English
Professors Helen Caudill, F. Brett Cox, Patricia Ferreira, Andrew Knauf, Daniel Lane; Associate Professors Carl Martin, Kathleen McDonald (Chair),Sean Prentiss, and Lea Williams; Assistant Professors Dalyn Luedtke, Kyle Pivetti, Amy Woodbury Tease; Lecturer Jessica Kuskey
Courses are offered in literature, theater, and film, which provide a broad humanistic background, and in writing and speech, which provide practical skills. The composition and literature sequence emphasizes writing, reading, and critical thinking skills; students also receive instruction in the forms of discourse and literary genres. The world literature sequence, required of all Bachelor of Arts students, examines world texts in their historical and cultural contexts. A broad range of elective offerings, open to students of all academic disciplines, provides examination of traditional periods and authors as well as emerging literary forms. Specialty courses also include literature of the developing world, of leadership, of American culture and ethnicity, and of the military. A variety of writing courses, both technical and creative, introduces and strengthens rhetorical skill.
Goals:
Through developing a critical understanding of English and American literature in relationship to aesthetic, cultural, and intellectual contexts, we are committed to fostering opportunities that cultivate freedom of expression, personal and professional fulfillment, intellectual development, collaboration, and social growth.
Outcomes:
Graduates will:
- have the ability to write critically with clarity and precision and to read with comprehension.
- achieve basic levels of skill performing literary analysis, understanding theoretical approaches to the discipline, and applying these approaches to reading a text.
- have the ability to demonstrate knowledge of major literary periods, movements, and genres in American and British literature.
- demonstrate the ability to identify an advanced research question, know how to locate juried, peer-reviewed sources about the question, and craft a solid written response to the question, thus evidencing an ability to participate in critical thinking about the intellectual questions of the field.
Careers for this Major:
- Advertising
- Public Relations
- Publishing
- Medicine
- Teaching
- Business
- Government
- Military Service
- Law
- Post-graduate study in a variety of fields
B.A. in English - Required Courses
| All courses must be completed with a C or better | ||
| Minimum of fifteen EN courses above 202 | ||
| Required courses above EN 202: | ||
| Survey of British Literature I | 3 | |
| Survey of British Literature II | 3 | |
| Survey of American Literature I | 3 | |
| Survey of American Literature II | 3 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
or EN 204 | Professional and Technical Writing | |
or EN 274 | Introduction to Creative Writing | |
| EN 282 | Literary Methods | 3 |
| EN 350 | History of the English Language | 3 |
| EN 373 | Major Author | 3 |
| EN 370 Topics in British Literature | ||
| EN 390 Topics in American Literature | ||
| Senior Seminar | 3 | |
Four additional English courses numbered above EN 202, three of which must be above 299. | 12 | |
EN 101 and EN 102 are prerequisites for all English courses numbered above EN 200.
B.A. in English - Curriculum Map 2016-2017 Catalog
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Cr. | Spring | Cr. |
| EN 101 Composition and Literature I | 3 | EN 102 Composition and Literature II | 3 |
| General Education History | 3 | General Education Social Science | 3 |
| Modern Language | 6 | Modern Language | 6 |
| Free Elective OR General Education Math | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Semester Total Credits | 15 | Semester Total Credits | 15 |
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Cr. | Spring | Cr. |
| EN 201 World Literature I (B.A. Requirement) | 3 | EN 202 World Literature II (B.A. Requirement) | 3 |
| EN 225 Survey of British Literature I (General Education Literature) | 3 | EN 226 Survey of British Literature II (General Education Arts & Humanities) | 3 |
| EN 282 Literary Methods | 3 | General Education Math OR Free Elective | 3 |
| General Education Math | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| PH or SA or Modern Language Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Semester Total Credits | 15 | Semester Total Credits | 15 |
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Cr. | Spring | Cr. |
| EN 227 Survey of American Literature I | 3 | EN 228 Survey of American Literature II | 3 |
| EN 373 Major Author | 3 | EN 350 History of the English Language | 3 |
| EN 390 Topics in American Literature | 3 | EN 370 Topics in British Literature | 3 |
| General Education Lab Science | 4 | General Education Lab Science | 4 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Semester Total Credits | 16 | Semester Total Credits | 16 |
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Cr. | Spring | Cr. |
| EN 203 Advanced Composition or 204 Professional and Technical Writing (OR) | 3 | EN Elective (above 299) | 3 |
EN 274 Introduction to Creative Writing | EN Elective (above 299) | 3 | |
| EN 450 Senior Seminar (General Education Capstone & General Education Ethics) | 3 | BA Social Science Requirement | 3 |
| EN Elective (above 202) | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| EN Elective (above 299) | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| BA Social Science Requirement | 3 | ||
| Semester Total Credits | 15 | Semester Total Credits | 15 |
| Total Credits For This Major: 122 | |||
English Minor Curriculum Map 2016-2017 Catalog
Many students who major in disciplines other than English, but who share a love and respect for language and literature, pursue the academic minor in English. This minor encourages students to draw from the department’s range of resources in writing, literature, film, and theater, tailoring a program to their special interests.
