English Minor
The English minor is perfect for students who want to hone their skills in literature and writing. It begins with a broad course that explores world-changing stories and ends with an in-depth look at the humanities as a whole.
Why should I study English?
The English minor allows you to explore the human experience through great works and pen your own under the guidance of professors who are published writers themselves. You'll cultivate skills of analysis and connection useful in any career, including:
- intellectual capacity for critical thought
- emotional capacity for sympathetic understanding
- aesthetic capacity for appreciating beauty
- moral capacity for ethical action
- creative capacity for effective communication
What can I do with this degree?
Often our English minors pursue majors in other art forms or in teaching. Many of these students go on to pursue publication in print and online. The English minor also strengthens students' qualifications to enter careers in fields such as communications and marketing, and pairs well with graphic design training.
What skills will I develop?
- Communication
- Creative and critical thinking
- Writing
- Editing
- Presenting
- Literary craft techniques
- Contexts, critical approaches, and methods for interpretation
What unique experiences or opportunities will I have?
Take your writing out of the classroom
- Textura is an award-winning magazine created by students in conjunction with a J-Term study abroad trip
Share your writing both on and off campus
- Write for, edit, and publish in peer-reviewed or on-campus publications such as the Coeval, the student literary magazine, and The Clarion, Bethel’s student newspaper
- Compete for our annual Jerry Healy Poetry Prize
- Receive information about opportunities to be published in literary websites and journals
- Meet with visiting writers to get comments on your work in progress
Learn from accomplished faculty writers
Overall, in the last four years, English department professors have published 5 books, 4 book chapters, 34 creative pieces, 20 scholarly pieces, and given 71 professional presentations. As a result of these professional successes, our professors are well-connected with the writing and publishing communities both locally and nationwide—such as Angela Shannon, who serves on the board at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. These connections help to provide students with top internship opportunities where skills can be developed further.