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UCLA to offer English minor to students Fall Quarter

By Daily Bruin Staff

May 29, 1997 9:00 p.m.

Friday, 5/30/97 UCLA to offer English minor to students Fall
Quarter ACADEMICS: Addition said to enrich university experience,
enhance professional prospects

By J. Sharon Yee Daily Bruin Contributor UCLA’s English
department, already the largest and one of the highest-ranked
programs in the nation, has one more thing to boast about: its
newly approved minor. The minor, which will be officially offered
Fall Quarter 1997, seeks to "enhance students’ major programs with
the benefits of intensive study of English language and
literatures," as stated in the proposal submitted to the College
Executive Committee and Undergraduate Council. "We feel that not
only will students benefit from the minor morally and emotionally,
but also professionally," said Thomas Wortham, vice chair and
director of undergraduate studies in English and writer of the
proposal. In recent years, a large portion of students entering
UCLA medical school have received their undergraduate degrees in
English, he added, highlighting a trend of medical schools looking
beyond science-centered applicants. However, many students, Wortham
said, may also be interested in pursuing the minor because they
recognize "the importance of effective communication, critical
thinking and acquaintance with literary culture." Though the idea
of an English minor was brought up in Fall 1995, when the
university announced the addition of minors to the curriculum, the
actual planning and discussion did not occur until earlier this
year. After receiving approval from the College Executive Committee
and Undergraduate Council in late April, the Academic Senate gave
its final approval for the establishment of the minor earlier this
month. Data regarding the success rate of students enrolled in the
minor and the availability of the minor at other UC schools was
gathered and carefully analyzed before finally deciding to embark
upon incorporating an English minor at UCLA. According to the
proposal, no additional courses or faculty resources will be
required in order to support the program. Janel Munguia, an
undergraduate counselor in the English department, addressed common
reasons why students tend to refrain from majoring in English. "The
false assumption is that the only thing people can do with an
English degree is teach," she said. Munguia also mentioned parental
pressure as another reason why students choose more vocationally
oriented majors. Over the past couple of years, many students have
come into the counseling office inquiring about the requirements of
an English minor, hoping to incorporate their interests in English
with their science studies. "Many students feel that a minor in
English will strengthen their skills in whatever major they are
pursuing and make them more attractive to prospective employers,"
she said. Prior to the incorporation of the minor, many students in
the past have opted to double major, which, as Wortham noted, is
very difficult and can place an added burden on students. "A minor
will definitely be an attractive option to many students," he said.
Wortham not only discussed the benefits of the student in the
program but also the benefits of the department adopting the minor.
"Bringing in bright, highly motivated students from other majors
also helps enhance the department because it brings in different
outlooks and perspectives," he said. Lynn Mizrahi, a fourth-year
English student and the undergraduate representative to the
Undergraduate Faculty Committee, addressed the benefits of an
English minor. "Literature isn’t just a good story," she said, "It
also helps to hone one’s analytical skills. It is not just the
content of the story itself but the form as well." Mizrahi also
discussed the common preconceptions about a study in the English
field. "Many people have the idea that it’s a really easy major and
that the material is not the same as studying something like
calculus or physics, but people don’t realize how much more depth
there is in literature," she said. Manguia emphasized the fact that
the eight classes required in the minor were chosen to reflect the
strength of the English department. The preparation courses for the
minor (except for the foreign language requirement) parallel those
of the major. The required lower division courses are the basic
courses: English 10A, 10B and 10C with a grade of C or better. The
required upper-division courses are five courses selected from
English 100-197, including 142A (Shakespeare) and one other course
that focuses on English literature written before 1900. All minor
courses must be taken for a letter grade, with an overall GPA of
2.0 or better. "The minor offers the opportunity to get a different
spin on a general, liberal arts education," Mizrahi said,
explaining perhaps the biggest benefit students will receive. "The
study of literature is empowering because it allows you to pay
attention to, in great detail, not simply the way words are read on
a page but how things are actually being said," she said. Wortham
explained what he considers the best reason for creating the
English minor. "We wanted to create something for UCLA students
that may be useful in their professional careers," he said, "But,
more importantly, in their desire to be a more complete human
being." Related Links: UCLA’s English Dept.

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