Writing Studies Minor

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 Robert Danberg, Director of the Writing Studies Minor, at rdanberg@binghamton.edu.

Requirements for the Writing Studies Minor 

  • The Writing Studies minor requires 24 credit hours.
  • At least four courses must come from the list of core courses offered by the Writing Initiative at Binghamton University; one of them must be WRIT 250: Foundations in Writing Studies.
  • Up to two courses 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 three courses must be taken at the 300- or 400-level.
  • Up to four 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 four of the courses 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

 Six Courses (24 credits)
  WRIT 250:  Foundations in Writing Studies (Required; offered Fall and Spring.)
  Three additional core Writing Studies Courses. 
       WRIT XXX
       WRIT XXX
       WRIT XXX
  Two additional courses from either Writing Studies Courses or approved courses. (See below) You may only use two courses from the Writing Studies Minor approved departmental list of courses offered by the Writing Studies Minor, or,  or up to two courses from other departments found on the approved list of courses in other departments. 
    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 330: How to Read an Essay
WRIT 344: Reading and Writing Blogs 
WRIT 345: Writing & Producing Podcasts
WRIT 352: What to Do When Writing is Hard
WRIT 381: The Art of Writing About Food
WRIT 491: Practicum in College Teaching

Core Course Offerings Sp 22 through Sp 23

Spring 2022

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

WRIT 250: Foundations of Writing Studies

WRIT 310: Marketing Communication

WRIT 345: Writing & Producing Podcasts

WRIT 491: Practicum in College Teaching

Fall 2022

WRIT 111: Inquiry and Academic Writing

WRIT 211: Introduction to Professional Writing

WRIT 212: Writing Academic Arguments (WRIT 111 equivalent for transfer students)

WRIT 250: Foundations of Writing Studies

WRIT 330: How to Read an Essay

WRIT 344: Reading and Writing Blogs 

WRIT 345: Writing & Producing Podcasts

WRIT 491: Practicum in College Teaching

Spring 2023

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

WRIT 250: Foundations of Writing Studies

WRIT 310: Marketing Communication

WRIT 344: Reading and Writing Blogs

WRIT 345: Writing & Producing Podcasts

WRIT 491: Practicum in College Teaching


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.

We are constantly updating this list. Please check back to see new additions by department.


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

Department of English

  • RHET 354 Argumentative Theory or any other RHET course
  • CW250 Fundamentals of Creative Writing

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 351 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.