The Major in Writing Studies enables students to learn to write effectively in a range of genres, and to think critically and creatively, with a well-rounded liberal arts education in the sciences and the humanities. Three tracks: Creative Writing, Technical Communication, and Rhetoric, Writing, and Social Change.
The Writing Studies major requires 65 credits if choosing the Technical Communication track, or 60 credits if choosing either the Creative Writing track or Rhetoric, Writing, and Social Change track.
Creative Writing Track
The Creative Writing track offers the opportunity for focused study of literary and popular forms of creative writing with supportive faculty who publish in these genres and provides a strong base for students wishing to pursue a Master of Fine Arts. Our creative writing track takes a distinctive interdisciplinary approach to creative writing: students choose classes in more than one genre (poetry, nonfiction, and fiction), a wide range of literature courses from multiple perspectives, as well as professional/technical writing courses that can prepare them for writing jobs in a variety of fields. In addition, the creative writing track reflects the curricular guidelines of the Association of Writing Programs (AWP), the national professional organization in creative writing. Students can gain professional experience as editors and writers of Tahoma West, UW Tacoma’s student-run literary and arts magazine, as well as the school newspaper, The Ledger. Students also have opportunities to engage in the vibrant literary community of the Puget Sound and are encouraged to apply for internships at local arts and publishing organizations.
Technical Communication Track
In the technical communication track, students learn to communicate complex information in a way that is concise, usable, and compelling. Coursework in the technical communication track is grounding in the human-centered design process. Students learn how to identify the needs of an audience, design through an iterative process and make changes based on applied research. Students take a variety of courses on writing, research, and technical topics. Courses emphasize real world design projects and students develop skills in collaborative problem solving and creativity. Students completing the Technical Communication track are well positioned for careers in technical and professional communication, user experience, usability, web design, and other fields where communicating scientific and technical topics plays a central role, across a variety of industries, for governments, and for non-profits. Students are encouraged to gain professional experience by completing internships and working with community partners.
Rhetoric, Writing, and Social Change Track
Begins Autumn 2023
The Rhetoric, Writing, and Social Change track explores writing as civic action. Working with community partners in the city of Tacoma and beyond, students will engage ethically in multimodal composition for public audiences with an aim to bring about social change. Students will examine how power shapes writing contexts and develop their own sense of agency within the local and global communities to which they belong. Through co-learning experiences, writers participate in civic engagement, resistance, grassroots activism, and community organizing. Grounded in the interdisciplinary orientation of the faculty in Writing Studies, this track centers anti-racist pedagogy, critical methodologies in Rhetoric and Composition, and problem-posing skills that will prepare students for professional and real-world scenarios.
Completion Requirements
To be eligible for graduation with the Bachelor of Arts degree, students enrolled in the program must meet the UW Tacoma scholastic standards (2.0 UW GPA), credits required (minimum 180) and the final-year residency requirement and complete the following program requirements:
- Complete all general education requirements not met with transfer courses. See advisor for details.
- Complete a minimum of 45 credits of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences course work. Some majors or concentrations may require more.
- Complete a minimum of 45 credits of upper-division course work, including transfer courses and UW Tacoma courses.
- Complete 5 credits of (C) Composition designated course with a minimum 2.0 grade.
- Complete the requirements for a major (minors are optional).
- No more than 15 elective credits can be taken for a Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory grade. See advisor for details.
- Complete at least 45 of last 60 credits in residence at the University of Washington Tacoma.
- 45 upper-division credits and 45 credits of SIAS courses are required for graduation from SIAS.
- Meet with an advisor to complete a graduation application no later than the second week of the quarter in which the student plans to graduate.
Creative Writing Track Requirements: 60 Credits
- TWRT 200 Introduction to Creative Writing (5)
- TLIT 101 Understanding Literature (5)
Choose 20 credits, see Writing Studies website for approved list of Creative Writing Electives.
At least 10 credits of Creative Writing Electives must be 400 level.
