English

Department: English
Department Chair: Robert C. Grunst
Program Option: B.A.

As an English major at St. Kate’s, you will develop your expository and creative writing and reading skills as you journey through a world of imaginative and analytical and collaborative thinking. You will have ample opportunities to share your thoughts with a community of women in your small classes. You will work collaboratively with faculty to help develop foci of study and conferences, present papers and write newsletters. In several courses you will find that technology is fully integrated into the classroom experience.

Many St. Kate’s English majors have pursued careers in education, writing, publishing, management, public relations, medicine and law, or have founded their own businesses. English majors with interests in writing have a wide variety of career options, including journalistic writing for magazines, newspapers or trade publications; publishing; editing; teaching; public relations; and advertising.

Whatever your area of concentration — English core, writing, or literature — you will work closely with an advisor to plan a course of study that includes the tradition of literature and its principal genres, in-depth study of at least one major writer, the development of the English language and the process of writing. By immersing yourself in the literature of many times and places, you will grapple with the joys and dilemmas of human existence and learn how fine literary artists have responded to life. You will discover that nothing is more practical than literature when it comes to learning ways of the world.

You will begin developing your portfolio as soon as you declare your intent to become an English major and are assigned an advisor. The portfolio is a means for you to assess your own intellectual growth and is a concrete means for assessing your ability to read and write critically, analytically and creatively. Students often find that these portfolios are helpful in applying for graduate school or jobs.

As an English major, you will have the opportunity to work on both Penultimate, a newsletter designed to inform English and written communication majors about topics that concern them, and Ariston, St. Kate’s esteemed literary and visual magazine that represents an annual celebration of quality work by students. Penultimate is produced by a student editor with the guidance of a faculty sponsor. English and written communication majors are encouraged to submit articles and creative work to Penultimate. Students comprise the editorial staff of Ariston, with coordinators, editors and interns for both the art and literary areas. Students work under the guidance of faculty advisors.

You can also join the English Club, which provides opportunities for you to enhance your knowledge and appreciation of English or communication and to meet other students with similar majors and interests. Activities include monthly meetings, social outings to movies and plays and literary events such as readings and author book signings around St. Paul and Minneapolis. Students are given opportunities to read/perform their own work publicly if they choose.

Writing-intensive internships are encouraged and are available throughout the Twin Cities at publishing companies, major corporations and area nonprofit institutions. St Kate’s English majors have interned at such places as KTCA-TV, the Minnesota Zoo, Graywolf Press, Coffee House Press, Milkweed Press, The Guthrie Theater and 3M.

Professional writers often visit St. Kate’s to share their knowledge and insights with students. Recent visitors include Maya Angelou, author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and many other books; Marilyn Chin, author of Rhapsody in Plain Yellow; the South African anti-apartheid novelist J. M. Coetzee, twice winner of Britain’s prestigious Booker Prize for fiction; poet June Jordan, author of Kissing God Good-bye: Poems 1991-1997 and Poetry for the People: A Blueprint for the Revolution, a guide to writing, teaching and publishing poetry.

For students who are non-native speakers of English, English courses are offered to help students develop the language skills necessary to succeed academically at the College of St. Catherine. Depending on the results of the MELAB, TOEFL, or College of St. Catherine English Proficiency or Placement Test, non-native speakers may be required to take some of the classes listed below. All of these courses are credit-bearing and count towards the 130 credits required for graduation. In addition, ENGL 2120 fulfills the liberal arts core requirement in literature. ENGL 2130 counts as a writing-intensive course. Together ENGL 2120 and 2130 satisfy St. Catherine’s foreign language requirement.

English as a second language courses:
ENGL 1200 Oral Communication for College
ENGL 2120 Immigrant Perspective in Literature
ENGL 2130 Written Communication for College
ENGL 2400 Grammar in Writing
ENGL 2600 English for Cross-Cultural Nursing

See also: Communication.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
The English Department recommends that all declared English majors begin their studies with ENGL 2200 Introduction to Literary Theory and Research, at the same time fulfilling the core literature requirement.

GENERAL CONCENTRATION

Ten courses including:
ENGL 2200 Introduction to Literary Theory and Research
ENGL 4860 Seminar
Two writing courses (at least one at the 3000 level or above)
Two language courses (at least one at the 3000 level or above)
Two literature courses (choose among ENGL 3540, 3550, 3650, 3740, 3750)
Two other English courses

WRITING CONCENTRATION

Ten courses including:
ENGL 2200 Introduction to Literary Theory and Research
ENGL 4860 Seminar
Four writing courses (at least two at the 3000 level or above)
One language course
Three literature courses (at least two at the 3000 level or above)

Recommended supporting course:
ENGL 4604 Internship

LITERATURE CONCENTRATION

Ten courses including:
ENGL 2200 Introduction to Literary Theory and Research
ENGL 4860 Seminar
Two writing courses (at least one at the 3000 level or above)
One language course
Four literature courses (choose among ENGL 3540, 3550, 3650, 3740, 3750)
One other English course

Portfolio Requirement

You will begin developing a portfolio as soon as you declare your intent to major (usually after completing ENGL 2200).

The portfolio will include:
• one paper from each of the following four courses: ENGL 2200 Introduction to Literary Theory and Research, a 3000-level literature course, an expository writing course and ENGL 4860 senior seminar
• a summary reflective essay
• a resume or CV, prepared with the assistance of the Career Development Office
• a list of courses completed in the major
• a portfolio checklist

If you select the writing concentration you are encouraged to enrich your portfolio with at least two additional samples of creative or expository writing. You are responsible for developing the portfolio with the guidance of your advisor, and the completed portfolio will be submitted to the department chair at least two weeks before graduation.

English majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing one of the English courses designated as writing intensive. You complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with three other writing-intensive courses (CORE 1000 and CORE 3990, and any other writing-intensive course in this or another department).

NOTE: Writing courses do not usually fulfill the liberal arts and sciences core literature requirement. Courses that meet the core literature requirement are identified in the course description.

URL: http://minerva.stkate.edu/academiccatalog0709.nsf/pages/english
This page was created on 05/02/2007 and last updated on 05/02/2007.
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