The English minor offers you the unique opportunity to experience literature, creative non-fiction or an in-depth study of the English language as a complement to your major.
Why minor in English?
Whether you want to minor in English because you love to read, you want to prepare yourself for a writing career, or because you want to be a more effective communicator, the English minor is designed to be flexible enough to meet your needs. There are also several interdisciplinary minors that use English courses to examine their topics.
By learning to write in a variety of modes, you will learn to adapt to different audiences and purposes. Employers will value your ability to solve problems and present ideas in effective language to a wide range of audiences. You will think critically, having learned to weigh evidence, identify assumptions, evaluate persuasive appeals, and recognize faulty reasoning.
Employers want smart, flexible, and creative employees, all hallmarks of a student who studies English. Consider the possibilities. Our English minors are having great success in the workforce.
Here's what a few of our grads have done with their English minor:
- Alexandra Hodges | Donor Information Strategist
-
"I knew I wanted to continue school, and so I chose a degree and a minor that I thought would give me an excellent foundation in communications, literature, and semantics. I continued on to get my MA in English Education and Education Policy at UCL Institute of Education in London. Now, I am due to begin a teaching fellowship at Johns Hopkins University to get my MSc. in Education, with a specialization in Literacy and Reading. I am working to become a specialist in Education and Literacy, and the foundational skills I acquired with my minor in English are very important for a career in teaching, advocacy, and politics. My current job, which is as a Donor Information Strategist for an education-advocacy non-profit, requires extensive presentation of information, both written and visual, as well as constant communication with donors and the media. I always call upon the skills I acquired with my English minor while I’m working, be it in the form of interpreting communications, copy-editing, or creating new material. It is a very versatile minor!"
-
- Tanisha Walls | Pharmacy Technician
-
"I am currently a pharmacy technician at Nebraska Medicine in one of the outpatient pharmacies. One key thing that my minor has helped me with is communication. In any work setting that I have ever been in, this will make or break your career. Aside from the many emails that I must compose daily between colleagues both within and beyond my department, I have been a forerunner in preparing our department for a major computer system overhaul. During my first year, our pharmacies switched to a brand new medication-filling system, meaning all computer-based processes were to be completely different. To help with the chaos of that switch, I created numerous pages of training literature for our pharmacies, helping to fine-tune the processes in a way that was understandable. After the changeover, I have also been a major player in training “in the field,” which means that not only are my writing skills needed, but my verbal ones are as well. Having more words, phrases and sayings at my disposal helps ensure that my coworkers will understand not only the process, but why the process exists, and thus its importance."
-
- Thomas Doerr | Software Engineer
-
"I am currently developing a cloud geographic processing platform for Trimble Navigation in Colorado. When I first started in the software industry with Union Pacific in Omaha, the composition skills I acquired in the UNO English program were a great advantage when dealing with intricate, government- mandated software requirements. In an industry where writing skills are both vital and often overlooked, I’ve always had a leg up with my English background."
-
English Minors:
The interdisciplinary Ancient Mediterranean Studies (AMS) minor was designed to give students an in-depth understanding of the history of the Mediterranean and Ancient Near East from the beginning of the Bronze Age through the Roman Empire in the West, and the Byzantine Empire in the East.
View the catalog for course details.
English
The English minor is designed to give you maximum flexibility with your coursework. You can choose coursework from any of our concentrations - British Literature, American Literature, Creative Nonfiction, or Language Studies. You can mix and match courses from all of the concentrations, based on your interests.
View the catalog for course details.
The minor in Medieval/Renaissance Studies is designed to help students understand and appreciate the thirteen centuries belonging to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance through the disciplines of:
- History
- English and other European languages
- Art history
- History of music
- Theatre
- History of science
- Middle Eastern studies
- Philosophy
- Theology
Students explore the medieval and Renaissance era and their crucial developments, from the invention of eye glasses to printing by moveable type, from Gothic cathedrals to the discovery of America, from the birth of university to the development of all the modern European vernacular languages, from King Arthur and Robin Hood to Shakespeare's plays and Michelangelo's paintings and sculpture.
View the catalog for course details.
Native American Studies offers students an opportunity to learn about Native American:
- Cultures
- Literature
- History
- Arts
- Values
- Lifeways
- Spirituality
- Social and political institutions
Our program has a long-standing tradition of activism on contemporary issues and includes a focus on urban Indian issues, providing students with the opportunity to engage in meaningful community-based research.
View the catalog for course details.