Course Descriptions

ENGL Course Descriptions

• ENGL 200 THE EXPERIENCE OF LITERATURE (3)

  Teaches students how to read, understand and appreciate fiction, drama and poetry. Exploration of three major literary genres through close reading of selected works, with attention to the contexts that have shaped them. Understanding and applying literary terms and concepts to written analysis of literary works. [ENGL] [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 211 POPULAR WRITING (3)

  Explores writing that entertains, informs and persuades. The course includes advertising, journalism, public relations, blogs, political messages, Web content and other mass media. The emphasis is on contemporary writing and writers. The course considers the effects of visual as well as verbal aspects of communication. Students complete several writing assignments in selected forms and styles covered in the course. [COM] [AH]

• ENGL 215 INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING (3)

  Introduces students to the creative process and craft of writing poetry and fiction by exploring the elements and techniques of those genres. Students write and share poems and short fiction in a workshop setting. [COM] [AH]

• ENGL 250 EXPLORING LITERATURE (3)

  Readings in the literature of self-discovery, initiation and the quest for identity. Contemporary racial, religious, sexual, sociocultural and class experiences are examined with a look back to their roots in tradition. [ENGL] [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 296 TOPICS IN WRITING (3)

  Intensive exploration of topics in writing. The topic for study appears in the class schedule. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.

• ENGL 297 TOPICS IN ENGLISH (3)

  Intensive exploration of topics in literature or language. The topic for study appears in the class schedule. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. [ENGL] [AH]

• ENGL 301 INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH STUDIES (3)

  Provides a foundation for the English Major and introduces students to English studies through the exploration of fundamental questions related to reading, writing, and the interpretation of texts. Covers creative, professional, and critical writing; basic literary analysis; and cultural and historical timelines. Emphasizes development of students' critical-thinking and written and oral communication skills. Prerequisite: none. [GD]

• ENGL 311 WELLS OF THE PAST: CLASSICAL FOUNDATIONS (3)

  An intensive study of varieties of great literature organized thematically and in terms of ideas connected with periods of important historical or philosophical change. Stressed at present is the age of classical antiquity. Recommended for all students interested in a humanistic and cultural approach to literature and ideas. [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 313 WORLDS BEYOND THE WEST (3)

  An intensive study of some of the great writing from non-Western literatures. Topics may include literatures of the ancient Near East, East Asia, or Africa and its worldwide diaspora. Course may be repeated for credit when the topic changes. [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 315 THE SHORT STORY (3)

  An investigation of the various forms a short story may take and the kinds of effects writers have tried to produce. Particular attention is given to authors of the 20th century. [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 316 MODERN POETRY (3)

  A reading and discussion of 20th-century poetry. Emphasis is given to major works of those poets thought best to define the modern and its diversity of poetic response. [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 317 THE NOVEL (3)

  Historical overview of the development of the genre of the novel from the 18th to the 21st centuries. Focus on the development of narrative strategies and the role of the novel in the literary marketplace.[HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 319 TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE (3)

  Readings in global fiction, poetry, and prose. May focus on the literature of one particular region/ country or offer a broader comparative study. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes.

• ENGL 320 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE (3)

  An investigation of trends and ­individual writers of today with respect to their immediacy and possible universality. Varied emphasis on the many different forms of current poetry, drama, and prose. [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 321 ARGUMENT AND PERSUASION (3)

  For students in all disciplines who wish to develop control and confidence in critical thinking and persuasive writing. Instruction centers on the analysis and production of written arguments on issues of current interest or enduring importance that are enriched by cross-disciplinary perspectives and multiple points of view.

• ENGL 323 WRITING, EDITING AND PUBLISHING (3)

  An introduction to professional writing, editorial concepts and the publication process. Writing and editing for brochures, newsletters and magazines, with special emphasis on audience and purpose. Laboratory fee may be required.

• ENGL 324 PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING (3)

  Experience in preparing news releases and other promotional materials for print, electronic, online, and other digital media. Students will integrate writing formats, techniques, and skills to engage and motivate target audiences.

