Bachelor of Arts
Sally Parr, Assistant Professor and Chair
The Department of Writing offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to foster clarity and creativity in expression, as well as to develop expertise in various writing styles and genres. It provides instruction in first-year writing for all entering students, advanced study in expository, creative, and professional writing, and a 21-credit minor for students in diverse disciplines. The B.A. in writing offers serious writers guidance and experience in a range of genres; students may also elect to complete a concentration in creative writing, nonfiction, feature writing, or professional and technical writing. The major, which blends practice and theory, prepares students for graduate study, professional positions, and careers in writing.
The Department of Writing operates the writing center, located in Roy H. Park Hall. It offers individual and small group tutorials on a referred or self-selected basis to students needing assistance in any stage of the writing process. Other services include help with reading comprehension and study skills and refining English skills for nonnative speakers.
The Department of Writing's networked computer classrooms, located in 313 and 314 Williams Hall and 103 Friends Hall, are open evenings and weekends to all students. They are staffed by student consultants who provide tutorial help in academic and professional writing as well as in computer use. Facilities include reference books, laser printers, scanners, and a variety of software, including publishing and design applications.
The Department of Writing offers a special opportunity to students interested in writing and graphic arts to publish Stillwater, an annual magazine of poetry, prose, photography, and art. The students who staff the publication make all editorial selections and do layout, publicity, and production. Submissions are open to the entire College community.
Each spring the Department of Writing conducts a writing contest open to all Ithaca College students. Entries are accepted in each of the following categories: first-year essay, expository essay, journalistic essay, personal essay, prose fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.
| WRTG-16500 | Introduction to the Essay | 3 |
| WRTG-17500 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| WRTG-20500 | Personal Essay | 3 |
| WRTG-20100 | Persuasive Argument | 3 |
Select one of the following:
| WRTG-31100 | Writing for the Professions* | |
| WRTG-32000 | Public Essay | |
| WRTG-33600 | Fiction II* | |
| WRTG-33800 | Poetry II* | 3 |
Select one of the following:
| WRTG-36000 | Composition Theory | |
| WRTG-36500 | Poetics* | 3 |
* Note that these courses have prerequisites beyond those specified for the major.
Required level-4 courses
| WRTG-41000 | Senior Project | 3 |
| WRTG-41500 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
Writing electives
| Five writing electives at level 2 or above, with at least 9 credits at level 3 or above | 15 | |
| Total, credits in the major | 39 |
Majors may complete a general degree in writing or they may declare a formal concentration in creative writing, nonfiction, feature writing, or professional and technical writing. Concentrations, if elected, must be declared by midterm of the first semester of junior year. Requirements for concentrations may overlap with writing electives.
Required
| WRTG-23600 | Fiction I | 3 |
| WRTG-23800 | Poetry I | 3 |
Select one of the following:
| WRTG-33600 | Fiction II (3) | |
| WRTG-33800 | Poetry II (3) | 3 |
Select two of the following:
| WRTG-30100 | Autobiography (3) | |
| WRTG-30500 | Science Fiction and Fantasy (3) | |
| WRTG-31000 | Women and Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-32500 | Writing Children's Literature (3) | |
| WRTG-33400 | Humorous Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-33600 | Fiction II (3) | |
| WRTG-33800 | Poetry II (3) | |
| WRTG-35400/ WRTG-35600 | Selected Topics in Creative Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-38000 | Writers' Workshop (1) (may be taken 3 times) | |
| WRTG-43600 | Writing the Short Novel (3) | |
| WRTG-45000 | Internship (3) | 6 |
| Total, creative writing concentration | 15 |
Required
| WRTG-32000 | Public Essay | 3 |
Select four of the following:
| WRTG-30100 | Autobiography (3) | |
| WRTG-31000 | Women and Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-31400 | Science Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-31800 | Writing from Cultural Experience (3) | |
| WRTG-31900 | Writing as a Naturalist (3) | |
| WRTG-32100 | Self and the Scholarly Essay (3) | |
| WRTG-33100 | Feature Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-33400 | Humorous Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-34000 | Magazine Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-34200 | Writing about Sports (3) | |
| WRTG-34500 | Writing as a Critic (3) | |
| WRTG-35000, WRTG-35200 | Selected Topics in Expository Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-38000 | Writers' Workshop (3) | |
| WRTG-42000 | Apprenticeship (3) | |
| WRTG-45000 | Internship (3) | 12 |
| Total, nonfiction concentration | 15 |
Required
| WRTG-32000 | Public Essay | 3 |
| WRTG-33100 | Feature Writing | 3 |
Select three of the following:
| WRTG-21100 | Writing for the Workplace (3) | |
| WRTG-31400 | Science Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-31900 | Writing as a Naturalist (3) | |
| WRTG-34000 | Magazine Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-34200 | Writing about Sports (3) | |
| WRTG-34500 | Writing as a Critic (3) | |
| WRTG-45000 | Internship (1-6) | 9 |
| Total, feature writing concentration | 15 |
Required
| WRTG-21100 | Writing for the Workplace | 3 |
| WRTG-21300 | Technical Writing | 3 |
| WRTG-31100 | Writing for the Professions | 3 |
Select two of the following:
| WRTG-31300 | Advanced Technical Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-31400 | Science Writing (3) | |
| WRTG-31700 | Proposals, Grants, and Reports (3) | |
| WRTG-45000 | Internship (3) | 6 |
| Total, professional and technical writing concentration | 15 |
Required outside field: All writing majors must complete an outside field. This may be (1) an 18-21-credit minor in any Ithaca College department; (2) a 15-credit minor in any Ithaca College department plus one related 3-credit course; or (3) an individually designed outside field (minimum of 18 credits, with at least 9 credits above level 1), which is planned in conjunction with the student's adviser and approved by the department chair. For students with a double major, the other major counts as the outside field.
