- English Major Requirements: Students who major in English take a minimum of 36 credits in literature. Two courses are required of all majors: Foundations of Literary Study (308) and the first half of Survey of English Literature (321). The other categories are quite flexible and may be satisfied by numerous courses. Major Advisement Worksheet
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Minor Requirements: To minor in English, students need 18 credits (six courses). Courses must include Foundations of Literary Study (350:308) and may include two courses at the 200-level. Minor Advisement Worksheet
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The Minor in Creative Writing offers undergraduate students in all disciplines the opportunity to advance their communication and critical thinking skills, qualities employers seek, through the analysis and writing of fiction, poetry and nonfiction.
Creative Writing courses instruct students in mastering the fluidity of expression, tone, and compression so necessary to those who contemplate graduate work in any discipline. Students majoring in business, the sciences, and liberal arts, as well as students pursuing pre-law and pre-medicine courses of study, will find the creative writing minor beneficial in its capacity to deepen and expand their understanding of language and humanity. Law schools value masterful writers who can use metaphor and simile to buttress argument, and medical schools are increasingly concerned with issues of communication/empathy as they train doctors and medical staff.Creative writing prepares education majors with the expertise necessary to incorporate Creative Writing into the teaching of literature at the elementary or high school level. Reading culture through the poetry or fiction of a given time, from classic texts to those written by contemporary and emerging writers, supports creative writing minors in their own work as writers of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. [node:5762] and [node:5759]
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Internships: In cooperation with the Rutgers-Newark Career Development Center, the English Department offers academic credit for approved internships. Internships offer undergraduate students the opportunity to gain pre-professional experience with publishing, public relations, and media-related firms. Approved internships will be granted credit through the courses numbered 350:458 and 459. Three hours academic credit may be earned for the internship experience. These credits can be counted toward the English major as an elective. Juniors and Seniors (64+ credit hours) with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 are eligible to apply for internship credit.
- Academic Advisement: English majors are assigned faculty members from the department as their advisors. Students should consult with their advisors prior to registering each semester. Students can also seek advisement from the department chair or deputy chair. This is especially important when questions arise regarding transfer credits from other institutions toward the major or when requesting permission to take English electives at other colleges or universities. In the first semester of the senior year, each student should make an appointment to see the chair or deputy chair to make sure that he or she is on track to complete all requirements for the major.
- Teaching Certification: Students seeking teaching certification in English must complete the requirements for a major in the English department as well as satisfy other requirements for certification. For details regarding admission to the teacher education program and the requirements, students should consult both their department adviser and the chairperson of the education department.
