English Minor
Description. Students who have found their required English and Literature courses exciting may continue their exploration of texts (including films and other genres in popular culture) and develop their voices in a variety of written forms in the English minor. The minor offers students the opportunity to broaden their experience of literary study, improve their critical thinking skills, and advance their skills in analytical, expository and/or creative writing.
Learning Outcomes. Students will:
- Learn to read critically.
- Learn to form interpretations.
- Learn to make arguments based on evidence.
- Learn to express themselves clearly, concisely, and creatively.
- Learn to perfect editing and revision skills.
Rationale. The study of literature and the practice of expository and creative writing strengthen important skills while engaging students in significant historical, ethical and aesthetic debates. Students who study literature learn to read critically, form interpretations, and make arguments based on evidence. Students who study writing learn to express themselves clearly, concisely and creatively while also perfecting their editing and revision skills. Students who pursue the minor in English will graduate with an increased command of language and with incisive critical skills that will serve them well in their chosen career or post-graduate work.
Minor coordinator. Professor Helen Kapstein, Department of English (212.237.8591, hkapstein@jjay.cuny.edu)
Additional Information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College in September 2008 or thereafter must complete the minor in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose the form shown here or the earlier version of the minor. A copy of the earlier version can be obtained in the 2007–2008 Undergraduate Bulletin, available at http://johnjay.jjay.cuny.edu/bulletins/undergraduatebulletin20072008.pdf.
Requirements. To receive a minor in English a student must complete 18 credits with at least 3 credits at or above the 300-level. Students may apply a maximum of two 200-level, general education literature courses (LIT 230, LIT 231, LIT 232, LIT 233, LIT 236, LIT 237) toward the minor. Every student must take LIT 260 Introduction to Literary Study to earn the minor in English. A maximum of two courses can overlap with a student’s major, other minors or programs.
Part One. Required Courses
| LIT 260 | Introduction to Literary Study | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 3
Part Two. Electives
Select five
At least one course must be at or above the 300-level.
The following list is illustrative and not exhaustive. Students should consult the current course schedule for offerings in Literature [LIT] and English [ENG]. These will include literature, film, and writing courses.
Literature
| LIT 203 | New York City in Literature | 3 |
| LIT 212 | Literature of the African World | 3 |
| LIT 219 | The Word as Weapon | 3 |
| LIT 223/AFR 223 | African-American Literature | 3 |
| LIT 230 | Expressions of the Living Past: Reading Ancient Worlds | 3 |
| LIT 232 | Reading the Modern World | 3 |
| LIT 233 | American Stories (was American Literature) | 3 |
| LIT 236 | Literary Perspectives on Culture & Globalization | 3 |
| LIT 237 | Literature as Witness | 3 |
| LIT 265 | Foundations of U.S. Latino/a Literature | 3 |
| LIT 270 | Reading and Writing Children's Literature | 3 |
| LIT 275 | The Language of Film | 3 |
| LIT 283 | New York City in Film | 3 |
| LIT 284 | Film and Society | 3 |
| LIT 285 | The Rebel in Film | 3 |
| LIT 286 | The Horror Film | 3 |
| LIT 287 | Selected Topics in Literature | 3 |
| LIT 300 | Text and Context | 3 |
| LIT 305 | Foundations of Literature and Law | 3 |
| LIT 309 | Contemporary Fiction | 3 |
| LIT 311 | Literature and Ethics | 3 |
| LIT 313 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| LIT 314 | Shakespeare and Justice | 3 |
| LIT 315 | American Literature and the Law | 3 |
| LIT 316 | Gender and Identity in Literary Traditions | 3 |
| LIT 319 | Law and Justice in European Medieval Literature | 3 |
| LIT 323 | The Crime Film | 3 |
| LIT 324 | Road Movies | 3 |
| LIT 325 | Science Fiction Film | 3 |
| LIT 326 | Crime, Punishment and Justice in the U.S. Literature | 3 |
| LIT 327 | Crime, Punishment and Justice in World Literature | 3 |
| LIT 328 | Film Criticism | 3 |
| LIT 329 | Documentary Film and Media | 3 |
| LIT 331 | Steven Spielberg | 3 |
| LIT 342 | Perspectives on Literature and Human Rights | 3 |
| LIT 344 | Caribbean Literature and Culture | 3 |
| LIT 346 | Cultures in Conflict | 3 |
| LIT 348 | Native American Literature | 3 |
| LIT 352 | New Fiction | 3 |
| LIT 353 | Comic Books and Graphic Novels: Investigating a Literary Medium | 3 |
| LIT 357 | Violence of Language: U.S. Latino/a Street Literature | 3 |
| LIT 360 | Mythology in Literature | 3 |
| LIT 362 | The Bible as Literature | 3 |
| LIT 366 | Writing Nature: Literature and Ecology | 3 |
| LIT 370 | Topics in Ancient Literature | 3 |
| LIT 371 | Topics in Medieval Literature | 3 |
| LIT 372 | Topics in Early Modern Literature | 3 |
| LIT 373 | Topics in Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-century Literature | 3 |
| LIT 374 | Topics in Nineteenth-century Literature | 3 |
| LIT 375 | Topics in Twentieth-century Literature | 3 |
| LIT 383 | Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Latino/a Literature | 3 |
| LIT 379 | Selected Historical Topics in Literature | 3 |
| LIT 380 | Advanced Selected Topics in Literature | 3 |
| LIT 389 | Independent Study 300-level | 3 |
| LIT 400 | Senior Seminar in Literature | 3 |
| LIT 401 | Special Topics | 3 |
| LIT 405 | Senior Seminar in Literature and Law | 3 |
| LIT 409 | Seminar in U.S. Latino/a Literature | 3 |
| LIT 489 | Independent Study 400-level | 3 |
| LLS 362 | Entangled Tongues: Bilingualism in U.S. Latino/a Literature | 3 |
| LLS 363 | Il-Legal Subjects: U.S. Latino/a Lit & the Law | 3 |
| LLS 364 | Ethical Strains in U.S. Latino/a Literature | 3 |
Writing
| ENG 212 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| ENG 215 | Poetry Writing and Reading | 3 |
| ENG 216 | Fiction Writing | 3 |
| ENG 221 | Screenwriting for Film, Television, and Internet | 3 |
| ENG 228/ANT 228 | Introduction to Language | 3 |
| ENG 233 | News Reporting and Writing | 4 |
| ENG 230 | Journalism in the 21st Century | 3 |
| ENG 235 | Writing for Management, Business and Public Administration | 3 |
| ENG 242 | Contemporary Media in Everyday Life | 3 |
| ENG 245 | Creative Nonfiction | 3 |
| ENG 250 | Writing for Legal Studies | 3 |
| ENG 255 | Argument Writing | 3 |
| ENG 260 | Grammar, Syntax, and Style: Writing for All Disciplines | 3 |
| ENG 313 | Advanced Fiction Writing | 3 |
| ENG 316 | Advanced Argument Writing and Response: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| ENG 320 | Writing Workshop in Autobiography: An Eye on the Self | 3 |
| ENG 328/ANT 328 | Forensic Linguistics: Language as Evidence in the Courts | 3 |
| ENG 334 | Intermediate News Reporting and Writing | 4 |
| ENG 336 | Digital Journalism | 4 |
| ENG 350 | Advanced Legal Writing: Advocacy and Oral Argument | 3 |
| ENG 380 | Selected Topics in Creative Writing | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 15
Total Credit Hours: 18-19