I have two majors: Art History and Psychology. Both of my majors require a great amount of writing because a lot of my projects involve research. Most art history classes require a lot of memorization as well as lengthy essays. My upper division psychology classes often required that we write essays about various studies and issues.
I had some really great teachers in high school that taught me how to write well. With their help, I was able to easily pass my concurrent English courses and moved on to more difficult writing. I think a strong foundation in writing is crucial to the writing process itself. Had I not had some great and patient teachers back in high school, my writing in college would not be what it is today. I would have to say that my art history courses helped me the most with my writing. Last year was especially beneficial for me because I took American Art, which is a writing intensive course. One of the elements of writing emphasized in that class is the use of active verbs, and students lost points on their essays if they had any sort of passive verbs. My writing became more personal and creative as a result of this course.
The most helpful part of this class in terms of writing was the storytelling. It forced me to think about stories from different perspectives, which is always good. The least helpful writing was probably the reading diaries. I enjoyed keeping up with the stories I read, but the diaries didn't really help me in my creative writing.
I think this class definitely helped hone my writing skills. Writing regularly allowed me to work efficiently. Mastering something without regular practice is impossible, which is why weekly writing assignments were the best thing for my writing skills.
