Our Minors

No matter your major, an English minor will augment your skills as a critical reader, an analytical writer, an imaginative thinker, and a creative problem-solver. Who minors in English? English minors are Biology majors who are studying for med school, Psychology majors who love writing short stories, Communication majors who want to strengthen their writing skills, Political Science majors who are going into law, Sociology majors who loved their high school English class, Economics majors who are always reading on the Blue Line. What if I'm not an LAS student? Students in other colleges can minor in English! If you're in Urban Education, Public Health, Business, or Applied Health Sciences, you are still welcome in the English department! What do all English minors have in common? They all gain the ability to analyze texts in historical and cultural contexts; understand literary, theory, and methods of criticism; gain a sense of literary and linguistic history and a deep understanding of how ideas change over time; and display strong interpretive and analytical skills. Studying English is a matter of studying something you love. While some majors may emphasize job training, studying English at any level trains you to lead a richer, fuller, more imaginative and thoughtful life.
Smiling student
Callie Lipkin, callielipkin.com/UIC Office of Marketing and Brand Management

The #1 reason people go to college is to improve their employment and earning potential.
We figure that’s why you’re here.

Guess what? Some of the most important skills employers look for include:1

  • verbal communication
  • writing and editing
  • information processing
  • problem-solving
  • persuasive reasoning

With as little as 16 credit hours, a minor in professional writing teaches these skills and more.
And we even offer an internship opportunity, so you get some real-world training in fields that range from politics to PR, media to marketing, arts to advertising.

At a glance:

1 “The 10 Skills Employers Most Want in 20-Something Employees,” Forbes 10/11/2013.

Student in class
UIC Office of Marketing and Brand Management

Make your case & be persuasive.

The #1 reason people go to college is to improve employment and earning potential.
We figure that’s why you’re here.

Guess what?
Whether you dream of being a lawyer, going to graduate school, or entering the workforce, some of the most important skills law schools, graduate programs, and employers look for include1 

  • verbal communication and persuasion
  • writing and editing
  • critical reading & thinking
  • information processing
  • problem-solving
  • logical reasoning

With as little as 16 credit hours, a minor in logic, argumentation, and writing teaches these skills and more.
An interdisciplinary minor offered by English and Philosophy offers the best of both worlds – targeted training from two fields whose students score among the highest on the LSATs (higher than Political Science, Psychology, Criminology or Sociology). And we even offer an internship opportunity, so you get some real-world training.

The LAWR minor, in 16 hours:

1 “The 10 Skills Employers Most Want in 20-Something Employees,” Forbes 10/11/2013; American Bar Association: americanbar.org

Student reading in front of bookshelves
UIC Office of Marketing and Brand Management

Students majoring in other disciplines who wish to minor in English must complete 18 semester hours with a grade of C or better as follows:

Required Courses (3 hours each = 12 hours total)
ENGL 207 Interpretation and Critical Analysis
ENGL 208 English Studies I: The Beginning to the 17th Century
ENGL 209 English Studies II: The 17th Century to Today
One course in U.S. Social and Cultural Diversity (see list provided in the catalog for the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Major in English)

Additional Courses (3 hours each = 6 hours total)
Two additional courses in English, one of which may be at the 100-level

Minor in English = 18 hours total

student with laptop

Secondary education majors from other disciplines who want to minor in the Teaching of English must complete 18 hours in the English minor curriculum listed.

This minor is open only to students obtaining full licensure in an approved UIC Teacher Education major. To teach English as a second subject in Illinois public schools, one must meet all additional course and other requirements established by the Illinois State Board of Education.

The teaching license is not automatically awarded upon successful completion of licensure and degree requirements. Before the license is issued, the candidate must file an application with the State of Illinois and take an examination administered by the State Board of Education. For information on application procedures, contact the Council on Teacher Education.

Please contact your advisor for more information on a Minor in Teaching of English.

Joey Liang, English student

“Throughout my undergraduate experience, my favorite classes were always my English courses. I loved how they allowed me to express myself creatively and challenged me to further my critical thinking skills. I also met some of the kindest and most intelligent people in my English courses that I continue to learn from today.” 

-Joey Liang, Class of 2022

Erin Boyle smiling

“The English department has not only given me the tools to critically analyze and interpret the world around me, but also the confidence and curiosity to creatively contribute to that world.”

-Erin Boyle, Class of 2024