University General Course Catalog 2024-2025
English (Writing Specialization), B.A.
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Students in the English-writing major study a variety of rhetorical forms ranging from technical to creative writing. The department offers classes in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, rhetoric, and technical and persuasive writing. Students may also gain experience and instruction in professional editing and publishing, document design, and tutoring writers; they may take additional courses in literature and linguistics as electives. Along with the ability to write well in a variety of genres, writing majors develop critical thinking, collaboration and revision skills, understanding of audience and context, and confidence in presenting work to an audience. The major prepares students for jobs in which writing skills are necessary, including editing, publishing, scientific and technical writing, and corporate writing, as well as for graduate work in creative writing, rhetoric and composition, writing studies, communications, and law. The study of writing complements almost any other major in the university, and many writing majors double major in another field.
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Program Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- draft documents that demonstrate clear purpose, responsibility to audience, and adherence to generic and stylistic conventions. (C)
- reflect on their own writing and apply alternative strategies to the continued development of that process.
- identify and evaluate an author’s purpose and choice of audience, genre, and strategies of support. (CT)
- demonstrate knowledge of the variety of professional situations in which they will be writing when they leave the undergraduate program.
- apply quantitative reasoning relevant to written analysis when required by a particular course or research question, such as comparing the frequency of a particular rhetorical device between two texts or analyzing results of writing assessment. (QR)
Transfer to the University of Nevada, Reno
Use the transfer agreement and the degree planner (available by clicking  at the top right of this page) to build your plan for graduation with your advisor. Course substitutions not identified on the transfer agreement require UNR advisor approval.
If a major-to-major transfer agreement is not available for your transfer institution, please check the General Core agreement if available. If neither is available, access Transferology to assist in your planning.
Graduation Requirements
- Total Units | 120
- Cumulative GPA | 2.0
- University GPA | 2.0
- Major GPA | 2.0
- Residency Requirement | 30 Upper-Division Units at UNR
- Major Residency Requirement | 15 Upper-Division Units in the major at UNR
- Upper-Division Requirement | 42 Upper-Division Units
I. Core General Education Requirements (24-27 units)
NOTE: Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter of this catalog for information regarding the “Core English and Math Completion Policy .”
Students in this major must meet all Core Objectives (CO1 through CO14). Courses satisfying Core Objectives are designated (e.g., CO9) in General Catalog curricula and course descriptions.
A. Composition & Communication; Critical Analysis & Use of Information (3-6 units) - CO1, CO3
B. Quantitative Reasoning (3 units minimum) - CO2
Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO2 courses .
C. Physical & Natural Phenomena (6 units minimum) - CO4, CO4L
Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO4/CO4L courses .
D. Cultures, Societies, & Individuals (3 units) - CO6
Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO6 courses .
E. Artistic Composition, Interpretation, & Expression (3 units) - CO7
F. History & Culture; Constitution (6 units) - CO5, CO8
Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter in this catalog.
II. Additional Core Requirements (12 units maximum)
Students must take courses that satisfy the following Core Objectives. Some or all of these Core Objectives may be satisfied in the Major Requirements (Section IV). Students must satisfy at least two of the Additional Core requirements with courses that also meet a major requirement and/or the CLA Breadth requirement. If students do not use the following recommended courses to satisfy the additional Core requirements, they must take appropriate courses in other departments. Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter of this catalog.
A. Science, Technology & Society - CO9
Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO9 courses .
B. Diversity & Equity - CO10
Choose one course:
D. Ethics - CO12
Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO12 courses.
E. Capstone Integration & Synthesis - CO13
Choose one course:
F. Application - CO14
Choose one course:
III. Additional College Requirements (6-20 units)
Units may vary depending on initial course placement in foreign language coursework.
A. World Language Requirement (0-14 units)
Students seeking this bachelor’s degree must demonstrate proficiency in a world language other than English equal to a fourth semester course level through one of the following options:
- complete a fourth semester college course in a world language other than English;
- demonstrate proficiency through a means determined by the Department of World Languages and Literatures including but not limited to minimum standardized test scores (CBAPE, SAT II, or IB), attaining a minimum aptitude on an accredited world language assessment test, or providing transcript evidence of a high school or equivalent diploma in which English was not the language of instruction; or,
- participate in a study abroad language program pre-approved by the Department of World Languages and Literatures to meet the world language requirement.
Note: Four years of high school world language instruction does not automatically satisfy this requirement.
B. College Breadth Requirement (6 units)
Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree in the college shall be required to take, within the College of Liberal Arts, 6 units that are outside the departments in which they major or minor, and that exclude courses taken to fulfill the Core General Education requirements (Core Objectives 1 through 8).
IV. Major Requirements Writing Specialization (39 units)
A. Required courses (15 units)
B. Writing Courses (15 units)
15 units may be taken in Creative Writing if not all in one genre.
C. Approved 400-level English courses (9 units)
Any 400-level English course, excluding those on the list of writing courses in section B above may be used to meet this requirement.
V. Minor Requirements (18-21 units)
The English Department accepts any minor approved by the College of Liberal Arts.
VI. Electives (1-21 units)
VII. Recommended Schedule
For recommendation for specific courses satisfying Core requirements, see sections I and II above.
Fall Semester (16 units)
- Prerequisite Core English (3 units) *
- Quantitative Reasoning (3 units) CO2*
- Language 111 (4 units)
- Cultures, Societies, & Individuals (3 units) CO6
- College Breadth Requirement (3 units)
Spring Semester (16-17 units)
Fall Semester (15-16 units)
Spring Semester (15 units)
Spring Semester (15 units)
Spring Semester (11-13 units)
- 400 Level ENG Elective (6 units)
- General Elective (2-4 units)
- 300-400 Level Minor (3 units)
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