Writing and Public Engagement (WPE) Minor
The WPE minor is designed to help students hone the rhetorical arts of persuasive writing and public engagement. Through a variety of courses offered through PWR and English, students will find opportunities to write in diverse genres for diverse purposes and public audiences; leverage a wide variety of digital technologies to design, produce, and distribute multimodal compositions; write in professional settings and with community partners; and write collaboratively for social change. From forwarding public arguments to designing social media content to composing for non‐profits, this minor will enable students to learn valuable skills, practices, and tools for creating, participating, and connecting as active technocitizens in the 21st century.
Contact Laurie Gries at legries@colorado.edu for more information about this minor.
- Earn 18 credits in ENGL and WRTG courses with grades of C- or better. At least 12 credits must be in upper division, and at least 9 credits must be ENGL designated courses.
- Students may apply no more than 9 credit hours of transfer work, including no more than 6 upper division credit hours, towards a minor. This is a college residency rule for an 18 credit minor.
- Students may apply one lower or upper division Creative Writing or Literature ENGL course of their choice to count towards the minor for Writing and Public Engagement. A list of recommended courses is offered below.
- Students must maintain at least a 2.00 (C) GPA in all courses counting toward the WPE minor.
- All courses for the Writing and Public Engagement minor must be in English and PWR.
- English majors (Creative Writing or Literature and Cultural Studies) are not eligible to declare an English minor.
The WPE Minor curriculum has been specifically designed to give students experience with theories, practices and actions important to writing and public engagement. In simplest terms, theory courses for the WPE curriculum introduce students to theories that are central to writing and public engagement in the 21st century. Practice courses offer students opportunities to practice writing in public facing genres from a theoretically informed position and for an imagined public audience. Action courses offer students opportunities to not only write in public facing genres but distribute their or others writing to specific public audiences with specific rhetorical goals in mind. The main idea behind this curriculum can be summed up in this simple, albeit reductive, equation: theory + practice = constructive action.
To complete the Writing and Public Engagement Minor, all students must:
Complete the following Prerequisite for Minor:
- Meet the 3 credit lower division Written Communication Requirement as required by all schools and colleges at CU Boulder.
- Complete 9 required credits in the following way: (NOTE: When registering, please look for WPE designation for the topic courses listed above to make sure they count for the minor. You can also find a list of courses that count toward the minor each semester listed below.)
THEORY: 3 CREDITS (Choose one of the following courses)
WRTG 2000: Information and Society
WRTG 2095: Ideas for Social Change
WRTG 3010: Technology, Rhetoric and the Self
ENGL 3377: Literatures of Race, Multiculturalism, Ethnicity
ENGL 3347: Asian American Literature
PRACTICE: 3 CREDITS (Choose one of the following courses)
WRTG 2020 Introduction to Creative Nonfiction
ENGL 3016: Writing in the Age of AI
ENGL 3026: Syntax, Citation, Analysis
ENGL 3830: Topics in Advanced Writing and Research
WRTG 3045: Writing for Emerging Workplaces
WRTG 3020: Topics in Writing (Multiple Topics to Choose from in a Given Semester)
ACTION: 3 CREDITS (Choose one of the following courses)
WRTG 2090: Electives in Writing: Writing Center Theory and Praxis
WRTG 2930: Internship in Writing and Rhetoric
WRTG 3035: Technical Communication and Design
WRTG 3090: Open Topics in Writing (Advanced)
WRTG 3095:Journal Publishing
WRTG 3930: Internship in Writing and Rhetoric
ENGL 3940: Service Learning Practicum
ENGL 4206: Writing for the Real World
ENGL 4116: Advanced Topics in Media Studies
ENG 4717: Native American and Indigenous Studies---Capstone Seminar
3. Complete 9 credits in minor electives in one of the following ways:
- Choose 9 credits from any of the courses listed above not being used to fill the Theory, Practice, or Action requirements.
- Choose 6 credits from any of the courses listed above not being used to fill the Theory, Practice, or Action requirements and 3 credits of any other ENGL courses (see recommended courses below.)
