https://www.uwplatt.edu/program/english

Department Chair: Katie Kalish
Office: 518 Pioneer Tower
Phone: 608.342.1826
Email: kalishca@uwplatt.edu

About the English Program and Major

The English program allows students the flexibility to choose from the following three English majors and four minors according to individual preference and career choices. Students may also obtain a writing certificate and a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages certificate.

Literature, Media, and Culture Emphasis

This traditional English major prepares the student for careers and graduate work in English, law, publishing, library science, government, business, and other professions.

English Education Emphasis

In cooperation with the School of Education, this traditional English major prepares students for middle/secondary education careers (grades 4-12).

Professional Writing Emphasis

This major prepares students for careers in a variety of writing fields, including technical and scientific communication, business communication, editing and publishing, journalism, and public relations.

Minors

Creative Writing

This versatile minor focuses on the development of literary writing skills, particularly in poetry, short story, nonfiction, and other professional genres.

English Minor

This minor is designed for students who seek expertise in literature and writing for a variety of purposes and career options as a complement to their major in another program.

English Education Minor (Non-Licensure)

This minor is designed for students seeking elementary/middle education certification.  The minor does not lead to licensure but it complements the K-9 major in developing resourceful, creative, and competent teachers interested in teaching English/language arts at middle school level.

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

This TESOL program provides students with the professional knowledge and skills necessary to teach English to speakers of other languages in the United States or abroad. The program offers three tracks to accommodate students with differing educational needs:

1. a TESOL licensure minor;
2. a TESOL minor (non-licensure), and
3. a TESOL certificate (non-licensure).

Certificates

Linguistics

Linguistics is the scientific study of language. Through engaging students in studying language phenomena, principles, and functions, this certificate enables students to gain insights into how human language works, develop effective cross-cultural communication skills, and improve analytical and critical thinking. The certificate can open up career opportunities for students in various disciplines, especially English, world languages, social sciences, computer science, psychology, criminal justice, business administration, and elementary education.

Professional Writing

This certificate will provide students with a broad range of professional writing, editing, and communication skills that are needed to excel in many careers. Designed to complement a broad range of majors, the certificate will be a great boost to students looking for jobs in Engineering, Computer Science, Medicine, Psychology, Forensic Investigation, and many others. Note: Certificate programs do not qualify for financial aid unless they are part of a student's degree requirements.

Mission Statement

All English majors and minors are designed to prepare students for careers in a variety of professional environments, in which creativity, critical thinking, and a broad cultural perspective are required, but especially in those fields that require writing and teaching. English courses teach proficiency in literary analysis, professional and creative writing, cultural analysis and creation, and the mastery of rhetorical devices.

The basic pre-professional objective of the non-teaching English majors is twofold:

• To provide graduates with a solid preparation for graduate studies (e.g., Master’s degree in education, Master of Fine Arts, master’s in professional writing/communication, literature, library science, rhetoric and composition, as well as pre-law)
• To educate generalists for job placement in the publishing industry, in creative and editorial positions, in education, businesses, government, and nonprofit agencies

The more general, non-career oriented objective of the English program at UW-Platteville is to educate citizens who understand, think about, and argue complex cultural issues. Specifically our literature and advanced composition courses are designed to broaden students’ perspectives and to increase their cultural literacy. Students gain personally and professionally from an education in American, British, and world literature by becoming intellectually more astute and literate. Technical writing experience and other professional skills, including training in TESOL, are all highly marketable skills that graduates acquire in our program. Our emphasis on the broad variety of human experiences through internships, community-based (service) learning, as well as participation in forums on and off campus, helps students to participate in meaningful ways in society. Graduates in English are taught to apply their knowledge in all personal, professional, and social situations in which ethical decisions demand a deepened knowledge of the human condition and an understanding of the past.

Specific Teaching Objectives of the English Program

• To develop students’ critical thinking skills through instruction in rhetoric, linguistic logic, argumentation, and general communication skills
• To cultivate students’ understanding of the role of literature and culture in social structures
• To develop students’ knowledge of literary movements across centuries, periods, and geographical regions
• To promote the ethical, aesthetic, as well as sociopolitical elements of intellectual discourse
• To educate students regarding the cultural achievements of past and present thinkers, writers, and wise people
• To raise student awareness of the diversity of voices and global connections

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the English program shall gain competence and knowledge in:

1.) Design and create written material for a range of purposes and audiences.
a. Generate a close reading of a text
b. Generate a thesis-driven, textually-supported analysis
c. Generate a research paper that synthesizes sources

2.) Evaluate and assess the effectiveness and meaning of a range of texts.
a. Explain how a text works by examining its inter-textual details
b. Apply historical and cultural context to interpret texts
c. Employ extra-textual strategies—including rhetorical conventions, critical methodologies, etc.—in analysis.

3.) Write clear, effective prose
a. Logically organize and structure ideas
b. Provide explanations and supporting evidence for claims
c. Demonstrate proficiency in the conventions of style, grammar, and mechanics
d. Incorporate sources in an appropriate, rhetorically sound manner

4.) Communicate appropriately and effectively in formal and informal contexts
a. Logically formulate and organize ideas in speech
b. Deliver successful individual and group presentations
c. Respectfully engage with a range of perspectives and viewpoints

In addition, majors with a concentration in Literature, Media, and Culture will:
L1.) Comprehend and interpret literary and/or media genres, forms, and devices as well as their social, historical, and cultural contexts.
L2.) Apply and adapt concepts from literary, media and/or related disciplinary theory and criticism in textual analysis.

In addition, majors with a concentration in English Education will:
EE1.)  Acquire and apply content knowledge in literature, linguistics, and writing in the ELA classroom. 
EE2.)  Understand and employ effective instructional strategies to promote students’ development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

In addition, majors with a concentration in Professional Writing should also be able to:
PW1.) Recognize and apply various rhetorical modes in writing to suit specific purposes and audiences.
PW2.) Employ micro- and macro-level revision strategies in their own and others’ writing.
PW3.) Apply principles of document design and incorporate visual elements in order to meet the needs of different professional audiences.

Requirements Bachelor of Arts Degree

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
Total for graduation		120
Core General Education Requirements		33
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements		6-14
Major studies		36

Majors

• English Major, B.A.
  • Literature, Media, and Culture Emphasis
  • English Education Emphasis
  • Professional Writing Emphasis
• English Major, B.S.
  • Literature, Media, and Culture Emphasis
  • English Education Emphasis
  • Professional Writing Emphasis

Minors

• Creative Writing Minor
• English Minor
• English Education Minor (Non-Licensure)¹
• TESOL Licensure Minor
• TESOL Minor (Non-Licensure)

¹

The English Education minor does not lead to a teaching license.  Students wishing to teach English should complete the English major with English Education emphasis.

Certificates

• Linguistics Certificate
• Certificate in Professional Writing
• TESOL Certificate (Non-Licensure)

Faculty and Lecturers

Additional information about the Faculty and Lecturers below may be found in the Faculty and Academic Staff section of this catalog.