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Students in the English program read, critique, and write about the best novels, short stories, plays, poetry, hypertexts, and films ever created. Over the course of their studies, English majors also develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, technological savvy, artistic abilities, historical and cultural awareness, and a wide range of writing proficiencies. Many go on to graduate programs in literature, law, film, and cultural studies.

Our graduates also are in high demand in a variety of fields, including teaching; information sciences; creative, professional, and technical writing; editing and publishing; counseling; business; law; web-design; research; information management, and corporate consulting.

Requirements of the English Major: 36 Credits
All English majors develop a foundational knowledge of literary genres, periods, and critical approaches. Within the major, they choose between four areas of specialization:

• 1. Literature Track
• 2. Creative Writing Track
• 3. Professional Writing Track

Literature Track

Creative Writing Track
Acceptance into the Creative Writing Track is by portfolio submission. Students who have taken ENL 205 and at least one literature class may submit a track portfolio to the Creative Writing Committee. Portfolios are evaluated once a semester. Students not accepted should take classes fulfilling the Literature Track requirements, and may re-apply. It is recommended that students who wish to be admitted to the Creative Writing Track take ENL 245: Introduction to Poetry as their gateway course.

Professional Writing Track

Media Studies Track

Majors may take as many additional electives in English as they wish, providing they satisfy other degree requirements and achieve an overall balance in their studies. Upon completion of their degree requirements, all English majors submit a graduation portfolio demonstrating substantive work and writing. Students should consult with their English advisors for details.

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT MINOR PROGRAMS

English Undergraduate Minor Programs Literature Minor / 18 credits
Literature courses offer students the opportunity to develop critical reading and writing skills, while exposing them to a wide range of important literary periods, genres, and authors. A primary objective of the Literature minor is to teach students to read, understand, and interpret literature, and to demonstrate their understanding of literary works and related ideas in writing. Also, Literature minors will learn to apply the tools of literary criticism and to be familiar with the major critical approaches to literature. This minor will make the study and critique of literature available to the non-English major, to students who have a passion for reading and for writing about and discussing literature but who choose not to major in English. The Literature minor would be highly attractive and useful to students in a variety of disciplines, as it would help to develop their critical thinking and writing skills, historical and cultural awareness, and appreciation of the diversity of written expression over the ages. Students have expressed strong interest in a minor to English faculty. In fact, many faculty regularly have students in their classes who have a strong interest in English, and who have indicated they would minor in English if such an option were available. The curriculum for the Literature minor is based on existing English courses and does not require additional resources or monies to start-up or maintain.

Description of the Literature Minor
The Literature minor is a minimum 18 credit-hour (6 course) program designed to provide students with a critical understanding of a range of literary periods, genres, authors, and literary theory. This minor is relevant to any students who have an interest in reading, writing about, and discussing literature from earlier periods through the present time. The Literature minor would be highly attractive and useful to students in a variety of disciplines, as it would help to develop their critical thinking and writing skills, historical and cultural awareness, and appreciation of the diversity of written expression over the ages. In order to declare and successfully complete the Literature minor, students should note the following: A student must declare a major before declaring a Literature minor. A student should declare a Literature minor by the first semester of his or her junior year. A Literature minor cannot be added after graduation. A minimum of 18 credits is required for the Literature minor. The Literature minor will be certified at the same time that the student’s major(s) is certified for graduation. Prior to graduation, students in the Literature minor program must submit a portfolio that includes at least three substantial critical papers representing at least two genres. Each paper shall include the writing prompt as well as comments by the instructor. Writing portfolios shall also include a self-assessment by the student, between 250-500 words long, that indicates the extent to which he or she can demonstrate the learning outcomes. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in Literature minor courses in order for the minor to be posted on the official transcript at the time of graduation. A minor will not be awarded if the student is earning or has already earned a Bachelor’s degree with English as the major concentration. At most, six (6) credit hours within the Literature minor may be counted towards both the major and the minor. At least 12 credits (or 4 courses) of the courses required for the minor must be taken at UDM unless the courses are taken as part of a consortium agreement. Where indicated for certain courses in the curriculum (see below) students must complete prerequisite courses before taking the specified course in the Literature minor. No course for the Literature minor can taken on a pass/fail basis. None of the courses required for the Literature minor may be taken as directed studies or as independent studies. A minimum of nine (9) credit hours must come from courses at the 300- or 400-levels. Each student who selects an English minor in Literature will be assigned a faculty advisor from the English Department. The English Department reserves the right to review and to modify the curriculum for the Literature minor through the same procedures that it uses to review and to modify the English major.

