2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog
Archived Catalog
Writing Minor |
The Writing Minor, a curriculum that rounds out virtually any major, accommodates students with diverse career goals and writing interests. Students can choose six three-credit courses, including those about the history of the English language, theories about writing and peer tutoring of writing, professional and journalistic writing in digital media, and creative writing across four genres-fiction, poetry, scriptwriting, and creative non-fiction essay writing. Students even may pursue studying select professional and creative genres at a more advanced level, or they may complete an internship in a corporate or professional work environment.
Increasingly, the ability to write effectively is emphasized as an important and distinguishing characteristic of most work environments. In the most recent Occupational Outlook Handbook Online (17 December 2015), competence in writing, combined with advanced ability to manage text production through digital media, is emphasized. To develop such valuable digital literacies, for this minor, students also may select courses in digital media and communications. The Occupational Outlook Handbook describes how those who are flexible and comfortable writing with diverse “electronic and digital tools should have an advantage in finding work” (“Job Prospects” par. 2).
Learning Outcomes for the Writing Minor
Upon successful completion of requirements for the Writing Minor, students will:
- Demonstrate writing and oral presentation skills necessary to achieve aims to inform, persuade, or entertain for a targeted audience in a specific genre.
- Engage in processes of pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and when needed, presenting.
- Compose focused and organized written texts in clear, coherent, and correct style for specific genres.
- Demonstrate in written texts a facility with language and genres, including a mature vocabulary and effective choice for structures.
- Demonstrate both breadth and depth of mature investigative techniques across a variety of traditional and electronic bibliographic and research media, [and through interview processes.]
- Prepare written texts as manuscripts that adhere to professional or publication standards
1. Creative Writing
- ENG 204 Nature Writing 3 Credits
- ENG 274 Creative Writing: Fiction 3 Credits
- ENG 275 Creative Writing: Poetry 3 Credits
- ENG 276 Creative Writing: Scriptwriting for Theater and the Electronic Media 3 Credits
- ENG 277 Creative Nonfiction Essay Writing 3 Credits
- ENG 326 Special Topics in English Credit Varies
- ENG 426 Special Topics in English Credit Varies
- ENG 480 Independent Study Project (ISP) Credit Varies
2. Expository and Argument Writing
- ENG 358 Writing: Process and Product 3 Credits
- ENG 455 Advanced Analytical Writing 3 Credits
- A&S 496 Arts and Sciences Internship 3 Credits(as a Writer or Editor)
3. Professional and Digital Media Writing
- CDM 230 Professional Communication 3 Credits
- CDM 232 Principles of Strategic Communication 3 Credits
- CDM 262 Media Writing 3 Credits
- CDM 352 Beyond Breaking News 3 Credits
- A&S 496 Arts and Sciences Internship 3 Credits( as a Writer or Editor)
4. English Language History and Peer Tutoring of Writing
- ENG 235 Peer Tutoring of Writing 3 Credits
- ENG 405 The English Language 3 Credits