Required language: All writing majors must complete study of a language other than English through the first semester of the intermediate level or demonstrate equivalent proficiency (0-9 credits). An acceptable substitute for this requirement is one semester of formal study abroad in a country where the language predominantly spoken is not English.
| Total, credits in the major | 57-69 | |
| Total, credits outside the major | 18-30 | |
| Total, open electives | 51-63 | |
| Total, B.A. in writing | 120 |
| WRTG-10600 | Academic Writing I (3) or | |
| WRTG-10800 | Academic Writing for Humanities and Sciences (4) or | |
| WRTG-11100 | Academic Writing II (3) or | |
| WRTG-16300 | Writing Seminar: Business (4) or | |
| WRTG-16500 | Introduction to the Essay (3) | 3-4 |
| WRTG-20100 | Persuasive Argument | 3 |
| WRTG-20500 | Personal Essay | 3 |
| Six credits in exposition (3 credits at level 3 or above) and 3 credits in creative writing or | ||
| Six credits in creative writing (3 credits at level 3 or above) and 3 credits in exposition | 9 | |
| Electives within the writing department | 3 | |
| Total, minor in writing | 21-22 |
| WRTG-21100 | Writing for the Workplace |
| WRTG-21300 | Technical Writing |
| WRTG-22500 | Grammar and Usage |
| WRTG-31100 | Writing for the Professions |
| WRTG-31300 | Advanced Technical Writing |
| WRTG-31400 | Science Writing |
| WRTG-31700 | Proposals, Grants, and Reports |
| WRTG-31800 | Writing from Cultural Experience |
| WRTG-31900 | Writing as a Naturalist |
| WRTG-32000 | Public Essay |
| WRTG-32100 | Self and the Scholarly Essay |
| WRTG-33100 | Feature Writing |
| WRTG-34000 | Magazine Writing |
| WRTG-34200 | Writing about Sports |
| WRTG-34500 | Writing as a Critic |
| WRTG-35000/ WRTG-35200 | Special topics courses |
| WRTG-36000 | Composition Theory |
| WRTG-38000 | Writers' Workshop |
| WRTG-42000 | Apprenticeship |
| WRTG-45000 | Internship |
| WRTG-49800 | Independent Study |
| WRTG-17500 | Introduction to Creative Writing |
| WRTG-23600 | Fiction Writing I: Short Story |
| WRTG-23800 | Poetry Writing I |
| WRTG-30100 | Autobiography |
| WRTG-30500 | Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy |
| WRTG-31000 | Women and Writing |
| WRTG-32500 | Writing Children's Literature |
| WRTG-33400 | Humorous Writing |
| WRTG-33600 | Fiction Writing II |
| WRTG-33800 | Poetry Writing II |
| WRTG-35400/ WRTG-35600 | Special topics courses |
| WRTG-36500 | Poetics |
| WRTG-38000 | Writers' Workshop |
| WRTG-43600 | Writing the Short Novel |
| WRTG-49900 | Independent Study |
All writing courses in the minor should be taken in the Department of Writing or at the Ithaca College London Center. Exceptions: Students who receive course-specific transfer credit for first-year composition and transfer students with WRTG-1xxxx or WRTG-2xxxx credit from another institution may count up to 6 generic writing credits toward the writing minor.
1. All writing courses must be taken for a grade to count toward the minor. One level-1 composition course (WRTG-10600 through WRTG-16500) must be completed with B- or better. Any student receiving below B- in WRTG-10600, WRTG-10800, WRTG-15200, WRTG-16300, or WRTG-16500 must take WRTG-11100 and receive at least a B- in that course to qualify for the writing minor. Writing courses at level 2 or above must be completed with a C or better.
2. No more than two level-1 courses will count toward the writing minor.
3. Minors must take 6 of their 21 writing credits at level 3 or above.
4. Students may count toward the writing minor no more than 3 credits each in any one of the following courses: WRTG-42000 Apprenticeship, WRTG-45000 Internship, or WRTG-49800/ WRTG-49900 Independent Study (Exposition/Creative Writing). A maximum of 6 credits from among these courses may be applied toward the writing minor.
5. Up to 6 credits in the writing minor may overlap with a student's writing requirements in a major.
Students will receive course-specific credit for WRTG-11100 Academic Writing II by receiving a score of 4 or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Language and Composition or Literature and Composition examination, and also a score of 1 or 2 on the Department of Writing placement test. Students enrolled in the School of Humanities and Sciences may not apply that course-specific credit toward fulfilling the focused curricular choice component of the general education requirement.
Note: Students wishing to enroll in a course for which they have not completed the prerequisites must receive the permission of the instructor.