The following information only pertains to students who have enrolled in the English minor prior to fall 2024:
The Minor in English consists of a minimum 18 credits as distributed below. The minor offers three tracks: (1) Literature, (2) Communication and Technology, and (3) Writing.
Click here for UMBC English Minors Advising Checklist.
Minor in Literature
(18 Credits)
The Department of English offers a minor program in literature, requiring 18 credit hours for completion. The literature minor is intended for students who wish to augment their knowledge of English and American literature while also refining their skills in close reading and critical interpretation of literary texts. The literature minor requirements are listed below. All courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. No course at the 100 level may be counted for minor credit.
Required Core Courses (6 credits)ENGL 250 – Introduction to Shakespeare
ENGL 301 – Analysis of Literary Language
Twelve additional credits of English courses must be taken, with six of those credits at the 300 or 400 level. At least three of these elective courses must be in literature. With the approval of the minor advisor, one literature course from a department other than English may be counted for minor credit.
NOTE: Students completing the literature minor may not apply the same elective courses to satisfy requirements for the writing minor. However, required courses in one minor may be listed as electives in another minor program. This provision allows students to complete more than one minor program without having to take 36 total hours of classes. Students should consult with their English department advisors to identify the minor program(s) best suited to their interests and needs.
Minor in Communication & Technology
(18 Credits)
The Department of English offers a minor in Communication and Technology for students who wish to explore the theory and practice of communication and new media studies. It requires 18 credits to complete. All courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. No course at the 100 level may be counted for minor credit.
Required Core Courses (6 credits)ENGL 300 – Communication and Technology: Analysis of Texts and Contexts
ENGL 324 – Theories of Communication and Technology
Students must select at least one course from List A and at least one course from List B. The remaining electives may be chosen from either list.
List AENGL 320 – Topics in Communication and Technology
ENGL 330 – Researching Communicative Practices
ENGL 342 – Principles and Practices of Visual Literacy
ENGL 343 – Introduction to Genre Analysis
ENGL 353 – Rhetorical Theory
ENGL 355 – Communicative Practices and Play Theory
ENGL 383 – Science Writing
ENGL 385 – New Media and Digital Literacies
ENGL 386 – Adult Literacy Tutoring: Issues and Methods
ENGL 407 – Language in Society
ENGL 442 – Seminar in Visual Literacy
ENGL 447 – Online Voice and Community
ENGL 449 – Seminar in Genre Analysis
ENGL 483 – Seminar in Writing in the Sciences
ENGL 486 – Seminar in Teaching Composition: Theory and Practice
ENGL 493 – Seminar in Communication and Technology
ENGL 303 – Art of the Essay
ENGL 379 – Principles and Practices in Technical Writing
ENGL 380 – Introduction to News Writing
ENGL 382 – Feature Writing
ENGL 387 – Web Design and Multimedia Authoring
ENGL 391 – Advanced Exposition and Argumentation
ENGL 392 – Tutorial in Writing
ENGL 394 – Technical Editing
ENGL 403 – Advanced Art of the Essay
Minor in Writing
(18 credits – Basic Minor, 24 credits – Extended Minor)
The minor in writing at UMBC is open to – and appropriate for – students majoring in any field. The credential earned by completing the minor will document the student’s pursuit of writing skills for admissions committees and prospective employers. Both the basic minor and the extended minor share a common four-course core:
Required Core Courses (12 credits)ENGL 100 – Composition
ENGL 291 – Introduction to Writing Creative Essays
ENGL 391 – Advanced Exposition and Argumentation
ENGL 392 – Tutorial in Writing
To complete the basic minor, students must elect any two courses (6 credits) from the writing courses listed below. To complete the extended writing minor, students must elect four courses (12 credits) from within one area below or from approved electives, including ENGL 400 – Special Projects. All courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. With the advisor’s permission, up to six credits from the writing minor may be counted as part of the English major.
NOTE: No more than two writing minor courses may be taken per semester.
Journalism (Extended Writing Minor)ENGL 380 – Introduction to News Writing
ENGL 382 – Feature Writing
ENGL 383 – Science Writing
ENGL 398 – Journalism Internship
ENGL 480 – Seminar in Advanced Journalism
ENGL 495 – Internship (Journalism)
ENGL 226 – English Grammar and Usage
ENGL 324 – Theories of Communication and Technology
ENGL 326 – The Structure of English
ENGL 386 – Adult Literacy Tutoring: Issues and Methods
ENGL 395 – Writing Internship (Tutoring)
ENGL 407 – Language in Society
ENGL 485 – The Teaching of Writing
ENGL 488 – Seminar in Computer-Assisted Writing Instruction
ENGL 490 – Topics in the English Language
ENGL 491 – Seminar in Topics in the English Language
ENGL 493 – Seminar in Rhetoric and Composition
ENGL 495* – Internship (Rhetoric and Communication Theory)
ENGL 271 – Introduction to Creative Writing – Fiction
ENGL 272 – Introduction to Creative Writing – Script Writing
ENGL 273 – Introduction to Creative Writing – Poetry
ENGL 371 – Creative Writing – Fiction
THTR 371 – Writing for the Theatre
ENGL 373 – Creative Writing – Poetry
ENGL 375 – Masterworks for Creative Writers
ENGL 397 – Tutorial in Creative Writing
ENGL 403 – Advanced Creative Writing – Non-Fiction
ENGL 471 – Advanced Creative Writing – Fiction
ENGL 473 – Advanced Creative Writing – Poetry
ENGL 475 – Special Studies in Creative Writing
ENGL 495* – Internship (Creative Writing)
NOTE: Courses in creative writing must be taken in the proper sequence unless permission of the instructor is given.
Professional Writing (Extended Writing Minor)ENGL 226 – English Grammar and Usage
ENGL 326 – The Structure of English
ENGL 387 – Web Content Development
ENGL 393 – Technical Writing
ENGL 393H – Technical Writing with Honors
ENGL 394 – Technical Editing
ENGL 400 – Special Projects in English
ENGL 407 – Language in Society
ENGL 490 – Advanced Topics in the English Language
ENGL 495 – Internship (Professional Writing)
NOTE: ENGL 495 can only be taken once for the basic minor and twice for the extended minor.
The information above is also accessible through
the UMBC English Minors Requirements document.
