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Leah Bittner

“The SMSU RN to BSN Program does not have you take a set amount of credits each semester. This flexible scheduling was perfect for me as it allowed me to vary the amount of credits I took each semester. I would have struggled without that flexibility as I am a non-traditional student who is also a wife, mother of four, and worked full time while completing my degree. This program is designed to fit into your life, whether you want to be a full-time or part-time student.”

Leah Bittner, '22 Alum
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English Program FAQ

Questions
  1. Can I become a journalism major through your Department?
  2. Do you have an education degree?
  3. Where are your English education majors teaching?
  4. Do you have any graduate degrees?
  5. What can I do with a Creative Writing degree?
  6. Can I do pre-law through the English Department?
  7. Can I do the Honors Program and English?
  8. Should I do anything special about English when I visit campus?
  9. Why should I come to SMSU to major in English?

Answers

Q:
Can I become a journalism major through your Department?
A:
Certainly.  Our journalism is handled through our Professional Writing & Communication degree.  See:  PWC.  Students also have an opportunity to write for The Mustang Buzz, our student newspaper.
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Q:
Do you have an education degree?
A:
Yes, we offer the Communications Arts/Literature Secondary Education degree which gives students a Minnesota 5th to 12th grade teaching license.  See English Education.  Elementary Educations majors may focus of Reading through the 5th to 8th grade education degree with a reading focus.  Contract the Education Department for more information.
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Q:
Where are your English education majors teaching?
A:
Our majors have found teaching positions as far away as California, Boston, Chicago, New Orleans and even in Berlin, Germany. They have also found positions in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, and Wisconsin. SMSU has a fine record of placing its education majors generally.
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Q:
Do you have any graduate degrees?
A:
At present, the Department teaches online literature and rhetoric/composition pedagogy classes as part of a graduate education degree.  Contact Cori Dahlager, Director of the School of Graduate Studies, for more information.
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Q:
What can I do with a Creative Writing degree?
A:
Our creative writing majors have gone on to become successful writers, journalists, and teachers. Others have worked for business and combined their love of creative writing with managements skills.
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Q:
Can I do pre-law through the English Department?
A:
Absolutely! Since there is no set academic path through college to a law school, any major will get you there. However, lawyers need to be clear writers and careful readers--skills developed by our majors.
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Q:
Can I do the Honors Program and English?
A:
Yes.  Each year, several of our top graduates also finish the Honors Program, a special method for students to select their own Liberal Arts Curriculum at SMSU.
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Q:
Should I do anything special about English when I visit campus?
A:
If you are visiting campus, please ask to visit with the Chair of English or the Director of Creative Writing. When we can sit down with you one-on-one, we can explain answer all of your questions thoroughly.
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Q:
Why should I come to SMSU to major in English?
A:
Our major classes are small so students work closely with faculty from the get-go.  Our students get involved in all aspects of the Department, from helping with bringing visiting writers to being officers of the English Club to helping with The Spur, our campus newspaper.  Our education major have the opportunity to tutor in our Writing Center as part of their teacher preparation and as paid tutors.
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Last Modified: 4/10/24 2:38 PM | Website Feedback