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With our Catholic liberal arts heritage and over 100 degree programs, including nursing and marine biology, from bachelors through PhDs, we've got your options covered. Focus on arts and sciences, business, education, social work, communication, nursing, medical sciences, theology, or law. Take things further with personalized research and experiential learning opportunities, on and off-campus. Enhance your prospects with hands-on internships at some of the country's top organizations.

Colleges and Schools

Academic Support

Barry University Students

The path to your perfect career begins with planning and support. Career Development has resources for you to help you make the most of your time at Barry. Guidance is just an appointment away.

Service-learning integrates relevant community service with course work and critical reflection to enrich the learning experience, foster social responsibility and civic engagement, and strengthen communities.

Service-Learning

The Honors Program at Barry is designed to challenge, enrich, and prepare especially motivated students to pursue their fullest potential. By participating in a rigorous curriculum rounded out by an array of edifying and interactive events, students explore crucial issues that we face in our daily lives. Students are given the space for discussion and debate and the opportunity to learn from experts in their fields. The Office of Financial Aid can assist with determining eligibility for the Honors Program.

The Monsignor William Barry Memorial Library is located in the center of the beautiful Miami Shores campus of Barry University. The Library is named in loving memory of Monsignor William Barry, one of the founders of Barry University and an inspirational figure in the Catholic Church within the Archdiocese of Miami. The extensive Library research collections include more than 950,000 physical items, over 40,000 print and on-line journal subscriptions, and several thousand on-line books and streaming video resources.

At Barry University, you will experience a small community atmosphere where you can always rely on our administrators and faculty for advice, encouragement and personal attention. We take great pride in giving individual attention from the very beginning. You can start building a personal relationship with one of our admissions counselors who will help answer any questions, and guide you through the entire admissions and enrollment process.

Continuing Education (CE) offers a variety of courses and non-credit programs designed to respond to the diverse educational interests and lifelong learning needs of individuals of all ages. We offer certificate, credential exam preparation, and licensure programs for professional and personal enrichment.

High school students: Get a jump-start on your college education with dual enrollment courses from Barry University! You can earn high school and college credit at the same time, right at your own school.

Dual Enrollment

We are committed to providing programs and services that are guided by Barry University's rich educational mission and intended to enhance your Barry experience. Through partnerships with others in the university community, we aim to create experiences that will help transform you into leaders for a just and humane world.

We are an NCAA Division II school and a member of the Sunshine State Conference with 12 varsity teams, including men's baseball, basketball, golf, soccer and tennis; and women's basketball, golf, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. So far, we've won 24 NCAA championships, had 338 All-Americans, 413 Scholar All-Americans, and nine NCAA "Women of the Year" finalists, the most of any Division II school. Not bad at all, but we're going for more.

Campus Life

For students currently enrolled in classes at Barry, we have a wealth of resources you can tap into to bring ease and efficiency to your university experience. Get the help you need with administrative or financial questions, or check out course catalogs to help plan your schedule by semester. All the information you need to excel is at your fingertips.

Professional Writing Specialization

English (BA)

English (BA) Professional Writing Specialization

As professional writing specialists, students explore various forms of writing styles including fiction, technical writing, persuasive writing, multimedia writing, screenwriting, business writing, and desktop publishing. The program also integrates computer technology, allowing students to create web pages, design Internet publications, and learn about current software applications. At Barry University, experience with technology will not only enhance student writing proficiency, but it will also provide students with a competitive and marketable advantage in the workplace.

The Professional Writing specialization at Barry University is a career-oriented program for English majors who are interested in pursuing an array of professional fields including:

  • Journalism
  • Public Relations
  • Advertising
  • Editing
  • Technical Writing
  • Business
  • Law
  • Teaching

The Program

Writing and Editing

Throughout the program, you will continually work on creating your own writing portfolio, which will consist of polished writing samples, Web pages, blogs, publication clips, and internship material.  We also encourage students to write for university-sponsored publications such as the Barry Buccaneer, our student-run newspaper, and Barry Magazine, our university publication.  We also produce a literary journal, What Oft Was Thought, and students are welcome to submit their writing samples for consideration.  Finally, we encourage our students to professionalize themselves by attending conferences and participate in professional and student organizations.

Professionalization

Whether you are enrolled in the Professional Writing Specialization or a Minor, you will receive one-on-one career counseling from faculty. You will learn to create a résumé, write query letters, and market your skills to prospective employers. Additionally, Barry provides you with the opportunity to interact with accomplished industry professionals by inviting local editors, publishers, and digital media specialists to make presentations on campus.

