ENGLISH (ENGL)
College of Arts and Sciences, Department of English
John Roach Center for the Liberal Arts (JRC) 333, (651) 962-5600
Easley (chair), An, Batt, Bouwman, Callaway, Chowdhury, Craft-Fairchild, Herrera, James, Larson, Lawrence, Li, MacKenzie, Miller, Muse, Pane, Sanchez, Scheurer, Tankersley, Wilkinson, Zebuhr
In the English program at St. Thomas, students find joy in studying literature and writing while honing their skills as critical and creative thinkers. They work will top-notch faculty who are master teachers and engaged scholars. Mentoring students is the keystone of our department.
Our graduates have excellent job placement rates in the fields of editing, publishing, marketing, business, and communication. Their success reflects broader trends in the labor market. In fact, graduates with bachelor's degrees in English earn salaries comparable to several other majors, including business management and public policy (US Census, 2018 American Community Survey). At St. Thomas, English majors have opportunities to gain practical experience through tutoring, participating in internships, engaging in collaborative research with faculty, and editing our literary magazine, the Summit Avenue Review. Our students have high rates of acceptance into law school and other graduate programs.
We offer undergraduate specializations in Creative Writing, Literature & Writing, Professional Writing, and English Education, as well as minors in English and Narrative Medicine. Students can also apply for admission to our accelerated BA/MA Program, which enables them to receive both degrees in five years. A major, co-major, or minor in English signals to employers that graduates have advanced communication skills and can solve problems creatively. These are exactly the skills that are most prized by employers in the modern workplace (National Association of Colleges and Employers, Job Outlook Survey, 2023).
The Department of English offers four concentrations.
- The Major in English with a Literature and Writing Emphasis provides students with broad exposure to literature in historical contexts, within and across national traditions and theoretical frameworks, and in relation to other intellectual and artistic disciplines, along with writing for scholarly and professional purposes in both traditional and digital forms.
- The Major in English with a Creative Writing Emphasis gives students a foundation of study in literary history and genre along with a sequence of writing courses focused on poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and other creative writing genres in both traditional and digital forms.
- The Major in English with a Professional Writing Emphasis gives students a foundation of study in rhetorical concepts and the ethics, methods, and genres of professional writing. They gain instruction and practice in writing in a wide range of genres and media, and for purposes and audiences within organizational settings such as nonprofits, for-profits, government, and grassroots organizations.
- The Major in English with a Secondary Education Emphasis (5-12) prepares students for teaching middle and secondary school through coursework in literature, linguistics, writing, and writing pedagogy. This major also requires additional coursework from the Department of Teacher Education and the Department of Communication Studies. Successful completion of these requirements will lead to eligibility for a 5-12 Communication Arts and Literature license in the state of Minnesota.
In addition to its four major concentrations, the department also offers 16-credit minors in (1) English and (2) Narrative Medicine.
The four major concentration areas consist of 44 credits each, including the core curriculum English course. The department offers courses for non-majors to fulfill various core areas, including Integrations in the Humanities; Global Perspectives; Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice; and Signature Work.
English majors and minors are encouraged to study abroad. Specific courses taken abroad may substitute for St. Thomas requirements. See the chair of the department, a study abroad advisor in the Office of Study Abroad, or International & Off-Campus Programs in the front section of this catalog for program options.
English Honor Society
Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honor society, brings together students and faculty with a love of literature, language, and writing; it sponsors a variety of scholarships, holds regional and national conventions, and provides a forum for both creative and critical writing. Students who have a grade point average of at least 3.0 in English courses, rank at least in the highest 35 percent of their class in general scholarship, and have completed at least three semesters of college are eligible to apply for membership.
Major in English
- ENGL 121: Critical Thinking: Literature and Writing (4 credits)
or ENGL 190 Advanced Critical Thinking: Literature and Writing (4 credits)*
* Open to students with qualifying standardized test scores or high school GPA.
- ENGL 280: Introduction to English Studies (4 credits)
- ENGL 481 or ENGL 482: Capstone Seminar (4 credits)
In addition to the above courses, students must also select courses that fulfill the following Approaches and Methods and Area Literature requirements. Some courses may count for both an Approaches and Methods and an Area Literature requirement.