• ENGL 325 INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM (3)

  An introduction to journalistic writing and overview of trends and developments in the field. Students will learn to research, write, and present various kinds of basic news stories for traditional and digital media. Throughout the course, they will consider the civic, social, and ethical responsibilities of the profession. Prerequisite: none

• ENGL 326 WRITING FOR DIGITAL MEDIA (3)

  Informational and persuasive writing for electronic and digital media. Emphasizes the translation of information, ideas, and experience into various contemporary one-way and interactive presentational formats.

• ENGL 330 THE ART OF FILM (3)

  A study of film as an art form. Course considers film as an artifact, made in particular ways and having a certain style and structure. Emphasis is placed on the ways film represents space and time. Laboratory fee required.

• ENGL 331 POPULAR GENRES (3)

  A genre-based approach to one or more popular forms of literature, such as graphic novels, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, or chick lit. Focus on the relationships between the genre and the contexts surrounding its production. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes. Prerequisite: none. [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 332 LITERATURE AND FILM (3)

  A study of famous and infamous adaptations of literary classics, ancient and modern. The problems involved in adapting one medium of communication to another. Laboratory fee may be required.[HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 333 MEDIA GENRES (3)

  Analysis of the patterns and conventions of a specific type of media program (e.g., Western, science fiction, situation comedy), media artist (e.g., Hitchcock, Allen, Capra) or style (e.g., film noir). May be repeated for credit when the topic changes. Laboratory fee may be required. [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 336 YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE AND CULTURE (3)

  A study of literature written for adolescents or young adults. Examines differences between adolescent and adult literature, criteria for evaluating it, guidelines used by writers, and ways in which teachers incorporate it into the curriculum [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 337 GREAT PLAYS (3)

  A study of plays from major periods of world drama, with a view to showing the shaping of the ­literary movements, forms, and ­techniques of the modern theater.

• ENGL 338 MODERN DRAMA (3)

  The drama of the 20th century, with emphasis on contemporary movements and innovations. [HAT] [AH] [GD]

• ENGL 341 AMERICAN LITERATURE TO 1900 (3)

  A critical and historical study of representative 18th and 19th Century American authors and movements, including Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism.

• ENGL 344 AMERICAN LITERATURE SINCE 1900 (3)

  A critical and historical study of the ideas, structure, and themes of major American novels,drama, poetry and short stories of the 20th and 21st centuries [HAT]

• ENGL 346 THE AMERICAN DREAM (3)

  The continuing cycle of faith and doubt in the brave new world of America, with particular attention to the writers of America’s maturity. [HAT]

• ENGL 348 MULTI -ETHNIC AMERICAN LITERATURE (3)

  A survey of the diversity of the literature of the Americas, focusing on indigenous or nonwhite populations, with an emphasis on cultural traditions and exchanges. [HAT]

• ENGL 349 AMERICAN IDENTITIES: EXPLORATIONS IN THE PAST AND PRESENT (3)

  A study of problems of individual identity and social roles: racial, ethnic, and sexual. The voices of writers and poets that reflect two worlds, yet are urgently their own. [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 350 TOPICS IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE (3)

  Introduces major genres of the African American literary canon: folktale, slave narrative, activist poetry, political essay, short story, and novel. Broaches themes such as bondage, religion, racism, morality, national identity, abolitionism, and group aesthetics. Explores texts from major writers spanning the 18th through the early 20th century (Harlem Renaissance and realism of the early to mid-twentieth century). Prerequisite: none [HAT] [AH] [GD]

• ENGL 351 ANCIENCT MYTH: PARADIGMS AND TRANSFORMATIONS (3)

  An introduction to classical mythology as well as other ancient literatures and mythographies along with their later adapters and interpreters. Prerequisite: None [HAT]

• ENGL 356 LITERATURE AND LAW (3)

  This course examines the relationship between law and literature through close readings of literature dealing with the law, along with close readings of legal texts from a literary perspective. Students will read primary course materials with special attention to historical, social, and cultural contexts that have shaped them. Along the way, students will look at ways that writers employ various techniques and devices to evoke both clarity and ambiguity for different audiences and different purposes. Prerequisites: None [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 360 MAJOR AUTHORS (3)

  An in-depth study of one, two, or three authors connected by historical period, literary movement, or major themes in their work. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes. Prerequisite; none [HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 363 CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP: SCREENWRITING (3)

  Intensive writing experience for students interested in writing drama for television and film. Emphasizes characterization, dialogue and plot development as well as conventions of and script formats for television and film.

