PW Major (AY2026-27)

Note: Students matriculated before the 2026-27 academic year can choose to follow the old curriculum.

Requirements Minimum Units
Writing and Rhetoric (WR) Core1 2 1/3
Communication Electives2 2/3
Subject-Matter Concentration3 4
Scientific/Technical Electives3 1
Major Qualifying Project (MQP) 1 or 4/3

1Up to 5 courses can double count toward the Humanities and Arts (HUA) requirement.
2Program Review Committee (PRC) maintains list of approved courses; both courses can double count from elsewhere except WPI free electives.
3All courses can double count from a second major.

WR Core

Professional Writing (PW) majors must complete 7 courses, broken down into the following categories:

  • Foundation requirement
  • Practitioner requirement
  • WR electives

The foundation requirement ensures students gain fundamental knowledge necessary for pursuing professional writing. Students must take all 3 of the following courses to fulfill this requirement:

  • WR2111 Designing Effective and Ethical Research Studies
  • WR3112 Rhetorical Theory
  • WR4500 Senior Seminar in Writing and Rhetoric

The practitioner requirement ensures students gain hands-on experience with a genre they would encounter in industry. Students must take at least 1 of the following courses to fulfill this requirement:

  • WR2210 Business Writing and Communication
  • WR2450 Narrative Design for Interactive Media and Games
  • WR3210 Technical Writing
  • WR3450 Writing Characters for Interactive Media and Games
  • WR4210 Medical Writing

The WR electives provide flexibility for students to explore other topics in writing and rhetoric. Students must take 3 additional WR courses of their choice:

Up to 5 courses from the WR core can double count toward the Humanities and Arts (HUA) requirement, including a WR-focused HU3900/10 (inquiry seminar/practicum).

Communication Electives

Students must take 2 courses that provide further depth in communication; however, these electives do not have to be writing or communication courses. For example, certain psychology courses might provide depth in communication by teaching how humans process information. Certain computer science courses might provide depth in communication by teaching human-computer interaction (a form of communication). Students should discuss course options with their PW advisor. Approved courses are maintained by the PW Program Review Committee (PRC). Any WR course not used for the WR concentration can also count toward communication electives (even if 1000 level).

Both communication electives can double count elsewhere unless prohibited by another program. They cannot double count as WPI free electives (prohibited by WPI).

Subject-Matter Concentration

PW students must take 12 courses that will provide subject-matter expertise in the discipline(s) for which they plan to write. For example, a student interested in writing for the computer industry might focus on computer science courses for subject-matter expertise. A student interested in medical writing might focus on science and biomedical courses. Students should discuss course options with their PW advisor. There are two options for fulfilling the subject-matter concentration.

Option 1: Double Majors

Double majors already obtain subject-matter expertise through their second major and are thus allowed to double count all 12 courses with their second major.

Option 2: Standalone PW Majors

Standalone PW majors may gain subject-matter expertise in up to 2 disciplines. If the student chooses 2 disciplines, the courses must be evenly divided between those 2 disciplines (6 courses in one discipline and 6 courses in the other). If the student chooses only 1 discipline, all 12 courses must be in the same discipline. Though standalone majors usually do not need to double count these courses, all 12 courses can double count with other programs that allow it (for example, a minor). They cannot double count as WPI free electives.

Scientific/Technical Electives

PW students must take 6 scientific and/or technical courses to provide depth in the sciences and/or technology. Students should discuss course options with their PW advisor. Students can double count all 6 courses elsewhere (for example, a second major) unless prohibited by another program. They cannot double count as WPI free electives.

MQP

PW students typically work on their MQP over the entire duration of their senior year. Students have two options for fulfilling their MQP requirement.

Option 1: Double Majors

Double majors can complete one 4/3-unit interdisciplinary MQP that equally integrates both majors. In this option, the student has 2 advisors (one for each major) but works on 1 MQP project. That project would be spread out over the equivalent of 4 courses instead of 3 and would include a PW component and a component for the second major. Double majors also have the option to complete two separate 1-unit MQPs (total of 2 units) individually for each major.

Option 2: Standalone Majors

Standalone majors must complete a 1-unit PW MQP.

Comparing the Major to the Minor

Some students ask about the difference between the PW major and Writing and Rhetoric minor, so this comparison should help to clarify that. (This expanded side-by-side comparison may also help: PW Minor & Major Overview – August 2021)

WR Minor* Professional Writing Major
5 courses in Writing and Rhetoric (WR prefix):

  • No more than 2 can be 1000 level

Note: 3 WR courses from the HUA requirement can double count toward this requirement (may include a WR-focused HU3900/10).

 7 courses in Writing and Rhetoric

Must include:

  • 3 core WR courses
  • 1 practitioner WR course
  • 3 additional WR elective courses, no more than 1 being a 1000-level course

Note: 5 WR courses from the HUA requirement can double count toward this requirement (may include a WR-focused HU3900/10).
No requirement for electives 2 courses communication electives (PW PRC maintains a list of approved courses)

Note: Both courses can double count elsewhere (unless prohibited by another program) and can include WR courses not being used to fulfill the WR concentration above.
No requirement for subject matter courses 12 courses in subject-matter discipline(s)

Note: All courses can double count from a second major.
Capstone course WR 3112 Rhetorical Theory 1 unit PW MQP -or- 4/3 unit interdisciplinary MQP

Note: If you complete a 4/3 unit interdisciplinary MQP, it’s only an additional 1/3 unit.
Summary:

  • Total of 6 WR courses (counting the capstone course WR3112)
  • Only 3 courses can double count toward the HUA requirement (which may include WR-focused HU3900/10)
 Summary:

  • Total of 7 WR courses, of which 5 can double count toward the HUA requirement (may include WR-focused HU3900/10)
  • 2 communication electives, both of which can double count elsewhere
  • 12 subject-matter expertise courses, all of which can double count from a second major
  • 6 scientific or technical courses, all of which can double count from a second major
  • 1/3 or 3/3 additional units for MQP depending on route chosen

*Students matriculated before the 2025-26 academic year can follow the minor requirements from any year they attended WPI. See the corresponding year’s Undergraduate Catalog for that year’s minor requirements.