English Department (ENG)

College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
Department Chair: Kate Parker
433A Wimberly Hall; 608.785.8304
Email: kparker@uwlax.edu

www.uwlax.edu/english

The English Department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse prepares students as future professionals and responsible citizens through the practice and close study of literature and culture, writing and rhetoric, and the teaching of English studies.

Our interdisciplinary and integrative coursework focuses on:

  • Engaging with peers and professors in dynamic discussions
  • Developing in-demand writing skills
  • Practicing critical reading and creative thinking
  • Analyzing real-world situations
  • Promoting independent and collaborative experiences

English students explore complex problems from multiple perspectives and are proactive in developing creative, ethical solutions. The department offers opportunities for applied learning such as internships, client service projects with community organizations, and undergraduate research projects. English students engage with texts and ideas as imaginative, open-minded individuals who contribute thoughtfully and effectively to diverse communities--skills highly valued by employers.

English course share policy

English majors/English minors/English certificate

English majors who elect to take one or more of the English minors or certificate must complete the requirements for both the major and the minor(s) or certificate. Only three credits from the major may also be counted toward each minor(s) or certificate.

Multiple English minors

Students who elect to take multiple English minors must complete the requirements for all. Only three credits from one English minor may also be counted toward each additional minor.

English minors and English certificate

Students who elect to take more than one English minor and a certificate must complete the requirements for all. Only three credits from each English minor may also be counted toward a certificate. Students may not take both the minor and certificate in professional and technical writing. 

General education writing emphasis

This department incorporates a significant amount of writing through the required courses instead of identifying particular courses as writing emphasis courses. Students who complete a major in this department will fulfill the general education writing emphasis requirement.


The following is the department's faculty and staff as of the publication date of this catalog. This list will not be updated again until the next catalog is published in July.

Professor

Bradley Butterfield

Matthew Cashion

Virginia Crank

David Hart

Haixia Lan

Marie Moeller

Kate Parker

William Stobb

Kelly Sultzbach

Darci Thoune

Associate Professor

Susan Crutchfield

Kimberly DeFazio

Rebekah Fowler

Merideth Garcia

Thomas Jesse

Bryan Kopp

Stephen Mann

Lindsay Steiner

Robert Wilkie

Louise Zamparutti

Lei Zhang

Assistant Professor

Christopher McCracken

Teaching Professor

Ryan Friesen

Karen Hart

Jennifer Mohlenhoff-Baggett

Associate Teaching Professor

Sara Heaser

Luke Schaaf

Assistant Teaching Professor

Olivia Stoltman

Lecturer

Judith Becker

Meagan Madigan

Steven Petherbridge

Administrative Support

Kelly Arnost



Courses

ENG 100 Cr.3

College Writing Workshop

This course offers students additional practice in and strategies for developing writing skills in post-secondary academic contexts. Students will be reading, writing, and engaging in a variety of activities that will provide them with opportunities to practice effective writing processes, to develop flexible habits of mind, and to engage in information literacy practices. Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in ENG 110 with English Placement Test (EPT) score of 325 or below. Concurrent enrollment in ENG 110 with an EPT score between 330-350 and the Multiple Measures Placement (MMP) may be required as determined by the English department. Consent of department. Offered Fall.

+ENG 110 Cr.3

College Writing

This course in composition addresses writing as a symbolic action that writers participate in for multiple purposes, with diverse audiences, and in various genres. It emphasizes writing as a thinking process through the learning and practice of rhetorical strategies for inquiry, persuasion, and collaboration in context. (Students who qualify with a grade of "C" or better in ENG 110 will be exempt from further writing requirements in the general education skills category, but this does not exempt students from the writing emphasis course requirements. Students receiving a grade less than "C" must repeat ENG 110.) Prerequisite: English Placement Test (EPT) score. Not open for credit for students with credit in ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 112 Cr.3

College Writing AP (Advanced Placement)

This course in composition addresses writing as symbolic action that writers participate in for multiple purposes, with diverse audiences, and in various genres. It emphasizes writing as a thinking process through the learning and practice of rhetorical strategies for inquiry, persuasion, and collaboration in context. (Students will be challenged at a level appropriate to their placement. Students who qualify with a grade of "C" or better in ENG 112 will be exempt from further writing requirements in the general education skills category, but this does not exempt students from the writing emphasis course requirement. Students earning a grade lower than "C" must repeat ENG 112.) Prerequisite: English Placement Test (EPT) score and a score of 3 or 4 on the AP Placement Tests (Rhetoric/Writing or Literature). Not open for credit for students with credit in ENG 110. Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 200 Cr.3

Literature and Human Experience

Intensive study of selected literary texts, with emphasis on various ways of reading, studying, and appreciating literature as an aesthetic, emotional, and cultural experience. Content varies with instructor. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 201 Cr.3

