The Master of Arts in Professional Writing program (MAPW) is a professional graduate degree program that prepares candidates for a wide variety of writing-related positions in business, education, publishing, and the arts. Coursework in three concentrations applied writing, composition and rhetoric, and creative writing allows students to gain theoretical and practical knowledge in various fields of professional writing. As students become experienced in producing and analyzing business, technical, journalistic, and creative texts, they develop a sophisticated understanding of style, structure, and audience. MAPW students will become writing professionals who can move in many directions during their careers. They will become flexible writers who can tune in to the writing conventions of a given genre, adapting their writing style to the requirements of various rhetorical contexts.
What is the MAPW Capstone Project?
A project designated as a thesis, portfolio or practicum and accompanied by a rationale for its purpose and design that involves electronic and/or print media and is relevant to the student’s concentration in professional writing. After submitting an approved capstone proposal, the candidate works under the direction and advice of two faculty members to produce the project. The candidate must submit the capstone project at least two weeks before either 1) a discussion about the project with the faculty committee, or 2) a public presentation about the project or a reading from the project for an audience of faculty and peers.
Projects from 2024
If Only, Cherish Collins
Visions of Inclusivity: A Screenplay Focusing on Women, Sexism and Film During the 1990s, ABIGAIL HAYMAN
The Unseen Pen: The Hidden History of Black Women Writers During the Civil Rights Movement, Serenity Hill
Regional Theatre, Justin Kalin
Georgia Ghosts: History, Folklore, and the Roots of the Southern Gothic, Katherine M. McDowell
Diversity and Inclusivity in the First-Year Composition Classroom, Emily Morris
The Farm, Justin Morris
Supporting KSU English Instructors in Meeting the Access Needs of Deaf and Hard and Hearing Students, Kris Roberson
Hustle & Flow: Pitching and Writing to Great Success, Charles Thomas
Capstones from 2023
The Exile's War, Stephen Edwards Arnold
GEORGIA, Lesley Brian Bargo
Reality Check, Jaime Blei
HIRING UX WRITERS FOR CONTENT STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT IN START-UP BUSINESSES, Josie Carter
Universal Background Generator 2.0, Konrad Drapela
DESIGNWRITE: A Professional Editing Website, Jerrie Fillion
Beyond Words: An Exploration of Research and Writing for Indigenous Land Acknowledgements, Oksana Flores
Vinyle zine: The Execution of the Pedagogy of Pro-Blackness, Kandice Fowlkes
EnsleyEdits: Creating a Style Resource for Professional Writers, Ensley Fraschillo
City of Ruins, Elise Good
Conversations I've Never Had, Rebecca Graham
Six Stories: Short Fiction from Contemporary Life, Richard Grant
The Invisibles of the Civil Rights Movement: Uncovering the Unseen Changemakers, John Greene
Big Screen Heroes with Paper Voices: A Superhero Adaptation Research Essay, Zachary Green
Mer: An Audio Drama, Angelica Guilbeaux
High Impact Practices in First Year Composition Courses, Haley Hamilton
It's a Fine Line, Janika Jackson
Demon's Run (Part 1), Zack Loehle
Smoke and Mirrors, Adara London
Frontlines, Sarah Packer
Wronged Women: A Foray into the Wronged Woman's Mind, Suzanna Poole
Thunderfort, Lever Stewart
Orion's Run, Bonnie Wakefield
Those Living in the Shadow of Death: A Short Story Cycle, Hope Walker
Capstones from 2022
Wildwater, Will Amato
Dark Legends, Aneka Bailey
REFLECTIONS, Kiera Baity
Miss Hartwright's Most Terrifying Tale: A Novel, Kevin Bomely
