Writing Minor

Writing Minor

English
Advisor: Claudia Barnett

An interdisciplinary minor in Writing, offering writing-intensive selections across the curriculum, requires a minimum of 18 hours of courses chosen from the list below, with the provision that no more than 12 hours may be taken in any one department.

Interdisciplinary Minors

Interdisciplinary minors require the student to complete a minimum of 15 to 21 hours from a list of specific courses. Unless otherwise noted, a student may take no more than 6 hours of courses from a single department until he or she surpasses the required minimum number of hours necessary for completing the minor. Exceptions to this rule may be found within the discussions of several of the minors. In most cases, a student is also limited to just 3 hours of credit toward the minor in the same department or discipline in which he or she is taking a major. Students must fulfill all departmental prerequisites for any course within an interdisciplinary minor. In some cases, advisors may approve course substitutions within these program requirements.

Required Courses (18 hours)

 Select 18 hours from the following:

  • BCED 3510 - Business Communication

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. (Keyboarding skills helpful.) A review of the theory and processes in oral and written business communication. Emphasis on the extensive functions of written and electronic communications.

  • ENGL 2500 - Introduction to Creative Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: ENGL 2020, ENGL 2030, or HUM 2610. A creative writing workshop that introduces multiple genres and encourages students to experiment with technique and form.

  • ENGL 3570 - Introduction to Linguistics

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better. Anatomy of sound production, levels of structure in language: phonological (sound), morphological (meaningful segments), syntactic (interrelation of words in a sentence). Various meanings of language.

  • ENGL 3620 - Professional Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements. A specialized writing course for students planning to work in technology, engineering, science, and government industries. Provides individual and collaborative practice in the discourse and conventions of professional and technical writing (PTW) genres including emails, memos, analyses, instructions, proposals, reports as well as PTW skills like user experience design and content strategy basics. Supplementary materials provided for employment packages (e.g., cover letters, resumes) and tips provided for LinkedIn and LinkedIn Learning. Students can expect to complete three major writing projects (20 points possible) and 10 discussion boards (30 points possible) that expose them to the contexts, communities, and cultures of professional writing. Counts toward English writing concentration, writing minor, and Public Writing and Rhetoric major.

  • ENGL 3630 - Creative Nonfiction Workshop

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Complete of English and literature General Education requirements; ENGL 1020 or ENGL 3605 with a B or better. Through a process-based workshop approach students will be provided the opportunity to improve their ability to write essays for different purposes. Explores the cross-disciplinary nature of essay writing as it engages students in practical exercises in written communication.

  • ENGL 3645 - Fiction Writing  3 credit hours  

    ENGL 3645 - Fiction Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better and permission of instructor. A specialized seminar in which students study and create works of fiction.

  • ENGL 3655 - Poetry Writing  3 credit hours  

    ENGL 3655 - Poetry Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better and permission of instructor. A specialized seminar in which students study and create poetry.

  • ENGL 3665 - Playwriting  3 credit hours  

    ENGL 3665 - Playwriting

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better and permission of instructor. A specialized writing course focusing on the appreciation and realization of the dramatic form.

  • ENGL 3690 - Individualized Writing Project

    1 credit hour

    Prerequisites: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better and permission of instructor. A small-group writing tutorial which allows work on a major writing project from any major or field of interest. Does not count for the English major or minor without advisor approval. Pass/Fail depending on attendance, participation, and progress. May be repeated twice for a total of three (3) credits.

  • ENGL 3691 - Independent Literary Event Attendance Series

    1 credit hour

    Prerequisites: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better and permission of instructor. Students independently attend readings and/or lectures by visiting writers, plenary sessions at creative-writing conferences, and/or performances of plays. Does not count for the English major or minor without advisor approval. Pass/Fail depending on the quality of written responses. May be repeated twice for a total of three (3) credits.

  • ENGL 4510 - Modern English Grammar and Usage

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better. Traditional English grammar and the principles upon which grammatical analysis is based. Satisfies teacher licensure grammar requirement.

  • ENGL 4600 - Writing Internship  1 to 6 credit hours  

    ENGL 4600 - Writing Internship

    1 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing and a 3.00 GPA in English required. Others by permission of internship coordinator. Open to English majors and minors and writing minors. An internship in which students apply their writing and communication skills in a professional setting. Arrangements for the internship are made in advance with the internship coordinator through the English Upper Division office. Maximum of 3 hours toward the Writing or English minor. Pass/Fail.