American Literature before 1865

An exploration of American literature from early times to the late nineteenth century; including such authors as Bradstreet, Franklin, Hawthorne, Poe, Melville, and Dickinson. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 202 Cr.3

American Literature after 1865

An exploration of American literature from the late nineteenth century to the present; including such authors as Twain, Freeman, James, Chopin, Frost, Hemingway, Faulkner, Wright, and Bellow. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 203 Cr.3

British Literature before 1800

Encounters with major works of English literature from the medieval period through the eighteenth century, including fiction, drama, essays, and poetry. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 204 Cr.3

British Literature after 1800

Encounters with major works of English literature of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including fiction, drama, essays, and poetry. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 205 Cr.3

Western Literature before 1700

An examination of the expression and development of the ideas and values of Western Civilization in time-honored works of literature ranging from Biblical times, through the Greek and Roman eras, to the European Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 206 Cr.3

Western Literature after 1700

An examination of the conflicting ideas and values of Western Civilization as expressed in the literature of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries; with special attention to the literary and cultural impact of science and modern philosophy and the roots and identity of the modern age. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG/RGS 207 Cr.3

Multicultural Literature of the United States

This course examines cultural themes in American literature in an effort to enhance student awareness of the multi-ethnic nature of American culture. Students engage in close reading, discussion, analysis, and interpretation of texts written by individuals from a variety of American ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. (Cross-listed with ENG/RGS; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 208 Cr.3

International Studies in Literature

A study of representative authors from selected regions and ages of the world, ranging from such non-Western traditions as the Indic, Arabic, African, Chinese, and Japanese to such Western traditions as the Icelandic, Scandinavian, Australian, Russian, and South American. Content and focus vary with instructors. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. Offered Occasionally.

+ENG/RGS 210 Cr.3

Literature of Black America

Survey and exploration of Black American prose and poetry from their eighteenth century beginnings to the end of the Harlem Renaissance and the depression years. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. (Cross-listed with ENG/RGS; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 212 Cr.3

Search for Economic Justice

Using humanistic and social scientific approaches, students will explore movements for economic empowerment as a critical dimension of justice in the increasingly global world. Through a mixture of face-to-face, online, and experiential methods, students will examine connections between the individual and larger systems and between the local and the global. They will critically analyze economic and political structures and movements as they pertain to gender, race, ethnicity, and class. The course will be informed by the perspectives of English, economics, political science, philosophy, anthropology, and women's, gender and sexuality studies. Students may only earn credit in one of the following: ANT 212, ECO 212, ENG 212, PHL 212, POL 212. Offered Occasionally.

+ENG/ERS 215 Cr.3

African American Authors

A study of the principal post-depression (1940 to present) African American authors, critics, and scholars which clarifies the relationship between these writers and the general field of American literature and which illustrates their unique contributions as representatives of African American culture. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. (Cross-listed with ENG/ERS; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Fall, Spring.

+ENG 220 Cr.3

Women and Popular Culture

Fundamentals of cultural studies, with a focus on analyzing representations of women in modern American popular culture and their historical reception. Primary texts from media such as film, television, advertising, and popular fiction will be studied for how they communicate cultural values regarding women and femininity. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112 or concurrent enrollment in ENG 112. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 299 Cr.1

Writing Tutor Practicum

This course is designed to offer training and supervision for Writing Center tutors. The course will include an overview of writing center history and theory, an overview of writing process theory, and examination of best practices for tutoring various client populations. Students will develop a reflective tutoring practice based on readings and course discussions. The course must be taken during the student's first semester of employment in the Writing Center. Failure to complete the course will result in termination of employment in the Writing Center. Students who repeat the course will engage more deeply with the content. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Consent of instructor. Pass/Fail grading. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 300 Cr.3

Introduction to English Studies

English departments have been home to some of the most important debates around language, writing, and identity. This course explores the dynamic nature of English studies and the contemporary relevance of the field by pursuing some of the following questions: What is English studies? How do we account for disciplinary change over time? How do the various fields in English studies create knowledge? How does English studies prepare students to be thinkers, professionals, and global citizens? Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 301 Cr.3

Foundations for Literary and Cultural Studies

This course is an introduction to foundational knowledge and skills for the advanced study of literature and culture. The course fosters understanding of the importance of historical and intellectual contexts for literary and cultural studies and an appreciation for diverse literary genres and forms of cultural expression. Facility for critical work with literary and cultural texts is developed through expanding students' knowledge of basic literary terminology and acquainting them with various cultural theories. Students also gain practice conducting close textual analyses and researching and writing about literary and cultural texts. Focus may vary by instructor. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 302 Cr.3

Intermediate Topics in Literature

An intermediate course exploring selected topics in literature in relation to various historical or cultural contexts. Topics vary according to the interests of students and the instructor. Sample topics include: Horror Literature and Film; Classical Greek Drama and Culture; the Bible and/as Literature: Literature and Existentialism: Blues, Jazz, and Literature. Open to all students. Consult English Department for application to major or minor. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. Only three credits may be applied to an English major or minor. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Fall.