Technology and Communication

Students will be trained in technical and professional writing. You will create Web pages, design Internet publications, and learn up-to-date software applications (such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop).

Internship Program

After students complete their extensive academic training, they will be required to participate in the Professional Writing Internship Program. Internships provide an opportunity to apply research, writing, editing, layout, design, and technological skills in a professional environment. Writing and research produced at your internship site will be incorporated in your writing portfolio.  Students have interned at The Miami Herald, Modern Luxury Brides, Sony Music, Onboard Media, Miami New Times, Boardroom Communications, Miami Sports Tribune, and many other sites within South Florida.

Professional Writing Faculty

The Professional Writing faculty at Barry University are devoted scholars and teachers who have extensive professional experience working as writers, journalists, and editors.   They are committed to providing a supportive atmosphere that you can hone your writing skills.  

Minor in Professional Writing

We are pleased to be able to offer a Minor in Professional Writing.  The minor also requires the completion of an internship and a portfolio submission.

Contact Info

If you are interested in our dynamic program, please contact Dr. Andrea Greenbaum, at 305-899-4568, or e-mail: agreenbaum@barry.edu.

Professional Writing Specialization Curriculum

The Professional Writing specialization provides students with a background in the theories, methods, and practical skills of the field so that they can pursue a variety of careers in writing, publishing, and electronic media. The minimum grade of C is required in all major and minor courses.

The professional writing curriculum has the following goals and objectives:

  • Demonstrating an adequate understanding of the basic principles of written organizational communication and the application of these principles to world situations.
  • Demonstrating critical thinking and problem solving skills.
  • Presenting material both in written and visual formats.

Core Courses: 24 Credits

  • Critical examination of selected works representing different historical and socio-cultural contexts.

     

  • Survey of major American authors from the colonial period to the present.

     

  • Historical survey of the literature of England to the twentieth century.

     

  • Study of the science and art of using written language to promote information gain, induce attitude change, and affect behavior. Beginning with Aristotelian concepts such as logos, ethos, and pathos, this course will provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to generate, arrange, and write effective arguments. Psychological and sociological principles of persuasion will be examined and the various uses of argument in contemporary situations explored.

     

  • In-depth analysis of advertisements, speeches, film, and literature as persuasive texts. Students will learn both the nature and scope of persuasion and be introduced to several different methods for analyzing the argumentative strategies of texts. Among these are the traditional, Burkeian, sociological, feminist, and postmodern perspectives. Students will also consider the ethical, aesthetic, and political problems raised by texts designed to persuade an audience.

     

  • In-depth study of selected Shakespearean plays and poems. Emphasis on the author's artistic development. Same as TH 407.

     

  • Analysis of English grammatical structures. Emphasis on modern descriptive analysis.

     

Professional Writing: 18 Credits

  • Study of fiction models. Students will engage in exercises that explore the creative process and various modes of fiction. Students will write and revise fiction, to compile a portfolio of the semester's work.

  • Study of models of classic and contemporary poetry. Students will engage in exercises that explore the creative process and various poetic forms. Students will write and revise poems to compile a portfolio of the semester's work.

     

  • Study of editing materials for publication. Students will explore questions of correctness and style, while also addressing the mechanics of proofreading. Students will learn how to create prose that is correct in syntax, usage, and punctuation; how to adapt prose style to fit a variety of audiences and situations; and how to edit manuscripts in preparation for printing. (Formerly ENG 244)

  • Examination of the role of rhetoric in all aspects of public life. Students will explore the uses of persuasive discourse in the processes of uniting societies, in creating and pursuing their goals and desires, and in negotiating changes to and challenges of their traditions. The approach is fundamentally chronological beginning with Aristotle and surveying key figures in the development of Renaissance and 18th and 19th century rhetoric. The focus of the course is on contemporary thinkers and theories and the ways in which they influence current persuasive practices.

     

  • An advanced course for students interested in learning to write for popular periodicals. The class explores the differences between magazine articles and newspaper journalism. Students learn how to analyze magazines, research articles, interview subjects, write articles, and prepare them for publication.

  • Study of composition and journalism using a variety of media. Students will produce interactive multimedia documents within a hybrid genre in order to recognize the multiple ways in which narratives can be told. Same as JOU 364.

