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    Writing Seminar II: The Pursuit of Happiness
    Online Program

    Writing Seminar II: The Pursuit of Happiness

    by Northwestern College Prep

    An online writing course exploring happiness through philosophy, literature, and culture, with independent research leading to a persuasive essay.

    Last verified: 6 Oct 2026Reviewed by:BSBen Stacy

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    Writing Seminar II at a glance: cost, dates and eligibility

    Current status

    Upcoming

    Eligibility

    Rising juniors and seniors; GPA 3.0+

    Age range / Year group

    Ages 16-18

    Location / Region

    Online

    Cost

    $5,781

    Duration

    10 weeks

    Format

    Online

    Next deadline

    Not announced · Next cycle not announced

    Get next-cycle reminder
    LiteraturePhilosophyHumanitiesArtFilm
    Sessions / cadence: Asynchronous; no scheduled meetings
    Assessment style: Discussions, assignments, researched essay
    Main deliverable / output: 10-12-page persuasive researched essay
    Academic credit: One Northwestern credit unit
    Latest verified cycle: Summer 2026
    Instructor: Leslie A Fischer

    Writing Seminar II summary

    This academic writing course uses the pursuit of happiness to connect cultural inquiry with research and persuasive argument.

    Students read varied sources, investigate their own perspective, and develop written work toward a substantial researched essay.

    It suits independent learners who enjoy humanities questions and want practice with scholarly writing conventions.

    What is Writing Seminar II: The Pursuit of Happiness?

    Writing Seminar II: The Pursuit of Happiness is an English credit course offered through Northwestern University's School of Professional Studies. It examines how American culture understands happiness through philosophy, art, literature, music, and film. Students also consider higher education, self-help, and consumer culture.

    The course turns those questions into a research-writing process, from reading and independent inquiry to a persuasive essay. Asynchronous discussions and assignments let students organize their own study time while meeting deadlines. The emphasis is on developing an argument and learning scholarly conventions that apply to other coursework.

    Why Succeed highlights Writing Seminar II

    • A single cultural question connects philosophy, literature, art, music, and film with purposeful academic writing.

    • The ten- to twelve-page researched essay gives students a substantial piece of work to develop.

    • Explicit objectives cover source evaluation, revision, genre conventions, and MLA documentation.

    • Leslie A Fischer brings more than 35 years of Northwestern teaching experience to the course.

    Who is Writing Seminar II for?

    Best for

    Independent learners who enjoy cultural questions and want to build a researched argument through sustained writing.

    Not ideal if

    You need scheduled live classes to stay on track or mainly want fiction-writing workshops.

    Is Writing Seminar II worth it?

    The course offers a clear academic purpose: develop a researched position and learn how to support it with credible sources. Its strongest value is the combination of an extended essay and explicit instruction in scholarly writing conventions. That makes it worth considering when writing development is your main goal.

    The asynchronous format demands self-direction, so flexibility will help most when you already manage independent work well. Families should weigh the tuition and additional fees against the specific writing experience they want. Credit transfer requires approval from the receiving institution, and participation does not guarantee Northwestern admission.

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    Cost and what is included

    $5,781; includes Asynchronous writing course instruction, Online discussions and written assignments, Research leading to a ten- to twelve-page essay, One Northwestern credit unit upon successful completion.

    Dates and time commitment

    10 weeks; Asynchronous; no scheduled meetings.

    Provider details

    Review the Northwestern College Prep provider page and official sources before making a final decision.

    What the student gains

    Potential output: The main output is a ten- to twelve-page persuasive researched essay.. Check whether feedback, certificate, recommendation or application evidence is included.

    Online support and safeguarding

    Check how online sessions are supervised, how mentor communication works, and what support route exists if the student needs help.

    What to check before committing

    Confirm current dates, session schedule, payment terms, cancellation rules, support expectations and what output or certificate is included with the provider.

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    How much preparation does Writing Seminar II need?

    Effort level

    High academic commitment.

    Best started

    Allow four to six weeks before a future application deadline to prepare materials.

    Main challenge

    Sustaining research and writing without scheduled class meetings.

    Typical preparation

    • Draft the approximately 500-word personal statement around a rewarding academic experience and your course interests.

    • Request official English-language transcripts early and prepare your extracurricular activity list.

    • Practice evaluating sources and documenting a short argument in MLA format.

    • Plan recurring study time for discussions, research, writing, and revision.

    Useful if

    You want stronger source analysis and persuasive academic writing.

    What do students do on Writing Seminar II?

    You investigate how people define and pursue happiness, then shape your own perspective through reading, discussion, and research. A series of writing tasks develops that perspective into a persuasive researched essay.

    Step-by-step process

    1. 1

      Read varied sources about happiness and its cultural expressions.

    2. 2

      Participate in asynchronous discussions while meeting assignment deadlines.

    3. 3

      Conduct independent research using appropriate primary and secondary sources.

    4. 4

      Develop, revise, and edit documents supporting your argument.

    5. 5

      Complete a ten- to twelve-page persuasive researched essay using scholarly conventions.

    Writing Seminar II dates and deadlines

    Next cycle not announced yet. These dates are from the latest verified cycle and should be used as a reference only.

    Application deadline

    1 April 2026

    College Prep credit-course application cycle.