ENG 303 Cr.3

Special Topics in Writing and Rhetoric Studies

An intermediate topics course engaging disciplinary conversations in writing and rhetoric studies. Topics vary by instructor. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 304 Cr.3

Writing in the Arts and Humanities

An advanced writing course designed especially for students majoring in the arts and humanities. The course will focus on the types of inquiry and discourse appropriate to these disciplines. Students will be instructed in the rhetorical strategies of invention (that is, discovering content and establishing lines of reasoning, analyzing audience, and determining the writer's purpose and persona), arrangement and style. Not open for credit in the English education major or minors except for credit in the professional writing minor. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; sophomore standing. Offered Annually.

ENG 305 Cr.3

Creative Writing

An advanced course which emphasizes the writing of poetry, short fiction, and analytical-evaluative writing about each of these genres. The course is taught by a practicing and published fiction writer or poet and is intended as the basic course in the creative writing English minor. It is also for those students interested in writing short fiction and/or poems. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 306 Cr.3

Writing in Education

An advanced writing course open to students who intend to become teachers in any field. This course helps students achieve several goals: understanding and practicing the several steps of the writing process and the various types of writing; exploring the ways in which writing can be a method of learning; strengthening composition skills; developing a "theory of composition" (a set of principles) which will serve students well both as writers and as teachers of writing. Not open for credit in the creative writing minor. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; sophomore standing. Offered Fall.

ENG 307 Cr.3

Writing for Management, Public Relations and the Professions

An advanced writing course designed to introduce students to theories and practices of workplace writing through genres such as personal brand statements, application materials, correspondence, memos, proposals, reports, press releases, and others. Students will work independently, collaboratively, and ethically to address the needs of internal and external audiences. Through this work, students will also learn project management strategies and be able to respond successfully to rapidly-changing workplace contexts and stakeholders. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; sophomore standing. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 308 Cr.3

Technical Writing

An advanced writing course designed to introduce students to theories and practices of writing and designing technical information using various media and technology (i.e. digital, print, audio, video, etc.), through such genres as infographics, podcasts, white papers, technical instructions, documentation, and others. Students will work independently and collaboratively to address the needs of diverse users by ethically and accessibly communicating technical information. Through this work, students will also learn project management strategies and be able to respond successfully to rapidly-changing contexts. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; sophomore standing. Offered Annually.

ENG 309 Cr.3

Writing in the Sciences

An advanced writing course for students in the sciences. The course will focus both on the role writing plays in the conduct of scientific work and on the rhetorical and stylistic conventions of the various scientific disciplines: in short, on the relationship between writing and scientific knowledge. Taught through an inquiry process, students will be led to develop their composition skills and understanding as they discover the procedures and conventions of their individual disciplines. Not open for credit in the English education major or minors except for credit in the professional writing minor. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; sophomore standing. Offered Annually.

ENG 310 Cr.3

Digital Content Writing, Strategy, and Experience Design

This course is designed to develop rhetorical knowledge of and practice in digital content strategy, written content creation, and user experience design for professional organizations across multiple platforms, including websites, social media, blogs, and other professional digital spaces. Students will develop skills in content strategy and user experience/user interface design for professional digital ecologies/networks, including those within mobile and desktop interfaces. The course will also introduce students to tracking and measuring data analytics, integrating search engine optimization, and developing content strategies to optimize professional and technical writing across digital platforms and situations. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; sophomore standing. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 311 Cr.3

Critical Theory

Students in this course will study various major theoretical schools and begin to develop their conceptual literacy in approaching literary and other cultural texts (for example, creative and other modes of writing, public discourses, aesthetic and/or social movements, images, film, and other media). The course will facilitate students' dynamic participation in the unfolding conversations and debates about texts and culture. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 312 Cr.3

Literature, Medicine, and Culture

This course introduces students to key concepts and theories in the study of medicine and culture with a focus on careful analysis of literary and cultural texts from multiple periods and genres. Guided practice in reading and writing will deepen students' ability to recognize, interpret, and understand how diverse human experiences relating to health, illness, ability, care, and cure are culturally situated and engage multiple intersecting personal, social, and/or professional values. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Annually.

ENG 313 Cr.3

Writing, Genre, and Style

This course invites students to interrogate their own use and understanding of style while also introducing them to key stylistic concepts such as the use of emphasis, coherence, clarity, conciseness, balance, and rhythm. Students will practice these concepts in their own writing and the writing of others via the use of rhetorical tropes and figures and within the framework of rhetorical genre studies. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 314 Cr.3

Grant Writing

This course provides students with an opportunity to develop knowledge of theories and practice in philanthropic grant writing. Students will work in teams to help clients fundraise for social change, investigating political, social, and cultural aspects and practices of grant writing within the context of local organizations. Students will develop skills in identifying sources of grant funding, engage in various research methods, analyze stakeholder needs, and learn to rhetorically respond to requests for proposals. The course will also explore grant-related writing genres and conventions such as planning documents, needs assessments, letters of inquiry, project descriptions, and requests for proposals. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Fall.

