English Courses

Writing 100 or its equivalent is a prerequisite for every course in the English Department.

101. American Literature. Introduction to the development of the American literary heritage, with emphasis on analytical, written, and oral skills. Prerequisite: Writing 100 or equivalent. (M2) Comfort, Diamond

102. British Literature. Introduction to distinctive British works, emphasizing analytical and communication skills. Prerequisite: Writing 100 or equivalent. (M2) Black, Dougal

103. Western Literature. Selected major works in the literature of the Western world, emphasizing analytical and communication skills through written and oral projects. Recommended for those considering an English major. Prerequisite: Writing 100 or equivalent. (M2) Reid

104. The Experience of Literature. Introduction to major literary genres—fiction, poetry, and drama—from a variety of times and cultures, emphasizing analytical and communication skills through written and oral projects. Prerequisite: Writing 100 or equivalent. (M2) Tabor, staff

105. African-American Literature. Introduction to the poetry, non-fiction, fiction, and drama of the African-American tradition in literature from the beginnings of the Colonial period to the present day. Emphasis will be on identifying the uniqueness of this literature within the larger mainstream of American literature. (M2) Prerequisites: Writing 100 or equivalent. Comfort

210. Business Writing. Introduction to writing for the business sector (correspondence, reports, proposals, presentations, other forms of business writing). Prerequisite: Writing 100 or equivalent. Staff

211. Creative Nonfiction. Guided practice in public and personal essay writing. Workshop setting. Prerequisites: Writing 100 or equivalent, and permission of instructor. Spring. Harris, Hinnefeld, Wingard

212. Introduction to Creative Writing. Guided practice in poetry and fiction. Prerequisites: Writing 100 or equivalent, and permission of instructor. Fall. (M6) Hinnefeld

213.2. Tutorship I. One-half unit of credit given for completion of tutor training course: extensive practice with student writing samples, several writing assignments, full review of grammar. The practicum is three hours of tutoring per week, compensated at work-study wage. Interested students must apply to and be selected by the Writing Center director before registering. Prerequisites: Writing 100 or equivalent, interview with director, and approval of director. Hinnefeld

214.2. Tutorship II. One-half unit of credit given for self-guided study and four hours of tutoring per week. Student’s written proposal for study must be approved by Writing Center director. Prerequisites: English 213.2, QPA of 3.00, and approval of director. Hinnefeld

215.  Rhetoric and/of Narrative. Rhetoric is ordinarily thought of as a tool of orators, politicians, and advertisers, not as something employed by “creative” writers. Through reading rhetorical theory and literary theory as well as several narratives -- novels, memoirs, film, and social texts -- this course will examine rhetoric as it works in literary and cultural narratives: fiction and nonfiction prose, popular culture texts, and narratives of cultural myth. Writing intensive. Wingard

221. The English Language. Introduction to phonology, grammar, lexicon, and other aspects of English from its beginning to the present, with an emphasis on current language issues. Fall. Black

225.  Introduction to English Studies. Introduction to various aspects of the discipline, including analysis of literature, bibliographic and research techniques, critical thinking and writing, various literary approaches, literary theory, and history of the field. Closed to non-English majors except by written permission of department chair or instructor. Writing intensive. Strongly encouraged as a pre-requisite for upper-level ENGL courses. Fall and spring. Black

230. Public Speaking. Basic theory of public speaking with emphasis on developing skills essential to effective interpersonal communication in industrial, business, and academic settings. Fall. Shorr

232. Art of the Theater. Aesthetic, historical, and production aspects of theater. Practical experience in production. Alternate years. Shorr

233. Modern Drama and Theater. Development of dramatic literature and theatrical practice in the 20th century. Tabor

234. American Drama and Theater. Development of dramatic literature and theatrical practice in America, 1665 to the present. Tabor

240. Post-Colonial Literature. Introduction to literature produced by 20th-century African, Asian, and Caribbean writers from former colonies of Western European empires, especially Britain. (M5) Diamond

261. Prophets of Doom and Gloom? Science Fiction, Science Fact, and the Contemporary World. (Also Interdisciplinary 261) Creators of science fiction often present dire warnings about the world to come in which science has subverted human values. By studying important developments in science and technology and significant works of science fiction, we can comprehend the nature of these warnings and attempt to formulate a civilized response to the dehumanizing forces afflicting the contemporary
world. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing. (U1) Diamond

262. Literature and the Way We Live. (Also Interdisciplinary 262) This course considers such moral issues as identity; duties to kin; love, marriage, and sex; euthanasia and suicide; racism and sexism, as posed within a variety of world literature that includes short stories, novels, poetry, and drama, ranging from the era of Sophocles’ Antigone to the present. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing. (U2) Dougal