In order to declare and successfully complete the Literature minor, students should note the following:

• 1. A student must declare a major before declaring a Literature minor.
• 2. A student should declare a Literature minor by the first semester of his or her junior year. A Literature minor cannot be added after graduation.
• 3. A minimum of 18 credits is required for the Literature minor.
• 4. The Literature minor will be certified at the same time that the student's major(s) is certified for graduation.
• 5. Prior to graduation, students in the Literature minor program must submit a portfolio that includes at least three substantial critical papers representing a least two genres. Each paper shall include the writing prompt as well as comments by the instructor. Writing portfolios shall also include a self-assessment by the student, between 250-500 words long, that indicates the extent to which he or she can demonstrate the learning outcomes.
• 6. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in Literature minor courses in order for the minor to be posted on the official transcript at the time of graduation.
• 7. A minor will not be awarded if the student is earning or has already earned a Bachelor's degree with English as the major concentration.
• 8. At most, six (6) credit hours within the Literature minor may be counted towards both the major and the minor.
• 9. At least 12 credits (or 4 courses) of the courses required for the minor must be taken at UDM unless the courses are taken as part of a consortium agreement.
• 10. Where indicated for certain courses in the curriculum (see below) students must complete prerequisite courses before taking the specified course in the Literature major.
• 11. No course for the Literature minor can be taken on a pass/fail basis.
• 12. None of the courses required for the Literature minor may be taken as directed studies or as independent studies.
• 13. A minimum of nine (9) credit hours must come from courses at the 300 or 400 levels.
• 14. Each student who selects an English minor in Literature will be assigned a faculty advisor from the English Department.
• 15. The English Department reserves the right to review and to modify the curriculum for the Literature minor through the same procedures that it uses to review and to modify the English major.

Literature Minor Curriculum

Total number of credits: 18 cr.

English Undergraduate Minor Programs Creative Writing Minor / 18 credits
The Creative Writing minor is a minimum 18 credit-hour (6 course) designed to provide students the tools for a deeper understanding of how to use language and to express the intricacies of human experience. The creative writing minor gives students the opportunity to undertake creative writing projects—especially the writing of poetry, fiction, screenplays, and non-fiction—which emphasize the process of writing as well as the end product. In their classes, students read and study a variety of key published works, write from prompts and assignments, and learn techniques for harnessing their own creative resources. The peer workshop, or group critique of student writing, is the cornerstone of growth as a writer.

• 1. A student must declare a major before declaring a Creative Writing minor.
• 2. A student should declare a Creative Writing minor by the first semester of his or her junior year. A Creative Writing minor cannot be added after graduation.
• 3. A minimum of 18 credits is required for the Creative Writing minor.
• 4. The Creative Writing minor will be certified at the same time that the student's major(s) is certified for graduation.
• 5. Prior to graduation, students in the Creative Writing minor program must submit a portfolio that includes at least three substantial pieces, from at least two genres (i.e., poetry and fiction). Writing portfolios shall also include a self-assessment by the student, between 250-500 words long, that indicates the extent to which he or she can demonstrate the learning outcomes.
• 6. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in Creative Writing minor courses in order for the minor to be posted on the official transcript at the time of graduation.
• 7. A minor will not be awarded if the student is earning or has already earned a Bachelor's degree with English as the major concentration.
• 8. At most, six (6) credit hours within the Creative Writing minor may be counted towards both the major and the minor.
• 9. At least 12 credits (or 4 courses) of the courses required for the minor must be taken at UDM unless the courses are taken as part of a consortium agreement.
• 10. Where indicated for certain courses in the curriculum (see below) students must complete prerequisite courses before taking the specified course in the Creative Writing major.
• 11. No course for the Creative Writing minor can be taken on a pass/fail basis.
• 12. None of the courses required for the Creative Writing minor may be taken as directed studies or as independent studies.
• 13. A minimum of nine (9) credit hours must come from courses at the 300 or 400 levels.
• 14. Each student who selects an English minor in Creative Writing will be assigned a faculty advisor from the English Department.
• 15. The English Department reserves the right to review and to modify the curriculum for the Creative Writing minor through the same procedures that it uses to review and to modify the English major.

Creative Writing Minor Curriculum

Creative Writing Minor Curriculum

Total number of credits: 18 cr.