  • ENGL 4605 - Advanced Composition

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Completion of  1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better, and ENGL 1020 or ENGL 3605 with a B- or better. Approaches to various writing problems posed in advanced university studies and nontechnical professions: essays, proposals, critical reviews, analyses.

  • ENGL 4640 - Advanced Topics in Technical Writing and Communication

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Explores advanced issues in technical writing, technical communication, and scientific discourse such as ethics and visual design, navigating the grant and proposal writing process, and theoretical examination of documents and discourse related to the job-search process. May be repeated once when the primary topic varies for a maximum of six credit hours.

  • ENGL 4670 - Special Topics in Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better. An intensive study in one specialized form of writing. The form of writing will vary with the instructor teaching the course.

  • IAM 3060 - Writing for Interactive Experiences

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020 with C or better. Introduces fundamental principles of writing for interactive experience for specific audiences. Encourages students to explore content development; looks at creation of meaning in interactive media while providing skills in content development.

  • JOUR 3450 - Editing  3 credit hours  

    JOUR 3450 - Editing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: JOUR 3090 with minimum grade of C. Theory and practice in the art of copy editing, including editing, language skills, newspaper style, news judgment, headline writing, photo editing, cutline writing, and page design.

  • JOUR 3520 - Special Topics in Professional Issues

    3 credit hours

    (Same as ADV/PR/VCOM 3520.) Prerequisites: JOUR 3090 or JOUR 3430 or permission from the School of Journalism. Special topics in journalism, advertising, public relations, and visual communication focusing on practical applications. Topics change each semester and have included investigative, environmental, sports, and political reporting; visual editing; international public relations; and advertising account management. May be repeated up to 6 credits.

  • JOUR 3530 - Feature Writing  3 credit hours  

    JOUR 3530 - Feature Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: JOUR 2710 or permission of instructor. Theory and practice of writing feature stories for newspapers and magazines. Assignments in writing for professional publications as well as the student newspaper.

  • JOUR 3590 - Magazine Writing and Editing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: JOUR 3530 with minimum grade of C. Types of magazines and editorial needs; practice in magazine article writing.

  • JOUR 4300 - Reviewing and Criticism

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Theories and practice of reviewing and criticism in the mass media. Overview of current trends in film, theatre, music, books, and other entertainment media. Practice in critical and analytical writing.

  • PS 3530 - Legal Writing and Research

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1005 or permission of instructor. A specialized composition course for the student planning to attend law school or paralegal school or to become a legal secretary. Practice in legal research, documentation, and a variety of legal problems.

  • RIM 3020 - Commercial Songwriting

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: RI majors - admission to Commercial Songwriting concentration and RIM 1230 or MUTH 1110 and RIM 3115 or RIM 3116 with C or better; others - permission of instructor. Helps the new or developing songwriter acquire a song construction toolkit. Focuses on groove, melody,  lyric, harmony, and structure and integrates these five elements into a cohesive and commercially viable song. Students expected to play guitar or piano and also sing.

  • THEA 4600 - Storytelling  3 credit hours  

    THEA 4600 - Storytelling

    3 credit hours

    Instruction and experience in the art of storytelling. Individually designed course requirements for educational, professional, corporate, and personal storytelling techniques.

  • THEA 4820 - Playwriting  3 credit hours  

    THEA 4820 - Playwriting

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: THEA 3820 or permission of instructor. Theory and practice in the creation of original plays. Development and revision of original scripts while studying the methods and works of influential playwrights.

  • VFP 3020 - Screenwriting I  3 credit hours  

    VFP 3020 - Screenwriting I

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020; VFP 2020; Media Arts major

    Techniques of creating and writing for film and video production in both the studio and field environment. Integrates writing for visual impact and audio/integration of sound and examines formatting needs of varying non-fiction and fiction story platforms for screen-based media.

  • VFP 4020 - Screenwriting II  3 credit hours  

    VFP 4020 - Screenwriting II

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: VFP major;  VFP 3020 with C or better; permission of department for non-majors.

    Techniques of creating and writing for film and video production in both the studio and location environment. Scriptwriting guidelines, character development, plot design, and creation of storylines for contemporary screen-based media with emphasis on television genre programs or film scripts. Writing of original scripts conforming to the genre with emphasis on longer form teleplays and film scripts.

 

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Mailing Address:
Department of English
Middle Tennessee State University
Box 70
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132

Main Office: Peck Hall 302

Chair: Dr. Stephen Severn

Email: stephen.severn@mtsu.edu

Telephone: (615) 898-2648