First Draft: A Lao American Poetry Minor

To date, no one has meaningfully discussed what a minor in Lao American Poetry would look like if it were made available in a U.S. college. While there are a great many critics who suggest that the very idea of such a minor being available is as ludicrous and useless as a major in Lao American Literature, they seem to forget there was a time a Creative Writing major was thought impossible and ridiculous to fund at an American university. And now we have an entire ecosystem of MFA programs and institutions such as AWP.

So, indulge me for a moment while I present a thought exercise that may or may not come to fruition in your lifetime.

“The number of units required for the Lao American Poetry minor is 21 units.

A minimum of 12 upper-division units are required for the minor, and you must earn at least a 2.00 GPA in the minor in order to graduate. Further, you must complete at least 3 units of coursework in residence at the university to fulfill minimum GPA requirements.

Required courses for the Lao American Poetry minor:

Two classes from the following: Introduction to Writing Lao American Nonfiction (LAW 201), Introduction to Lao American Poetry Writing (LAW 209), Introduction to Lao American Fiction Writing (LAW 210). *Note: Both classes must be successfully completed prior to enrollment in concentration courses below.

Select a concentration from the following: Lao American Nonfiction Poetry Writing (LAW 301 and 401), Lao American Speculative Poetry Writing (LAW 304 and 404), Asian American Poetry Writing (LAW 309 and 409). *Note: LAW 401, 404, or 409 must be completed during your final semester at the university.

LAW 280: Introduction to Lao American Literature This class may only be taken upon successful completion of the Lao American composition requirement.

LAW 380: Lao American Literature Analysis This class may only be taken upon successful completion of LAW 280.

LAW Upper-Division Literature Elective
*Note: 400 level courses require successful completion of LAW 380 prior to enrollment.
You may find substantial descriptions of Lao American Poetry courses offered each semester by visiting the Course Description and Registration section of the Lao American Writing Department Website.

You may use a maximum of 3 units of Internship or Independent Study credit toward fulfilling requirements in the Lao American Poetry Minor.

Internships must be related to Lao American Writing and approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Lao American Writing.

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Naturally, this poetry minor differs substantially from a standard Lao Poetry Minor.