About the Department and Majors

The UW-Platteville Department of Humanities offers students an array of majors and minors within the liberal arts. Students can choose to major in English, Spanish, or Interdisciplinary Philosophy. Students can choose to minor in any of these fields, as well as minor in German. The humanities form a field of study that does not limit students to one career track. Instead, the humanities prepare students for a variety of careers in business, government, freelancing environments, communication and publishing, teaching, or other employment sectors. Many students choose a major in one of the humanities programs in order to lay an excellent foundation for graduate school, including advanced degrees in English, Spanish, or philosophy. Majoring in one of the humanities is also excellent preparation for law school, and careers in student services, business, nonprofit organizations, and humanitarian sectors. Students in the humanities also gain valuable experience from participation in exchanges with local and international schools, presentations at academic conferences, and professional organizations, as well as education-abroad programs.

Graduates with a degree in any of the humanities programs should be able to:

• effectively communicate orally and in writing, in English and ideally in a second language
• interpret and evaluate information from a variety of sources
• make complex intellectual connections across disciplines, cultures, and institutions
• transform information into knowledge, and knowledge into judgment and action
• demonstrate intellectual agility and the ability to manage change
• discern the ethical consequences of decisions and actions
• acquire a deep understanding of one’s self, and respect for the complex identities of others, including diverse histories and cultures
• actively participate as citizens in a complex democracy and globalized world

Majors and Minors

English Majors

• Literature
• English Education
• Professional Writing

English Minors

• Creative Writing
• English
• English Education (Non-Licensure)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) with Licensure
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (Non-Licensure)

Interdisciplinary Philosophy Major
 

Philosophy Minor
 

World Languages Majors

• Spanish
• Spanish Education

World Languages Minors

• German
• German Education (Non-Licensure)
• Spanish
• Spanish Education (Non-Licensure)

Certificates

• Linguistics
• Professional Writing
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Non-Licensure)
• Certificate in Foreign Languages
• Certificate in LGBTQ+ Studies

Languages Available in General Education Competency Credit

• German
• Spanish