The minor in Popular Culture Studies, which is administered by the Department of English, is designed to provide students opportunities for in-depth study of popular culture texts, trends, and topics across a range of media.  The minor introduces critical approaches and methods of research in popular culture studies, as well as opportunities for practical experience with the Journal of Popular Culture or by engaging in scholarly conferences or public conference events that center on science fiction and fantasy, comics, gaming, and pop music. The minor draws on the extensive resources in MSU Libraries’ Special Collections and other library collections such as detective fiction, video games, and comic art, offering students options to explore in depth the world-renowned resources available at MSU.

The requirements include:

  • ENG 142: Introduction to Popular Literary Genres (4 credits)
  • ENG 340: Theory and Methods of Popular Culture Studies (3 credits)
  • ENG 342: Readings in Popular Literary Genres (3 credits)
  • ENG 440: Seminar in Popular Culture Studies (3 credits)
  • ENG 324: Readings in Epic (3 credits)
  • ENG 325: Readings in Graphic Narrative (3 credits)
  • ENG 394: Popular Culture Experience (3 credits)
  • ENG 493: English Internship (1-3 credits)**
  • FLM 255: Stars and Directors (3 credits)
  • *Students may also choose an approved elective from the following courses as listed on the Academic Programs Catalog when the topic includes sufficient content on popular culture. Students should consult with the academic advisor to confirm offered courses will fulfill the requirement. Additional courses may be available in other College of Arts and Letters units.
  • **Students who choose ENG 493 need to complete the internship with the Journal of Popular Culture or an approved sponsor.