ENG 315 Cr.3

Rhetoric, Health, and Medicine

How do scientific communities achieve consensus about medical knowledge? And how does that medical knowledge make its way into peoples' daily lives? Given the overwhelming amount of contradictory information about what it means to be healthy, how can people make informed decisions about their healthcare? Given the complexity of medical knowledge, how can people acquire medical literacies? Who counts as a medical expert? This course explores rhetorical strategies that medical researchers and practitioners, patients, and advocates use to make healthcare-related decisions. Through careful analysis of technical writing (such as experimental articles and research reviews) and popular media (such as newspaper articles, television programs, blogs, and social media posts), students will approach health and medicine as socially constructed enterprises, which are profoundly mediated through language and other symbolic systems. Through guided research and practice composing in various genres, students will develop strategies for ethically contributing to technical and public debates about health and medicine. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Annually.

ENG 317 Cr.3

Writing for Stage and Screen

Students in this course achieve a broad introduction to the art and craft of writing screen and stage plays. Course readings will include models in each genre and exercises designed to stimulate creative processes. Critical assignments will challenge students to recognize and articulate principles of stage and screen drama. Creative assignments will challenge students to create their own original works in each genre. Each student will provide a script for review by the full class in a workshop setting, and the course will provide opportunities for staging, video production, or dramatic reading of students' works. Prerequisite: ENG 200-level course. Offered Every Third Semester.

ENG 318 Cr.3

Journalism and New Media

This course introduces students to the histories and practices of journalism and new media. Students can expect to examine such issues as the rise of modern journalism, the transition to digital media, ethics and free speech issues, the globalization of news, as well as writing genres particular to different platforms. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Annually.

ENG 320 Cr.3

Literary Journal Production

This is a workshop-style course in which students assemble and publish Steam Ticket, a nationally-distributed literary journal that attracts submissions from international authors and artists. Each student serves in positions such as Fiction Editor, Poetry Editor, Copy Editor, Managing Editor, Social Media Strategist, Staff Photographer, etc. Students gain real-world experience in publishing, titles to include on resumes, and exposure to contemporary trends in literature. Emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary and multicultural content and participation. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. Only three credits may be applied toward any individual major or minor. Prerequisite: 300 level writing course. Offered Spring.

ENG 325 Cr.3

Multimedia News Writing and Editing

This class offers study and practice in news gathering and writing. Through mostly hands-on training in news reporting, writing, and editing, students will learn both traditional journalism skills and multimedia production, such as videography and photography. Students will produce news stories for a multi-platform news online production, which may include a website, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and a YouTube channel. Stories will be assigned, reported, written, published online (when publishable) and shared on social media. All platforms are open to the public. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Annually.

ENG 326 Cr.3

Feature and Specialized Writing

Writing feature articles for newspapers and magazines; includes study of genre and practice with information gathering, interviewing, and composing and editing techniques. Application of reporting and writing techniques to specialized areas of news, such as editorials, reviews, sports, science and business; includes critical and interpretive writing. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Annually.

ENG 327 Cr.3

Publishing in a Digital Age

Practice in and critical examination of publication design, including research, writing, editing, layout, design, theory, software, and digital imagery. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Fall.

ENG 330 Cr.3

History of the English Language

A survey of the historical development of English language structure and usage in the Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Modern English periods. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Fall.

ENG 331 Cr.3

Introduction to Linguistics: Sounds and Words

This course is an introduction to linguistics focused on articulatory phonetics, phonology, and morphology. Some attention is given to language acquisition and language variation at the levels of phonology, morphology, and the lexicon. During lab students practice phonetic transcription, morphological analysis, morphophonological analysis, phonological analysis, phonemic analysis, and distinctive feature analysis. Lect. 2, Lab 2. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; students cannot earn credit in both ENG 331 and TSL 340. Offered Fall.

ENG 332 Cr.3

Introduction to Linguistics: Phrases and Sentences

An introduction to linguistics focused on syntax and compositional semantics. Some attention is given to language acquisition and language variation at the level of syntax. Development of skills for analyzing and describing the syntax of any human language; however, English will be the primary language of analysis. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Spring.

