Westwind, UCLA’s Journal for the Arts. If you are interested in joining the Westwind staff, please familiarize yourself with the journal at www.westwind.ucla.edu, and come to the first Spring meeting (time and day posted in the Schedule of Classes)!

Public Readers, Public Writers: Writing About Books for a 21st Century Audience

English 110C / Prof. Stephan

In this course, students will learn the art and craft of literary criticism for a general (rather than for a specifically academic) 21st-century audience. We will look at reviews of literary texts from the 18th century to the present and examine the recent developments in literary and cultural criticism that have led to the emergence of internet publications dedicated to those forms, including sites like Public Books and the Los Angeles Review of Books, as well as the ways in which national and global periodicals have successfully adapted their book review sections to reach a wider internet-based audience. Finally, we will examine the ways in which contemporary book reviews encompass other forms of culture, especially visual and digital culture. Students will compile a portfolio of criticism and other writing culminating in a final pair of reviews of recent works, as well as a critical analysis of the role of book reviews and cultural criticism in historical and current contexts.

This course counts as an elective for the Professional Writing minor. The course requisite is ENGL 4W. Students in the Professional Writing minor who have completed alternate Writing II credit may contact the English undergraduate advising office to enroll.

First-Person Creative Nonfiction

Variable Topics in Professional Writing
English 110V / Prof. Allmendinger

This course will prepare students to submit first-person writings to journals and magazines that publish works for college students and young adults. Such works include memoirs and autobiographies, humor, opinion pieces, reviews, and cultural criticism. We will explore the literary marketplace to determine which publishing venues are best suited to each individual’s work. We will also learn how to submit one’s writing to publishers, how to write a cover letter, and how to develop relationships with editors. Most importantly, we will spend the quarter writing and revising potential submissions, with the goal of submitting a piece to the students’ chosen venues by the end of the quarter. Several editors will visit the class, offering advice about the publishing process. Requirements: 2-3 pages of writing each week, participation in student critiques, and attendance.

This course counts as an elective for the Professional Writing minor. The course requisite is ENGL 4W. Students in the Professional Writing minor who have completed alternate Writing II credit may contact the English undergraduate advising office to enroll.

Fall 2026- Professional Writing Extra-departmental Electives

Please consult the reference list of eligible extra-departmental electives here, then refer to the UCLA Schedule of Classes for availability.

Should you wish to petition for a course not listed above, contact the PWM advising team and be prepared to provide the course syllabus.

Fall 2026- Professional Writing Capstone Requirement

The PWM capstone seminar, EngComp M185, is offered in the Spring quarter only. If you will be graduating in Fall 2026 or Winter 2027, please speak to a PWM advisor as soon as possible about your plans for the capstone.

SENIORS: Please click here to review the Winter 2026 PWM Capstone Workshop to learn how to prepare for EngComp M185.

Students who acquire an internship with professional writing duties in the junior or senior year may apply for ENGL 195CE capstone credit via the Center for Community Engagement. Professional Writing minors are encouraged to enroll early: Fall 2026 enrollment will be available during mid-August. To learn more about ENGL 195CE enrollment for the 26 – 27 academic year, consult the Center for Community Engagement website.