Choose at least 5 credits from the following list:
- TWRT 270 Poetry Writing
- TWRT 280 Fiction Writing
- TWRT 287 Creative Nonfiction Writing
- TWRT 372 Writing Eco-poetry
- TWRT 382 Writing Popular Fiction
- TWRT 389 Nature Writing
Choose at least 5 credits from the list above or the following:
- TWRT 274 Spoken Word Poetry
- TWRT 333 Writing Through Comics
- TWRT 364 Food Writing for Cultural Exploration
- TWRT 384 Writing Historical Fiction
Choose at least 10 credits from the following list:
- TWRT 470 Advanced Poetry Writing (repeatable once)
- TWRT 480 Advanced Fiction Writing (repeatable once)
- TWRT 487 Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing (repeatable once)
- TWRT 499 Advanced Topics in Creative Writing (maximum credits - 15)
Choose 15 credits, see Writing Studies website for approved list of Literature Electives.
Choose 5 credits from the following list:
- T LIT 390 Varieties of Literary Criticism
Choose 10 credits of upper division coursework outside of American literature from the following list:
- TLAX 476 Latin American Women Writers
- TLIT 335 Middle Eastern American Literature
- TLIT 343 Shakespeare
- TLIT 351 Ancient Greek Tragedy
- TLIT 352 Medieval Quests
- TLIT 371 The World Stage
- TLIT 380 Myth and Literary Sagas in Creative Expression
- TLIT 406 Children's and Young Adult Literature
- TLIT 481 Postcolonial Fiction
- TLIT 487 African Folklore and Literature
- TWOMN 434 Women's Voices: Transnational Testimonials
Choose the final 5 credits from the list above OR any 300-400 level TLIT course.
Choose 15 credits, see Writing Studies website for approved list of Writing Electives.
- TWRT 291 Technical Communication in the Workplace
- TWRT 292 Power, Privilege, and Bias in Technology Design
- TWRT 320 Rhetoric, Public Life, and Civic Engagement
- TWRT 330 Written and Visual Rhetoric
- WRT 331 Writing in the Natural Sciences
- WRT 340 Asian American Rhetorics, Literacies, and Activism
- WRT 350 Principles of User-Centered Design
- TWRT 353 User Experience Writing
- TWRT 355 Usability Testing Research
- TWRT 360 Playwriting
- TWRT 365 Literary Editing and Publishing
- TWRT 388 Writing for Social Change
- TWRT 391 Advanced Technical Communication
- TWRT 420 Rhetoric and the City: Composing Urban Landscapes
- TWRT 450 Principles of Accessible Design
- TWRT 440 Cross-Cultural Communication Design
- TWRT 464 Teaching Writing
- TWRT 492 Special Topics in Rhetoric and Composition
- TCOM 348 Non-fiction Writing for Television
- TCOM 387 Writing for Public Relations
- TCOM 484 Opinion Writing for the Mass Media
- TCOM 486 Feature Writing for Print Media
- TFILM 350 Screenwriting
- TIAS 491 Professional Portfolio Design
- TFILM 350 Screenwriting
- TIAS 491 Professional Portfolio Design
Technical Communication Track Requirements: 65 Credits
One required course
- TWRT 291 Technical Communication in the Workplace (5)
Choose 5 credits from the following list. These courses can only be taken for credit once, as either Track Foundational Courses or Electives:
- TWRT 331 Writing in the Natural Sciences (5)
- TWRT 350 Principles of User Centered Design (5)
- TWRT 391 Advanced Technical Communication (5)
- TCOM 320 Principles of Web Design (5)
Choose 20 credits, see Writing Studies website for approved list of Technical Communication Electives.
- TWRT 292 Power, Privilege, and Bias in Technology Design
- TWRT 330 Written and Visual Rhetoric
- TWRT 331 Writing in the Natural Sciences
- TWRT 350 Principles of User Centered Design
- TWRT 353 User Experience Writing
- TWRT 355 Usability Testing and Research
- TWRT 391 Advanced Technical Communication
- TWRT 440 Cross-Cultural Communication Design
- TWRT 450 Principles of Accessible Design
- TCOM 220 Social Media
- TCOM 320 Principles of Web Design
- TCOM 350 Editing and Design for Print Media
- TCOM 420 Advanced Web Design
- TIAS 491 Professional Portfolio Design
Choose 35 credits, see Writing Studies website for approved list of Creative, Scientific, and Technical Topics Electives.
