As ever, the Professional Writing program at Champlain College prepares students to make a living as writers across a broad variety of careers. They can study the foundation of craft across multiple genres (fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and beyond), develop strong skill sets in editing and revision, learn about numerous professional pathways in publishing through visiting guests and internships, and choose electives that will impart marketable skills relating to public relations, grant writing, video storytelling, or podcasting.
Providing this kind of career-ready education means we’re always looking at the writing and publishing landscape, which is why we’re excited to announce some new changes—including a name change. Here’s what you can expect from the newly named Writing & Publishing major:
- More flexibility to allow for electives and study abroad
- A revised Editing/Publishing concentration to further focus on industry practices
- Pub Hub, a 10-week student-run publishing experience
- New courses
- Streamlined Professional Practices courses that focus on your career
The new and improved optional concentration will consist of five total courses: Professional Pathways in Publishing (formerly known as Pub 21—still the same great course) and four electives from a list including courses like Magazine Publishing, Developmental Editing & Publishing, Copyediting, Transmedia Storytelling, as well as courses from other majors, such as Podcasting, Video Storytelling, and Design Solutions. Because today’s opportunities extend far beyond just paper and print.
New for first-year writers, students will join the staff of the student publication of their choice—Willard and Maple (an annual lit magazine), Chivomengro (a periodic magazine specializing in creative nonfiction and experimental prose), or The Crossover (the campus news publication)—and contribute their own creative work to the publication. Welcoming first-year writers into the inner workings of these publications will invite them into the heart of publishing at Champlain and increase the overall community and camaraderie of our student-run publications. We’re calling this 10-week, 1-credit course Pub Hub, and are pleased to provide an avenue for our newest students to develop their professional skills and creative voice.
There are also some new-and-improved courses coming to the program, including Travel & Food Writing, Telling True Stories, and STEAM courses planned for the future, such as Medicine/Health & Science Writing. Additionally, across the board, WRT courses will now have fewer prerequisites, which will increase the ease of any Champlain college student from any division to enjoy a wide variety of this program’s courses.
While our students have long been a vibrant part of the Study Abroad program, the improved flexibility of the Writing & Publishing program will make it even easier for students to explore new opportunities and settings outside of Burlington, as an important part of their Champlain experience.
What isn’t changing is the program’s tried and true strengths. The internship and senior Capstone projects, as cornerstones of the original writing curriculum, will remain in place. As well, Champlain’s WRT classes will continue to be taught by creative faculty who are actively publishing their own work and maintaining their own professional careers, bringing that experience directly to their students. This also means that our faculty can bring their professional contacts into the classroom so our students benefit from interacting with visiting authors, editors, agents, and other publishing professionals, and can practice building their own connections for the future. We are excited to welcome our first Writing & Publishing majors in the Fall of ’24!
