Catalog Navigator : Certificate Programs

Certificate in Drama and Performance Studies (16 credits)

The certificate in drama and performance studies offers the opportunity for students pursuing the English major or minor to develop a specialized concentration in the study of the performing arts. The certificate program curriculum (a total of 16 credits) requires a foundational course in the field (Introduction to Dramatic Literature or Introduction to Performance Theory), four approved electives, and a 1-credit capstone in which students produce a portfolio. Students who fulfill all requirements with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 in these courses will be awarded the certificate. For more information, contact the faculty director, Professor Thomas Fulton tfulton@english.rutgers.edu

The certificate consists of 16 course credits, with a minimum 3.0 GPA in the following courses:

1. One (1) required introductory course:

358:240� Introduction to Dramatic Literature

359:220� Introduction to Performance Theory

2. Any four (4) of the following courses*:

351:303� Screenwriting for Film

351:304� Screenwriting for Television

351:308� Creative Writing Playwriting

351:408� Advanced Creative Writing Workshop: Playwriting

358:202� Shakespeare

358:240� Introduction to Dramatic Literature*

358:310� Medieval Drama

358:313� Drama in the Age of Shakespeare

358:314� Shakespeare: The Elizabethan Plays

358:315� Shakespeare: The Jacobean Plays

358:320� Shakespeare in England

358:325� Restoration and 19th-Centurey Theater and Drama

358:335� 19th-Century Theater and Drama

358:347� American Theater and Drama

358:356� Early 20th-Century Theater and Drama

358:357� Later 20th-Century Theater and Drama

358:372� Black Theater and Drama

358:378� Black Music and Literature

358:394� Theater and Drama by Women

358:426� Seminar: Shakespeare

359:220� Introduction to Performance Theory

*At the discretion of the faculty director of the certificate, new and other courses in the department not listed above, as well as courses in other departments, might also count.

Other Certificate Programs (16-18 credits)

The primary goal of the certificate programs is to enhance the writing proficiency of business and science students in order to increase their eligibility for employment in professions that require advanced writing competency. Any student working toward the business and technical writing minor is eligible to receive either the professional writing certificate or the technical writing certificate upon completion of all required courses with a grade of C or above.�

These certificates are only available to students enrolled in the business and technical writing minor at Rutgers University.

Professional Writing Certificate (16-18 credits)

Any student may request this certificate upon completion of the minor. There is a significant need for college graduates who can research and communicate information at a high level of competence in business, industry, and government. The professional writing certificate is designed to give students a firm grounding in the skills of oral, written, and electronic communication and prepare them to enter professions that require extensive writing skills.

Technical Writing Certificate (18 credits)

This certificate is open to undergraduates with majors or minors in approved scientific or technical subject areas (such as biology, mathematics, engineering, or computer science). The need for technical writers capable of communicating scientific or technically sophisticated information to various audiences is well established, and technical writing skills are in demand in a wide range of fields. This certificate program is designed to give students with a science or technical background a strong foundation in the skills of oral, written, and electronic communication.

Certificate Requirements

Both certificates require six courses in four key skill areas:

1. Writing Training (6 credits)

Since writing competence is at the heart of the certificate program, students must complete two writing courses intended to improve writing, editing, collaboration, and general communication skills. Electives may be chosen from among the following writing courses:

01:355:202� Technical Writing Essentials (3)

01:355:203� Business Writing Essentials (3)

01:355:315� Grant Writing (3)

01:355:342� Science Writing (3)

01:355:352� Writing as a Naturalist (3)

01:355:355� Writing in the Professions (3)

01:355:365� Technical Editing (3)

01:355:375� Collaborative Writing Practices (3)

04:192:315� Professional Writing and Communication (3)

04:192:380� Public Speaking (3)

04:567:205� Digital News Reporting and Writing (3)

2. Research Practice (3 credits)

In the information and technology economy, the ability to conduct research and use information to develop viable plans of action is essential to success and advancement. Students therefore must complete a research writing course in business or technical writing. These courses will also fulfill most students' second level writing requirements (consult with your school's academic advising office for specific requirements in your program). Research writing courses include:

01:355:302� Scientific and Technical Writing (3)

01:355:303� Writing for Business and the Professions (3)

01:355:315� Grant Writing (3)

01:355:322� Writing for Engineers (3)

3. Computer Knowledge (6 credits)

Basic computer knowledge and the ability to learn new programs quickly are essential to success in business and technical writing environments. Students in our program will be introduced to general and advanced writing software in many classes, and they will be required to pass an introductory course in computer science.

a) Though several of our courses will expect students to learn relatively simple programs (such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint), students are also required to take one of the following courses, which teach advanced writing software, covered in our upper-level workshop courses. These include:

01:355:402� Advanced Writing Workshop (3)

01:355:415� Information Design (3)

01:355:425� Web Authoring (3)

b) Students will also need to pass one of the following introductory computer science courses:

01:198:107� Computing for Math and the Sciences (3)

01:198:110� Introduction to Computers and Their Application (3)

01:198:111� Introduction to Computer Science (4)

01:198:170� Computer Applications for Business (3)

04:198:103� Information Technology and Informatics (3)

04:547:220� Retrieving and Evaluating Electronic Information (3)

4. Internship Experience (1 or 3 credits for a professional writing certificate; 3 credits for a technical writing certificate)

Hands-on training in the work environment offers an invaluable, practical component to the certificate program, providing students with useful experience while encouraging professional attitudes toward work. In our program, students will have the option of fulfilling an independent internship or taking credits through the CESEP Program:��

01:355:395,396,397,398� Internship (3,3,3,3)

01:355:399,400� CESEP Internship (1,1)

Please see the internships website for more information.

For information on the Writing Program's business and technical writing minor through the School of Arts and Sciences, please see the Minor in Business and Technical Writing page in this catalog. For more information on the certificate programs or the minor, please see http://wp.rutgers.edu.

Students completing the certificate should fill out the Application for Professional and Technical Writing Certificates form. This form should be completed and submitted to William Magrino via email (william.magrino@rutgers.edu); fax (732-932-3094); or in person at Loree Building, Room 006, 72 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. All information will be verified and the certificate will be processed within three business days.

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