Skill Is Among the Most Sought After in Global Job Market
The ability to write well is among the greatest skills anyone can possess in many careers — and it’s an excellent asset to have when interviewing for jobs.
PICTURED: Senior Mathew Perry works at his computer. Students are learning about the College's newest minor, which will be available in Fall 2018.
Wilmington College has always valued writing as a fundamental skill, as evidenced by its requirement for writing-intensive courses, but now it’s putting that expertise front and center by offering a minor in professional writing. The College’s newest academic program, which will appear prominently on graduates’ college transcripts, will be offered beginning fall 2018.
Dr. Laura Struve, professor of English, said being a proficient writer will help prepare graduates to compete in a global economy in which a poorly crafted email or a grammatically suspect cover letter could spell doom to job seekers.
“One of the things employers always want from job candidates and wish their employees were better at is writing,” she said, noting that studies show writing-intensive positions are among the least likely to be outsourced.
“This is a valuable skill you can take with you for the rest of your life, and a skill you can take from job to job,” she added.
Struve said a professional writing minor would complement almost any major, but suggested the 20-hour curriculum would be of special interest to students in business areas, the sciences and sport sciences. While courses cover such diverse types of writing as creative and copywriting, they also will explore such specific formats as writing for business, science and technical areas.
“We built this minor so students can specialize,” she added, noting the professional writing minor represents another example of WC’s hallmark for offering hands-on learning opportunities.
The College is investing in the curriculum by hiring a new, full-time faculty member to join existing faculty to teach the writing courses.
