Writing (Minor)
About the Program
The Writing Minor offers students an opportunity to design a writing program that coincides with their major and/or their career plans. Writing is perhaps the single most important skill students can develop, and the Writing Minor gives interested students a wide degree of flexibility in designing a program that increases that skill. The minor allows for the development of skills in creative writing, journalistic writing, and/or professional writing of various kinds. It should appeal to English majors, communication majors, and students in applied or professional areas seeking a strong writing component in their studies.
For the minor, students choose a minimum of six courses (18 credits) from the English and /or Communication departments. Any student can declare a Writing Minor, but English and communications majors cannot apply writing courses to both the major and the minor: the minor must be a separate group of courses. Students design their program with the director of writing, the English Department chair, or the Communication Department chair. Both the English Department chair and the Communication Department chair must approve the plan. Students can focus their minor program on creative writing, journalistic writing, or professional writing, or they can take a combination of courses from these different areas.
Certain courses can be taken more than once. But: 1) No course in the minor can be applied to major requirements. 2) Students must take at least two differently numbered courses.
Program Requirements
English Department Courses
PLEASE NOTE: Only two courses in any minor may be at the lower-division level (1xx or 2xx); the rest must be upper-division 3xx or 4xx.
Creative Writing
*ENG 301 Advanced Composition (check with instructor to determine focus)
*ENG 305 Creative Writing: Narrative
*ENG 306 Creative Writing: Poetry
*ENG 402 Advanced Creative Writing: Narrative (not offered regularly)
*ENG 403 Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry (not offered regularly)
Professional Writing
*ENG 300 Writing for the Professions
*ENG 301 Advanced Composition (check with instructor to determine focus)
Communication Department Courses
COM 210 Introduction to Media Writing (This course is a pre-requisite for later courses, but Writing Minor students can get instructor permission if desired.)
*COM 303 Writing for the News
*COM 325 Feature and Magazine Article Writing
*COM 390 Specialized Reporting
*Starred courses may be taken more than once.