I just learned that one of the benefits of my company is a reciprocity agreement with Washington State University. Through work I can get a tuition waver and take classes for $5/credit! The question is, what to take? I already have two degrees and am not really looking for a third, but would love the opportunity to improve my writing. (It's been 20 years since I took an English course.) If I'm going to juggle work and school I want to get the most benefit possible from the course. Options that work with my work schedule are: Eng 201--Writing & Research (Because all my writing is fueled by research.) Eng 202--Grammar in Context (Only 1 credit and only 1 day a week.) Eng 251--Introduction to Creative Writing (But only short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.) Eng 256--Introduction to Linguistics (Probably the most fun and I'd get to play with my Etymological Dictionaries, but doubtful that it would actually help my writing.) Any recent grads or advisers in the field have suggestions?
I suggest you look closely at the content and level of the material. I recently took a college class on YA writing hoping for insights in the genre or market and instead dropped out because it was nothing but a high school level writing class. The instructor's idea of insight into the teen market was, "they like dragons".
Thanks--I've been trying to get in touch with one of the advisors, but no luck so far. The course catalogue only gives two sentence descriptions which aren't very helpful. I got all excited thinking I could expand my knowledge of my subject area as well, but there wasn't a single history course listed for the Iron Age, or any humanities courses that covered Celtic, Germanic, or Norse Mythology. Completely burst my bubble. You'd think a big University like WSU would have at least ONE class for that???
Seems the more mandatory education becomes, the less value is in the education. If you've got free time on your hands and want to learn something, you might consider steering clear of educational institutions and doing it the old-fashioned way: read. Just a thought.
