All undergraduate Professional Writing majors are required to present to the Department a representative portfolio of their writing before being approved for graduation.

When is the portfolio due?

Nov. 1 or April 1 of your graduation semester.

Where should it be presented?

The portfolio should be addressed to the Chair of the Department of Writing, Linguistics and Creative Process and given to the Department secretary. The secretary will forward it to faculty for review.

What should the portfolio contain?

____1. Two copies of a list of writing courses you have taken.

____2. Two copies of an autobiographical statement focusing on you as a writer. The statement may contain your goals as a writer, your aesthetic philosophy, an assessment of your progress as a writer over the past few years. One copy of the autobiographical statement will be retained by the Department.

____3. Two copies of a curriculum vita, or resume. One copy of the resume will be retained by the department.

____4. Samples of your “best writing,” a minimum of 20 pages, including any published articles. These should be clean, typed, edited copies.

The portfolio should be in easily readable, viewable form. Presentation is important. This is a collection you can use to market your writing abilities.

Will the portfolio be returned?

____Yes. You may pick up your portfolio the last day of classes in your graduation semester.

Will you be graded on the portfolio?

No. The department requires only that you submit the portfolio before graduation. However, all portfolios will be considered for the honor of “Distinction in Writing.”

Criteria for Distinction in Writing

Only a very few students will receive distinction. This honor will be given to work that is, in the judgment of the Department, high quality exceptional publishable or producible work, and/or work which demonstrates a versatility across several genres. Students whose work meets this standard will receive a certificate signed by the Department certifying distinction and will have their names inscribed on a plaque displayed in the Writing Department office.