• ENGL 365 SHAKESPEARE'S INFLUENCE (3)

  Explores the works and historical context of one of the world's greatest storytellers and investigates the ways in which his legacy continues to shape the art of narrative today.[AH]

• ENGL 372 TOPICS IN WOMEN'S LITERATURE (3)

  Women’s writing and writing about women in the context of specific times and/or places. Emphasis on the literature, legends and other means (e.g., letters, journals, biographies) by which women’s voices can be heard. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes. [HAT] [AH] [GD]

• ENGL 374 AUSTEN, THE BRONTES AND WOOLF: ROOMS OF THEIR OWN (3)

  Classic, Romantic, Modern — these women brought their unique visions to life within the context of larger literary movements but created rooms of their own within which to write and live.[HAT] [AH]

• ENGL 382 CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP: POETRY (3)

  In a workshop setting, students are introduced to a wide range of poems that serve as models for their own writing. This intensive reading, writing and feedback experience helps students deepen their imaginations and develop their craft as poets.

• ENGL 383 CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP: FICTION (3)

  Introduces students to the elements of fictional craft and gives them the opportunity to write their own short stories. Students study fiction by masterful writers to learn about language and form. Writing exercises encourage risk taking and originality while generating material to be developed into stories. Students submit their story drafts to the class for discussion.

• ENGL 385 CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP: PLAYWRITING (3)

  Intensive writing experience for students interested in writing drama for the stage. Emphasizes characterization, dialogue, and plot development as well as conventions of and script formats for theatre. Lab fee may be required. Prerequisites: none.

• ENGL 386 CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP: JOURNALISM (3)

  In a workshop setting, provides an opportunity to write creative journalism and study famous journalists and journalistic writing, including analysis of the style, language and ideas of writers who have gone beyond basic reporting to break new ground. Requires a professional approach to journalistic writing.

• ENGL 387 CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP: MEMOIR (3)

  In a workshop setting, an opportunity to write memoir. Students read and study memoirs by contemporary authors to become familiar with the many possibilities available to writers working in this form. Also focuses on issues relevant to the writing of memoir, including craft and technique, memory and truth telling, and interior and exterior significance.

• ENGL 388 CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP: SPECIAL TOPICS (3)

  In a workshop setting, students are introduced to a wide range of texts within a specific genre that serve as models for their own writing. This intensive reading, writing and feedback experience helps students deepen their imaginations and develop their craft as writers. Prerequisites: none

• ENGL 390 SYNTAX,SEMANTICS AND STYLE (3)

  Fundamentals of discourse analysis, addressing both structural and lexical elements in sentence construction. Survey of contemporary grammars, error analysis, sociolinguistic theories of language behaviors, editorial issues such as linguistic sensitivity, the influence of informal on formal usage and the appropriate domain of editorial policy.

• ENGL 391 TOPICS IN LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY (3)

  A consideration of narratives in the ­information age, historical developments through which changes in linguistic ­practice manifest themselves, and information ­theory. The role of languages in the social construction of reality as well as in the ­narrower sense of specific agents of change. May be repeated for credit when topic changes.

• ENGL 392 THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (3)

  A study of the beginnings, principles, and designs of language. Competing paradigms of what language is and how it does what it does: how it communicates and conceals meaning; and how it expresses what we feel, think, represent, and construe. [AH][GD]

• ENGL 395 UNDERSTANDING NARRATIVE (3)

  A study of narrative, both verbal and visual, as a form of discourse. The course focuses on the nature of narrative, types of narrative and the role of the reader/viewer in the narrative process. In addition to reading and viewing a wide range of narrative texts, from fairy tales to modern fiction, classical myths to television commercials and popular films, students compose their own narratives to gain a deeper understanding of what stories are and why they matter to us.

• ENGL 397 LITERARY THEORY AND INTERPRETATION (3)

  An introduction to various schools of literary theory and exploration of ways in which we make sense of literary works. Emphasis is placed on the relationships between literary texts and theoretical approaches (e.g., formal, inter-textual, historical, cultural) that makes reading, as an interpretive act, a vital , rich and complex experience, and students will apply various theoretical lenses to literary texts for the purposes of analysis and interpretation. Prerequisite or co-requisite: 3 credits of literature coursework.