ENGL 1800: American Ethnic Literatures
ENGL 2036: Introduction to Media Studies in the Humanities
ENGL 2046: Future Histories of Technologies
ENGL 2707: Introduction to Queer Literature
ENGL 2717: American Indian Literature
ENGL 2727: Introduction to African American Literature
ENGL 2747: Introduction to Chicana/o/x Literature
ENGL 2767: Race, Empire, and the Postcolonial
ENGL 3005: Literature of New World Encounters
ENGL 3006: Digital Editions & Web Publishing
ENGL 3106: Introduction to Literary Study with Data Science
ENGL 3026: Syntax, Citation, and Analysis: Writing About Literature (recommended prerequisite: completion of lower- division writing requirement.)
ENGL 3246: Topics in Popular Culture
ENGL 3031: Studies in Creative Writing for Nonmajors (prerequisite: ENGL 1191: Introduction to Creative Writing)
ENGL 3767: Feminist Fictions
ENGL 3796: Queer Theory
ENGL 4018: Literature and Globalization
ENGL 4106: Literary Study with Data Science (recommended prerequisite: ENGL 3106)
The following courses will be offered in Spring 2025. Please use CU Boulder Class Search to see what days and times these classes are offered and by what instructor.
Theory:
WRTG 2095 Ideas for Social Change
ENGL 3347: Asian American Literature
Practice:
WRTG 2020: Introduction to Creative Nonfiction
ENGL 3016: Writing in the Age of AI
WRTG 3020: Topics In Writing
ENGL 3022: Medical Humanities
WRTG 3045: Writing in Emerging Workplaces
ENGL 3830: Topics in Advanced Writing and Research
Action
WRTG 2090: Electives in Writing: Writing Center Theory and Praxis
WRTG 2930: Internship in Writing and Rhetoric
WRTG 3035: Technical Communication and Design
WRTG 3095: Journal Publishing
WRTG 3930: Internship in Writing and Rhetoric
WRTG 4206: Writing for the Real World
ENG 4717: Native American and Indigenous Studies---Capstone Seminar
Theory:
ENGL 3377 Literatures of Race, Multiculturalism, Ethnicity.
MWF, 2:30pm - 3:20pm, Section 001, Instructor N. Wright
WRTG 2095 Ideas for Social Change
TTH, 2pm - 3:15pm, Section 001, Instructor, N. Shanmugaraj
Practice:
ENGL 3026 Syntax, Citation, Analysis: Writing About Literature
MWF 8:00-8:50am, Section 001, Instructor: To be Announced
MWF 9:05-9:55am, Section 002, Instructor: To be Announced
TTH 8:00 - 9:15am, Section 003, Instructor: To be Announced
TTH 5:00pm - 6:15pm, Section 004, Instructor: To be Announced
CE (Meets Online): Section 581, Instructor: T. Nugent
ENGL 3830: TOPICS IN ADVANCED WRITING AND RESEARCH
MWF 9:05-9:55am, Section 001, Instructor: G. Rios
MWF, Time to be Assigned, Section 002, J. Garrity
WRTG 3045: WRITING IN EMERGING WORKPLACES
MWF, 1:25pm-2:15pm, Section 003, Instructor: M. Henningson
MWF, 2:30pm-3:20pm, Section 005, Instructor: M. Henningson
TTH, 2:00pm-3:15pm, Section 007, Instructor: P. Wenger
TTH, 3:30pm-4:45pm, Section 009, Instructor: P. Wenger
Meets Online, Section 581, Instructor: D. Colley
WRTG 3020 TOPICS IN WRITING (ONLY FOLLOWING COURSES)
MWF 8am - 8:50am
Advanced Creative Non-fiction. Instructor: J. Schaefer
MWF 9:05am – 9:55am
New York Times Topics. Section 005. Instructor: A. Abiragi
Advanced Creative Non-fiction. Instructor: J. Schaefer
MWF 10:10am – 11am
New York Times Topics. Section 007. Instructor: A. Abiragi
Narrative and the Self. Instructor: Kerry Reilly
Privacy and Digital Surveillance in the 21st Century. Instructor: Adam Padgett
MWF 11:15am - 12:05pm
Narrative and the Self. Instructor: K. Reilly
Ways of Telling the Story. Instructor: G. Strauch
MWF 12:20 - 1:10pm
Ways of Telling the Story. Instructor: G. Strauch
MWF 1:25pm - 2:15pm
Stories in American Culture. Instuctor: T. Von Der Nuell
Travel Writing. Instructor: J. Knowlton
MWF 2:30 – 3:20
Multicultural Rhetorics, Section 032. Instructor: G. Rios
Privacy and Digital Surveillance in the 21st Century. Instructor: Adam Padgett
Stories in American Culture. Instuctor: T. Von Der Nuell
TTh 9:30am - 10:45am
Queer Rhetorics, Section 051. Instructor: Tracy Ferrell
Social Media and the Mind. Section 053. Instructor: Michelle Albert
TTh 11a-12:15p
New Media & Civic Engagement. Section 057. Instructor: Paula Wenger
TTh 12:30-1:45p
Writing on Music. Section 063. Instructor: To be Announced.