ENG 333 Cr.3

Introduction to Writing and Rhetoric Studies

An introductory course which presents theories of composition and rhetoric, emphasizing both conceptual knowledge and practical skills. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; at least sophomore standing. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 334 Cr.3

Language Study for Teachers

Designed for pre-service teachers, this course is intended to provide a theoretical base for structuring effective language education, for teaching writing and other language activities, and for understanding linguistic diversity. It will cover issues basic to understanding how language acquisition is a developmental process and how language functions in thinking, learning, and social interaction. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 335 Cr.3

Introduction to Professional and Technical Writing

This course is designed as an introductory course for students who are interested in writing in professional settings. The course will include an introduction to various field definitions of professional and technical writing, an overview of professional and technical writing history and theory, provide space to study key concepts that are currently relevant in the field, and apply these histories and concepts to concrete documents that constitute study in the field of professional and technical writing. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; sophomore standing. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 336 Cr.3

Varieties of English

In-depth study of a variety of English (e.g., African American English, Old English, Chicano English) or a varietal theme (e.g., English-based creoles, regional varieties of American English, World Englishes). Variety/theme will vary according to the instructor. For current content, consult the instructor or the English Department. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Spring.

ENG 337 Cr.3

The Rhetorics of Style

A rhetorical study of different views of style, this course focuses on how to write clearly and effectively. Systematically, students learn and practice strategies that are both stable and dynamic relative to the basic structures of sentences, paragraphs, and documents and participatory in the unfolding of human inquiry. By using a historical approach, the course also guides students in practicing the strategies by reflecting and writing on topics such as grammar and style, the politics of style, and the ethics of style. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 339 Cr.3

Topics in Linguistics

Study of linguistics topics of special interest. Topics reflect the research interests of instructors and new developments in the discipline. For current content, consult the instructor or the English Department. Repeatable for credit - maximum nine. Only three credits may be applied to an individual English major or minor, including linguistics. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 341 Cr.3

Pedagogical Approaches to Young Adult Literature

This course focuses on pedagogical approaches to using young adult (YA) literature as a tool for understanding adolescent experiences in the Secondary English classroom. It is designed for teacher candidates who want to learn how to integrate YA literature into their future classrooms. Students will read a variety of texts in multiple genres, exploring the breadth and richness of YA literature in terms of form, style, and cultural diversity. Students will learn the intricacies of text selection and strategies for facilitating discussions. They will also learn how to incorporate technology to encourage higher-order thinking, how to align curriculum to the Common Core Standards, and how to use YA literature strategically within a traditional curriculum that favors canonical texts. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Annually.

ENG 342 Cr.3

The Essay

The development of the essay form and extensive reading of contemporary examples. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 343 Cr.3

Creative Nonfiction

An advanced course which emphasizes the personal essay, memoir, and other forms that blur the distinction between fiction and factual writing. While creative nonfiction may be informative, it may also be personal and lyrical. Students will study voice, prose style, and techniques of structuring content. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Every Third Semester.

ENG 344 Cr.3

The Novel

A course focusing on the history and development of the novel, from its putative origins in 18th-century England to its postmodern realizations on the world literature scene. Various theoretical explanations of the novel's forms and social functions will be examined. The course will foster an understanding of the way narrative discourse functions as a mode of rhetoric, capable of persuading individual readers and even influencing historical trends. The course will also address the variety of formal approaches within the genre, from epistolary, historical and Gothic novels to novels of manners, novels of social protest, and psychological and stream-of consciousness novels. Individual instructors may select examples from both the "high" and "low" forms of the genre, and may include English translations of foreign works. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Every Third Semester.

ENG 348 Cr.3

Studies in Film and Literature

This course is an introduction to the study of film and film criticism with some attention to the history of the medium and its relation to literary genres. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Annually.

ENG 349 Cr.3

Drama

An introduction to dramatic literature of the world. This course prepares the student to understand the elements of dramatic writing and staging of plays. Dramatic works will be selected from a variety of countries and historical periods to provide an overview of this genre, as well as the foundations needed for future study. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Annually.

ENG 351 Cr.1

Workshop in Classroom Management

This workshop provides an opportunity to discuss and further develop teacher candidates' critical thinking regarding issues of English Language Arts instruction for grades 4-12. Students in this course develop their reflective teaching practice, focusing on issues of professionalism, classroom management, and conflict resolution. Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in ENG 355; admission to teacher education. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 355 Cr.4

Field I Experience: English in the Middle Grades

This course is designed to equip teacher candidates to understand theoretical and research-based foundations of middle grades ELA classroom instruction. Using young adult literature as a tool for understanding adolescent experiences and literacy development, teacher candidates will learn the intricacies of text selection and strategies for facilitating discussions and supporting adolescents in developing presentation strategies. They will also learn how to incorporate technology to encourage higher-order thinking, how to align curriculum to instructional standards, and how to use middle grades literature strategically within a traditional curriculum. Through an integrated field experience at a local middle school, candidates will learn about the complex processes of planning discipline-specific literacy instruction, engaging students in learning, and assessing student learning. Candidates will further develop understanding and practices related to the topics of academic language, disciplinary literacy, teacher performance assessment, text complexity, and conflict resolution. A multi-day, consistent schedule in the field experience classroom will be established by the course instructor in consultation with the teacher candidate and cooperating teacher. Prerequisites: ENG 110 or ENG 112; at least one 200-level English course; concurrent enrollment in ENG 351; admission to teacher education. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 356 Cr.3

European Literature in Translation

A course focusing on classics of European literature. Individual instructors devise their own reading lists according to their own historical or thematic approaches, but most, if not all, of the readings will be translations from European languages other than English. This course aims to give students an understanding of various genres and traditions in European literature and to facilitate an enhancement of students' critical and communicative skills. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Every Third Semester.