- Select an Emphasis in:
- Literature and Writing
- Creative Writing
- Professional Writing
All English majors should complete 44 credits in English and maintain a GPA of 2.0 in English. Students should take 16 credits in literature, chosen from among the following: 211, 212, 214, 215, 217, 218, 220, 221, 222, 255, 297, 324, 325, 327, 334, 341, 360, 361, 362, 364, 365, 366, 367, 370, 371, 372, 373, 390, 395. A minimum of 16 credits in English at or above ENGL 211 must be taken at St. Thomas.
Major in English: Creative Writing Emphasis
32 credits
Sixteen credits from the following writing courses:
- ENGL 255Introduction to Creative Writing (4 credits)
- ENGL 321 Writing Poetry (4 credits)*
- ENGL 322 Writing Fiction (4 credits)*
- ENGL 323 Writing Creative Nonfiction (4 credits)*
- ENGL 326 Topics in Creative Writing (4 credits)*
- ENGL 405 Advanced Poetry, Fiction, or Creative Nonfiction Writing (4 credits)**
- ENGL 421 Literary Magazine Practicum, Part I (2 credits)**
- ENGL 422 Literary Magazine Practicum, Part II (2 credits)
*Prerequisite: ENGL 255
**Prerequisite: ENGL 321, 322, 323
Note: The creative writing sequence normally includes:
- first – ENGL 255
- then – ENGL 321 and/or ENGL 322 and/or 323 and/or ENGL 326
- then – ENGL 405
Plus:
Four credits from Historical Perspectives
- ENGL 211 British Authors I (4 credits)
- ENGL 212 British Authors II (4 credits)
- ENGL 214 American Authors I (4 credits)
- ENGL 215 American Authors II (4 credits)
- ENGL 217 Multicultural Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 218 Literature by Women: Critical History (4 credits)
- ENGL 220 The Classical Tradition (4 credits)
- ENGL 221 The Modern Tradition (4 credits)
- ENGL 222 Catholic Literary Tradition (4 credits)
Four credits from the following Genre Studies Courses
- ENGL 324 Genre Studies (4 credits)
- ENGL 325 Special Studies in Genre, Region, or Theme (4 credits) [some sections and topics only]
- ENGL 327 Major Literary Genres (4 credits)
- ENGL 390 Major Literary Figures in Context (4 credits) [some sections and topics only]
- ENGL 395 Issues in Literature, Language, and Culture (4 credits) [some sections and topics only]
Four credits from the following Literature Courses
- ENGL 211 or above (includes ENGL 211, 212, 214, 215, 217, 218, 220, 221, 222, 255, 297, 324, 325, 327, 334, 337, 341, 360, 361, 362, 364, 365, 366, 367, 370, 371, 372, 373, 390, and 395).
Eight Elective ENGL Courses
- Any ENGL class not taken above
Course-Level Requirements
- At least 12 credits numbered ENGL 211-299 (note: 4 of these credits must be from ENGL 280)
- At least 16 credits numbered ENGL 300-399
- At least 4 credits numbered ENGL 400-499
All English with creative writing emphasis majors should complete 44 credits in English and maintain a GPA of 2.0 in English. A minimum of 16 credits in English at or above ENGL 211 must be taken at St. Thomas.