- TWRT 200 Introduction to Creative writing
- TWRT 201 Creative Writing in the Global Context
- TWRT 270 Poetry Writing
- TWRT 280 Introduction to Fiction Writing
- TWRT 287 Creative Nonfiction Writing
- TWRT 320 Rhetoric, Public Life, and Civic Engagement
- TWRT 333 Writing Through Comics
- TWRT 340 Asian American Rhetorics, Literacies, and Activism
- TWRT 360 Playwriting
- TWRT 362 Writing and War
- TWRT 364 Food Writing for Cultural Exploration
- TWRT 365 Literary Editing and Publishing
- TWRT 372 Writing Eco-Poetry
- TWRT 382 Writing Popular Fiction
- TWRT 384 Writing Historical Fiction
- TWRT 388 Writing for Social Change
- TWRT 389 Nature Writing
- TWRT 420 Rhetoric and the City: Composing Urban Landscapes
- TWRT 470 Advanced Poetry Writing
- TWRT 480 Advanced Fiction Writing
- TWRT 487 Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing
- TWRT 499 Advanced Topics in Creative Writing
- TCOM 275 Writing, Reporting and Editing for the Mass Media
- TCOM 348 Non-fiction Writing for Television
- TCOM 349 News Writing
- TCOM 387 Writing for Public Relations
- TCOM 482 Investigative Reporting
- TCOM 484 Opinion Writing for the Mass Media
- TCOM 486 Feature Writing for Print Media
- TCSS 142 Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming
- TESC 201 The Science of Environmental Sustainability
- TEST 295 Valuing Ecosystems Services and Natural Capital
- TEST 332 A Natural History of Garbage
- TEST 335 Environmental Impact Analysis
- T GEOS 241 Oceanography
- T GEOS 243 Geography of the Physical Environment
- T GEOS 341 Climate Change
- T INFO 210 Foundations of Information Management
- T INFO 220 Foundations of Human Computer Interaction for Information Technology and Systems
- T INFO 230 Web Design and Programming
- T INFO 310 Foundations of Information Assurance
- T INFO 370 Managing Technical Teams
- T INST 207 Living and Working in the Virtual World
- T INST 312 Computer Networks and the Internet
- T INST 401 Technology in the Service of Society
- T INST 475 Entrepreneurship in Computing and Software Systems
- T PHYS 215 History and Science of Space Exploration
- T WOMN 211 Women in Science
Rhetoric, Writing, and Social Change Track Requirements: 60 Credits
Two required courses
- TWRT 211 Argument and Research (5)
- TWRT 388 Writing for Social Change (5)
Choose 25 credits, see Writing Studies website for approved list of Rhetoric and Writing Electives. These courses can only be taken for credit once, as either Rhetoric and Writing Electives or Social Change Electives.
- TWRT 320 Rhetoric, Public Life, and Civic Engagement
- TWRT 330 Written and Visual Rhetoric
- TWRT 333 Writing Through Comics
- TWRT 340 Asian American Rhetorics, Literacies, and Activism
- TWRT 353 UX Writing
- TWRT 364 Food Writing for Cultural Exploration
- TWRT 420 Rhetoric and the City: Composing Urban Landscapes
- TWRT 440 Cross Cultural Communication Design
- TNPRFT 451 Essentials of Grant Writing
- TWRT 492 Special Topics in Rhetoric and Composition
Choose 25 credits, see Writing Studies website for approved list of Social Change Electives. These courses can only be taken for credit once, as either Rhetoric and Writing Electives or Social Change Electives.
- TWRT 291 Technical Communication in the Workplace
- TWRT 320 Rhetoric, Public Life, and Civic Engagement
- TWRT 330 Written and Visual Rhetoric
- TWRT 333 Writing Through Comics
- TWRT 340 Asian American Rhetorics, Literacies, and Activism
- TWRT 292 Power, Privilege, and Bias in Technology Design
- TWRT 331 Writing in the Natural Sciences
- TWRT 350 Principles of User Centered Design
- TWRT 353 UX Writing
- TWRT 355 Usability Testing and Research
- TWRT 364 Food Writing for Cultural Exploration
- TWRT 391 Advanced Technical Communication
- TWRT 420 Rhetoric and the City: Composing Urban Landscapes
- TWRT 440 Cross Cultural Communication Design
- TWRT 450 Principles of Accessible Design
- TWRT 389 Nature Writing
- TWRT 492 Special Topics in Rhetoric and Composition
- TCOM 250 Media Activism
- TCOM 310 Contemporary Environmental Issues and the Media
- TCOM 387 Writing for Public Relations
- TCOM 484 Opinion Writing for Mass Media
- TEGL 306 Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific
- TEGL 401 Critical and Indigenous Methodologies
- TEGL 419 African American Culture and Consciousness
- TEGL 435 Migration in the Modern World
- TEGL 380 Gender and Sexuality Across Cultural and Historical Context
- TIAS 491 Professional Portfolio Design
- TLAX 380 Latinx Sexualities
- TLAX 333 U.S. Latino Histories
- TLAX 356 Latinx Urban Communities
- TLAX 476 Latin American Women Writers
- TNPRFT 451 Essentials of Grant Writing
- TSOC 254 Race and Ethnicity in the United States
- TSOC 335 Social Class and Inequality
- TSOC 365 Advanced Sociological Theories of Race and Ethnicity
- TSOC 434 Women Race and Class
- TSOC 436 History of Social Welfare Policy in the United States
- TSOC 437 Immigration Today
- TSOC 465 Asian and Asian American Laborers in the U.S.
- TSOC 455 The Sociology of Gender
- TWOMN 434 Women’s Voices: Transnational Testimonials
- TWOMN 455 Contemporary Theories in Gender and Sexuality Studies
- TEDUC 301 Community Education: Learning Beyond the Classroom
- TEDUC 310 Racism in Schools in the U.S: Critical Race Theory and the Maintenance of Societal Inequality
- TEDUC 471 Diversity and Equity in Schools and Curriculum
- TEDUC 474 Native American Education Narratives and Centering Tribal Sovereignty
- TARTS 395 Community-Based Arts Practice
- TARTS Eco-Art: Art Created in Response to the Environmental Crisis
- TARTS 405 Cultural Identity and Art
- TARTS 410 Community and the Public Arts
- TFILM 434 Disability in Film
- TFILM 438 Gender and Sexuality in Film
- TURB 312 Race and Poverty in Urban America
- TUDE 310 Social Production of Space
- TURB 480 Housing in the United States
- TSUD 475 Community and Economy
- TLIT 237 Introduction to Literature and Environment
- TLIT 320 African American Literature from Slavery to the Present
- TLIT 324 African American Women’s Literature
- TLIT 425 Literature and the Harlem Renaissance
- TLIT 431 Contemporary Native American Women’s Literature
- TLIT 432 American Indian Literature
- TPSYCH 312 Mental Illness Across Cultures
- TPSYCH 345 Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination
- TPSYCH 441 Diversity and Health Psychology
- TPSYCH 455 Immigrant Youth Development
- TESC 301 Sustainability in Action
- TESC 345 Pollution and Public Policy
- TSOC 270 Introduction to Asian American Sociological and Interdisciplinary
- TPOLS 317 The Politics of Race and Ethnicity in the United States
- TPOLS 343 Community and Labor Organizing
- TPOLS 410 Labor Rights and Human Rights
- TECON 360 Poverty in Developing Countries
- TLAW 452 Race, Ethnicity, and the Law
- TLAW 465 Law and Public Policy in the United States