ENG 357 Cr.3

World Literature

A course designed to provide diversity education by studying world literatures from different regions and historical periods, ranging from ancient to modern Middle East, Africa, Asia, South Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Focus and content will vary with instructor. However, each instructor will cover at least two distinct world traditions. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Annually.

ENG 361 Cr.3

Old and Middle English Literature

An introduction to the study of Old and Middle English literature with attention to the development of genres and styles which shaped early English literary traditions. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Annually.

ENG 362 Cr.3

English Renaissance

Study of the major writers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in England. Emphasis on Spenser, Sidney, Jonson, Marlowe, Herrick, Herbert, Donne and others. Shakespeare's non-dramatic work also will be included in the study of this period. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Every Third Semester.

ENG 363 Cr.3

Shakespeare I

Close study of several principal plays, chiefly from the early and middle parts of Shakespeare's career. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 364 Cr.3

Shakespeare II

Close study of principal plays, chiefly plays coming after "Hamlet. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 366 Cr.3

Restoration and 18th Century British Literature

Study of the principal works of the period 1660-1800, with emphasis on Dryden, Swift, Defoe, Pope, Fielding, Johnson, and Boswell. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Every Third Semester.

ENG 367 Cr.3

19th Century British Literature

Study of the finest poetry, fiction, drama and essays of the Romantic and Victorian periods of British literature, 1798-1901, with attention to the social, philosophical, and literary movements that engendered them. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Annually.

ENG 368 Cr.3

British Literature After 1900

A foundational course in the literature of the British Isles in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The course focuses on major British writers and literary developments, with emphasis on the ways this literature reflects changing British cultural identity and maintains continuity with the literary heritage out of which it develops. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Annually.

ENG 370 Cr.3

Early American Literature

Study of selected authors and works by and about the geographical region of North America which becomes the United States and bordering countries. Development of a literary audience and tradition with roots in, but separating from, English literature. Emphasis upon literature written in English, with selected works from Native traditions and colonists other than English. Most readings pre-date the US Revolution. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Fall.

ENG 371 Cr.3

Nineteenth Century American Literature

A foundational study of important writers, movements, and themes in 19th century American literature. American Romanticism, the cultural forces surrounding the Civil War era, industrialization, immigration, the rise of urban culture, expansion West, and other similar contexts may be developed to explore the literary styles and genres of the developing American literary sensibility. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Spring.

ENG 372 Cr.3

American Literature After 1900

This course provides an introduction to some of the major 20th century writers and literary movements in the United States, in historical and cultural contexts. Historical currents and cultural movements will be primary emphases in text selection in order to familiarize students with literary developments such as Modernism and Post-modernism. Readings will be selected from major genres, including poetry, fiction, drama, and autobiography. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Spring.

ENG 375 Cr.3

Writing Research

How do writers and researchers build knowledge in the field of writing and rhetoric studies? This course provides an overview of the research methods and genres used in writing and rhetoric studies, ranging from theoretical and historical approaches to qualitative and quantitative research designs. Methods such as ethnography, case study, discourse analysis, place-based research, and mixed methods will be discussed. Students will critique examples of published studies as they develop their own scholarly or creative projects, which will involve the identification of a research question or gap in the field, a review of the literature, a selection of appropriate methodologies, and preliminary research. By the end of the semester, students will complete a prospectus that they will develop in the English capstone course. Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 380 Cr.3

Literature of American Ethnic and Minority Cultures

Study of selected works representative of American ethnic and minority cultures, including American Indian, Chicano, and Jewish. Emphasis will vary according to the interests of students and the instructor. For the current content, consult the instructor or the department chairperson. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 382 Cr.3

Latino Literature in English

Study of representative works in original English or translation by writers of Mexican American, Cuban American, Puerto Rican, and other Latino or Latin American origins, emphasizing the aesthetic dimensions of this literature as well as its historical roots and contemporary cultural contexts. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 385 Cr.3

Women Authors

This course examines how women's literature reflects the causes and nature of women's places in society and their creation of alternative visions and strategies, with a focus on women's negotiation of established traditions of authorship. Primary readings will span literary periods and genres. Authors may include Sappho, Marie de France, Katherine Phillips, Mary Astell, Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley, Charlotte Bronte, Phyllis Wheatley, Lillian Hellman, Djuna Barnes, George Eliot, Virginia Woolf, Angela Carter, Joyce Carol Oats, Toni Morrison, Zadie Smith. Prerequisites: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Every Third Semester.

