Students must complete a total of 9 semester hours of core writing courses. To view a list of core courses, please visit the UI Catalog.

Students earn a total of at least 9 semester hours in focused electives, which they select from courses in at least two of the following categories (maximum of 6 semester hours from any one category). To see which courses from each category are being offered in a given semester, please check MyUI or write to us at magid-writing@uiowa.edu.

• Writing for the Professions–including art, business, grant writing, journalism, translation, publishing, science, and more.
• Writing and the Literary Arts–including creative writing, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and poetry.
• Writing and the Media–including television/screenwriting and other media.
• Writing in Context–including cross-discipline, cross-genre, and other specialized writing courses not listed above.
• Student-Designated Writing-Intensive Course–Students may petition to count a course not listed in our course database toward the certificate by submitting a course petition form.

Each focused elective course may be used to fulfill only one certificate requirement, even if the course is listed in more than one category. Some of these courses have prerequisites and other requirements for registration; students must complete a course's prerequisites and meet its registration requirements before they may register for the course.

Each student must earn 1 semester hour in a capstone course that serves as a culmination of their Certificate in Writing.

Guided Capstone Portfolio (WRIT:4001, 1 semester hour) is an online, portfolio-based class that allows students the chance to direct their own academic, professional, and creative learning experience by asking them to think critically about where they’ve come from and where they’re headed. In this course, students will be guided by a series of prompts, readings, and targeted assignments that will lead to a shared final goal: an online portfolio of writing that highlights the work created (and the skills gained) while pursuing the certificate in writing.

Though specific content will be unique to each student’s individual project, every enrolled member of this course will be required to: draft a capstone “roadmap” proposal, substantially revise one portfolio piece to underscore improved writing skills, draft one entirely new piece of writing that connects to the larger themes of the portfolio, create a web-based hosting platform for the capstone project, complete a “Capstone Introduction” reflection that prepares readers to engage with the portfolio, and submit a link to the final project by the last day of classes.

In addition to these requirements, throughout the term students will be asked to read and respond to published pieces, participate in peer-review activities, and generate multiple reflections as they progress with their project. Students can expect to get feedback from their instructor on revisions and drafts, and the instructor will also be available for on-campus and online office hours.

This is an exciting and rewarding class, but it’s important to remind students that the value of their experience (and their grade) will depend greatly on their own commitment to meet deadlines and participate to their fullest extent.

All capstone students are invited to share their work and celebrate their completion of the certificate at the Capstone Reading and Reception which takes place at Prairie Lights on the Friday of finals week each spring semester.

View Registration Permission Form

Students considering a career in literary publishing can learn the ins and outs of the industry and gain a competitive edge by enrolling in the literary publishing track. This unique educational experience provides a substantial understanding of the editorial, design, and managerial work essential to this profession. Students who enroll in the track complete the certificate's standard core courses and a publishing-related capstone. They take a series of three publishing-specific courses to fulfill the focused electives requirement:

• WRIT:2900/ARTS:2900/ENGL:2900/UICB:2900–Book Design for Publishing
• WRIT:2991/CNW:2991–Publishing I: Introduction to Literary Publishing
• WRIT:2992/CNW:2992–Publishing II: Advanced Literary Publication

The literary publishing track, interdisciplinary in scope, is a collaboration between the Nonfiction Writing Program in the Department of English, the School of Art, Art History, and Design, and the University of Iowa Center for the Book. As an interdisciplinary program, undergraduates pursuing any major are welcome, as are non-degree students. Note that the track is only available on campus. If you would like to learn more, send us an email at magid-writing@uiowa.edu.

Students may earn either the Certificate in Writing with the literary publishing track or the Bachelor of Arts in English (publishing track) or the Bachelor of Arts in English and creative writing (publishing track). Students may not earn the publishing track in both the major and in the writing certificate.

Students must complete a total of 12 semester hours of core writing courses. To see which core classes are being offered in a given semester, please visit our Magid Center Course Database.

Students earn a total of at least 9 semester hours in focused electives, which they select from courses in at least two of the following categories (maximum of 6 semester hours from any one category). To see which courses from each category are being offered in a given semester, please visit our Magid Center Course Database.

• Writing for the Professions - including art, business, grantwriting, journalism, translation, publishing, science, and more.
• Writing and the Literary Arts - including creative writing, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and poetry.
• Writing and the Media - including television/screenwriting and other media.
• Writing in Context - including cross-discipline, cross-genre, and other specialized writing courses not listed above.
• Student-Designated Writing-Intensive Course - Students may petition to count a course not listed in our course database toward the certificate by submitting a Course Petition Form.

Each focused elective course may be used to fulfill only one certificate requirement, even if the course is listed in more than one category. Some of these courses have prerequisites and other requirements for registration; students must complete a course's prerequisites and meet its registration requirements before they may register for the course.

Students considering a career in literary publishing can learn the ins and outs of the industry and gain a competitive edge by enrolling in the literary publishing track. This unique educational experience provides a substantial understanding of the editorial, design, and managerial work essential to this profession. Students who enroll in the track complete the certificate's standard core courses and a publishing-related capstone. They take a series of three publishing-specific courses to fulfill the focused electives requirement:

• WRIT:2900/ARTS:2900/ENGL:2900/UICB:2900 - Book Design for Publishing
• WRIT:2991/CNW:2991 - Publishing I: Introduction to Literary Publishing
• WRIT:2992/CNW:2992 - Publishing II: Advanced Literary Publication

The literary publishing track, interdisciplinary in scope, is a collaboration between the Magid Center for Writing, the Nonfiction Writing Program in the Department of English, the School of Art, Art History, and Design, and the University of Iowa Center for the Book. As an interdisciplinary program, undergraduates pursuing any major are welcome, as are non-degree students. Note that the track is only available on campus. If you would like to learn more, send us an email at magid-writing@uiowa.edu.

