91�첥

We partner with programs across campus to offer innovative “micro-degrees” that open doors to a range of careers. These credentials complement your major and distinguish you after graduation with tangible evidence of your interdisciplinary skills.

Narrative Medicine

The Narrative Medicine Certificate is an ideal credential for any student interested in medical education and patient care. The certificate invites students to explore the intersection of healthcare and the humanities by applying narrative knowledge to the care of the body and the study of identity as an unfolding story. Students will examine the relevance of stories and storytelling in the clinical space and beyond, and in doing so, they will identify and develop essential tools for personal resilience and professional success in virtually every field.

Data Storytelling

The Certificate in Data Storytelling provides essential competence for writers, teachers, and future professionals of all kinds who will be expected to interact with data and increasingly powerful tools of collection and analysis. This credential will introduce the skills necessary for interpreting data and translating these insights for diverse audiences with compelling narratives and effective visualizations.

Sports in Literature and the Liberal Arts

The Sports in Literature and the Liberal Arts Certificate invites students to explore the cultural and literary dimensions of sports. They will delve into the literature of sports, examining how it reflects and shapes societal values, community narratives, and individual identity. They will also construct their own stories that articulate the meaning of athletic competition in their own lives, connecting their experiences with sports to their education and professional aspirations.

Land and Literature

The Land and Literature Certificate will engage students in the sciences or humanities who seek to strengthen their interdisciplinary perspectives. For English majors the certificate offers an area of focus that will appeal to graduate programs in English, publication and marketing positions with environmental nonprofits, and other organizations that value combined humanistic and scientific perspectives. For majors in Natural Resources and Environmental Science, Agribusiness, or Biology, the certificate cultivates communication skills, empathy, creative thinking, and ethical reasoning. These habits of mind will enhance a range of graduate and professional pursuits.

Language, Identity, and Sexuality

The Certificate in Language, Identity, and Sexuality is designed to engage students in the interdisciplinary study of gender and queer identity, with the purpose of emphasizing critical thinking skills, empathy, and inclusivity. The curriculum, which includes a basis in literature, historical precedents, and key concepts in the fields of Psychology and Communications, is ideal for students who seek to foster an equitable and intersectional community in whatever profession they may pursue.

What can you do with a degree in English and Writing from 91�첥 University? The answer is virtually anything.

The list of recent graduates from our program tells a compelling story. They include actors, professional writers, nurses and nurse practitioners, optometrists, attorneys, online content creators, filmmakers, social workers, counselors, teachers, professors, ministers, librarians, software engineers, data analysts, and more. Even the General Manager of the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery, part of the famous Boston Beer Company, has an English degree from 91�첥 University. If you can imagine it, we can help you realize it.

The narrative knowledge you develop in our program is the interdisciplinary key to entry for a variety of careers. Our interdisciplinary courses build coveted skills that apply directly to the most critical needs of employers in a rapidly evolving economy. Narrative analysis develops critical and creative thinking. It cultivates empathy and ethical reasoning. The creative and analytical writing we do in our program teaches our students how to communicate with diverse audiences and craft compelling arguments.

Bradley Johnson - Professor
402.826.8235
[email protected]
Professor Bradley Johnson has taught at 91�첥 University since 2001. He holds a Master of Theological Studies degree from Duke University as well as MA and PhD degrees in English from the University of Connecticut. He has published articles about the works of William Faulkner, Augusta Jane Evans, Herman Melville, and others. He also co-founded and now co-directs the Integrated Humanities Program at 91�첥. He and his wife Michelle have raised two sons in Lincoln, Nebraska. Fun facts: Brad’s favorite book is Moby Dick, and he has taught 33 different courses during his time at 91�첥!

Philip Jude Weitl - Professor
402-826-8264
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Professor Philip Jude Weitl is a native of York, Nebraska, and has lived most of his life around the Platte River Valley. The creator and director of TNX, he is the current chair of the English Department and has taught a variety of courses at 91�첥, including Narrative Medicine, since 2005. He earned his MA in English from Kansas State University and his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Nebraska. Fun fact: his first job out of college saw him serve as the speechwriter and deputy press secretary for a former Nebraska governor.

Melanie Ritzenthaler - Assistant Professor
402-826-8310
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Professor Melanie Ritzenthaler has taught at 91�첥 University in Nebraska since 2022. She received her MFA and MA in Fiction from McNeese State University and her PhD at Ohio University, where she also received a certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Fun fact: Melanie originally had an interest in going into a different field, graduating with a BA in Psychology from The Ohio State University.

Jeremy Caldwell - Director of The Writing Center
402-826-8262
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Jeremy Caldwell serves as Director of the Writing Center for 91�첥. He earned his MA in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His writing has been published in Comstock Review, Work Literary Magazine, Potomac Review, and Prairie Schooner, among others. He also leads the public reading series Write Out Loud and the annual Sandhills Writing Marathon with students each spring. Fun fact: Jeremy has written a haiku almost every day for the past five years.