ENG 387 Cr.3

Literature and Environmental Action

A study of literature of many genres written by nature and environmentalist writers, both traditional and contemporary, all serving as models for students' essays and projects. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Alternate Years.

ENG 403 Cr.1-3

Individual Projects

Directed individual studies under the supervision of a department faculty member. Repeatable for credit - maximum three. Prerequisite: 12 credits and excellent grades in English courses. Consent of instructor. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 411 Cr.3

Capstone in English Education

The purpose of this capstone course is to engage with contemporary ELA research in order to ground our conversations about everyday teaching practices in wider theoretical frameworks. The course builds on prior coursework and a concurrent field experience to build connections between classroom practice and English education theories that support culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse learners. It is also designed to acquaint teacher candidates with the variety of English-related courses they might be called on to teach (speech, creative writing, journalism, etc.). Finally, this course supports students in completing the performance assessment portfolio required for certification. Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in ENG 355 or ENG 455; admission to teacher education. Offered Spring.

ENG 412 Cr.3

Capstone in English for Medical Professions

This is a required course for English majors in the medical professions emphasis. Readings in the medical humanities with a capstone project and a concurrent internship/service learning experience are required. Projects are expected to build on topics from 300/400 level required or elective coursework in the major, including "Literature and Compassion," "Narrative Medicine and Bioethics," "The Story of Death and Dying," "Representations of Disability in Literature and Culture," and other related topics. Prerequisite: senior standing. Consent of department. Offered Spring.

ENG 413 Cr.3

Capstone Research Project

This course will give students an opportunity to conduct and present an intensive scholarly or creative project of their own design that engages with current conversations and trends in English studies. Students will develop their projects from previous coursework, workshop their projects throughout the semester, explore academic and non-academic venues for publishing and circulating their work, and/or ultimately present that work as part of a capstone research symposium. Prerequisite: ENG 375 (English: writing and rhetoric majors) or instructor consent (English: literature majors); senior standing. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 416 Cr.3

Seminar in Advanced Fiction Writing

The writing of fiction under the guidance of an experienced fiction writer. Classes will operate on the workshop model, with as many individual conferences between students and teacher as possible. The class will also include information about literary magazines, ideas about publishing, and visits from other fiction writers. Prerequisite: ENG 305. Offered Alternate Years.

ENG 417 Cr.3

The Writer's Studio

This course is an advanced seminar in creative writing taught by an experienced author. Emphasis on the creative process, from idea generation through composition, revision, and submission for literary publication. Readings in multiple creative genres, artistic processes, and professional development. Students will workshop original works in fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and/or scripts. When possible, students will meet published authors from local, regional, national or international writing communities. Prerequisite: ENG 305. Offered Alternate Years.

ENG 433 Cr.3

Introduction to Teaching Writing

Introduces students to histories, theories, and practices that will enable them to make effective choices as teachers of writing. Areas of study include a brief history of writing instruction in US schools, including an overview of influential theories; the development and implementation of writing assignments; and theories and best practices for responding to student writing. Students engage these issues both as writers and as future teachers. This specific preparation to teach writing builds on students' disciplinary knowledge and more general courses in education theory and practice. Prerequisite: at least two (2) English courses at the 300- or 400-level completed or concurrent enrollment. Offered Every Third Semester.

ENG 434 Cr.3

Chinese Discourse

This course compares and contrasts discourse in China to that in the West. It examines the culturally similar and crucially different ways of creating, elaborating, and presenting the writer's ideas. Introducing the students to a culture at once similar to and different from their own, the course activates the students' implicit knowledge of their own cultural/discursive heritages and supplements that knowledge when necessary. Readings for this class include ancient and modern Chinese philosophical essays, literary works, and writings on both Chinese calligraphy and paintings in relation to Chinese thinking. All texts used are in English. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Alternate Years.

ENG 446 Cr.3

Forms of Fiction

An investigation of traditional and contemporary narrative forms and some problems involved in writing within them. Students will be invited to write fictions of various kinds and find solutions to specific writing problems. Each student will present a seminar paper on aspects of narrative form in the work of a representative writer. Prerequisite: ENG 305. Offered Alternate Years.

ENG 449 Cr.3

Form and Genre in Creative Writing

This course is an advanced study of traditional and contemporary concepts of form and genre in creative writing, led by a professor who is an experienced author and also an informed scholar of forms and genres. Areas explored include forms of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and hybrid forms. Students will read and discuss challenging creative and critical texts, and write creative works and/or critical essays that reflect their new understandings of formal and generic concepts. Prerequisite: ENG 305. Offered Alternate Years.

