Algonquin’s School of Media and Design offers a two-year program in Professional Writing, designed for students who have completed high school and have an aptitude and passion for writing, along with a willingness to practice their craft in a variety of media and organizational settings. The program also encourages applications from university graduates and those with life experience in writing and/or media, with the possibility of direct entry to the second year of the program if Prior Learning Assessment requirements are met.

Graduates will possess the exemplary writing and editing skills necessary for a career related to communications or as a  

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freelance contributor to electronic and print media.
Strong writing-related skills are in demand in government and private industry, and in media, especially the internet. The ability to research, write, edit, proofread and manage a production process in a variety of settings provides students with highly marketable skills that are useful in many work contexts. Many writers also balance freelance creative writing with more lucrative employment and the Professional Writing program also focuses on the development of creative skills along with a knowledge of the market for fiction and creative non-fiction in Canada. If in addition writers can produce briefs, reports, and new media content, write speeches and presentations, and know how to conduct and promote themselves as professional writers, they can reasonably expect employment.
The program emphasizes both practical and creative writing exercises, business practices, and work experiences in the community. Local freelancers will conduct workshops and may mentor the students as appropriate. As well, students who maintain a B or higher average are given the privilege of being placed in a work environment for a seven-week field placement. This opportunity provides students with practical hands-on application of their writing skills while helping them forge connections with potential clients and employers. The Professional Writing program has partnered with St. Paul’s University in Ottawa, Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo and Royal Rhodes University in Victoria to offer articulation programs that will fast-track graduates to university degrees.
Graduates of this program may consider continuing their education and training through Algonquin’s Advertising, Public Relations, Scriptwriting, Journalism, Broadcasting – Television or Broadcasting – Radio programs.

For more information on the program check out our FAQ