Major in English: Literature and Writing Emphasis
Approaches and Methods Requirements:
Four credits of Historical Perspectives
- ENGL 211 British Authors I (4 credits)
- ENGL 212 British Authors II (4 credits)
- ENGL 214 American Authors I (4 credits)
- ENGL 215 American Authors II (4 credits)
- ENGL 217 Multicultural Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 218 Women in Literature: Critical History (4 credits)
- ENGL 220 The Classical Tradition (4 credits)
- ENGL 221 The Modern Tradition (4 credits)
- ENGL 222 Catholic Literary Tradition (4 credits)
Four credits of Contexts and Convergences
- ENGL 325 Special Studies in Genre, Region, or Theme [some sections and topics only] (4 credits)
- ENGL 334 Literature from a Christian Perspective (4 credits)
- ENGL 337 The Literature of Human Diversity (4 credits)
- ENGL 341 Literature by Women: Critical Questions (4 credits)
- ENGL 360 Chaucer and the Medieval Period (4 credits)
- ENGL 361 Shakespeare and the Early Modern Period (4 credits)
- ENGL 362 Milton and Seventeenth-Century British Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 364 Eighteenth-Century British Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 365 Romantic Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 366 Victorian Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 367 Twentieth-Century British Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 370 Colonial and Early American Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 371 Nineteenth-Century American Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 372 Modern American Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 373 Contemporary American Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 390 Major Literary Figures in Context [some section and topics only] (4 credits)
- ENGL 395 Issues in Literature, Language, and Culture [some sections and topics only] (4 credits)
Four credits in Genre Study
- ENGL 255 Introduction to Imaginative Writing (4 credits)
- ENGL 321 Writing Poetry (4 credits)*
- ENGL 322 Writing Fiction (4 credits)*
- ENGL 323 Writing Creative Nonfiction (4 credits)*
- ENGL 324 Genre Studies (4 credits)
- ENGL 325 Special Studies in Genre, Region, or Theme [some sections or topics only] (4 credits)
- ENGL 326 Topics in Creative Writing (4 credits)*
- ENGL 327 Major Literary Genres (4 credits)
- ENGL 390 Major Literary Figures in Context [some sections and topics only] (4 credits
- ENGL 395 Issues in Literature, Language, and Culture [some sections and topics only] (4 credits)
*Prerequisite: ENGL 255
Four credits in Theory and Practice
- ENGL 300 Theory and Practice of Writing (4 credits)
- ENGL 304 Analytical and Persuasive Writing (4 credits)
- ENGL 305 Linguistics (4 credits)
- ENGL 311 Theory and Practice of Literary Criticism (4 credits)
- ENGL 315 Topics in Professional Writing (4 credits)
Area literature requirements:
Four credits in Early American Literature
- ENGL 214 American Authors I (4 credits)
- ENGL 370 Colonial and Early American Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 371 Nineteenth-Century American Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 390 Major Literary Figures in Context [some sections and topics only] (4 credits)
- ENGL 395 Issues in Literature, Language, and Culture [some sections and topics only] (4 credits)
Four credits in Early British Literature
- ENGL 211 British Authors I (4 credits)
- ENGL 360 Chaucer and the Medieval Period (4 credits)
- ENGL 361 Shakespeare and the Early Modern Period (4 credits)
- ENGL 362 Milton and Seventeenth-Century British Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 364 Eighteenth-Century British Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 365 Romantic Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 390 Major Literary Figures in Context [some section and topics only] (4 credits)
- ENGL 395 Issues in Literature, Language, and Culture [some sections and topics only] (4 credits)
Four credits in Diversity Literature
- ENGL 217 Multicultural Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 218 Literature by Women: Critical History (4 credits)
- ENGL 337 The Literature of Human Diversity (4 credits)
- ENGL 341 Literature by Women: Critical Questions (4 credits)
- ENGL 390 Major Literary Figures in Context [some sections and topics only] (4 credits)
- ENGL 395 Issues in Literature, Language, and Culture [some sections and topics only] (4 credits)
Major in English with Professional Writing Emphasis
36 credits
- ENGL 256 Introduction to Professional Writing (4 credits)
- ENGL 280 Introduction to English Studies (4 credits)
- ENGL 350 Tech Writing: Practice & Rsrch (4 credits)
- ENGL 482 Capstone Seminar: Pre-Professional Emphasis (4 credits)
Eight credits from the following Professional Writing courses
- ENGL 304 Analytical and Persuasive Writing (4 credits)
- ENGL 314 Professional Editing (4 credits)
- ENGL 315 Topics in Professional Writing (4 credits) (Credit may be earned more than once for different emphases.)