- Students interested in developing their potential to write well might choose a minor consisting of Advanced Composition, Professional and Technical Writing, Creative Writing, and a course emphasizing the critical analysis of literature.
- Students who enjoy literature, film, or theater can find ample opportunities among the department’s regular offerings to develop these competencies.
All requirements require a grade of C or higher
| EN 201 | World Literature I | 3 |
| EN 202 | World Literature II | 3 |
| EN 282 | Literary Methods | 3 |
| EN Elective above 202 | 3 | |
| EN Elective above 202 | 3 | |
| EN Elective above 299 | 3 | |
| Total Cr. | 18 | |
Courses
EN 005 Basic English 3 Cr.
A review of the fundamentals of composition designed to raise the student's command of English to the college level. Required for those whose tests and records demonstrate weakness in diction, spelling, grammar, punctuation and organization. Offered fall semester only. Students assigned to EN 005 must successfully complete the course before enrolling in EN 101. This course will not meet any degree requirements and cannot be used as an elective.
EN 101 Composition and Literature I 3 Cr.
EN 101 is devoted chiefly to the principles of written organization, exposition, argumentation, and research. Pre-Requisite: EN 005 or incoming test score.
EN 102 Composition and Literature II 3 Cr.
EN 102 provides, through an extension and intensification of the methods and approaches of EN 101, an introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and film. Prerequisite: EN 101.
EN 105 English Language Learner I 3 Cr.
A course for intermediate non-native speakers of English that stresses writing, reading, speaking, and listening improvement and provides an introduction to the social and cultural values of the English-speaking world. This course will not meet any degree requirements and cannot be used as an elective. Placement by TOEFL score.
EN 106 English Language Learner II 3 Cr.
A course for advanced non-native speakers of English that stresses writing, reading, speaking, and listening improvement and provides an introduction to the conduct, organization and reporting of library research. This course will not meet any degree requirements and cannot be used as an elective. Prerequisite: A grade of C or better in EN 105 or permission of the instructor.
EN 112 Public Speaking 3 Cr.
A practical course in the fundamentals of public address and speech analysis.
EN 1LT English Literature Elective 3 Cr.
EN 1XX English Elective 3 Cr.
EN 201 World Literature I 3 Cr.
A study of representative literature from across the globe and from the earliest recorded text to the sixteenth century, paying attention to works from outside the European tradition. Students will both explore diverse literary forms in their historical contexts and reflect on the ways culture shapes their own reading practices. EN 201 is not a prerequisite for EN 202. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Offered every semester. A required course for the Bachelor of Arts degree; recommended for the fulfillment of General Education requirements in literature and/or Arts and Humanities for the Bachelor of Science degree.
EN 202 World Literature II 3 Cr.
A study of representative literature from across the globe and from the sixteenth century to the present, paying attention to works from outside the European tradition. Students will both explore diverse literary forms in their historical contexts and reflect on the ways culture shapes their own reading practices. EN 201 is not a prerequisite for EN 202. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Offered every semester. A required course for the Bachelor of Arts degree; recommended for the fulfillment of General Education requirements in literature and/or Arts and Humanities for the Bachelor of Science degree.
EN 203 Advanced Composition 3 Cr.
A course designed to move beyond the fundamentals of writing studied in EN 101 and EN 102 and to develop the student's abilities as a writer through the composition and analysis of extended essays on a variety of topics, employing a range of rhetorical approaches. Pre-Requisite: EN 102.
EN 204 Professional and Technical Writing 3 Cr.
A course that teaches the theory and practice of communicating on the job. Instruction addresses written, visual, and oral technical communication. Assignments involve students in practical, collaborative and technologically informed learning modeled upon realities of the work place. Pre-Requisite: EN 102.
