Program Details

Our 13-credit Workplace Writing certificate This certificate provides opportunities for you to learn and improve your strategies and skills for effective written communications skills at your place of employment.

1) Writing skills ensure effective business communication.
2) Writing skills make the difference between 'good' and 'bad' employees.
3) You demonstrate your intelligence.
4) Good writers are credible.
5) You can be more influential.
6) Business writing conveys courtesy.
7) Writing skills help to keep good records.
8) You boost your professional confidence.
9) You promote yourself and your career.
10) Business writing builds a solid web presence.

Business World adds: “Now you know why writing skills are significant to your career success. It is time to improve your business communication skills and reap the benefits it may bring. Otherwise, your co-workers or competitors will leave you behind.”

English at Inver Hills

Click each item below to see content

Transfer Information

With this transfer pathway, you will be able to transfer to the following majors at:

Bemidji State University: English - BA
Metropolitan State University: English - BA
Minnesota State University, Mankato:
- English Studies - BA
- English Writing Emphasis - BA
Minnesota State University, Moorhead:
- English Emphasis in Integrated English & Publishing - BA
- English Literature Emphasis - BA
Southwest Minnesota State University:
St. Cloud State University:
Winona State University: English - BA

MN private colleges

Additional Transfer Pathway agreements have been established by various MN private colleges. Visit mnprivatecolleges.org/transfer for the most up to date information

Professional Organizations

Association for Business Communication (ABC)
American Comparative Literature Association (ACLA)
American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA)
Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW)
Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP)
British Comparative Literature Association (BCLA)
College English Association (CEA)
Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC)
Linguistic Society of America (LSA)
Modern Language Association (MLA)
National Communication Association (NCA)
Novelists Inc.
International Comparative Literature Association (ICLA)
PEN America
Poets & Writers
Rhetoric Society of America (RSA)

English at Inver Hills Adds Up

What you’ll accomplish as a student in our English department:

Sharpen your understanding of written communications in academic and business settings
Improve your employability by becoming a competent, resourceful writer
Enhance your appreciation of literature
Open doors to a huge range of careers
Work directly with expert, student-focused English faculty
Benefit from small class sizes and collaborating with likeminded classmates
Save money and continue your academic and professional careers with less student debt

According to U.S. News & World Report, national student loan debt topped $1.7 trillion in the second quarter of 2021, or roughly $740 billion more than U.S. total credit card debt.

In Minnesota, 900,000 student loan borrowers owe an average $31,250 in federal and private student debt. That debt translates into an average monthly payment topping $250.

Tuition and fees for one year at Inver Hills costs a little less than $5,500. Compare that to $15,000 to $20,000 at a for-profit college, or $40,000 to $50,000+ at a private college or university. You can complete your first two years at Inver Hills getting a topflight, hands-on education from knowledgeable, caring and experienced faculty and then transfer to a four-year school as a junior all while saving thousands of dollars.

Writing Resources

Grammar and citation

Online Grammar Handbook (University of Minnesota)
Directory of online materials on writing, grammar, argument, literature, reading and thinking, and many other writing-related subjects.

The Elements of Style
A classic style handbook by William Strunk Jr.

Purdue OWL: Online Writing Lab: Research and Citation Resources
Useful site for MLA and APA citation information along with other writing and research resources.

Son of Citation Machine
Website that will help generate MLA, APA, Turabian and Chicago-style citations if you have the ISBN or basic information for your source.

NoodleTools

Web tool for making MLA, APA, or other types of bibliographies. A free subscription is available to all Inver Hills students, staff and faculty.

Once you have signed up individually, all you have to do is enter the parts of a bibliography entry, i.e., the author's name, the title, the publisher, etc. Then NoodleTools will properly order and punctuate the result for you, creating a bibliography entry you can copy and paste into your research paper.

Note: You may use this tool only if you are a current or former Inver Hills student, or an Inver Hills employee. If you are, you can sign up initially on an Inver Hills computer.

Instructions for NoodleTools new users

Instructions for NoodleTools new users
Click on New User Registration in the left vertical menu. Your username will appear as "ihcc." Keep "ihcc" as your username for the time being!
Enter "research" as your password.
Click "I am a student" and add your expected year of graduation. Then, following the instructions, create a personal ID.

Instructions for NoodleTools returning users

Simply go to NoodleTools and log in as a current user using your username and password. (If you have your own computer, you may want to bookmark this site.)

Additional Resources

Scholarships
Tuition & Costs
Inver Hills Foundation
Apply for Financial Aid