Why Minor in Writing Studies?
The Writing Studies minor is a home for students who believe that writing can be an
integral part of their personal, professional, and academic success. Writing Studies
is a research-based, interdisciplinary field that includes the study of digital media,
professional and technical writing, academic, civic, and cultural rhetorics, and the
theory and practice of writing pedagogy.
We’ve designed the minor so that your Writing Studies courses complement your major. We hope a history student interested in digital media, a chemistry student interested in science journalism, or an English major interested in marketing or advocacy will find courses that help them explore the role of writing in their careers. Our courses in professional writing, writing across platforms, and civic writing will enable you to explore how writing can be a powerful tool in your professional and creative lives.
To learn more about our courses, please see below for our core courses and courses accepted from other departments.
To declare as a Writing Studies Minor or for more information, contact Dr. Sarah Bull, Director of the Writing Studies Minor, at sbull@binghamton.edu
Requirements for the Writing Studies Minor
- The Writing Studies minor requires 24 credit hours.
- At least 16 credits must come from the list of core courses offered by the Writing Initiative at Binghamton University; one of the courses must be WRIT 250: Foundations in Writing Studies.
- Up to 8 credits can be taken outside of the list of core courses, but must come from the list of approved courses; additional courses may be submitted for approval by the Writing Initiative to count toward the Writing Studies minor.
- At least 12 credits must be taken at the 300- or 400-level.
- Up to 8 credits may be taken for an approved on or off campus internship, which are the only credits that may be taken for a P/F grade option.
- The minimum requirement for all courses taken for a letter grade in the minor is C-.
- Advanced Placement credits do not count towards the minor.
- At least 16 credits in the student's minor program must be in addition to those counted toward fulfillment of the requirements for the student's major(s) and/or other minor(s).
Minor Requirement Checklist
| 24 Credits (Typically 6 Courses) | ||
| WRIT 250: Foundations in Writing Studies (Required; offered Fall and Spring.) | ||
| 12 Credits of Core Writing Studies Courses (Typically 3 Courses) | ||
| WRIT XXX | ||
| WRIT XXX | ||
| WRIT XXX | ||
| 8 Credits of Courses from Either Writing Studies Core Courses or Courses Offered By Other Departments (Typically 2 Courses) *Please note: you may only use up to 8 credits found on the Courses Offered By Other Departments list below. | ||
| WRIT XXX or other approved course | ||
| WRIT XXX or other approved course | ||
Current Writing Studies Core Courses
Required Core Course
WRIT 250: Foundations of Writing Studies (Offered Fall and Spring.)
Lower Level
- WRIT 110: Research and Rhetoric
- WRIT 111: Inquiry and Academic Writing
- WRIT 211: Introduction to Professional Writing
- WRIT 212: Writing Academic Arguments (WRIT 111 equivalent for transfer students)
- WRIT 222: Advanced Argumentative Writing
Upper Level
- WRIT 310: Marketing Communication
- WRIT 312: Surveillance and Social Media
- WRIT 330: How to Read an Essay
- WRIT 341: Writing About Happiness
- WRIT 342: Writing For Laughs
- WRIT 344: Reading and Writing Blogs
- WRIT 345: Writing & Producing Podcasts
- WRIT 346: Writing For and About TV
- WRIT 352: Finding Your Way as a Writer
- WRIT 491: Practicum in College Teaching
- WRIT 495: WRIT Internship
- All WRIT 381: Topics Courses
- All WRIT 497: Independent Studies
Courses Offered By Other Departments
Writing Studies, as a minor and as a field, values interdisciplinary work. We have arranged to accept courses from other departments that offer students an experience as a writer in a discipline that complement the goals of the Writing Studies Minor.
If you have taken a course offered by another department that meets the criteria listed below and you would like to request that it be counted toward the Writing Studies Minor, please email Dr. Sarah Bull at sbull@binghamton.edu. In your email, please state why you think the course meets these requirements and include a copy of the syllabus.
Criteria for a course outside the Writing Initiative counting toward the Writing Studies Minor:
1. The course must focus on writing as one of the primary modes of assessment, and must assess writing not just as a finished product, but as a process that includes prewriting, drafting, reflection, and revision. Typically, this restricts potential exceptions to C or W designated courses.
2. The course must include explicit instruction on writing within a discipline of study, helping students understand the specific genre expectations of the community engaged in the course.
Department of Anthropology
- ANTH 114 Language, Culture and Communication
- ANTH118 Introduction to Linguistic Structures
- ANTH 170 Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology
- ANTH 212 Face to Face Interaction
- ANTH 213 Cross Cultural Communication
Department of Biological Sciences
- BIOL 115 Intro to Biology Lab
Department of Cinema
- CINE 253 Creative Sound Processes
- CINE 252 Film & Video 1
- CINE 286S Personal Cinema
- CINE 300 Curating Film and video
- CINE 380E Split-Page Meta Cinema
- CINE 451 Advanced Film & Video
Digital & Data Studies Program (DiDa)
- DIDA 380 Data Journalism
Department of English
- RHET 354 Argumentative Theory or any other RHET course
- CW250 Fundamentals of Creative Writing
- CW380 Writing Imagined Spaces
Environmental Studies Program
- ENVI 346 Environmental Chemistry of Community Water Systems
Department of History
- HIST 101A Western Civilization
- HIST 106AB East Asian Civilization
- HIST103A Foundations of American History
- HIST 104A Modern American Civilization
- HIST 130 World History 1500 to the Present
- HIST 131 World History to 1500
- HIST 276A History Methods & Practices
- HIST 400 Seminars
Department of Psychology
- PSYC 344 Research Methods
- PSYC 359 Lab in Cognition (C & L)
- PSYC 352 Perception Lab (C& L)
- PSYC 357 Lab in Learning (C & L)
- PSYC 361 Lab in Psychotherapy (C & L)
- PSYC 363 Behavioral Neuroscience Lab (C & L)
(Some 400-level psychology courses may count towards the minor as well, with the approval of the Writing Initiative advisor.)
Department of Sociology
- SOC 307 Sociology of Food
- SOC 353 Sociology of Reproduction
- SOC 324 Gender and Work
- SOC 342 Sexual Trafficking, Sexual Tourism
- SOC 358 Energy Power and Nature
- SOC 367 Food, People, Resources
Department of Theater
- THEA 361 Dramaturgy and the Musical
FRI
The second and third semester courses for the research stream can be used in combination
to count as one course for the minor.
The Source Project
Both courses for a research stream can be used in combination to count as one course
for the minor. Source Project courses change each year. Please consult The Source
Project website for past and current offerings.
