Kansas State University

Earn credit for working on master’s or doctoral projects in ENGL 604 in spring 2025

Submitted by Karin Westman

In ENGL 604, a graduate-level advanced writing workshop, graduate students across the disciplines can earn credit for working on their master’s or doctoral-level writing projects.

The goal of ENGL 604 is simple: to get writing done. There are no major writing assignments outside of students’ own programmatic writing projects.

Under the guidance of a Writing Studies expert, students will learn strategies to develop or strengthen a regular writing practice, to write more consistently and effectively, and to revise and edit their work.

Students will experiment with multiple writing strategies, read short pieces on how to write more consistently, learn a bit about grammar, style and academic conventions, practice effective workshopping strategies, and help each other meet writing goals. By the end of the course, students should have made consistent progress on their theses or dissertations.

The course meets on campus, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30-3:45 p.m.

Past offerings of this course have garnered positive reviews from both advanced and inexperienced writers. Anyone with a substantial graduate-level writing project in process is welcome.

Comments from previous students:

• "In this class, I learned several new methods to cultivate a writing habit and address the issues that were hindering my writing progress.”
• "This class has changed my mindset on what it is to be a writer. Before this course, I believed that I was not a good writer and that I was ill-prepared for my career as a research scientist. Not only has this course taught me the strategies for becoming a better writer, but it’s also given me the tools to continue to improve my writing in the future. This class is one of my all-time favorite courses. I have learned so much, and it has changed my mindset."
• "I have never thought of taking a writing class in my whole life as a student; however, taking this class is one of the wisest choices I have ever made. Writing is important not only to undergraduates but also to graduate students and even faculty. I really appreciate having this opportunity to learn and substantially increase my writing skills."
• "I entered this course with the intent to learn what is writing style and how can I improve my style? I also brought a literature review project that was intended to expand my knowledge of my research subject. During the course I didn't just cover these basic goals, I also gained a new appreciation for writing as a process of thinking and reflecting. I have gained a new enthusiasm for writing, and have begun writing for fun in my spare time, something which I wouldn't have imagined myself ever doing."

Students interested in enrolling in ENGL 604 — cap of 15 — should email english@k-state.edu.