Students may earn either the Certificate in Writing with the literary publishing track or the Bachelor of Arts in English (publishing track) or the Bachelor of Arts in English and creative writing (publishing track). Students may not earn the publishing track in both the major and in the writing certificate.

WRIT:4001 - Guided Capstone Portfolio is an online, portfolio-based class offered during spring semesters that allows students the chance to direct their own academic, professional, and creative learning experience by asking them to think critically about where they’ve come from and where they’re headed. In this course, students will be guided by a series of prompts, readings, and targeted assignments that will lead to a shared final goal: an online portfolio of writing that highlights the work created (and the skills gained) while pursuing the certificate in writing.

Though specific content will be unique to each student’s individual project, every enrolled member of this course will be required to: draft a capstone “roadmap” proposal, substantially revise one portfolio piece to underscore improved writing skills, draft one entirely new piece of writing that connects to the larger themes of the portfolio, create a web-based hosting platform for the capstone project, complete a “Capstone Introduction” reflection that prepares readers to engage with the portfolio, and submit a link to the final project by the last day of classes.

In addition to these requirements, throughout the term students will be asked to read and respond to published pieces, participate in peer-review activities, and generate multiple reflections as they progress with their project. Students can expect to get feedback from their instructor on revisions and drafts, and the instructor will also be available for on-campus and online office hours.

This is an exciting and rewarding class, but it’s important to remind students that the value of their experience (and their grade) will depend greatly on their own commitment to meet deadlines and participate to their fullest extent.

Required forms

• Registration Permission Form (WRIT:4001)

WRIT:4000 - Independent Capstone Project is an independent writing project of the student's choosing, guided by a faculty mentor. It is available online or on campus. The Independent Capstone Project gives certificate in writing students the opportunity to work one-on-one with a UI faculty mentor on a substantial writing project of their choice. Students find a mentor, write and submit a brief "Project Proposal and Mentor Agreement" (see below), and enroll in WRIT:4000 - Independent Writing Project for 1, 2, or 3 semester hours.

Past projects include screenplays, collections of poetry, policy reports, songs for rock and hip-hop albums, linked essays, graphic novels, and even professional handbooks for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Students have also used their capstone projects to help showcase their talents prior to entering the job market—students have edited and printed anthologies, designed websites, and even learned to record and disseminate podcasts—all with the goal of learning skills they know will benefit their future careers.

Program Option B may be combined with an honors thesis or other senior project as long as combining is allowed by the home department, both mentors agree, and the proposed combination is approved by the director of the certificate in writing. Students interested in this option must submit a "Combined Project Agreement" (see below).

Required forms and deadlines

Students and potential mentors should review the Student and Mentor Guide for more information about requirements, expectations, and deadlines.

• Combined Project Agreement (WRIT:4000)
• Project Proposal and Mentor Agreement (WRIT:4000)
• Midterm Progress Report (WRIT:4000)
• Introduction Requirements (WRIT:4000)
• Grading Rubric (WRIT:4000)

NOTE: You must save fillable forms to your local hard drive BEFORE filling them in electronically, otherwise your information will not be saved.

All forms should be emailed to magid-writing@uiowa.edu unless they are unable to be digitized. If that's the case, physical copies are accepted at the Magid Center in 24 Phillips Hall.

Fall 2023

Spring 2024

WRIT:3900 - Writing: Undergraduate Internship provides departmental oversight for students completing a writing-related internship and guides students through a series of reflections on their internship experience and how it relates to their academic, professional, and creative goals.

For this option, students will be required to arrange/secure their own internship with a writing-related organization. The Magid Center uses the same minimum requirements for an internship as the UI Pomerantz Career Center:

• Professional experience which relates to writing (i.e. in publishing, marketing, grant-writing, etc.)
• At least 80% professional work
• Occupies at least one academic term (fall, spring or summer)
• Requires continuous supervision by a professional in the field (not a student)
• Must participate in the internship and take the course during the same semester
• Must work a minimum of 6 weeks at the internship site
• 1-3 satisfactory/unsatisfactory credit hours available based on number of hours working in internship
  • 1 credit hour for 75 hours of internship experience
  • 2 credit hours for 150 hours of internship experience
  • 3 credit hours for 225 hours of internship experience

In addition to securing the internship, students must enroll in WRIT:3900 - Writing: Undergraduate Internship for 1-3 semester hours. This provides departmental oversight for the internship and guides students through a series of reflections on their internship experience and how it relates to their academic, professional, and creative goals. Note that tuition is charged for credit earned; more information can be found on the Registrar's website.

Students wishing to fulfill the capstone requirement by completing a writing-related internship should make an appointment with Danny Khalastchi, Director of the Certificate in Writing, to receive permission to enroll in WRIT:3900. Appointments can be made via the scheduler in MyUI, or by calling our front desk at 319-384-1328.

Required forms

• Capstone Internship Application and Semester Hour Verification (WRIT:3900)
• Midterm Evaluation (WRIT:3900)
• Supervisor's Final Evaluation (WRIT:3900)

Students may petition to take an additional approved 3 semester hours course from among the certificate in writing's core and elective course pool as their capstone. To ensure that the degree audit is properly updated, students must submit the "Program Option D - Course Petition Form" (see below) and receive approval to count it toward the capstone requirement before enrolling in the course.

In addition to completing an extra writing course, students are required to complete the "Program Option D - Final Reflection Assignment" (see below).

Required forms

• Course Petition Form (Program Option D)
• Final Reflection Assignment (Program Option D)