310. Business and Community Writing. Writing for business and nonprofit sectors with required community service/consulting component in targeted agencies. Prerequisites: English 211, 212, or 215, and permission of instructor. Hinnefeld

311. Fiction Writing. Focused study of contemporary fiction, writing of several complete fictional works. Workshop setting. Prerequisites: English 211, 212, or 215, and permission of instructor. Spring. (M6) Hinnefeld

312. News and Feature Writing. Guided practice in writing news and feature articles for newspaper readers, with attention to news criteria and the state of newspapers in the United States. Prerequisites: English 211, 212, or 215, and permission of instructor. Spring. Wingard

313. Poetry Writing. Focused study of contemporary poetry, writing of a range of complete
poetic works. Workshop setting. Prerequisites: English 211, 212, or 215, and permission of instructor. Alternate years. (M6) Hinnefeld

314. Theories of Composition and Rhetoric. Contemporary theories of composition—process, product, and pedagogy—and of rhetoric in an academic setting. May be especially valuable for students seeking secondary education certification. Prerequisites: English 211, 212, or 215, and permission of instructor. Fall, alternate years. Wingard

320. The Art of Poetry. Designed to provide the student of literature with theories and techniques for understanding, appreciating, and evaluating poetry. Alternate years. Dougal

330. Shakespeare. The major plays. Spring, alternate years. Reid

340. American Literature 1800-1865. A study of the range of literary voices that constitute “American literature” from 1800-1865, including works by Native and African Americans, Hispanics, women, and a variety of ethnic and minority groups, as well as by the better-known writers of the era—Irving, Emerson, Thoreau, Dickinson, Hawthorne, Poe, Melville, and Whitman. Alternate years. Dougal

341. American Realism. Development of American realism from its late 19th-century beginnings in Twain, Howells, Wharton, and James to its height in the early 20th-century writings of Crane, Norris, Robinson, Dreiser, and others. Alternate years. Diamond

342. 20th-Century American Literature to 1950. Nonfiction prose, fiction, poetry to 1950. Fall, alternate years. Wingard

343. American Fiction after World War II. Works since 1950, with emphasis on living authors. Alternate years. Diamond

350. Chaucer. The Canterbury Tales and selected minor poems from the perspective of textual and source analysis, as well as feminist, psychological, and new historicist approaches. No previous study of Middle English required but English 221 recommended. Spring, alternate years. Black

351. British Renaissance and Neoclassicism. British poetry, non-Shakespearean drama, and prose, 1500-1800. Alternate years. Diamond

352. British Literature 1780-1830. A study of literature by men and women of varying ethnicities and social classes, and of primary documents that reveal major historical conditions and social and cultural movements to which these writers responded. Some emphasis upon major Romantic poets. Alternate years. Dougal

353. The British Novel. A study of the English novel from its beginnings in the 18th century to the 20th century. Alternate years. Reid

354. 20th-Century British Literature. British and Irish poets and novelists, with some emphasis on writers who have gained recognition since World War II. Alternate years. Reid

355. Literature and Culture of Medieval Britain. Study of selected major and minor texts (mostly in translation) from Old English and Middle English literature, with corresponding interdisciplinary study of their cultural contexts. Examination of the evolution of literary genres, styles, and audiences. Exploration of the approaches and perspectives of contemporary scholarship to topics and issues in medieval studies, with a consideration of the links between contemporary and medieval cultures. Fall, alternate years. Black

360. Dramatic Literature and the Moral Life 1580-1642. Investigates issues of race, ethnicity, religion, and gender in the dramatic literature of the early modern period in England. Special attention to the plays of Shakespeare for their sensitivity to the diversity of the human condition. Earlier and later playwrights attuned to these issues will also be studied. Fall. (U2) Reid

361. Dramatic Literature and the Moral Life 1875-Present. Examines moral problems and resolutions in modern and postmodern dramatic literature. Issues of race, ethnicity, religion, and gender, as well as other concerns that are part of the modern moral life. (U2) Reid

370. Seminar. Detailed study of a single writer, school, genre, or theme in literature. Staff

371. Senior Seminar. This course will synthesize and expand upon what students have learned throughout their major. Weekly meetings will consist of readings, discussion, and writing on topics within English Studies. Course requirements will include an extended written work in a student’s chosen genre, as well as a portfolio. Spring. Staff

375-377. English Internship. Practical field experience in writing for mass media, business, industry, or nonprofits. Preferably taken in the senior year. Designed in consultation with director of internship program and field supervisor. By arrangement. Wingard

190-199, 290-299, 390-399. Special Topics.

381-384. Independent Study.

386-388. Field Study.

400-401. Honors.