     

  • Study of organizational patterns, navigation systems, and Internet etiquette. Teaches students basic skills for creating hypertext and hypermedia documents. Students in this course distinguish traditional text documents from e-texts (electronic texts) and hypertexts (text including hyperlinks and text encoded with hypertext markup language), examining the stylistic consequences of these formal distinctions from a humanistic perspective. The class emphasizes the sense that traditional notions of authorship and authority are reconstituted by the contemporary writing environment, and students apply their findings via the creation of original hypertext documents both individually and in collaboration with their peers.

  • In-depth study of the theory and techniques necessary to produce successful advertising copy. Students also learn to integrate the written word with the appropriate visual symbols in order to produce effective messages. Ethical issues within the industry will be emphasized

  • Study and practice of the kinds of internal and external writing used in different organizations-utilities, for-profit corporations, non-profit organizations, and others. Practice in the researching, writing, and editing of letters, memos, reports, market analyses, promotions, product descriptions, grants, proposals, etc. Relevant ethical issues will be included.

     

  • An advanced writing course designed for students interested in learning how to write scripts for film and television. Students learn the various forms, genres, techniques, and styles of writing for film and television. The course will require students to write both a teleplay and a full-length screenplay. Prerequisite: COM 204 or permission of the instructor. Same as COM 446

  • Research, writing and editing general technical materials such as manuals, descriptions, and specifications. Applications to particular technologies-computers, engineering, aerospace, and others-will also be included. Relevant ethical issues will be addressed.

  • Design and production of high quality publications from desktop computers. Text editing and text manipulation. Creating, importing, pasting and cropping graphics. Use of design elements. Printing. Color processing. Building books and booklets. Different types of hardware and software will be discussed. Prerequisite: CS 180 or equivalent.

  • Advanced instruction and practice in researching, reporting, and writing complex news stories, including consideration of the ethics of reporting in multi-cultural communities.

Internship: 3-6 Credits

  • Practical experience within a professional setting. Pre-requisite: Senior status (90+ credit hours); 2.50 overall GPA.  Students will create a professional writing portfolio that demonstrates rhetorical literacy, advanced writing and critical thinking skills, and the proficient use of multimedia technologies.  All paperwork must be completed before the end of the semester preceding the internship.  Prior approval of Department Chair and Dean required.



English / Professional Writing Minor

A minor in Professional Writing requires completion of 21 credit hours of Professional Writing courses, which must include: ENG 374, ENG 406, and ENG 499.   ENG 499 (Internship) can only be taken for 3 credits.

Professional Writing Specialization Internship Information

Students in Barry University's Professional Writing Program are required to complete an internship.  Internships allow students the opportunity to improve their professional skills as editors, researchers, and writers in a professional work environment.  This invaluable work experience enhances students’ marketability and their ability to succeed in their chosen professions.

Barry English majors have interned with the following organizations:

  • The Miami Herald
  • Miami New Times
  • Miami Sports Tribune
  • Modern Luxury Brides magazine
  • Ocean Drive magazine
  • Sun-Sentinel
  • MTV Latin America
  • Sony Music
  • Biscayne Blvd. Times newspaper
  • South Florida law firms
  • Onboard Media
  • Boardroom Communications

Students in the Professional Writing program receive one-on-one attention from Barry's distinguished faculty. All faculty members serve as academic advisors as well as instructors and will provide you with expert guidance as you plan your coursework, internship, and future career.

Learn More

If you are interested in our dynamic program, please contact Dr. Andrea Greenbaum, at 305-899-4568, or e-mail: agreenbaum@barry.edu.

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Barry University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, familial status, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability status or veteran status. This policy applies to students, employees, applicants and trustees with respect to participation in any program, benefit, activity or student/employment opportunity offered by the University. Every member of the University community is expected to uphold this policy as a matter of mutual respect and fundamental fairness in human relations. Every student of this institution has a responsibility to conduct himself/herself in accordance with this policy as a condition of enrollment. Further, every University employee has an obligation to observe Barry University policies and implementation of federal and state law as a term of employment. No person shall be retaliated against for reporting violations or concerns about prohibited discrimination or bias through appropriate University channels.

Nothing in this non-discrimination statement shall require Barry University to act in a manner contrary to the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church or the University mission statement.

Barry University’s EASE Grant Performance Measures on Access Rate, Affordability Rate, Graduation Rate, Retention Rate and Postgraduate Employment Rate are specifically listed on the ICUF Dashboard at this link: icuf.org/dashboard.

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