UMN English (2024)

FAQs

Does UMN have a language requirement? ›

Am I required to study a second language? Yes, if you plan to complete a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Individualized Study (BIS) degree. To complete either of these degrees, you must satisfy the second language requirement.

To declare the English major, call English Undergraduate Studies (612-625-4592) to schedule an advising appointment, or schedule an advising appointment online.

The University of Minnesota is a world-class public research university in a vibrant, progressive metropolitan area. Many of the university's departments are ranked in the top 20 in the nation, and many current and former faculty have won prestigious awards for their research.

First-year applicants to the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts are strongly encouraged to take four years of language study, but only two years of the same language are required for admission (American Sign Language is included).

Studying English is a great way to boost communication skills, whether you're talking or typing. And, employers value employees who can communicate effectively with colleagues, clients, and customers.

Majoring in English can prepare students for careers in education, journalism, publishing, advertising, technical or creative writing, or editing.

Whether you dream of becoming a published author, a skilled editor, a persuasive marketer, or a dynamic educator, earning an English degree is a great start. Your creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills will be valuable in industries spanning publishing, journalism, advertising, education, and beyond.

And we've been doing it for more than 150 years. Our world-class faculty are known for life-changing inventions such as the pacemaker, the retractable seat belt, cancer therapies, biodegradable plastics, and technologies that advance agricultural production.

What GPA do you need for UMN? ›

With a GPA of 3.78, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need a mix of A's and B's, with a leaning toward A's.

Admission to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is highly competitive. For example, for Fall 2023 admission, we received more than 39,000 applications for a freshman class of approximately 6,700 students.

How difficult is an English degree? If you don't love reading and writing, an English degree may not be for you. The amount of assigned reading and writing in an English program is not for the faint of heart. But for those who love nothing more than to read between the lines, an English degree is a great option.

Contrary to many old myths, English majors, like many Humanities majors, are in demand by employers, and salaries and career earnings for English majors are competitive!

Most bachelor's degrees in English require four years of full-time enrollment. Students complete introductory classes before moving into advanced or specialized subjects. Some bachelor's degrees offer concentrations in literature, technical writing, or English education.

Students must successfully earn a minimum of 21.5 credits to graduate. Be sure to check your school handbook for updates. The course credits required to graduate online schooling for high school include: Language arts: 4 credits.

College of Liberal Arts

The U of M offers numerous language programs including Arabic, Chinese, Dakota, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi-Urdu, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Norwegian, Ojibwe, Portugese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, and Swedish.

Students in the College are required to possess understanding of more than one culture and to demonstrate competence in a language other than English.

What is the foreign language requirement? The student must demonstrate second-year proficiency in a second language. Usually, the requirement is met by successfully completing the 100- and 200-level language courses or by placing into the third year on the language proficiency test.