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Program Requirements

The Graduate Certificate Program in Professional Writing and Communication is designed for students who wish to pursue professional careers in technical writing, communication, corporate training and instructional design, or user interface and Web-docu ment design. Because all courses are offered online through Web-based distance education, students can attend the courses and fulfil the coursework independent from place and time while continuing to work full time.

Credits and Courses
Students must complete 15 credits of course work as outlined below. The Certificate will be awarded when students achieve the following:

• Complete 9 credits in required courses in English
• Complete 6 credits in required courses in Communication
• Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the courses that apply to the Certificate

With the consent of the Certificate Coordinator and subject to the Graduate School transfer policy, students who have completed appropriate courses for graduate credit at other institutions may transfer up to three credits into the Certificate Program, provided that the courses were completed within the last five years with a grade of B or better.

Required Courses in English, 9 credits.
Students will take 9 credits selected from the following required English courses:

• Advanced Professional Writing (English 708)
• Rhetoric, Writing, and Information Technology (English 709)
• Advanced Project Management for Professional Writers (English 710)

Students who within the past five years have successfully completed courses equivalent to these required English courses may substitute alternate English graduate courses.

Required Courses in Communication, 6 credits.
Students, in consultation with the Program Coordinator, will take 6 credits selected from the following Communication Courses:

• Designing and Developing Communication Training Interventions (Commun 627)
• Studies of Communication in Organizations (Commun 810)
• Seminar in Mediated Communication (Commun 813)
• Seminar in Small Group Communication (Commun 823)
• Seminar in Programs of Adult Communication (Commun 827)

Students who intend to enroll in both the Certificate program and a graduate degree program must apply for admission to both the Certificate program and to the graduate degree program of their choice. With the approval of the graduate coordinator of t he student's graduate program, up to 12 credits completed in the Certificate also may satisfy graduate program requirements.

Students not concurrently enrolled in a UWM graduate degree program later may transfer credits completed in the Certificate to a UWM graduate degree program, subject to Graduate School transfer policy and subject to the guidelines and approval of the g raduate coordinator of the respective degree program.

Students seeking admission to the Certificate and to graduate degree programs are advised to seek the advice of graduate coordinators of each program.

Time Limit
Students must complete all requirements for the Certificate within 3 years of their initial enrollment.

Tuition and Fees
UWM's Business and Financial Services publishes the latest tuition and fees schedule at www.bfs.uwm.edu/fees/. Online distance education courses are not charged the "Segregated Fee" for Student Union services, but UWM charges an additional online fee that has not yet been determined.