    Reference date

    Programme dates

    22 June-30 August 2026

    Reference date

    Eligibility and requirements

    • College Prep applicants must be rising high school juniors or seniors.

    • College Prep applicants need a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.

    • Registration is restricted to SPS, College Prep, and visiting students.

    • Northwestern undergraduates in other schools may not enroll.

    • College Prep applicants must submit official high school transcripts in English.

    • English proficiency testing is required when language or schooling criteria apply.

    How much does Writing Seminar II cost?

    Course tuition

    $5,781 — One online College Prep credit class.

    Funding or discounts

    • DL technology fee: $130 — Additional charge for courses ending in -DL.
    • CPP application fee: $60 — Nonrefundable application charge.
    • CPP deposit: $1,000 — Nonrefundable; credited toward program cost and due three weeks after acceptance.
    • Tuition scholarship: Domestic US rising seniors with financial need and strong achievement may qualify.
    • Returning-student fee waiver: $60 — Former CPP participants can request an application fee waiver under the 2026 policy.

    What's included

    Asynchronous writing course instruction, Online discussions and written assignments, Research leading to a ten- to twelve-page essay, One Northwestern credit unit upon successful completion

    How to apply to Writing Seminar II

    1. 1

      Use Northwestern's College Preparation Program admissions route if applying as a high school student.

    2. 2

      Prepare the approximately 500-word personal statement and extracurricular activity list.

    3. 3

      Arrange official English-language transcripts and an English proficiency score when required.

    4. 4

      Submit the complete application and $60 fee, or request an applicable fee waiver.

    5. 5

      Monitor the application portal for missing materials and the emailed admissions decision.

    6. 6

      If admitted, pay the CPP deposit and complete course enrollment through Northwestern.

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    Learning format

    The course runs entirely online and asynchronously, with no scheduled meeting time. Students organize discussions, assignments, and independent research around their own schedules while meeting course deadlines.

    Teaching and support

    • Leslie A Fischer teaches the course.

    • Fischer has more than 35 years of Northwestern teaching experience.

    • Her background includes writing, communication, editing, and online learning.

    Time-zone considerations

    • There are no scheduled class meetings.
    • Students can participate in discussions at their own pace.
    • Assignments must still meet course deadlines.

    Technology and materials

    • Access required course materials in Canvas.

    • Use Course Reserves for assigned materials.

    Assessment style

    The academic work combines online discussions and written assignments leading to a persuasive researched essay.

    • Participate in asynchronous discussions.
    • Complete written assignments by their deadlines.
    • Develop a ten- to twelve-page persuasive researched essay.
    • Apply scholarly conventions and MLA source documentation.

    Portfolio and outputs

    Main deliverable / output

    The main output is a ten- to twelve-page persuasive researched essay.

    • Supporting documents that develop the researched argument.

    • One Northwestern credit unit upon successful completion.

    Writing Seminar II FAQs

    No. It is asynchronous, with no scheduled meeting time. Students complete discussions and assignments at their own pace while meeting deadlines.

    Students develop a ten- to twelve-page persuasive researched essay through reading, independent research, and a series of written documents.

    College Prep credit courses normally carry one Northwestern credit unit unless otherwise stated. Acceptance of that credit by another institution depends on its own policies.

    College Prep applicants need a personal statement of approximately 500 words, an extracurricular activity list, and official high school transcripts. An English proficiency score may also be required.

    CPP tuition scholarships are intended for domestic US rising seniors who demonstrate financial need and strong academic and extracurricular achievement. A separate scholarship application and a complete program application are required.

    No. Northwestern states that College Preparation Program participation alone does not guarantee undergraduate admission.

    Required materials are available in Canvas and Course Reserves.

    Alternatives to Writing Seminar II

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    Students interested in extended essay work

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    Ben Stacy

    Content reviewed by

    Ben Stacy

    Co-founder, Succeed | Former secondary teacher and educational leader

    Ben works at the intersection of education, technology and school adoption, with expertise in how secondary schools evaluate data-driven tools and how education technology is used in practice.

    View author page

    Sources and verification

    Source types reviewed

    • Writing Seminar II, English, School of Professional Studies, 2026 Summer: Class Descriptions - Northwestern University
    • Summer 2026 dates deadlines.xlsx
    • Summer Tuition and Fees, Visiting Students | Northwestern University : School of Professional Studies | Northwestern University
    • International Students, Northwestern College Preparation Program: School of Professional Studies | Northwestern University
    • Pre-College Summer Programs for Credit: School of Professional Studies | Northwestern University
    • Admission, Northwestern College Preparation Program: School of Professional Studies | Northwestern University
    • Tuition and Fees, Northwestern College Preparation Program: School of Professional Studies | Northwestern University
    • FAQs, Northwestern College Preparation Program: School of Professional Studies | Northwestern University
    • Writing Seminar II: The Pursuit of Happiness: Northwestern University School of Professional Studies

    Succeed uses official provider information where available, but keeps this public page focused on comparison and planning inside Succeed.

    What we verified (on 6 Oct 2026)

    • Course identity checked

    • Asynchronous format verified

    • Application requirements reviewed

    • Session dates checked

    • Tuition and additional fees reviewed

    • Credit and scholarship policies reviewed

    How Succeed uses this information

    We use source material to verify core facts, then show older cycle dates as reference when a current cycle is not available. Always check current application instructions before applying.