Minor & Certificate Programs

English Minor

The English minor has been designed to combine the major's core strengths with a degree of latitude and specialization for students who major in other disciplines.
The English minor is rich in literature from all periods. Those interested in more in-depth study of an area may want to consider completing one of the department's certificate programs. Students may use their electives to sample a wide variety of courses in reading and writing or to focus on one particular area.

Journalism Certificate

The Certificate is designed for students who wish to pursue careers in reporting, news writing, magazine writing, copy editing, publishing, and for those students who wish to apply skills learned in journalism courses to work in other fields, such as public relations and corporate communications.


The Journalism Certificate provides a student with the core course work and practical experience necessary to be competitive in today's job market. Through the process of portfolio development and internship experience, a student is prepared to work as a writer or editor in the mass media.

Creative Writing Certificate

The Creative Writing Certificate is designed for students who wish to write poems and/or fiction, to improve their writing and abilities through workshops taught by practitioners, and possibly to go on to graduate programs in creative writing and careers that are involved with literature, such as teaching and editing. The program is also designed for students who wish to broaden their perspectives of literature to include that of the writer.

Professional Writing Certificate

The Certificate in Professional Writing is designed for students who wish to pursue careers in technical and scientific writing, publishing, editing, public relations, marketing, corporate communications, and documentation writing, and for those students who wish to apply these skills in other career areas.


The Professional Writing Certificate prepares students to move into a wide variety of writing fields, from corporate communication and public relations to promotional and technical writing. The courses often involved real-world projects, and internships also provide students with invaluable professional experiences, sometimes leading directly to full-time employment.

American Ethnic Studies Certificate

The American Ethnic Studies Certificate is a multi-disciplinary, inter-collegiate certificate housed in the Department of English. Its courses are those studying American ethnic literature, history, medicine, sociology, art, music, and philosophy and elective classes providing international backgrounds to American ethnic cultures. In addition to those in Arts & Sciences, the certificate faculty comes from Clermont College, DAAP, the College of Education, and Raymond Walters College.

The American Ethnic Studies Certificate enriches the student's knowledge of the variety of cultures in the United States and prepares them to thrive in our global environment. Moreover, the Certificate will identify
graduates as especially equipped to meet the expectations of graduate and professional schools and corporations increasingly interested in cultural diversity and global commerce.

Requirements Checklists