UMass Boston

Current Undergraduate Students: Declare or change your minor by completing an Undergraduate Program Add/Change form. Students must complete ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 (or their equivalents) before starting the PNMW program.

Prospective Undergraduate Students: Apply for admission to UMass Boston by completing an application. Start by reviewing the first-year and transfer application pages for important information about requirements, deadlines, and application status checks. Use the links below to apply: 

Apply as a First-Year Student

Apply as a Transfer Student

Core Courses (9 Credits)

Take three courses from the list below.

• ENGL 306 - Advanced Nonfiction Writing 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 307 - Journalism and Media Writing 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 308 - Professional Editing 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 309 - Multimedia Authoring 3 Credit(s)

Writing Electives (6 Credits)

Take two courses from the list below. At least one course must be 300-level or higher. A Core Course may count as an Elective if not previously taken as part of the Core requirement. Other courses not on this list may count as Electives in consultation with the PNMW Program Director and the Undergraduate Program Director in the English Department.

• ENGL 203 - Writing Craft/Context/Desig 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 204 - Professional Writing 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 216 - Reading and Writing Journalism 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 300 - Intermediate Creative Writing Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 301 - Advanced Poetry Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 302 - Advanced Fiction Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 311L - How to Write Like a Film Critic 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 312 - Digital Culture and Composition 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 440 - History of the English Language 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 442 - Global Englishes and Language Diversity 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 448 - Perspectives on Literacy 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 477 - Professional and New Media Writing Internship II 3 Credit(s)
• CINE 311L - How to Write Like a Film Critic 3 Credit(s)
• THRART 275L - Introduction to Screen and Television Writing 3 Credit(s)

Internship (3 Credits)

• ENGL 475 - Professional and News Media Writing Capstone Internship 1-6 Credit(s)

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

The PNMW program culminates in an internship, in which you demonstrate writing proficiency in a professional environment. As a PNMW student, you will identify and apply for internships on your own, gaining valuable experience for future job searches. Campus resources are available to help you with the process.

Internship Requirements

For an internship to count towards the program:

• You must do workplace writing for 10-20 hours a week for the duration of the internship.
• The internship must be approved by the PNMW Program Director.
• The internship can be paid or unpaid.
• You must take ENGL 475: Professional & New Media Writing Capstone Internship in the same semester as the internship. ENGL 475 is offered in Fall and Spring; it rarely runs in the Summer.

When to Apply

It’s never too early to look for an internship, but we recommend waiting until you’ve taken two of the three core courses.

If you are planning your internship for the Fall semester, the PNMW Director must communicate with your proposed supervisor and confirm the details of the internship by October 1. If you are planning your internship for the Spring, it must be confirmed by March 1.

Once the internship is confirmed, the PNMW Director will enroll you in ENGL 475; you cannot enroll yourself.

How to Apply

The PNMW Internship Checklist on the Internships Flyer walks you through these five steps: Prepare, Search, Apply, Confirm, Enroll.

Complete 18 credits from six courses, including three core courses, two electives, and one internship. Please note: Students must plan their course of study in consultation with the Director of Professional and New Media Writing.

Pass/Fail: No courses taken pass/fail may be applied toward the minor.
Residency: At least five courses for the minor must be completed at UMass Boston.

Program Director: Prof. Timothy Oleksiak
Location: Wheatley Hall, 6th Floor
Email: ProfWriting@umb.edu