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Eastern Illinois University

English: Professional Writing

Prepare to write and edit in professional settings, our students sharpen skills in reading, writing, editing, and collaboration for print and digital settings. When products or services affect the quality of human life, good human judgment and highest ethics matter. Our students become professional communicators across the business and services sectors, bringing clarity, accuracy, truthfulness, and human connection to written communication in a wide variety of professions.

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English: Professional Writing

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Degree Level
Bachelor of Arts
Delivery
In Person / Hybrid
Time to Degree
8 Semesters
Credit Hours
120 Total, 31 in Major
Careers
Editors, Writers, Advertising, Managers
English: Professional Writing students at EIU

Why Study English: Professional Writing at EIU?

  • Learn through hands-on courses with projects for real clients + supported internship placements
  • Build writing and editing skills for digital environments as well as print
  • Choose online or on-campus courses for the core of the concentration to maximize the learning method you prefer
  • Easily combine the concentration with another concentration in English or a minor in another field in a regular 4-year plan of study
  • Apply for major-specific scholarships from the English Department, which total about $150,000 annually just for EIU English majors
"I visited EIU in the Fall semester of 2023 with my grandma and my best friend, and I immediately fell in love with it. Naturally, Old Main was the first building I saw, standing tall for anyone in the Charleston-Mattoon area to see when they're nearby. While waiting for my tour to begin, we made our way to the bookstore in the MLK Union, and my grandma bought an "EIU Grandma" sweatshirt because she knew I was pretty set on Eastern."
Baily Cook
English with emphases in Professional and Creative Writing | Class of 2028
Baily Cook, English with emphases in Professional and Creative Writing at EIU

Hands-On Experience

  • Build a portfolio of client projects through our sequence of project-based courses
  • Make connections each fall at Handshaking Night, where a dozen or more former English majors working in different fields share their professional journeys
  • Prepare for the details and realities of the job market before you graduate in English 4060, English Studies Career Development
  • Earn your first professional experience during internship with personalized support from our internship coordinator
Explore Courses
Hands-On Experience, English: Professional Writing students at EIU

What You'll Learn

Students in the professional writing major sharpen their writing and editing skills, learn about visual communication and digital communication environments and communication ethics, and put their skills to work on real projects throughout their time in the program. The program helps prepare students to work as professional communicators in the business world, in the nonprofit sector, or in a variety of professions.

View in Catalog
$82,357
Median Salary for These CareersMedian salaryThe median is the middle value: half of the people counted earn more and half earn less. It is an estimate for a typical graduate, not a promise of what you will earn. Pay varies by employer, location, experience and the specific job.

Career OutcomesCareer outcomesThese are example careers that graduates of this program often pursue, taken from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET occupation list. They are examples, not job guarantees, and many graduates work in other fields.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor

  • Editors
  • Technical Writers
  • Advertising & Promotions Managers
  • Writers & Authors
  • Proofreaders & Copy Markers

Career Insights

Job Outlook Average Outlook Average OutlookO*NET doesn't currently flag any of the careers linked to this program as Bright Outlook. That doesn't mean jobs aren't out there. It just means these careers aren't expected to grow quickly, don't have 75,000 or more projected openings, and aren't new and emerging.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
Preparation Needed Considerable (4/5)Job Zone 4: Considerable preparationMost of these careers require a four-year bachelor's degree. They also tend to build on several years of work-related experience or training.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
Personality Fit ArtisticArtistic interest typeYou like to create. This could mean visual art, performance, writing or music, or using design to shape objects and materials.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor

Connect With Us

Angela Vietto
Professor of English and Chair, Department of English
arvietto@eiu.edu
3341 Coleman Hall
217-581-2428
Angela Vietto Message Angela

Message Angela

or email arvietto@eiu.edu directly
Michael Cornebise
Interim Dean, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences & Professor, Geography
mwcornebise@eiu.edu
2214
217-581-7486
Michael Cornebise Message Michael

Message Michael

or email mwcornebise@eiu.edu directly
Billy Panther
Head of Panther Pride
Old Main
217-581-2223
Billy the Panther Message Billy

Message Billy

or email billy@eiu.edu directly

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