EN 210 Modern Short Story 3 Cr.
A study of the short story genre through reading, discussion, and written analysis of selected modern stories. The course also addresses the history of the short story and the nature and uses of literary art. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts and Humanities.
EN 220 Children's Literature 3 Cr.
A course familiarizing students with the range and history of children's literature. Students revisit beloved classics as well as significant contemporary works, analyzing literary value. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts and Humanities.
EN 225 Survey of British Literature I 3 Cr.
An overview of British literature from the Anglo Saxons to the late-eighteenth century in their historical and cultural contexts, with attention to the development of the English language. May include texts in Middle English. Selections may include sermons, chronicles, and letters as well as fiction, poetry, and drama. Provides a foundation for upper-level study in the discipline and is required for English majors. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Offered every fall.
EN 226 Survey of British Literature II 3 Cr.
An overview of British literature from the Romantics to the present in their historical and cultural contexts. May include non-fiction as well as fiction, poetry, and drama. Provides a foundation for upper-level study in the discipline and is required for English majors. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Offered every spring.
EN 227 Survey of American Literature I 3 Cr.
An overview of colonial and post-Revolutionary writing in its historical and cultural contexts, including the work of European explorers and native peoples in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Selections may include letters, travel narratives, and political documents as well as fiction, poetry, and drama. Provides a foundation for upper-level study in the discipline and is required for English majors. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Offered every fall.
EN 228 Survey of American Literature II 3 Cr.
An overview of American writing from the Civil War to the present in its historical and cultural contexts. Selections may include non-fiction as well as fiction, poetry, and drama. Provides a foundation for upper-level study and is required for English majors. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Offered every spring.
EN 239 Introduction to Theater 3 Cr.
A course that provides a basic introduction to theater as an art form and as an academic discipline. Topics of study include a survey of theater history; an analysis of the different forms of drama, including representative plays; and an introduction to the performance aspects of acting, directing, and theatrical design. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. Fulfills General Education Humanities requirement but will not serve as literature elective.
EN 240 Technical Aspects of Theatrical Design 3 Cr.
A course that provides instruction in all phases of the construction of scenery, costumes and in lighting production, together with an introduction to the design of these elements. Pre-Requisite: EN 102.
EN 241 Acting and Directing 3 Cr.
A course that introduces the basic techniques of acting and directing, including instruction in the relationship of the actor to the other actors on the stage. Extensive use is made of improvisation and theater games. Directing instruction gives the student practice in the solution of directorial problems through the staging of scenes, tableaux and pictorial dramatizations. Pre-Requisite: EN 102.
EN 242 Play Production 1-3 Cr.
A course that provides study and performance of theater and play production techniques as well as rehearsal and presentation of a full-scale dramatic production. Students may choose to audition to act in a play or to work on one of the technical support crews. Three accumulated hours will comprise one 3-credit for free elective use only.
EN 244 The Literature of Leadership 3 Cr.
A survey of major literary texts dealing with the theme of leadership. Differing examples and ideals of leadership are related to the philosophical assumptions and cultural values of the authors and civilizations represented by each work. Both advocacy and critique of these ideals are examined; contrasts among them emphasize the ethical implications of leaders' decisions. Topics include relationships among leadership, religion, and philosophy; leadership and technology; the role of coercion or political/economic power; and the potential conflicts of leadership and individual freedom. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts and Humanities.
EN 245 Science Fiction Literature 3 Cr.
A study of representative readings in science fiction literature centered on novels and short fiction from the late-nineteenth century to the present with a focus on how these works develop major themes associated with the genre. Prerequisites: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts and Humanities.
EN 250 Crime in Literature 3 Cr.
A course in which students read and discuss works of literature that explore the ethical, social and philosophical implications of criminal behavior and society's response to it. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts and Humanities.
EN 251 Literature of the Sea 3 Cr.
A study of literature about life at sea, especially during times of crisis. The course examines attitudes toward solitude, comradeship and the ocean's beauty and power. Moral and physical qualities needed by a ship's officers and crew are also discussed. Readings are drawn from world literatures, ancient and modern. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts
and Humanities.
EN 253 Approaches to Shakespeare 3 Cr.
A study of Shakespeare themed around discipline, genre, analytical approach, or other topic. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature or Arts and Humanities. Pre-requisite: EN 102.
