Majors | Minors | Career Manual | Composition Program
American Studies Minor | English Minor | Technical Writing Minor | Minor Application
Professionals in business, science, social service, government, and education need to understand and communicate with people just as they need to understand the technical workings of the market place.
• Literature offers insights into human behavior and aspirations, and provides useful perspectives on our cultural values.
• Writing requires logical thinking about a body of evidence in order to formulate a point of view and to find the most precise and appealing ways in which to present it.
• The study of both writing and literature develops analytic skills essential for managerial positions in any field.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 18 credit:
18 credits of English (beyond General Education Communication Skills Courses), at least 6 credits from 200-281 and at least 6 credits from 400-495. Students may select any combination of literature and/or writing courses that meets their needs. All courses for the minor must be completed with at least a grade of C or better.
Most 100-level literature courses in English satisfy part of the General Education Requirements in the Humanities and may be "double-counted" as part of your minor in English. However, your English 15 and English 202 courses may NOT be used toward the English Minor.Career Internships and Honors Programs for English Minor Students
Qualified English minors are eligible to participate in the English Department's Career Internship and Honors Programs. For more information about English Programs call 863-0258.
Professor in Charge :
Stuart Selber
143 Burrowes Building
863-8032
selber@psu.edu
This 18-credit Minor provides all undergraduate students, regardless of college or major, the opportunity for concentrated work in technical writing.
The Minor in Technical Writing responds to the growing need in business, industry, and government for people who can communicate the results of technical work at a level of competence substantially above that usually found in beginning professionals. Indeed, industry and government leaders testify repeatedly that professional success depends both on excellent professional work and on the powerful communication of that work.
Students completing the Minor in Technical Writing will be awarded a Certificate in Technical Writing .
English majors may use the same courses to satisfy both the English Major requirements and the Minor requirements.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR: (18 credits)
Prescribed courses (3 credits) : English 418 _________
Additional Courses (12-15 credits*) :
Students must take credits from each of the following three groups for a total of 12-15 credits:
Select 3-6 credits from:
ENGL 470, 471, 472, 473, 474SPCOM 440W, 452, STS 489
Select 6-9 credits from:
ENGL 415, 416, 417, 421, 495Select 3-6 credits from:
ART 270, 271PSY 421, 432
INSYS 412, 413, 441
Supporting Courses and Related Areas (0-3 credits)* :
Students may select a course at the 400-level in a technical or scientific area with the approval of the department.
*Some of the courses in this category may have prerequisites that are not included in the minor.
Summary of Courses from Other Units
| Number | Title | Prerequisites |
| ART 270 | Beginning Graphic Design | None |
| ART 271 | Typography | ART 270 |
| INSYS 412 | Developing Effective Training Presentations | None |
| INSYS 413 | Designing Instructional Manuals and Text | EDPSY 421, INSYS 415 |
| INSYS 441 | Design, Development and Evaluation of Computer-Based Instruction | INSYS 440 |
| PSY 421 | Advanced Cognitive Psychology | PSY 002 |
| PSY 432 | Introductory Engineering Psychology | PSY 002, STAT 200 |
| SPCOM 440W | Systems and Theories of Human Communication | SPCOM 230 |
| SPCOM 452 | Organizational Communication | SPCOM 230 or 352 |
| STS 489 | Technology and Human Values | None |
THIS MINOR IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
This interdisciplinary minor is designed for students who want to complement their major program. With the approval of the American Studies Program committee, appropriate courses other than those listed on the approved list may be selected, including those from the 200, 496, and 497 series. All courses for the minor must be completed with a grade of C or better.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR: (18 credits)
Prescribed courses (6) credits
American Studies 402W (3 credits) __________ American Studies 100 or 105 (3 credits) __________Supporting Courses (12 credits)
Select 12 credits from the approved course list below, including at least 6 credits at the 400-level:
Any level __________
Any level __________
400-level __________
400-level __________
Courses Approved for American Studies
American Literature :
AM ST : 100, 104, 105, 108, 405, 493
ENGL : 003, 133, 134, 135, 139, 140, 191, 192, 194, 196, 197, 231, 232, 235DF, 428, 430, 431DF, 432, 433, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 458, 461DF, 462DF, 468DF, 469DF, 490, 493 (other varying content courses may apply with the approval of the Director of American Studies)
CMLIT : 005, 110, 405, 443
WMNST : 194, 405
American History :
AAA S : 100, 101, 102, 103, 409
AM ST : 406
HIST : 003, 012, 020, 021, 116, 117, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 158, 160, 173, 178, 179, 200, 230, 300, 440, 441, 442, 444, 445, 446, 447, 449, 450, 452, 454, 456W, 458W, 459W, 460, 467, 468, 490
EXSCI : 441, 444
LIR : 156, 458
WMNST : 101, 102, 103, 104, 110, 116, 117, 136, 205, 412, 419, 456
American Humanities: Art, Philosophy, and Religion :
AAA S : 145, 146, 200, 422
AM ST : 105, 187, 196, 197, 296, 297, 404, 405, 410, 415, 493, 496, 497
ARTS : 010, 015
ART H : 130, 214, 307, 404, 405, 415, 416, 450, 470
MUSIC : 007, 262W
PHIL : 107, 419, 432, 482, 489
RL ST : 105, 140W, 145, 146, 402, 422, 461
THEA : 114, 207, 405, 407, 408
American Social Sciences :
AAA S : 103, 400, 401
ADMJ : 111, 221, 421, 422, 425, 445, 451, 453, 460, 472, 485
ANTH : 008, 011, 041, 045, 100, 146, 422, 423, 440
COMM : 100, 120, 150, 180, 205, 250, 252, 261, 403, 405, 407, 409, 411, 413W, 417, 426, 451
CMLIT : 005, 110, 405, 443
EDTHP : 115, 411, 412, 430
ECON : 002, 004, 014, 315, 323, 332, 404W, 428, 430, 432, 435, 436, 462
GEOG : 102, 120, 200, 401, 404, 416, 418, 419, 420, 434, 440
LIR : 100, 101, 104, 136, 156, 187, 400-459
MKTG : 221, 221W
NUTR : 230
PL SC : 001, 002, 117, 125, 130, 137, 145, 150, 403, 405, 417, 419, 422, 425, 426, 427, 435, 436, 438, 442, 443, 444, 446, 447, 448, 449, 457, 466
R SOC : 356, 416, 422, 425, 444, 452
SOC : 003, 005, 014, 030, 047, 055, 103, 109, 110, 119, 401, 409, 412, 414, 417, 435, 454, 461, 462
SPAN : 200, 231, 472, 476
SPCOM : 415, 422, 426, 478
STS : 005, 020, 047, 107, 200, 230, 432, 433, 455, 457, 460, 471, 489
WMNST : 110, 136, 412, 423, 452, 453, 455, 457, 458, 471, 476
Minor Application: Click here to fill out and print the Minor Application.