Animals/American Indian Narratives, Section 063. Instructor: Catherine Kunce.
TTh 2 – 3:15pm
Composing a Civic Life. Section 063. Instructor: John Ackerman
TTh 3:30-4:45
Race, Class, Gender. Section 75. Instructor: Nisha Shanmugaraj
Writing on Music. Section 076. Instructor: A. Fobes
Narrative and the Self. Instructor: S. Byrd
TTh 5pm – 6:15pm
Writing on Music. Section 080. Instructor: A. Fobes
Narrative and the Self. Instructor: S. Byrd
Online Classes
Essay to Blog: Exploring Nonfiction. Section 150. Instructor: S. Massey-Warren
Ways of Telling the Story. Instructor: M. Gurule
Action
WRTG 2930 Internship in Writing and Rhetoric
No Time Assigned, Section 901, Instructor: J. Ellis
WRTG 3035 Technical Communication and Design
MWF, 9:05am-9:55am, Section 001, Instructor: E. Newsom
MWF, 10:10am-11am, Section 003, Instructor: E. Newsom
MWF, 1:25pm-2:15pm, Section 007, Instructor: P. Schaberg
TTH, 11am-12:15pm, Section 014, Instructor: A. Fobes
TTH, 2:00pm-3:15pm, Section 018, Instructor: A. Fobes
TTH, 3:30pm-4:45pm, Section 020, Instructor: E. Stillwaggon Swan
WRTG 3070 Advocating with Data
MWF 9:05-9:55am, Section 001, Instructor: N. Pieplow
WRTG 3090 Open Topics in Writing: Advanced
Digital Publishing Practicum, Section 001 Meets: TTh 2-3:15p Instructor: J. Ellis
WRTG 3930 Internship in Writing and Rhetoric
No Time Assigned, Section 901
ENGL 3930 Internship
MWF, 12:20pm - 1:10pm, Section 801. Instructor: R. Simonetta
ENGL 4206 Writing for the Real World
MWF, 12:20pm - 1:10pm, Section 001. Instructor: To be Announced.
Spring 2024
Theory:
ENGL 3377 Literatures of Race, Multiculturalism, Ethnicity
WRTG 2095 Ideas for Social Change
Practice:
ENGL 3026 Syntax, Citation, Analysis: Writing About Literature
ENGL 3830: TOPICS IN ADVANCED WRITING AND RESEARCH
WRTG 3045: WRITING IN EMERGING WORKPLACES
WRTG 3020 TOPICS IN WRITING (ONLY FOLLOWING COURSES)
MWF 9:05 – 9:55.