ENG 450 Cr.2-6

English Internship

An internship of the English Department to offer its majors and minors opportunities to learn, on the job, how to apply language skills acquired from course work. Students can select jobs or field experiences related to writing and communication skills. These experiences could be with government agencies, business firms, and industry or community agencies locally or throughout the U.S. While many internships are remunerative, not all are necessarily so. Only jobs and experiences approved by an adviser in the English Department and the department chairperson are acceptable for credit. Students interning will be expected to make regular reports to their English adviser and to comply with any course arrangements that the adviser should deem suitable. Applies only to rhetoric/writing emphasis of the English major and to the professional writing minor. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. Prerequisite: junior standing; consent of adviser; a cumulative GPA of 2.50 required. Consent of instructor. Pass/Fail grading. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 451 Cr.1

Workshop in Curriculum & Assessment

This workshop provides an opportunity to discuss and further develop teacher candidates' critical thinking regarding issues of English Language Arts curriculum and assessment for grades 4-12. Students in this course develop their reflective teaching practice, focusing on techniques for differentiated instruction and assessment that promote inclusive learning environments. Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in ENG 455; admission to teacher education. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 452 Cr.3

Professional and Technical Writing Practicum

This course is designed as a capstone practicum for the professional and technical writing minor. Students will participate in an internship (practicum) and in weekly online activities. In addition to offering professional, organizationally-situated workplace writing experience, this course will cover issues of professionalism in writing for an organization. Students will regularly report to a professional supervisor who will delegate work and conduct performance reviews. Students will discuss their experiences as they engage in reflective practice as professionals. The course will end with the completion of a web-based professional portfolio. Students are required to meet with a professional and technical writing advisor prior to applying for internship opportunities. Students will need to spend 7-10 hours a week on work for their internship (approximately 105-150 hours over the semester). Prerequisite: ENG 110 or ENG 112; junior standing. Consent of instructor. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 455 Cr.4

Field II Experience: Teaching and Learning English in the Secondary Classroom

This course focuses on critical pedagogical approaches to canonical literature in the high school English classroom. It is designed for teacher candidates who want to learn how to teach commonly-taught texts in ways that include the perspectives of women, people of color, and indigenous and/or linguistically diverse populations. Students will explore methods for teaching poetry, fiction, drama, non-fiction, and short stories by reading with and against commonly used sources. Students will learn how to weave multiple perspectives and voices into their unit planning through mindful text selection, discussion planning, technology integration, and assessment design. This course will be integrated with a field experience. In the context of a real classroom, teacher candidates will learn how to plan for and assess student learning in English. With a focus on content knowledge, teacher candidates will plan a variety of meaningful learning experiences, assess student learning, and monitor and modify instruction to best support the individual learners in the classroom. The teacher candidate will design, enact, and assess activities that advance student understanding to more complex levels. Teacher candidates will gain experience in monitoring the obstacles and barriers that some students or groups of students face in school; candidates will learn how to design learning experiences to support all learners. A multi-day, consistent schedule in the field experience classroom will be established by the course instructor in consultation with the teacher candidate and cooperating teacher. Prerequisite: ENG 355; concurrent enrollment in ENG 451; admission to the teacher education. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring.

ENG 462 Cr.3

Seminar in British Literature

A seminar in British literature which involves advanced study of major British authors, works, genres and sub-genres, techniques and styles. The seminar may explore a particular literary/aesthetic development or idea, trace its roots in the past and examine its relevance to the present. With a change in emphasis, the seminar may center on several major movements and representative authors across time studied in light of historical contexts and/or from the analytic and aesthetic perspectives provided by contemporary developments in literary and critical theory. Students in the seminar are expected to engage in independent reading and research. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. No more than three credits may be applied to an English major or minor. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 470 Cr.3

Seminar in American Literature

A seminar in American literature, chosen from 17th century to the present, including American colonial culture and not strictly bounded by the borders of present-day United States; advanced study of author(s), works, genres and sub-genres, techniques and styles, theme or setting, and more. With change in emphasis and instructor, the seminar could present an historical development or an intense focus on a particular subject. Students are expected to engage in extensive independent reading and research, as well as presentation of research findings to class and moderating further discussion. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. No more than three credits may be applied to an English major or minor. Prerequisite: three credits in 200 level English courses. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 481 Cr.3

Seminar in Literature and Culture

Advanced study of literature within a focused cultural context. Emphases might include literatures of particular ethnic cultures; transnational or regional literatures; literatures of identity; and cultural studies approaches to other literary topics. Focus will vary with instructor. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. No more than three credits may be applied to an English major or minor. Prerequisite: three credits in a 200-level English literature course. Offered Occasionally.

ENG 497 Cr.3

Seminar in Writing and Rhetoric Studies

A seminar for advanced study in composition and rhetoric. Topics will vary according to the instructor. For the current content, consult instructor or department chair. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. No more than three credits may be applied to an English major or minor. Prerequisite: ENG 333; junior standing. Offered Fall, Spring.