EN 270 Military Literature 3 Cr.
A study of men and women in war and the military service, their ideals, experiences, and strategies as seen in foreign and American military literature of the 19th and 20th centuries. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. A recommended
literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts and Humanities.
EN 272 Veterans' Literature and Writing 3 Cr.
In this course, students read a selection of works by veterans to explore how soldier-writers have given voice to their military experiences and to reflect on how writers have depicted war and the military experience. These texts will serve as models to students as they develop personalized writing projects, either critical or creative, over the course of the semester. This course is open to anyone who is currently serving, or has served, in any branch of the military. This course fulfills a literature, writing or humanities requirement. Prerequisite: EN 102 and instructor permission. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts and Humanities.
EN 274 Introduction to Creative Writing 3 Cr.
Introduction to Creative Writing establishes the principles and practices of writing creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. In addition to reading works in these three genres as models, students will produce original pieces that apply the theoretical principles of creative writing. 3 lecture hours. Prerequisite: EN 102.
EN 276 Environmental Writing 3 Cr.
Environmental Writing invites students to explore environmental issues such as
sustainability, conservation, preservation, and wildlife management through creative writing and persuasive writing. Students will analyze how writers of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction invite their readers to take action. Students may also conduct independent research, which is often immersive or experiential, on an environmental topic towards the composition of their own creative essays, stories, and poems. Prerequisite: EN 102.
EN 278 Writing for the Web 3 Cr.
Writing for the Web examines the ways that digital technologies impact writing.
Through experimentation with different written modes, as well as the manipulation and analysis of various media, students will compose and revise content for web-based environments. This course approaches writing from a rhetorical perspective that emphasizes purpose and audience. Students practice using various existing and emerging technologies, but prior technical training is not required. Prerequisite: EN 102.
EN 282 Literary Methods 3 Cr.
Literary Methods serves as an introduction to scholarship in the discipline of English. To begin, students will examine the evolution and current state of English literary study as a discipline, learn how a literary text becomes an object of study, and identify a secondary text and the kinds of methodologies at work in them. Students themselves will then engage in the practice of literary research and analytical writing by focusing on one text in English and its respective body of criticism. Course work will comprise gathering and analyzing primary and secondary sources, enhancing close reading skills, and performing a substantive piece of research. Auxiliary critical writing exercises might include an annotated bibliography or a literature review. Required for the English major and minor. Prerequisites: EN 102. 3 lecture hours.
EN 292 American Ethnic Literature & Cultural Literature 3 Cr.
The purpose of this course is two-fold: to acquaint the student with the writings of representative ethnic groups in America in terms of their contributions to American literature and culture in general; and to familiarize the student with both the problems of minority groups in integration and with the solutions which have been offered to these problems by the minority representatives themselves. The course will cover as many minority groups as time allows. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts and Humanities.
EN 299 Topics in English Studies 3 Cr.
Topics vary. Designed as a Humanities elective for non-majors. Prerequisite: EN 102. Course may be repeated for credit with a different topic. 3 lecture hours.
EN 2LT English Literature Elective 3 Cr.
EN 2XX English Elective 3 Cr.
EN 307 The History of the Motion Picture 3 Cr.
A study of the development of the motion picture from a technological curiosity to a powerful, pervasive vehicle for art and argument. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. Fulfills General Education Humanities requirement but will not serve as literature elective.
EN 308 The Motion Picture Director 3 Cr.
A study, through readings and viewings of representative films, of the work of three great motion picture directors: The emphasis will be on their contributions to the art of the motion picture and their statements as artists viewing their own times. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. Fulfills General Education Humanities requirement but will not serve as literature elective.
EN 310 The Art of the Motion Picture 3 Cr.
A study of cinema art direction, photography, editing, writing and acting. Classes involve lecture, discussion, readings in film criticism and the viewing of selected films. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. Fulfills General Education Humanities requirement but will not serve as literature elective.
EN 311 American Film Comedy 3 Cr.
A study of representative American film comedies from a variety of standpoints: generically (as manifestations of comic tradition); culturally (as examples of satire and social criticism); aesthetically (as products of cinematic and literary techniques); historically (as parts of an evolving tradition). Representative films may include works by Keaton, Chaplin, the Marx Brothers, W. C. Fields, Jerry Lewis, Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen and others. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. Fulfills General Education Humanities requirement but will not serve as literature elective.
