English Language and Literature (ENGL)
The Department of English offers a major in English. The major can be completed with or without a Concentration in Creative Writing or Film and Digital Media. In addition, the department offers a minors in English, Creative Writing, and Film and Digital Media. The minors in Creative Writing and Film and Digital Media are only available only to students who are not completing the major in English.
Honors Courses and In-Course Honors
The Department of English encourages its students to undertake honors work. For further information, the student is referred to the sections on Honors Courses and In-Course Honors in the Catalog.
Chair
Alan D. Chalmers
Professors
Catherine M. Blouke
Natalie S. Grinnell
Kimberly Hall
Sally A. Hitchmough
John. D. Miles
James R. Neighbors
Kimberly A. Rostan
Julie Sexeny
George W. Singleton
Amy D. Sweitzer
Deno P. Trakas
Carey R. Voeller
John M. Ware
Patrick N. Whitfill
Carol B. Wilson
Students in the Teacher Education Program who are seeking to complete licensure requirements to teach English in secondary schools should refer to the Teacher Education Handbook and consult with the chairs of the departments of English and Education to review the extent to which departmental and teacher preparation requirements differ and to develop plans for meeting both.
Students who intend to do graduate work in English are advised to acquire a reading knowledge of French, German or Spanish.
Requirements for the Major in English
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite and Corequisite Courses 1 | 9 | |
| English Literature to 1800 | ||
Select two of the following: | ||
| English Literature Since 1800 | ||
| Survey of American Literature | ||
| Survey of World Literature | ||
| Introduction to the Study of Film | ||
| Requirements | 30 | |
| Introduction to English Studies 2 | ||
| Category A. British Literature to 1660 | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| British Medieval Literature | ||
| Chaucer | ||
| English Renaissance Drama | ||
| Spenser, Milton and the Renaissance Epic | ||
| Shakespeare's Comedies and Histories | ||
| Shakespeare's Tragedies and Romances | ||
| English Renaissance Poetry | ||
| Arthurian Literature, 500-1800 CE | ||
| Category B. British Literature after 1660 | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| The English Romantic Period | ||
| The Victorian Period | ||
| Contemporary British Literature | ||
| Restoration and British Drama | ||
| Restoration Prose and Poetry | ||
| The Early English Novel | ||
| The Later English Novel | ||
| The Modern Novel | ||
| Modern Poetry | ||
| Category C. American Literature | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| American Literature Pre-Civil War | ||
| American Literature Post Civil War | ||
| Southern Literature | ||
| American Ethnic Literature | ||
| Contemporary American Fiction | ||
| Contemporary American Poetry | ||
| Contemporary Drama | ||
| Postmodern American Literature | ||
| Black Arts Movement | ||
| 20th Century Am. Short Story | ||
| Early American Popular Novels | ||
| Native American Literature | ||
| Medicine & Literature | ||
| African American Drama | ||
| American Theatre & Drama | ||
| 19th Century American Poetry | ||
| Category D. Comparative and World Literatures | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| The European Picaresque Novel | ||
| Early European Masterpieces | ||
| Later European Masterpieces | ||
| Early Women Writers | ||
| Race, Gender, and Empire | ||
| African Literature | ||
| Modern Drama | ||
| Global Digital Cultures | ||
| Literature & Human Rights | ||
| Selected Topics in World Literature | ||
| Greek & Roman Drama | ||
| Category E. Language and Theory | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Literary Theory | ||
| Contemporary English Grammar & Usage | ||
| History of the English Language | ||
| Adolescent Literature | ||
| Literature & Gender Theory | ||
| American Political Rhetoric | ||
| Visual Rhetoric | ||
| Digital Media Theory | ||
| Sexuality in Film | ||
| Screen Surveillance: Film, Television and Social Media | ||
| Digital Literature | ||
| Category F. Writing and Performance | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Short Story Workshop | ||
| Poetry Workshop | ||
| The Art of Personal Essay | ||
| Playwriting Workshop | ||
| Digital Filmmaking | ||
| Novella Workshop | ||
| Screenwriting Workshop | ||
| Communications and Team Dynamics and Conflict Management | ||
| Writing for the Mass Media | ||
| Composition & Rhetoric | ||
| Editing & Publishing | ||