Environmental Writing. Section 002. Instructor: K. Hessel
Language of War. Section 003. Instructor: D. Chu
MWF 11:15a-12:05p
New Media & Civic Engagement. Section 15. Instructor: Paula Wengar
MWF 12:20 - 1:10pm
New York Times Topics. Section 20. Instructor: A. Abiragi
TV and American Culture: Section 19. Instructor: Marisa Tirado
MWF 1:25 – 2:15
Environmental Writing. Section 25. Instructor: K. Hessel
New York Times Topics. Section 26. Instructor: Orly Hersh
MWF 2:30 – 3:20
New Media & Civic Engagement. Section 31. Instructor: Paula Wengar
TV and American Culture: Section 19. Instructor: Marisa Tirado
MW 3:35-4:50p
Writing on Music. Section 39. Instructor: Steve Lamos
MW 5:05-6:20p
Writing on Music. Section 44. Instructor: Steve Lamos
TTh 11a-12:15p
New Media & Civic Engagement. Section 59. Instructor: Laurie Gries
TTh 12:30-1:45p
Multicultural Rhetorics. Section 68. Instructor: Gabi Rios
TTh 2 – 3:15pm
Race, Class, Gender. Section 75. Instructor: Nisha Shanmugaraj
TTh 3:30-4:45
Social Media and the Mind. Section 85. Instructor: Michelle Albert
TTh 5pm – 6:15pm
Gender and Sexuality. Section 92. Instructor: R. Bartlett
Online Classes
Essay to Blog: Exploring Nonfiction. Section 150. Instructor: S. Massey-Warren
Action
WRTG 2930 Internship in Writing and Rhetoric
WRTG 3035 Technical Communication and Design
WRTG 3090 Open Topics in Writing: Advanced
Digital Publishing Practicum, Section 001 Meets: TTh 2-3:15p Instructor: J. Ellis
WRTG 3930 Internship in Writing and Rhetoric
ENGL 3930 Internship
ENGL 4206 Writing for the Real World
SUMMER 2023
MAYMESTER 2
Practice
WRTG 3020, SECTION 008, MTWThF 12:30pm - 3:30pm, TOPICS IN WRITING: WRITING ABOUT SPACE, Laurie Gries
A SESSION
Practice
WRTG 3020, Section 104, MTWThF, Remote, 11:10pm - 12:45pm: TOPICS IN WRITING: SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE MIND, Michelle Albert
WRTG 3020, Section 107, Online, TOPICS IN WRITING: FROM ESSAY TO BLOG--EXPLORING NONFICTION, Sarah Massey-Warren
ENGL 3026, Section 100, Online, SYNTAX, CITATION, ANALYSIS, Mairead Case
B SESSION
Practice
ENGL 3026, Section 200, Online, SYNTAX, CITATION, ANALYSIS, Mairead Case
D SESSION
Action
WRTG 3930, SECTION 900, INTERNSHIP IN WRITING AND RHETORIC
AUGMESTER
Practice
WRTG 3020, Section 050, MTWThF, Hybrid Remote/Online, TOPICS IN WRITING: U.S. RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS, Elia Newsom
WRTG 3020, Section 045, MTWThF, In person, 12:30pm - 3:30pm, TOPICS IN WRITING: WRITING ON MUSIC, Alex Fobes
CONTINUING ED
Practice
WRTG 3020, Section 583, Online, TOPICS IN WRITING: U.S. RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS, Elia Newsom
WRTG 3020, Section 589, Online, TOPICS IN WRITING: WRITING ABOUT THE BODY, Jamal Khlifat
FALL 2023
Theory:
ENGL 3377 Literatures of Race, Multiculturalism, Ethnicity
WRTG 2095 Ideas for Social Change
Practice:
ENGL 3026 Syntax, Citation, Analysis: Writing About Literature
ENGL 3830: TOPICS IN ADVANCED WRITING AND RESEARCH
WRTG 3045: Writing for Emerging Workplaces
WRTG 3020 TOPICS IN WRITING
New Media & Civic Engagement, Section Number: 076 Meets: TTh 3:30-4:45p Instructor: P. Wenger
Environmental Justice, Section 074. Meets: TTh 3:30-4:45p Instructor: J. Ackerman
U.S. Resistance Movements, Section 070. Meets: TTh 2-3:15p Instructor: E. Newsom
Queer Rhetorics, Section 062. Meets: TTh 12:30-1:45p Instructor:T. Ferrell
Multicultural Rhetorics, Section 058. Meets: TTh 11a-12:15pInstructor:A. Feldman
New Media & Civic Engagement, Section 057. Meets: TTh 11a-12:15p Instructor: P. Wenger
Writing on Music, Section 043. Meets: MW 5:05-6:20p Instructor: A. Fobes
Writing on Music, Section:037, Meets: MW 3:35-4:50p Instructor: A. Fobes
Social Media and the Mind, Section 036. Meets: MW 3:35-4:50p Instructor: M. Albert
Gender & Sexuality Section 020. Meets: MWF 12:20-1:10p Instructor: R. Bartlett
Gender & Sexuality, Section 007. Meets: MWF 10:10-11a Instructor: R. Bartlett
Action
WRTG 3035 Technical Communication and Design:
WRTG 3090 Open Topics in Writing: Advanced
Digital Publishing Practicum, Section 001 Meets: TTh 2-3:15p Instructor: J. Ellis
ENGL 4206 Writing for the Real World
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