EN 320 Literature of the Developing World 3 Cr.
A study of the literature of developing nations. The course emphasizes works that reveal a country's distinctive religious, social, economic, political institutions and the challenges that confront them. Topics to be discussed may include colonialism: the struggle for national identity: the impact of modern technologies on traditional values: tensions between military power and democratic processes: and the clash between the wealthy and the poor. Pre-Requisite: EN 102. A recommended literature course for fulfillment of General Education or
Bachelor of Arts degree requirements in literature, Arts and Humanities.
EN 322 Topics in World Literatures 3 Cr.
A seminar that focuses on a specific period, genre, region, or topic of interest in the field of World Literatures. Sample topics may include Global Shakespeares, Developing World Literatures, The Trojan War, Caribbean Women Writers, or Global Modernisms. Required texts will be in English translation; foreign language training is neither assumed nor required. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Offered once a year. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.
EN 350 History of the English Language 3 Cr.
This course will trace the linguistic, material, and cultural development of the English language from its North Germanic beginnings to its current status as a global lingua franca, with special attention to the early British forms. We will attend to the structure of language (e.g., lexicon, syntax, phonetics) as well as to its socio-political aspects (e.g., migration, class, codification). Students will be asked to read, analyze, and contextualize texts in Old, Middle, and Early Modern English. Required for the English Major. Fulfills Gen. Ed. Humanities requirement but will not serve as literature elective. Prerequisite: EN 102.
EN 362 Rhetorical Criticism 3 Cr.
Rhetorical Criticism provides students with a general understanding of rhetoric and
with knowledge of specific rhetorical traditions such as neo-Aristotelian criticism, metaphorical analysis, narrative/cluster criticism, fantasy theme analysis, and genre criticism. The goals of this course are to engage in systematic, prolonged inquiry and to recognize how different persuasive strategies produce specific meanings. EN 362 Rhetorical Criticism further advances the skills initially developed in EN 203 Advanced Composition. Prerequisite: EN 102 and EN 203.
EN 364 Intermediate Creative Writing 3 Cr.
Intermediate Creative Writing develops the foundational skills learned in EN 274
Introduction to Creative Writing. Students examine poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction in order to understand and employ advanced techniques such as flashback, metaphor, and point of view. Genres may also include memoir, the travel essay, free verse poetry, and/or flash (non)fiction. By the end of the semester, students are expected to apply these elements of craft to produce original creative work. Prerequisite: EN 274.
EN 370 Topics in British Literature 3 Cr.
A seminar that focuses on a period or a topic of interest in the field of British Literature. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Offered every semester.
EN 373 Major Author 3 Cr.
A course that focuses on the work of a single author to allow a unique depth of study and research. Students will analyze the relationship between authorship, biography, and textual production. Topics may include Geoffrey Chaucer, John Milton, Thomas Mallory, Salman Rushdie, Muriel Spark, and Mark Twain. Offered every year. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Can be repeated for credit with a different topic.
EN 390 Topics in American Literature 3 Cr.
A seminar that focuses on a period or a topic of interest in the field of American Literature. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Prerequisite: EN 102. 3 lecture hours. Offered every semester.
EN 399 Topics in English Studies 3 Cr.
Topics vary. Designed as an elective for majors and advanced non-majors. Prerequisite: EN 102. Course may be repeated for credit with a different topic. 3 lecture hours.
EN 3LT English Literature Elective 3 Cr.
EN 3XX English Elective 3 Cr.
EN 420 Thematic Seminar-Literature 3 Cr.
A seminar that explores a topic of interest in the Humanities. Pre-Requisite: EN 102.
EN 425 Directed Study In Literature 3 Cr.
A course in which a student of demonstrated ability works with a faculty mentor in a well-defined area in Literature within the competence of the department faculty. Emphasis will be on student initiative, guided reading, and consultations with the mentor. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor and the department curriculum committee. Pre-Requisite: EN 102.
EN 450 Senior Seminar 3 Cr.
Required capstone course for the major. Students participate in ongoing scholarly discussions by engaging a selection of literary texts, criticism, and theoretical essays. By the end of the semester, students propose, design, and complete independent research projects that interrogate a specific issue in literary studies. Students demonstrate a mastery of their topics in public presentations. Pre-requisite: senior status English major or minor or permission of the instructor.