Key Steps and Strategies for Successful Revision in First-Year Composition, Maura Bowden
All the Clawed Feet of Winged Gods, Samantha Casto
Courier of Souls, Brian Cochran
LOVE IN THE OORT CLOUD, Rebecca Connelly
Midnight Tarot Pulls, Fern Conte
A Wellbeing@KSU Journey: MAPW Portfolio, Meghan Cooper
Shout Me Home, Tyra Douyon
A Year Underwater: A Collection of Essays, Victoria Fontenot
The Cycle of Book Publishing through a Queer Lens, Aly Gilmore
The Progression of African American Representation in Film and Television, Kyra Hammond
Queering Composition: A Language for LGBTQIA+ Perspectives in First-Year Writing Instruction, Ian Hatcher
What Made the Writer Emerge?, Jasmine Jones
Spelmanite Soldiers, Kiahna Kuykendall
Digital Storytelling in Higher Education: An Analysis of Production Practices, Meagan Lowney
Tiptoeing through the Tulips at Seventy: A Memoir, Fran Miele
The Wishgrant, Mezi Mulugeta
The Genre Writer's Portfolio, John Nelson
Batter: A Creative Writing Portfolio, Hannah Newman
Unclean and Unforgivable, Cindy Pope
Breaking the Silence: Forgotten Stories in the Mental Health Field, Crystal Wilkins
With the Screenwriter's Pen: An Analysis of the Representation of Gifted Children in the Family Film, Sarah Williams
Finding Their Chrysanthemum: Linguistic Representation in Children's Literature, Marielena Zajac
Capstones from 2021
Lucy’s Secret: An Interactive Narrative About Parental Alcoholism From A Child’s Perspective, Katie Allran
Writing Strong Fiction: Influences of Point of View on Character, Ime Atakpa
Holly Springs, Virginia: Narratives for a Short-Story Cycle, Ronald B. Baldwin
Phantom, Ashley Banks
Blue Amber, Denise Boivin-Iassogna
Video for All: An Argument Towards Standardization Of Video Production Practices and Research, Kelley Bostian
La Bodega: Junior's Story, Rashaan Canady
Life in the Second Youth, Donna Cochran
COVID-19's Impact on Communication Practices in the Animal Welfare Nonprofit Sector, Tiffany M. Davis
Remote Working During the Pandemic: MAPW Graduates in the Workforce, Jordan Dollar
Student-Perceived Inclusivity in the FYC Classroom: Embracing Multilingualism, Melinda Grant
A Black Southern Woman’s Perspective on Literature, Culture, & Identity: A Portfolio of Creative Nonfiction and Academic Writing, Jonquil Harris
A Pin-up’s Guide to Traveling Like a Local: A Series, Annedra Utley Herring
Home, Kandace James
Falling Star, Miro Jefferis-Nendick
The Seventh Plateau, Willie Lawson
Black Lens, Dominic Ligon
Peaks and Valleys: The Life and Legacy of Carleton Watkins, Danny Madore
The Lies They Hold, Sherrie Morgan
WHAT IS DONE IN THE DARK WILL COME TO LIGHT: A NOVELLA, Giselle Reid
Query into Queer: A Creative and Analytical Examination of LGBTQ+ Experiences, Peyton Sibert
Understanding Community and Engagement in Synchronous Online Writing Instruction, Conner Sutton
MAPW Portfolio, Arlene White
Capstones from 2020
We Are Also Home, Mustafa Abubaker
Corporate Monster, Chelsea Adamczyk
CARLOTA LUCUMÍ, Aanuoluwapo Adesina
Community Engagement in Writing Programs: Preparing Students for Success in Professional Settings, Courtney Bradford
The Lantern and the Sword, Michael Chisholm
Violet, Ashley Crisler
'Orphan with a Gun' - A Graphic Novel Script and Pitch Package, Brian Dascall
Orphan with a Gun - A Graphic Novel, Brian T. Dascall
Castles in the Air, Emily Deibler
The Sojourner, Adefolaju Edun
You Are Academia, Jason Faust
Dual Lives Assimilation Literacy, Shiloh Garcia
Kennesaw State University English Majors at Work: Careers in Unexpected Places Description of the Problem, Pearl Harris
Emily Dickinson: 19th Century Poet in a 21st Century World, Stephanie Merrigan
Tactical Rhetoric: User Experience Analysis & Strategies for Game Developers, Lexi Olszewski
Forgiveness, Freedom and the Inmate Issue, Taylor Smith