English, Minor (Behrend)

Program Description

For the English minor at Penn State Behrend, the student must take (beyond the basic General Education) 18 credits of courses in ENGL or ELISH; 6 of these credits must be at the 400 level. The student is encouraged to take courses from each of the areas within the major (The Canon and Its Critics, Globality and Literature, Cultural Studies), as well courses in creative writing. By doing so, students will develop skills in writing and critical thinking that will prove valuable in their later work experiences.

What is English?

English refers to a broad field of study related to literature, professional writing, creative writing, and rhetoric. Majors develop critical thinking skills and produce influential academic, creative, professional, and digital texts. They learn to analyze genres, texts, and contexts that involve, for instance, race, class, gender, sexuality, and nationality. They also learn how various texts communicate value, meaning, and social and cultural critique.

You Might Like This Program If...

• You are a “words person.”
• You enjoy reading, writing, and editing.
• You love a good argument, a good book, a good play, or a good film.
• You’d like to add liberal arts balance to a business or technical major.

Program Requirements

Requirements for the Minor

A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).

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Students may not count courses used to satisfy General Education Writing/Speaking Skills.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

Erie

Sara Luttfring, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English
146 Kochel
Erie, PA 16563
814-898-6072
sdl164@psu.edu

Career Paths

The minor in English can be pursued by students in most Penn State Behrend degree programs. Penn State Behrend has a comprehensive support system to help you identify and achieve your goals for college and beyond. Meet with your academic adviser often and take advantage of the services offered by the Academic and Career Planning Center beginning in your first semester.

Careers

An English minor helps you to develop a diverse set of skills that prepare you to thrive in many career fields. These can include education, research, digital media planning, advertising, social media management, professional and technical writing, journalism, publishing, copywriting, public relations, medicine, and law.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES WITH A MINOR IN ENGLISH

Opportunities for Graduate Studies

A minor in the liberal arts, particularly when added to a major program outside of the liberal arts, demonstrates to graduate school admissions committees your commitment to interdisciplinary thinking.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES

Contact

Erie

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
170 Irvin Kochel Center
4951 College Drive
Erie, PA 16563
814-898-6108
HSSOffice@psu.edu

http://behrend.psu.edu/school-of-humanities-social-sciences