Chair

Professor Suzanne Miller
Namm Building, room N-512
Phone: 718-260-5392

Description

English courses provide a foundation for promoting curiosity and fostering active participation in the learning process

To that end, the English Department offers a full range of courses, from English for Speakers of Other Languages to introductory and advanced courses in writing and literature. In addition, the department offers one major in Professional and Technical Writing, as well as two academic minors: Creative Writing and Gender & Sexuality Studies. The department oversees the Writing Center, City Tech Writer (which publishes student work from all disciplines), and is very involved with LGBTQIA+ initiatives, including the operation of the college’s Pride Club and Lounge.

At the college, all programs of study leading to a degree require the successful completion of ENG 1101 (English Composition I) and most baccalaureate students are required to take ENG 1121 as well. An additional number of credits in writing and literature are required for specific degrees: degree requirements for each program are provided in the catalog description.

The English Department offers a range of courses that meet the Pathways Flexible Core requirements in the following categories: World Cultures and Global Issues, US Experience in Its Diversity, Individual and Society, and Creative Expression. Please consult individual course descriptions for a particular course’s Pathways designation and consult with an advisor in the selection of English courses.

Mission

The English Department aims to support students in developing their skills and processes as readers, writers, and critical thinkers. Through a diverse range of courses—including technical writing, literature, creative writing, and composition—students are introduced to key aspects of college-level reading and writing, including rhetorical situations, structures, and registers. Courses feature a diverse array of assignments carefully designed to build on prior knowledge and experience. Writing becomes a tool for exploration, reflection, hypothesis, and investigation. Students engage with both analogue and digital platforms, exploring genre conventions and their related communities. Course curricula are designed to provide a foundation for developing skills in argumentation, situational analysis, ethnographic research, creative inquiry, and civic involvement.

Degree Programs

The bachelor of science in program prepares students for career paths like technical communications for software companies, content strategy for healthcare agencies, documentation and communications specialists for education, government, and non-profit organizations, as well as other roles related to user experience, social media, and AI.

Students who are in the Professional and Technical Writing degree program will engage with an internship as part of their degree requirements. Outstanding student writing (from any discipline) may be chosen for publication in the department-run City Tech Writer. All students are invited to read their work publicly at any of the student writing showcases offered through the department and the Writing Center. Work-study opportunities are also available in the department.

The academic minor in program is a 12-credit interdisciplinary curriculum exploring issues of gender and sexuality from various perspectives, with classes in English, African American Studies, Health & Human Services, Humanities, and Social Science.

The academic minor in program is a 12-credit curriculum, including a foundational course in creative writing, two genre-designated courses in creative writing (poetry, fiction, or screenwriting) and one additional course in creative writing or a select literature course from the English Department.

Name	Degree	Type	NYSED Code	HEGIS Code	CIP Code
Creative Writing	-	Minor	-	1507.00	23.0501
Gender & Sexuality Studies	-	Minor	-	-	05.9999

Department: English