Minor in Writing
The minor in writing invites students from all disciplines to develop their writing skills and further their abilities to think critically and creatively by encouraging them to make connections beyond the scope of their discipline.
Students who complete the writing minor will:
- obtain a strong background in theoretical perspectives and practices of writing and rhetoric, as well as reading;
- be able to select additional writing courses in a variety of areas of interest;
- achieve a better understanding of writing within their major fields of study;
- gain significant practice and experience in writing in many genres and rhetorical modes;
- be better positioned to succeed as writers in their future professional and personal endeavors.
| Required Courses | ||
| ENGL 340 [WI] | Classical Rhetoric | 3.0 |
| WRIT 225 [WI] | Creative Writing | 3.0 |
| WRIT 312 [WI] | The Practice of Professional Writing | 3.0 |
| COM 210 | Theory and Models of Communication | 3.0 |
| or ANTH 350 | Anthropology of Language | |
| or PHIL 305 | Ethics and the Media | |
| Reading Courses | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3.0 | |
| Classical to Medieval Literature | ||
| Renaissance to the Enlightenment | ||
| Romanticism to Modernism | ||
| Post-Colonial Literature I | ||
| Post-Colonial Literature II | ||
| American Literature I | ||
| American Literature II | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| British Literature I | ||
| British Literature II | ||
| Readings in Fiction | ||
| Readings in Poetry | ||
| Readings in Drama | ||
| Critical Reasoning | ||
| Public Opinion & Propaganda | ||
| The Peer Reader in Context | ||
| Theoretical Perspectives on Writing Courses | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3.0 | |
| Media Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology of Language * | ||
| Intellectual Property Theft in the Digital Age | ||
| Qualitative Research Methods | ||
| Ethnography of Communication | ||
| Early Literacy I | ||
| Teaching Writing Grades 4-8 | ||
| Language Arts Processes | ||
| Classical Rhetoric | ||
| Ethics and the Media * | ||
| Political Communication | ||
| Psychology of Language | ||
| Writing in Practice Courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6.0 | |
| Introduction to Journalism | ||
| Business Communication | ||
| Technical Communication | ||
| Science Writing | ||
| Electronic Publishing | ||
| Food Writing | ||
| Retail Image Analysis | ||
| Style and the Media | ||
| Playwriting I | ||
| Playwriting II | ||
| Screenwriting I | ||
| Screenwriting II | ||
| TV Comedy Practicum | ||
| TV Drama Practicum | ||
| TV News Writing | ||
| Creative Nonfiction Writing | ||
| Writing Poetry | ||
| Writing Fiction | ||
| Writing Humor and Comedy | ||
| Special Topics in Writing | ||
| Writing About the Media | ||
| Literary Editing & Publication | ||
| Writing in Cyberspace | ||
| Total Credits | 24.0 | |
| * | Courses marked with an asterisk are also listed as options for the 4th required course for the minor. A student who elects to take one of these courses may not count it twice (once as a required course and once as an elective). For example, a student who chooses to take ANTH 350, "Anthropology of Language," as a required course may not take it again as one of the electives; however, this student could take PHIL 305, "Communication Ethics," as an elective. |
Writing-Intensive Course Requirements
In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.
A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Center. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.
