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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS

Department of English

UW Colleges Department of English

English is a versatile major, second major, or minor for many college students. Those students who choose to major in English will leave college with a firm foundation of literary analysis and communication skills. English courses prepare students to think critically and analytically, to write informatively and imaginatively, and to communicate effectively and flexibly. English majors often take courses in composition and rhetoric, literary works of diverse periods and authors, linguistics, and language history.

Employers frequently value the strong communication skills, both oral and written, which an English major possesses. Because English is a significant language within the global economy and world affairs, employers are drawn to individuals who have the ability to use that language to communicate effectively.

UW-Marinette offers English majors a variety of courses that will serve as a foundation for further study in the field. Frequently, English courses are connected to other courses on campus as part of a Learning Community. These linked courses offer opportunities to study literature and writing in conjunction with science, social science, and fine arts courses. Additionally, these courses fulfill the interdisciplinary studies requirements of the UW Colleges.

Students can also write for the on-campus newspaper and submit their creative work to the campus literary journal, Northern Lights.

Those who major in English may seek a position focused on that degree alone, or may use either an English major or minor to complement their primary field of study. Many English majors have an immediate career goal in mind for which English is the most appropriate choice. These include those students who plan to work as a technical writer, a creative writer, or an English teacher at the middle school or high school level.

Teaching English at the college level generally requires a graduate degree.
Additionally, English majors frequently find employment as writers or editors for magazines, newspapers, or publishing companies; as copyeditors or writers in advertising or public relations; in sales, in management, or any other field for which strong communication skills are an asset.

Others who major or minor in English do so in order to make their primary degree more marketable. For example, someone with a degree in business may use a second major or a minor in English to demonstrate his or her ability to clearly express ideas in that setting. A number of students who plan to attend law school choose an undergraduate major of English in order to increase their ability to understand and analyze complex texts.

Other career paths for English majors are working for a government agency, teaching English as a second language (which usually requires a specific ESL degree), teaching communication skills in corporations, researching in the field of linguistics, and a number of other professional options.

Classes usually offered for the English major at UW-Marinette include:

For more information regarding the English program at UW-Marinette or within the UW Colleges, please contact Professor Jane Oitzinger , 715-735-4320.