Rationale for the Minor
The department believes that developing a stronger advanced writing
component in our curriculum will serve not only English majors, but also
students in all majors who wish to further enhance their powers of persuasion
and expression. The minor embodies the department's commitment to writing
and to its students as articulated in the "General Principles for
Calvin's English Department" (1992):
- Provide students with experience in writing as expression, analysis,
and argument so that they understand the imaginative, rhetorical, and
ethical dimensions of discourse and are empowered to write creatively,
effectively, and responsibly.
- Nurture the gifts of students who have talent for and interest in
imaginative writing of all types.
These statements echo the new core curriculum's emphasis on written expression
as an important dimension of the college's mission. The work that students
do in this program will give them a stronger sense of the redemptive power
of writing and of their responsibilities as people of the Word.
Requirements: Seven Courses
1. Foundational ideas and practices: English 275 The Craft of Writing
2. One course from Creative Writing: English 301 Creative Non-Fiction
or English 355 Creative Writing (a course with a changing emphasis-either
fiction or poetry-each term; students may take both versions of the course
for credit)
3. One course from Applied Writing: English 245 Basic Journalism, English
265 Feature Journalism, English 201 Academic and Professional Writing,
English 380 Internship in Journalism or Publishing, English 262 Business
Writing, or CAS/English 248 Writing for the Media
4. A literature course (excluding core literature courses) chosen in
consultation with a program advisor
5 and 6. Two English electives from among courses listed on lines 2 and
3 chosen in consultation with a program advisor
7. One elective chosen in consultation with a program advisor
Questions students may have…
Why must I take a creative writing course and an applied writing course?
The English Department believes that good writers should be able to do
both imaginative writing and practical and persuasive writing - and that,
in fact, it is difficult to distinguish among these categories with good
writers. We believe that our students will find much "cross-pollination"
taking place in their work when they approach the discipline or writing
from both perspectives.
Why do I need English 275?
This course is foundational to the minor in writing in two ways. First,
it provides a set of common writing experiences and a common knowledge
base that instructors can build on in other writing courses. Second, it
introduces students to a broad range of ideas that have shaped writers
since classical times.
When will 275 be offered?
It will be offered for the first time in fall of 2003.
How do I get started in the minor?
Take the courses that interest you! Any course from lines 2 and 3 would
be a good way to dive in. You may take English 275 when it is available.
It is a foundational course, but not a gateway course. In some ways, it
might be better to take it once you have some experience in other writing
courses.
What about that last elective?
Talk with your advisor about how that elective might be a good opportunity
to steer the program in a direction that suits your gifts and interests.
Students interested in poetry might take an interim poetry-writing course.
Students interested in public relations might take a web-design course.
Students interested in nature or travel writing might take an off-campus
interim course to fulfill this elective. Be creative, but have a solid
reason for the course you choose, and be sure your advisor approves of
your choice.
How much overlap can there be with the English major?
College policy stipulates that students may "double-dip" on
two courses between a major and a minor. So, for example, you might count
English 312 and English 355 for both the major and the minor. The rest
of your courses will have to count for one or the other. For English majors,
then, the writing minor can be a 5-course program.
If I want to minor in English and writing, can I double-dip between
minors?
College policy in this case says no. However, the major-minor double-dip
rule still applies to each minor.
Revised Course Descriptions for Courses in the Minor
English 301: Creative Non-fiction
A course in the principles and practice of creative non-fiction. Students
will examine a variety of models and engage in extensive practice in the
genre. Special emphasis will be given to the relationship of faith and art
for the writer. Prerequisite: English 101. Offered in the fall semester.
English 355: Creative Writing
A course in the principles and practice of fiction or poetry, with the
emphasis to be announced prior to registration each time the course is
offered. Students will examine a variety of models and engage in extensive
practice. Special emphasis will be given to the relationship of faith
and art for the writer. Students may take both the fiction and the poetry
version of the course for credit. Offered in the spring semester.
English 275: The Craft of Writing
A course in the foundational principles and practices of writing. Students
compose in a variety of written genres, exploring composition from two
perspectives--how texts are constructed and what they accomplish. From
these two perspectives students will consider the two classical categories
of written genres: poetics (the study of belletristic writing) and rhetoric
(the study of persuasive writing). This is a foundational course for students
who are interested in advanced study of writing. Prerequisite: English
101 or approval of the instructor.
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