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College of Arts and Sciences

Bachelor of Science in English for Information Systems

The Bachelor of Science in English for Information Systems is designed to prepare students to write technical documentation, to edit many kinds of publications, and to use computers for analysis of texts. Graduates with this degree can enter the job market as writers and programmers for software companies, newspapers and publishing firms, and a variety of businesses. Careers in writing, editing, and publishing, particularly those that use computers or deal with the subject of computers, are growing quickly. In addition, an English major is recognized as one of the best preparations for advanced study, especially in law and divinity.

To be admitted to Dakota State University’s English for Information Systems program, students must normally have overall grade point averages of 2.5 or above. Students with grade point averages between 2.25 and 2.50 may be considered for admission upon petitioning the English faculty.

Admission to the Program

To be admitted into Dakota State University's English for Information Systems or English Education programs, degree-seeking students must meet the following four criteria (Students who do not meet the following criteria, may be considered for admission under special circumstances): 

  1. have completed 32 semester hours -- at least 12 of which must have been earned from DSU.
  2. have an overall grade-point average of 2.5 or above. 
  3. have completed ENGL 101 (or HON 111) and at least one literature course. 
  4. show promise of success in meeting the goals and objectives of the program. 
  5. Students seeking admission to the program must: 
    • write a formal letter of application submitted to the Dean of the College of
      Liberal Arts, 114 Beadle Hall. 
    • submit the name of at least one DSU English professor who may be
      contacted for reference. 
    • complete an admission interview with your advisor and with the English
      Admission Committee -- if requested. 

Students may complete the 18 credit hours required for an English minor without being admitted into the program. However, students who have not been admitted into the program may not enroll in additional classes with MCOM, ENGL, or LING prefixes (other than ENGL 101, 201, and 450).

Upon acceptance into the program, the student will discuss with one or more English faculty members the building of a portfolio including at least five representative works from courses required for the English major and numbered 300 and above. These works may include such things as unit plans, final projects, or major research papers or projects. A written evaluation of the portfolio, completed in controlled circumstances, will be required.

All students earning a Bachelor of Science in English for Information Systems degree must complete the following courses:

System-wide General Education Requirements:    30
Institution-wide Graduation Requirements:    5
Information Technology Literacy Requirements*   9
 *Majors must take ART 121, SOC 285, and one of the following: ENGL 211, 212, 221, 222, 241, or 242 as part of the system-wide general education requirements.
*** Majors must take CIS 130 as part of the information technology literacy requirement.
Core of Major    53
  ENGL 208 Documentation and Presentation 3  
ENGL 284 Introduction to Criticism 3
  ENGL 307 Principles of Grammar 3  
ENGL 401  Advanced Writing 3
ENGL 466 Text Mark-up and Processing 3
  ENGL 467 Computer Text Analysis 3  
  ENGL 480 Contemporary Rhetoric  3  
  ENGL 484 Literary Criticism 3  
  ENGL 494 Internship     
  or      
  ENGL 498 Senior Research 2  
  LING 443 History of the English Language 3  
  MCOM 360 Technical Publishing 3  
  MCOM 409 Information Architecture 3  
  MCOM 389 Portfolio & Professional Development 3  
   Six credits from the following: 6  
  ENGL 211 World Literature I  3  
  ENGL 212 World Literature II 3  
  ENGL 221 British Literature I 3  
  ENGL 222 British Literature II 3  
  ENGL 241 American Literature I  3  
  ENGL 242 American Literature II  3  
  Nine credits from the following:  9 
  ENGL 333 Period Study* 3  
  ENGL 343  Selected Authors* 3  
  ENGL 363  Studies in Genre*  3  
  *Since content varies course may be repeated.    
Take one of the following options   21
Documentation and Publishing Option     
  ART 282 2-Dimensional Design on Computers I 3  
  ARTD 336 Digital Imagery I  3  
  ENGL 379 Technical Report Writing 3  
  ENGL 408 Advanced Computer Documentation 3  
  MCOM 161 Fundamentals of Desktop Publishing 3  
  MCOM 351 Web Publishing I 3  
  MCOM 352 Web Publishing II  3  
  *Students with interests in business and marketing are urged to complete the following as electives: ACCT 210, BUS 370, and BUS 381.  
Computer Programming Option     
  CIS 330 COBOL I  3  
  CIS 331 COBOL II 3  
  CIS 251 Business Applications Programming 3  
  CIS 277  OS Interfaces & Utilities 3  
  CSC 150 Computer Science I 3  
  ENGL 408 Advanced Computer Documentation  3  
  Because of the business orientation of courses in this option, ACCT 210 Principles of Accounting I is recommended.  
Business    
  ACCT 210 Principles of Accounting I  3  
  ACCT 211 Principles of Accounting II  3  
  BUS 310 Financial Management 3  
  BUS 350 Legal Environment of Business & Contracts 3  
  BUS 360 Organization & Management 3  
  BUS 370 Marketing 3  
  Select one of the following:   3
  BUS 220 Business Statistics I 3  
  BUS 371 Merchandising 3  
  BUS 481 Promotional Management 3  
  BUS 425 Production & Operations Management 3  
  BUS 474 Personal Selling 3  
Test Analysis    
  ENGL 465 Corpora Analysis*  3  
  Select six credits from the following:*    18
  ENGL 211 World Literature I  3  
  ENGL 212 World Literature II  3  
  ENGL 221 British Literature I  3  
  ENGL 222 British Literature II  3  
  ENGL 241 American Literature I   3  
  ENGL 242  American Literature II 3  
  ENGL 333 Period Study** 3  
  ENGL 343 Selected Authors** 3  
  ENGL 363 Studies in Genre** 3  
    Foreign Language 3-15  
  * Courses must not be those selected for the core of the major or literature courses selected for general education.  
  ** Since content varies course may be repeated.    
  General electives   10
  a Electives must be chosen to insure that 40 of the 128 credits in the program are 300 and 400 level courses.  

Honors in English

English majors with superior knowledge and skill may graduate with the official designation WITH HONORS IN ENGLISH. This distinction will be conferred by the English faculty upon students who have demonstrated mastery of writing, knowledge of the structure of English, and knowledge of the major works of American and British literature.

To graduate with HONORS IN ENGLISH a student must have demonstrated the following to the satisfaction of the members of the English faculty:

  1. mastery in writing standard formal English, 
  2. knowledge of the structure and history of the English language and the principles of linguistics,
  3. knowledge of the major works of American literature,
  4. knowledge of the major works of British literature written before 1800,
  5. knowledge of the major works of British literature written after 1800. 

Demonstration of these five may be accomplished by receiving superior grades in courses in each area or by successful completion of special honors examinations. These examinations may be taken upon completion of one or more independent study designed to prepare students for the honors examinations. 

 

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