Minors

Minors are offered in:

  • Creative writing
  • English literature
  • Journalism
  • Theater

All four minors require a minimum of six courses, five of which must be taken while at the University of Rochester. No more than two courses in one's major may overlap with the minor.

It is possible for students who are majoring in one of the English tracks to complete an English minor in another area. Students should contact the director of undergraduate studies for more information.

  • Literature majors may also minor in creative writing, journalism or theater
  • Creative Writing majors may also minor in journalism or theater
  • Language, Media and Communication majors may also minor in creative writing or theater
  • Theater majors may also minor in creative writing or journalism

 

Minor Requirements

Creative Writing Minor

Six courses are required for the minor:

  • Two creative writing courses at the introductory level:
    • ENGL 121: Creative Writing: Fiction
    • ENGL 122: Creative Writing: Poetry
    • ENGL 123: Playwriting
    • ENGL 125: Speculative Fiction
  • At least one advanced creative writing course:
    • ENGL 275: Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction
    • ENGL 276: Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry
    • ENGL 277: Topics in Screenwriting
    • ENGL 281: Creative Nonfiction
    • ENGL 375: Seminar in Fiction Writing
    • ENGL 376: Seminar in Poetry Writing

Additional courses can be chosen from the department's offerings in writing, or from its 200- and 300-level offerings in literature.

English Literature Minor

Six courses are required for the minor:

  • Two Survey Courses from the following:
    • ENGL 113: British Literature I
    • ENGL 114: British Literature II
    • ENGL 115: American Literature
    • ENGL 116: Intro to African American Literature 
  • Four additional courses in British or American literature, three of which must be at the 200 or 300 level
Journalism Minor

Six courses are required for the minor:

  • ENGL 131: Reporting and Writing the News
  • ENGL 132: Feature Writing
  • At least one of the following:
    • ENGL 105: Intro to Rhetoric
    • ENGL 121: Creative Writing: Fiction
    • ENGL 122: Creative Writing: Poetry
    • ENGL 125: Speculative Fiction
    • ENGL 138: Journalism Case Studies
    • ENGL 281: Creative Nonfiction
    • ENGL 282: Humor Writing
    • ENGL 283 Journalism and Media (Topics)
  • At least two of the following:
    • ENGL 133: Editing 
    • ENGL 388+389: Practicum in Academic Publishing and Editing I + II
    • ENGL 391: Independent Study (in Journalism)
    • ENGL 394: Internship

Additional courses can be chosen from the 200- and 300-level courses in literature or criticism.

Theater Minor

The theater minor requires a minimum of 24 credits from the following three categories.
Course numbers and prefixes were updating in Summer of 2026. Course titles remained the same.

  • Participation in at least two productions, earning at least eight credits in
    • Production and Performance Courses (either onstage or backstage):
      • THTR 101: Intro to Theater
      • THTR 290: Plays in Performance
      • THTR 295: Stage Management
  • Eight credits of theater
    • Method and Performance Courses 
      • THTR 100: Playwriting
      • THTR 121: Technical Theater
      • THTR 122: Costume Production
      • THTR 123: Intro to Lighting for the Stage
      • THTR 124: Intro to Sound for the Stage
      • THTR 130: Intro to Design for the Stage - (2 credits)
      • THTR 140: Acting I
      • THTR 141: Consent and Performance (2 credits)
      • THTR 142: Auditioning for Live Theater & Film (2 credits) 
      • THTR 143: Improvisation
      • THTR 144: Movement for the Actor
      • THTR 145: The Actor's Voice 
      • THTR 150: Stage Combat (2 credits)
      • THTR 151: Acting Comedy
      • THTR 152: Acting for Camera
      • THTR 153: Acting with Objects: Puppetry
      • THTR 180: Directing
      • THTR 200: Advanced Playwriting
      • THTR 221: Advanced Technical Theatre
      • THTR 240: Acting II
      • THTR 241: Performing as Patients
      • THTR 242: Musical Theater Performance
      • THTR 260: Topics in Theater
      • THTR 270: Topics in Performance 
      • THTR 360: Special Projects: Theater 
      • ENGL 252: Theater in England
      • Other classes offered occasionally may also fulfill this requirment
  • Eight credits of
    • Dramatic Literature Courses:
      • ENGL 203: Medieval Drama
      • ENGL 208: Renaissance Drama (Topics)
      • ENGL 210: Shakespeare
      • ENGL 214: Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama
      • ENGL 235: Post-1800 Drama (Topics)

THTR 298: Performance Lab and THTR 392: Practicum (Advanced Stage Management) do not count towards the minor.

Other courses in the English department relating to drama and/or theater may be valid additions to this list. Contact the director of undergraduate studies with questions.