| Business and Professional Writing | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Introduction to Public Relations | ||
| Advanced Short Story Workshop | ||
| Advanced Poetry Workshop | ||
| Writing in Digital Environments | ||
| Writing with Sound | ||
| Advanced Playwriting Workshop | ||
| Advanced Digital Filmmaking | ||
| Advanced Screenwriting Workshop | ||
| Electives | 9 | |
Select nine credit hours of English (ENGL) from Categories A-F | ||
Requirements for the Major in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite and Corequisite Courses 1 | 9 | |
| English Literature to 1800 | ||
| Select two of the following: | ||
| English Literature Since 1800 | ||
| Survey of American Literature | ||
| Survey of World Literature | ||
| Introduction to the Study of Film | ||
| Requirements | 18 | |
| Introduction to English Studies 2 | ||
Select fifteen credit hours of English (ENGL) courses, including at least one course from each of the Categories A-E | ||
| Creative Writing Concentration | 12 | |
Select four courses from the following, two must be from the same genre (fiction, poetry, playwriting) | ||
| Short Story Workshop | ||
| Advanced Short Story Workshop | ||
| Poetry Workshop | ||
| Advanced Poetry Workshop | ||
| The Art of Personal Essay | ||
| Playwriting Workshop | ||
| Advanced Playwriting Workshop | ||
| Novella Workshop | ||
| Screenwriting Workshop | ||
| Advanced Screenwriting Workshop | ||
Requirements for the Major in English with a Concentration in Film and Digital Media
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite and Corequisite Courses 1 | 9 | |
| English Literature to 1800 (Prerequisite and Corequisite Courses) | ||
| Introduction to the Study of Film | ||
| Select one of the following | 3 | |
| English Literature Since 1800 | ||
| Survey of American Literature | ||
| Survey of World Literature | ||
| Requirements | 19 | |
| Introduction to English Studies 2 | ||
| Communications in Community | ||
Select fifteen credit hours of English (ENGL) courses, including at least one course from each of the Categories A-E | ||
| Film and Digital Media Concentration | 12 to 15 | |
| Production | ||
Select two courses: | ||
| Visual Rhetoric | ||
| Digital Filmmaking | ||
| Screenwriting Workshop | ||
| Writing for the Mass Media | ||
| Writing in Digital Environments | ||
| Writing with Sound | ||
| Advanced Digital Filmmaking | ||
| Advanced Screenwriting Workshop | ||
| History and Theory | ||
Select two courses: | ||
| Digital Media Theory | ||
| Global Digital Cultures | ||
| Sexuality in Film | ||
| Screen Surveillance: Film, Television and Social Media | ||
| Digital Literature | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Film & Digital Media Capstone | ||
| 1 | The successful completion of at least one 200- level English course is a prerequisite for all 300- level or 400- level courses. |
| 2 | Preferably, ENGL 260 would be completed during the sophomore year. |
Requirements for the Minor in English
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite and Corequisite Courses 1 | ||
| English Literature to 1800 | ||
| Select two of the following: | ||
| English Literature Since 1800 | ||
| Survey of American Literature | ||
| Survey of World Literature | ||
| Introduction to the Study of Film | ||
| Requirements for the Minor | 15 | |
| Select five English (ENGL) couress at the 300-or 400-level, each from a different category (see major requirements for the categories) | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Requirements for the Minor in Creative Writing
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite and Corequisite Courses 1 | ||
Select one English course at the 200-level | ||
| Requirements for the Minor | ||
| Select two Creative Writing courses in the same genre (fiction, poetry, or playwriting) from the following: | 6 | |
| Short Story Workshop | ||
| Advanced Short Story Workshop | ||
| Poetry Workshop | ||
| Advanced Poetry Workshop | ||
| Playwriting Workshop | ||
| Advanced Playwriting Workshop | ||
| Digital Filmmaking | ||
| Advanced Digital Filmmaking | ||
| Screenwriting Workshop | ||
| Advanced Screenwriting Workshop | ||
| Select two Creative Writing Electives (ENGL 371-379, 471-479) | 6 | |
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Contemporary American Fiction | ||
| Contemporary American Poetry | ||
| Contemporary Drama | ||
| Select one English (ENGL) course at the 300-or 400-level (except ENGL 370-400, 471-499) | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Requirements for the Minor in Film and Digital Media
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 4 | |
| Introduction to the Study of Film | ||
| Communications in Community | ||
| Production | 6 | |
| Select two courses from the following: | ||
| Visual Rhetoric | ||
| Digital Filmmaking | ||
| Screenwriting Workshop | ||
| Writing for the Mass Media | ||
| Writing in Digital Environments | ||
| Writing with Sound | ||
| Advanced Digital Filmmaking | ||
| Advanced Screenwriting Workshop | ||
| History and Theory | 6 | |
| Select two courses from the following: | ||
| Digital Media Theory | ||
| Global Digital Cultures | ||
| Sexuality in Film | ||
| Screen Surveillance: Film, Television and Social Media | ||
| Digital Literature | ||
| Capstone | 0 to 3 | |
| Film & Digital Media Capstone | ||
| Total Hours | 16-19 | |
| 1 | At least one 200-level ENGL course must be successfully completed before enrolling in a 300- or 400-level course. |
ENGL 101. College Composition. 3 Hours.
An introduction to basic composition, including a review of mechanics, sentence patterns and basic usage, in order to master writing expository prose across the curriculum.
ENGL 102. Seminar in Literature and Composition. 3 Hours.
An in-depth study of some topic in literature. Reading and discussion lead to written
work and independent investigation. Objectives are to read critically, think analytically, and communicate effectively. Students are required to write several papers, one of which includes documentation. The course should be taken in the freshman year.
Prerequisite: HUM 101 with a minimum grade of D or ENGL 101 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 200. Introduction to Literary Study. 3 Hours.
A study of the genres of fiction, poetry, and/or drama designed to develop the student's abilityto read literature with sensitivity and understanding and with a sense of literary tradition. Emphasis is on close reading of works from a variety of critical perspectives.
Prerequisite: (ENGL 101 with a minimum grade of D or HUM 101 with a minimum grade of D) and ENGL 102 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 201. English Literature to 1800. 3 Hours.
A study of works representative of the major writers and periods from the Middle Ages through the 18th century, with emphasis on critical understanding of these works and on the influences that produced them.
Prerequisite: (ENGL 101 with a minimum grade of D or HUM 101 with a minimum grade of D) and ENGL 102 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 202. English Literature Since 1800. 3 Hours.
A study of works representative of the major writers and periods from the Romantic movement to the present, with emphasis on critical understanding of these works and on the influences that produced them.
Prerequisite: (ENGL 101 with a minimum grade of D or HUM 101 with a minimum grade of D) and ENGL 102 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 203. Survey of American Literature. 3 Hours.
A study of works representative of major American writers from the Colonial Period
to the present, with emphasis on critical understanding of these works and on the
influences that produced them.
Prerequisite: (ENGL 101 with a minimum grade of D or HUM 101 with a minimum grade of D) and ENGL 102 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 204. Survey of World Literature. 3 Hours.
A survey of literary texts from locales around the globe (outside Britain and the United States). Readings will include short stories, poems, and a few select novels spanning Asia, South Asia, South America, Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Europe. Authors will range from prize-winning world figures such as Salman Rushdie and Anita Desai to writers who less known internationally, but equally important in their national literary histories. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation.
Prerequisite: (ENGL 101 with a minimum grade of D or HUM 101 with a minimum grade of D) and ENGL 102 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 205. Introduction to the Study of Film. 3 Hours.
An introduction to the study of film as a technology, industry, cultural artifact, and art form. Students will learn how to analyze visual texts, employing formal elements, such as editing, camera work, and sound, and exploring the different ways these techniques have been employed by filmmakers in Hollywood and across the globe.
Prerequisite: (ENGL 101 with a minimum grade of D or HUM 101 with a minimum grade of D) and ENGL 102 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 260. Introduction to English Studies. 3 Hours.
An introduction to the methods and methodologies of advanced English studies, including an exploration of the discipline's reading and writing genres, the variety of its research methods, and some of its theoretical frameworks.
Prerequisite: (ENGL 101 with a minimum grade of D or HUM 101 with a minimum grade of D) and ENGL 102 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 280. Selected Topics in Literature. 1 to 4 Hours.
Selected topics in literature at the introductory or intermediate level.
Prerequisite: ENGL 102 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 290. Selected Topics in Communication Studies. 1 to 4 Hours.
Selected topics in Communication Studies at the introductory or intermediate level.
Prerequisite: ENGL 102 with a minimum grade of D.
ENGL 301. British Medieval Literature. 3 Hours.
A study of British literature from 800 to 1450, excluding Chaucer. Works studied
include Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Malory's Morte d'Arthur. Category A.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 302. Chaucer. 3 Hours.
A study of Chaucer's major poetry, with some attention to medieval language and
culture. Category A.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 303. English Renaissance Drama. 3 Hours.
A study of English Renaissance drama (excluding Shakespeare) including authors such as Jonson, Marlowe and Webster. Category A.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 304. Spenser, Milton and the Renaissance Epic. 3 Hours.
A study of the three great epics of the English Renaissance: Spenser's Faerie Queen, Milton's Paradise Lost, and Milton's Paradise Regained. Category A.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 305. Shakespeare's Comedies and Histories. 3 Hours.
A study of Shakespeare's comedies and histories. Category A.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 306. Shakespeare's Tragedies and Romances. 3 Hours.
A study of Shakespeare's tragedies and romances. Category A.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 307. English Renaissance Poetry. 3 Hours.
A study of important works of poetry from the 16th and 17th centuries, including such authors as Wyatt, Ralegh, Ben Jonson, Donne, and Marvell. Cateogory A.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 310. Arthurian Literature, 500-1800 CE. 3 Hours.
A study of Arthurian literature written in the British Isles between 500 and 1800 CE, including works by Geoffrey of Monmouth, Layamon, Marie De France, Spenser, Johnson and Fielding. Category A.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 311. The English Romantic Period. 3 Hours.
A study of English Romanticism with an emphasis on the poetry of Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats. Category B.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 312. The Victorian Period. 3 Hours.
A study of representative literature of the Victorian age, with emphasis on the poetry of Tennyson, Browning, Arnold, and the pre-Raphaelites. Category B.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 316. Contemporary British Literature. 3 Hours.
A study of British literature after World War II, including poetry, fiction, and drama,
with emphasis on the cultural and historical context. Category B.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 320. African American Literature. 3 Hours.
This course intends to study in some depth a selection of African American writing from the twentieth century. Questions of origins, conceptual models, and the constitution of African American culture will be addressed. Readings will stress the diversity and multiplicity of African American literature. Successful completion of this course satisfied the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 321. American Literature Pre-Civil War. 3 Hours.
American literature up to the Civil War. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 322. American Literature Post Civil War. 3 Hours.
American literature from the Civil War to World War II. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 323. Southern Literature. 3 Hours.
A study of major Southern authors of the 20th century, with emphasis on the literature as an expression of Southern culture. Authors include the Agrarians, Faulkner, Warren, O'Connor, Welty, and Dickey. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 324. American Ethnic Literature. 3 Hours.
Selected readings across four centuries of ethnic American writing, with emphasis
on the historical and cultural context of each text. Writings include Native American
creation stories, slave narratives, urban immigrant fiction, Black revolutionary poetry and plays, and Hispanic and Asian American narratives. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 326. Contemporary American Fiction. 3 Hours.
American fiction after World War II. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 327. Contemporary American Poetry. 3 Hours.
American poetry after World War II. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 328. Contemporary Drama. 3 Hours.
Drama after World War II, including Beckett, the Modernists, and the Post-Modernists. Cross-listed with THEA 328. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 329. Postmodern American Literature. 3 Hours.
A study of representative works written in America since 1945, including poetry, fiction and drama, with emphasis on themes, motifs, and conventions of what is called postmodern, as well as the cultural context of each work. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 330. Black Arts Movement. 3 Hours.
A study of the close ties between art and politics in the Black Arts and Black Power movements of the mid-to-late 1960's. Writings taken from African-American literature including poetry, fiction, plays, manifestoes, and performance pieces that came out of the Black Arts movement. Readings supplemented with films, FBI documents, and popular news magazines. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 335. The European Picaresque Novel. 3 Hours.
A study of European novels in the Picaresque tradition. Representative works will be drawn from various periods (the 16th through 20th centuries) and nations (Spain, Germany, Britain, France, and Russia) and will be read in translation where necessary. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 336. Early European Masterpieces. 3 Hours.
A study of selected masterpieces from the European tradition, including such writers as Homer, Rabelais, Dante, and Cervantes. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 337. Later European Masterpieces. 3 Hours.
A study of selected masterpieces from the European tradition, including such writers as Moliere, Goethe, Ibsen, Flaubert, and Dostoyevsky. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 338. Early Women Writers. 3 Hours.
A study of the works of women writers of poetry, drama, fiction and non-fiction prose from Antiquity through the Renaissance, including the works of writers such as Sappho, Hildegarde von Binfen, Marie de France, Gaspara Stampa and Aphra Behn. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 339. Race, Gender, and Empire. 3 Hours.
A study of world literature (from Africa, India, Sri Lanka, South America, and the Middle East) as well as the shifting debates about postcoloniality and imperialism. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 340. African Literature. 3 Hours.
Explores African writers from the 20th and 21st centuries, including Wole Soyinka, Zakes Mda, and Zoe Wicombe. While investigating how African writers have responded to the West's history of overtly sexualized and romanticized discourses on Africa, the course will explore several common thematic strands in African Literature, including: colonialism and African nationalisms, the relationship between gender/race and nation, the politics of food, AIDS, and language innovation. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 341. Literary Theory. 3 Hours.
A survey of criticism and theory, introducing students to various methods of reading and evaluating literary texts. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 342. Contemporary English Grammar & Usage. 3 Hours.
A study of predominant theories of English grammar and issues related to the English
language. In addition to theories of grammar, topics will include language varieties,
dialects, orality, and literacy. Required for licensure as a teacher of English. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 343. History of the English Language. 3 Hours.
A study of the origins and development of the English language emphasizing both structural and social linguistics. In addition to studying the history and sources of change in the English language, this course will consider changes taking place within contemporary English. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 344. Adolescent Literature. 3 Hours.
Principles for selection of works of literature appropriate for study at various levels in secondary schools; methods of teaching such works, including use of various media; and analytical discussion of specific works from major genres. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 345. Literature & Gender Theory. 3 Hours.
A study of gender theory and the application of the theory to a variety of texts. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 346. American Political Rhetoric. 3 Hours.
A survey of the history of political rhetoric in the United States and a study of the methodology of rhetorical analysis, including its application to past, and especially, current policital debates. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 347. Visual Rhetoric. 3 Hours.
An exploration the ways in which images and visual elements of design can be read, analyzed, constructed, and manipulated, interrogating how images and visual design inform our reading of historical and political events, of personal identity, of public and private spaces. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 350. Digital Media Theory. 3 Hours.
A survey of the historical development of digital media as it informs theoretical approaches to the study of mediums such as the Internet, social networks, videogames, electronic literature, and mobile devices. Introduces students to the critical analysis and production of digital media texts within a historical continuum. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 371. Short Story Workshop. 3 Hours.
A creative writing course focusing on the writing of short stories. Students read
manuscripts in class and meet with instructor for individual conferences. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 373. Poetry Workshop. 3 Hours.
A creative writing course focusing on the writing of poetry. Students read manuscripts in class and meet with instructor for individual conferences. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 375. The Art of Personal Essay. 3 Hours.
A creative writing course focusing on personal essays. Students write and revise at
least six personal essays and discuss assigned readings, student essays, and essays by visiting writers. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 376. Playwriting Workshop. 3 Hours.
A course in creative writing focusing on plays. Cross-listed with THEA 376. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 377. Digital Filmmaking. 3 Hours.
This film workshop will give students the tools to transform a written text or script to the screen. Students will learn how to tell a story visually, focusing specifically on the director's work with the script, the staging of actors, and the use of the camera as narrator. This course also serves as a general introduction to the elements of film language, grammar, and style. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 378. Novella Workshop. 3 Hours.
An advanced course in creative writing in which each student will write an original
novella. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 379. Screenwriting Workshop. 3 Hours.
In this course, students will learn the basic principles of visual storytelling: dramatic conflict, action, structure, plot, character, and dialogue. They will read texts about screenwriting, view narrative feature films, pitch a story idea to the class, develop a scene-by-scene outline of their stories, and write, workshop, and revise the first and second acts of their screenplays. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 380. Selected Topics in English. 1 to 4 Hours.
An examination of a particular topic, theme, media, through various texts and documentation methods. Specific content varies from semester to semester. Students should consult the department as to how a specific offering to the major in English.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 381. Communications. 1 Hour.
A series of three one credit-hour courses offered sequentially during one semester.
ENGL 381 (Interpersonal Communication) focuses on interpersonal skills, oral
communication, and listening. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 382. Team Dynamics. 1 Hour.
A series of three one credit-hour courses offered sequentially during one semester. ENGL 382 (Team Dynamics) focuses on skills needed for problem solving by small groups. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 383. Conflict Management. 1 Hour.
A series of three one credit-hour courses offered sequentially during one semester. ENGL 383 (Conflict Management) focuses on strategies for decreasing conflict and creating win-win outcomes in the workplace and in the community. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 384. Writing for the Mass Media. 3 Hours.
An introduction to writing for print journalism, broadcast media, and online settings. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 385. Composition & Rhetoric. 3 Hours.
An advanced composition course in which students study a wide variety of essays
from different disciplines and write for a variety of purposes. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 386. Editing & Publishing. 3 Hours.
An exploration of theories of editing through biography and memoir; a practical examination of magazine and publishing job titles and responsibilities; and hands-on conception and production of an actual magazine of the Arts and Public Affairs, to be published at semester's end. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 387. Business and Professional Writing. 3 Hours.
A practical course in writing and analyzing reports, instructions, letters, memoranda, and other material typical of business, industry, and the professions.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 388. Public Speaking. 3 Hours.
An introduction. Students are expected to prepare and deliver various types of
speeches. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 389. Introduction to Public Relations. 3 Hours.
This course will provide an introduction to strategic planning for public relations as well as the mechanics of preparing basic public relations materials. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 400. Communications in Community. 1 to 3 Hours.
A practicum designed to allow students to apply communication skills in a community setting under the direction of an on-site supervisor and a communication instructor. A student may earn a maximum of six semester hours in 400 courses. Permission of instructor required.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 401. Old English. 3 Hours.
An introduction to the language of Old English. Students will build basic skills in Old English vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, along with a beginning knowledge of Anglo-Saxon history, literature and culture. Students will acquire basic skills in pronouncing, parsing, translating, and interpreting Old English poetry and prose. Category A.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 411. Restoration and British Drama. 3 Hours.
A study of a variety of plays written and performed in Britain between 1660 and 1800 with particular emphasis placed on comedies. Dramatists studied are likely to include George Etherege, John Dryden, Aphra Behn, Susanna Centlivre, Oliver Goldsmith, and Elizabeth Inchbald. Cateogory B.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 412. Restoration Prose and Poetry. 3 Hours.
A study of important works from the literature of the period, selected from satire (poetry and prose), essays, lyrics, and biographies. The chief authors studied will be Dryden, Swift, Pope, Gray, Johnson, Behn, Fielding, and Gay. Cateogory B.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 413. The Early English Novel. 3 Hours.
A study of representative British novels of the 18th century and the Romantic period, including works by Defoe, Fielding, Austen, and Shelley. Category B.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 414. The Later English Novel. 3 Hours.
A study of major novels of the Victorian and modern periods, including works by
Dickens, Eliot, Hardy, and Woolf. Category B.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 415. The Modern Novel. 3 Hours.
