New writing and editing major offered

The academic offerings are widening this year with the addition of another new major and minor in writing and editing.Geared toward students interested in technical writing, editing and graduate work, the writing and editing major will better prepare students for the job market that is immediately available to those holding a four-year degree.

Gentry Sutton, assistant professor of language and literature, said, “The reality of the market is that many jobs involve more editing than writing, and our program will prepare students for that reality. Only a few institutions offer undergraduate programs in writing, and many of those programs revolve around creative writing. While our new program has a creative writing concentration, the core of our curriculum is anchored in skills and knowledge that will help students succeed in a variety of professional writing and editing environments. Our program’s emphasis on editing is unique.”

Students will choose between two concentrations for their major, either creative writing or professional writing. Both concentrations focus on editing and grammar, but the professional writing concentration focuses on the various types of technical writing rather than the creative aspect.

The minor available to students can be paired with any major to increase a student’s marketability upon graduation. For instance, students graduating