• ENGL 400 LITERATURE IN SOCIETY (3)

  An investigation of how literature emerges from and is shaped by the cultural and historical circumstances of specific times and places. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes.

• ENGL 401 PUBLICATION AND PERFORMANCE (3)

  A seminar involving a creative project in a particular literary form to be undertaken by each student. Emphasis on exploring the relationships of writing and publications and on developing one’s writing in specific publications contexts. Lab fee may be required.

• ENGL 402 COPY-EDITING AND DOCUMENT DESIGN (3)

  An advanced technical and professional writing seminar in which each student presents a formal proposal and a major writing project for peer review and critiques other participants’ work at all stages of the project development process.

• ENGL 407 INTERNSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL WRITING (1 - 3)

  An opportunity for students to apply skills developed through coursework while gaining practical experience in writing and/or editing within a professional setting. Grading: pass/fail. Course is eligible for a continuing studies grade. prerequisites: consent of the Program Director of English Program Internship Coordinator..

• ENGL 408 INTERNSHP IN UNIVERSITY PUBLICATIONS (1 - 3)

  The University publication as a laboratory. Practical experience in the creative process of producing newspapers, magazines and books through work on student publications and, where possible, on other publications of the University. Eligible for continuing studies grade; otherwise, grading: pass/fail. Prerequisite: consent of the Program Director or Internship Coordinator. Course may be repeated for credit. A maximum of 6 credits may be applied toward the degree.

• ENGL 421 ELIZABETHAN RENAISSANCE: IN THE GREEN WORLD (3)

  A study, through poetry and drama, of the 16th-century English Renaissance. The world that molded Shakespeare and about which Shakespeare wrote.

• ENGL 441 THE ROMANTIC IMAGINATION (3)

  A critical analysis of Romanticism and its meaning. The poetry, and some prose, is set against the background of the neoclassical and is viewed as a continuing literary force and ideal.

• ENGL 442 THE VICTORIAN PARADOX (3)

  Synthesis versus alienation. The Victorian consciousness torn by the emerging turmoil of modern society. Literature as the reflection of an age in transition.

• ENGL 450 THE GREAT MODERNS (3)

  A seminar concentrating on three to five major writers of the early 20th century considered against the critical background of Modernism. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes.

• ENGL 489 DIRECTED INDEPENDENT STUDY (1 - 3)

  Consideration and completion of a special topic or project in the study of literature or language. Each student works closely with a faculty member who helps to set goals, develop a course plan and guide progress. The project must be carefully planned and have the approval of both the instructor involved and the literature program director.

• ENGL 490 HONORS THESIS (3)

  Directed individual instruction in the writing of a scholarly, critical or research paper. Each student works closely with a faculty director who guides his/her progress. The thesis must be of honors quality and must be finally approved by both the director and a second reader, one of whom is usually the division chair. Course is eligible for a continuing studies grade. prerequisites: 3.5 GPA and/or permission of both the program director and the division chair

• ENGL 493 HONORS SEMINAR (3)

  An advanced interdisciplinary seminar that focuses on important books and issues and encourages independent thinking, clear presentation and an understanding of the concerns and methods of various disciplines. The course may be team taught; topic and instructor(s) may change from semester to semester. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. prerequisites: 3.5 GPA and permission of the Denit Honors Program director

• ENGL 494 THESIS IN LITERATURE (3 - 6)

  Directed individual instruction in an advanced project of the student’s choice; the project must be academically related to this discipline. Each student works closely with a faculty director who guides his/her progress. The project must be of honors quality and must be finally approved by both the faculty director and a second faculty member. Course is eligible for a continuing studies grade. prerequisites: 3.5 GPA and permission of both the Denit Honors Program director and the faculty director

• ENGL 497 TOPICS IN LITERATURE (3)

  Intensive exploration of topics in literature of mutual interest to students and faculty. Content varies according to the concurrent interests of faculty and students. The topic studied appears under that name in the class schedule. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. prerequisite: none unless listed in the class schedule

• ENGL 498 SEMINAR IN ENGLISH (3)

  A close examination of a major author, work, theme or period in the light of literary traditions. Emphasizes independent thought, culminating in a written project to be presented before the class. Topic may change from year to year. Prerequisite: senior status and completion of English 301. [IL] [CAP]