A study of selected American and British modernist novels, including works by Joyce, Woolf, and Hemingway. Category B.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 416. Modern Poetry. 3 Hours.
A study of representative American and British poetry from the first half of the 20th
century, focusing on such modernists as Yeats, Eliot, Pound, Frost, and Stevens. Category B.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 420. 20th Century Am. Short Story. 3 Hours.
A survey of American short stories, with emphasis on post World War II fiction. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 421. Early American Popular Novels. 3 Hours.
A study of popular, often best selling, American novels of the early national and antebellum periods. Students will read works by Susanna Rowson, James Fenimore Cooper, Herman Melville, George Thompson, Maria Cummins, and Harriet Beecher Stowe as well as historical essays and literary criticism. Cateogory C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 422. Native American Literature. 3 Hours.
A study of the works of Native American writers of poetry, drama, fiction and nonfiction prose. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 423. Medicine & Literature. 3 Hours.
This course provides an examination of the rich literature surrounding the issues of healthcare and the medical profession. Issues of illness, health, medical science, violence, and the body are examined through literary and cultural texts. Cross-listed with HUM 240. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 424. African American Drama. 3 Hours.
Focuses on the creation of African American identity on the American stage from the early 19th century through the present. Students will read Baraka, Kennedy, Wilson, Parks, Hughes, etc. as well as engage with issues of race, literature, performance, and authorship in class discussion, written work and oral presentations. Cross-listed with THEA 424. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirements for graduation. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 425. American Theatre & Drama. 3 Hours.
The theatrical history of the United States is older than the nation itself. From Robert Hunter's satire Androboros (1714), the earliest printed American play, and Thomas Godfrey's tragedy The Prince of Parthia (1765), the first American play professionally performed on an American stage, to George Aiken's stage adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin, one of the most popular works of its period in both America and Europe, pre-twentieth century American drama is a complex and compelling topic. This class will address ideas and issues of nationhood, the frontier, American identity, race and race relations, and popular and high culture. Cross-listed with THEA 425. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 426. 19th Century American Poetry. 3 Hours.
A study of canonical and popular poets of the American nineteenth century. Students will read poems by Edgar Allen Poe, Lydia Sigourney, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Herman Melville, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Frances E.W. Harper, and Stephen Crane as well as historical essays and literary criticism. Category C.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 433. Modern Drama. 3 Hours.
A study of the work of late 19th to mid-20th centry European and American dramatists. Authors include Ibsen, Chekhov, Strindberg, Pirandello, Brecht, Beckett, O'Neill, Miller, and Williams. Cross-listed with THEA 433. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 435. Global Digital Cultures. 3 Hours.
A survey of the role of digital media in non-Western cultures, including immigrant communities within the United States. Readings and screenings will explore the use of social media in activist movements in the Middle East and North Africa, media arts in Japan and Korea, network culture in China and Africa, and changing representations of global citizenship within the United States. Cateogy D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 436. Literature & Human Rights. 3 Hours.
An introduction to literary representations of collective atrocity and human rights
campaigns - from genocide to environmental disasters. Course readings will have
a global context, spanning Poland, Rwanda, South Africa, Argentina, Sudan, Chile,
Cambodia, Dominican Republic and Sri Lanka. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 437. Selected Topics in World Literature. 3 Hours.
An introduction to world literature from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and South America. Students will read short stories and novels from major voices in world literature which may include: Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, Jorge Luis Borges, Arundhati Roy, Salman Rushdie, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The course will be structured around a specific theme and may focus on aspects such as: short stories, "southernness," visual images in literature, etc. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 438. Greek & Roman Drama. 3 Hours.
Selected Greek and Roman comedies and tragedies will be read in translation. The
course will concentrate on the thematic, philosophical, and religious aspects of ancient drama. Cross-listed with THEA 438. Category D.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 445. Sexuality in Film. 3 Hours.
