Writing

Offered by the Mount’s Department of English, the Writing Minor is for those who want to explore the theory and practice of writing in a more intensive way than is possible in other courses. Our Writing Minor is distinctive from other writing programs in that it covers communication in many forms; you can explore creative writing, editing, researching in the digital age, the business of publishing, classical rhetoric, scientific writing, and contemporary theories about composition. The Writing Minor will make you a strong and flexible writer.

• Complement any program — This program is available to all undergraduate students (regardless of your program or declared major) including English students. Developing strong communication skills will help you in your university studies and beyond.
• WRIT & ENGL courses — Any course designated as WRIT or ENGL / WRIT will count toward the Writing Minor. English students who are looking for courses to fulfill the requirements of a literature program (Honours, Major, Combined Major, Concentration, or Minor in English) cannot count WRIT courses as part of the literature requirements, although they can, of course, take WRIT courses as electives or enroll in the Writing Minor. Courses designated as ENGL / WRIT can fulfill requirements for either the Writing Minor or one of the literature programs.
• Registration — When registering, look under Writing in WebAdvisor (not English). However, in the University Calendar, look under English for a list of Writing courses. To register in the Library 2100 course, go to Library in WebAdvisor.
• Academic Advising — For information and advising, contact the English Department’s Acting Writing Co-ordinator, Dr. Anna Smol. (Office: Seton 510. Email: anna.smol@msvu.ca)

Writing and your career

Excellent communication skills are among the top priorities of most employers. Those who can write well are able to discover, articulate, organize, and present clearly and effectively their own as well as other people’s ideas. Those who can write well are always in demand and always valued, no matter where they exercise their craft.

The Writing Minor is a credential that demonstrates to employers that you have developed communication skills that can be transferred to any workplace. Graduates of our Writing courses work in a variety of jobs related to their Major field of study that require excellent written communication skills, but more specifically, some of our students now work in writing and publishing fields as editors, publicists, and communication officers. Other students who developed their creative writing through advanced courses in the program have gone on to publish their work — and even win awards for it!

Writing Minor Requirements

WRIT courses are either a half unit (0.5) or a full unit (1.0) of credit. WRIT 1120 is a required course for the Writing Minor (or it can be taken as an elective in any program).

If an applicant’s first language is not English, official reports with acceptable scores from one of the following tests must be submitted:

• the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• the Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Test
• the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• the CanTEST
• the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)

The following test scores indicate the English language requirements for international student admission to full-time studies and the language bridging programs at MSVU: