Spelman College English Department (NSO Flyer)

Spelman English: Offerings and Outlook Major Tracks Textual Studies Writing Studies

Minors

Film and Visual Culture Writing

Pre-Professional Programs

Secondary Education Certificate Pre-Law Pre-Med

Although many are skeptical about the value of humanities majors in a highly competitive global economy, employers across job sectors are increasingly recruiting and hiring liberal arts majors such as English. Demand for employees with 'soft skills' such as writing, communication, strategic planning, mentoring, conflict resolution, and collaboration has more than tripled in the past decade.

We support our majors and minors by providing instruction that encourages them to be creative, analytical, resourceful, and enterprising. Upon graduation, our students will be capable of adapting to a variety of contexts, in which they invent, design, and create effective communication solutions to individual clients, business owners and/or various organizations and corporations.

Median Annual Wage for Lucrative Writing and Communication Jobs* *Estimates are from May 2015. Employment Expected to Grow at Least 5% from 2014-2024 [Source: BLS.GOV]

Producers and directors: $68,440/yr.

Technical Writers: $70,240/yr.

Management Analysts: $81,320 Public Relations and Fundraising Managers: $104, 140/yr.

Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers: $124, 850/yr.

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S OF DEEP STUDY

Our unique major is designed to enable students to focus deeply on an area of interest that can be facilitated through their advising and coursework.

First, they choose a track in Textual or Writing studies. Within each track, students are able to pursue a general area of study that can lead to an even narrower focus. The list below suggests some possibilities. Next, our students create a portfolio that archives their work throughout the program.

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TEXTU

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L STUDIES

Investigate the diverse meanings of the words "text" and "literature."

Genre [Novel, Poetry, Speculative Fiction, Gothic, etc.]

Literary History/Period Study [Romanticism, American Modernism, Early Modern British, Nineteenth Century, etc.]

Traditions [American, British, African American, Latina/o Literature, Southern Literature, etc.]

Gender and Sexuality [African American Women’s Fiction, Masculinity, Queer Studies, Women Novelists, etc.]

International/Postcolonial Studies [Caribbean Literature, African Diasporic Literature, Indian Literature, etc.]

Cultural Studies and Popular Culture [Disability Studies, Reality Television, Literary Theory, Narratives of Health, Environmental Criticism, etc] Film and Visual Culture [Women in Film, African Cinema, etc.]

WRITING STUDIES

Analyze, design, and compose writing across genres and media.

Technical and Professional Writing [Business Writing, Legal Writing, Research Writing, Writing for Health Professions] Rhetoric, Composition, and Literacy Studies [African-American Rhetoric, History of Rhetoric, Feminist Rhetoric] Integrated Communications [Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations] Journalism and Emerging Media [News Writing, Media Law, Digital Writing, Investigative Reporting] Creative Writing [Poetry, Fiction, Screenwriting, Travel Writing] Media Studies [Photography, Videography, Mass Media] Public Advocacy [Civic Writing, Social Movements, Language Policy]

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BLE SKILLS

: AA [2013 A 2015] SOURCE

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EMPLOYER SURVEYS ND

Nearly all employers (91 percent) agree that for career success, “a candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than his or her undergraduate major.”* More than 75% of employers say they want more emphasis on 5 key areas including: critical thinking, complex problem-solving, written and oral communication, and applied knowledge in real-world settings.

80% of employers say that it would be useful to be able to see an electronic portfolio of student work that summarizes and demonstrates a candidate’s accomplishment in key skill and knowledge areas