What is sexuality? Is it a feeling, gender, practice, activity, behavior, orientation, or way of life? Why is sexuality so difficult to pin down, and at the same time, how has it come to signify something that is central to our sense of self? In this interdisciplinary course, we will explore theories of sexuality in relation to cinematic representations and consider how film theorists have responded to questions of gender and sexuality. This course will also serve as a broad introduction to the study of film. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 446. Screen Surveillance: Film, Television and Social Media. 3 Hours.
A study of how film, television and social media engage us in practices of seeing. Students will learn how to analyze visual texts and relate theories of spectatorship and identity to questions about surveillance (re: national security, civil liberties, privacy and social control). They will explore how the act of seeing might inform the construction of self and other, desire and power. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 447. Digital Literature. 3 Hours.
This course is a study of the literature produced within digital platforms, popularly known as ?electronic literature,? as well as an exploration of how computing technology informs contemporary modes of reading and writing. Category E.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 451. Film & Digital Media Capstone. 3 Hours.
The capstone gives students the opportunity to create research or production projects of their own design. Synthesizing the knowledge and technical skills gained in their coursework and internships, students will work with an instructor to pursue a project in film and/or digital media history, theory, or production.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 470. Independent Study. 1 to 3 Hours.
Directed independent study in an area of student interest. Projects should be approved by the instructor by midterm of the semester prior to the semester in which the work is to be undertaken. After approval of the topic, the student is expected to engage in general bibliographical study, to participate in conferences with the instructor, to report on reading, and to write papers as directed by the instructor. Only one independent study may be counted toward the major.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 471. Advanced Short Story Workshop. 3 Hours.
An advanced course in creative writing in which each student will write original short stories. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 473. Advanced Poetry Workshop. 3 Hours.
An advanced course in creative writing, culminating in the publication of poetry
chapbooks. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 474. Writing in Digital Environments. 3 Hours.
An introductory overview of rhetorical strategies for reading and composing in digital spaces (i.e. use of images, colors, shapes, sounds, fonts, and textures) to create arguments in multiple media, as well as how to recognize, analyze, and adhere to the genre conventions and technical affordances of digital environments. Students will compose content that is audience-specific, concise, and rhetorically effective, keeping in mind the particulars of interactivity and design in digital composition. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 475. Writing with Sound. 3 Hours.
This course will examine recording, editing, and distribution of sound as a form of writing. While the rhetorical effects of music will be discussed, the major assignments for the course center on the production of spoken audio essays, interviews, and podcasts. The course will read and discuss important works in the field of sound studies and offer an introduction to using open source digital audio editing tools for writing with sound. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 476. Advanced Playwriting Workshop. 3 Hours.
This film workshop will give students the tools to transform a written text or script to the screen. Students will learn how to tell a story visually, focusing specifically on the director's work with the script, the staging of actors, and the use of the camera as narrator. This course also serves as a general introduction to the elements of film language, grammar, and style. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 477. Advanced Digital Filmmaking. 3 Hours.
Students will learn how to tell a story using a camera. They will gain a greater understanding of cinematography, camerawork, blocking, storyboarding, directing actors, and editing. Throughout the semester, they will shoot, direct, and edit two 5-7 minute short films and one longer 10-15 minute short film. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 479. Advanced Screenwriting Workshop. 3 Hours.
In this course, students will master the principles of dramatic, visual storytelling. They will read original screenplays, texts about screenwriting, view narrative feature films, and write, workshop, and revise an original, feature screenplay of their own. Students may also choose to employ the screenwriting principles they?ve learned to write two original pilot episodes of a television or web series. Category F.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 480. Advanced Topics in Literature. 1 to 4 Hours.
A seminar intended for advanced-level students majoring in English. Topics vary
from year to year.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 490. Advanced Topics in Communication Studies. 1 to 4 Hours.
Selected topics in Communication Studies at the advanced level.
Prerequisite: Any 200-level ENGL course with a D or better.
ENGL 500. Honors Course. 3 Hours.
At the discretion of the faculty, students may undertake a six-hour independent course of study in the senior year in order to broaden their educational experience within their major area of study. Students must meet specific GPA standards and arrange a faculty sponsor. The honors course criteria are outlined in the Academic Honors portion of the catalog.
