PRWR 6260 - Managing Writing in Organizations

3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: Admission to the MAPW program or permission of the graduate program director.
A foundational course introducing students to organizational writing and the planning that informs it. Students will learn to think creatively and systematically about the writing needs of businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. They will analyze the missions, constituencies, structures, and cultures of existing organizations to identify the most appropriate rhetorical strategies and products for organizations in their real-world contexts. Next, students will draft a plan for an organization, which may include a mission statement, key messages, organizational branding, a list of essential (print, electronic, audio, and video) documents, a yearly calendar of events and document releases, a budget and production plan, and a distribution plan for key documents. In addition, students will study how professional writers face situations that require ethical analysis and action to guard an organization’s mission and reputation. The course will also inform students about careers available to organizational writers and the technologies they use in performing their work.