Four credits in Diversity Literature
- ENGL 217 Multicultural Literature (4 credits)
- ENGL 218 Literature by Women: Critical History (4 credits)
- ENGL 337 The Literature of Human Diversity (4 credits)
- ENGL 341 Literature by Women: Critical Questions (4 credits)
- ENGL 390 Major Literary Figures in Context (4 credits, select sections only)
- ENGL 395 Issues in Literature and Culture (4 credits, select sections only)
Four credits in Creative Writing
- ENGL 255 Introduction to Creative Writing (4 credits)
- ENGL 321 Writing Poetry (4 credits)*
- ENGL 322 Writing Fiction (4 credits)*
- ENGL 323 Writing Creative Nonfiction (4 credits)*
- ENGL 326 Topics in Creative Writing (4 credits)*
*Prerequisite: ENGL 255
Four Elective Credits from any of the Following or an Appropriate Course of the Student's Choice Approved by the Department Chair
- ENGL 211 or above (4 credits)
- COMM 212 Communication Criticism (4 credits)
- COMM 320 Organizational Communication (4 credits)
- COMM 370 Intercultural Communication (4 credits)
- DIMA 232 Visual Media Theory & Practice
- ENTR 340 Social Entrepreneurship (4 credits)
- JPST 250 Introduction to Justice and Peace Studies (4 credits)
- MKTG 200 Introduction to Marketing (2 credits)
- MKTG 201 Application in Marketing (2 credits)
- SOCI 350 Social Inequality (4 credits)
- SOWK 430 Leadership, Advocacy & Fundraising (4 credits)
Plus
- Four credits in additional English coursework
Course-Level Requirements
- At least 12 credits numbered ENGL 211-299 (note: 8 of these credits must be from ENGL 280 and ENGL 256)
- At least 16 credits numbered ENGL 300-399
- At least 4 credits numbered ENGL 400-499
All English with Professional Writing emphasis majors should complete 44 credits in English and maintain a GPA of 2.0 in English. A minimum of 16 credits in English at or above ENGL 211 must be taken at St. Thomas.
Combined Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English
The English Department offers a combined Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts degree program for exceptional current and incoming English majors. Students in the program complete graduate-level coursework during the spring semester of their senior year and complete their B.A. and M.A. in just five years. This program is available for both the Literature and Writing and Creative Writing concentrations in the English major. For more information, visit the English department’s website.
Major in English with a Teacher Education Emphasis (5-12)
- ENGL 121
or ENGL 190 - ENGL 211 British Authors I (4 credits)
or ENGL 212 British Authors II (4 credits) - ENGL 214 American Authors I (4 credits)
or ENGL 215 American Authors II (4 credits) - ENGL 217 Multicultural Literature (4 credits)
or ENGL 218 Literature by Women: Critical History (4 credits - ENGL 220 The Classical Tradition (4 credits)
or ENGL 221 The Modern Tradition(4 credits) - ENGL 280 Introduction to English Studies (4 credits)
- ENGL 300 Theory and Practice of Writing (4 credits)
- ENGL 305 Linguistics: English Language (4 credits)
- ENGL 327 Major Literary Genres (4 credits)
- ENGL 361 Shakespeare and the Early Modern Period (4 credits)
Four additional credits:
EITHER in English at the 300 or 400 level, or COMM 326 Communication and Pop Culture or COMM 328 Communication of Race, Class, and Gender
Students seeking licensure in Communication Arts and Literature (5-12) must also complete the following courses in Communication Studies: COMM 212, COMM 326, COMM 366, and the EDUC courses listed under Teacher Education for Communication Arts and Literature (5-12)*. See Education.
Minor in English
The minor in English consists of 20 credits:
- ENGL 121 or 190
- Sixteen credits numbered ENGL 201‐490
Only four credits from ENGL 201, 202, 203, or 204 Texts in Conversation courses may count towards the minor. A minimum of eight credits in English at or above ENGL 201 must be taken at the University of St. Thomas.
Minor in Narrative Medicine
16 credits
Narrative Medicine humanizes healthcare by training professionals to listen to the stories of human beings: stories of the patient, the healthcare professional, and the cultures and systems in which they live. It is designed to improve the quality of care for patients and to deepen healthcare professionals’ empathy and understanding. This minor complements students’ science curriculum with a set of four courses in literature, creative writing, and professional writing or communication. The courses teach practices of narrative medicine: close reading of and attentive listening to trauma and illness narratives and the stories of those marginalized by institutions and social policies; reflective and analytical writing in healthcare contexts; creativity and expressive writing; and communicating across cultures with empathy and compassion.
- ENGL 202 Interdisciplinary Perspectives: special section on Narrative Medicine
- 12 credits in literature, creative writing, professional writing, and/or communication studies
Literature:
- ENGL 217 Multicultural Literature
- ENGL 218 Literature by women: Critical Histories
- ENGL 337 Literature of Human Diversity
- ENGL 341 Literature by Women: Critical Questions
Creative writing:
- ENGL 255 Introduction to Creative Writing
Professional writing:
- ENGL 317 Writing for Health and Human Sciences
Communication Studies:
- COMM 220 Interpersonal Communication
- COMM 242 Health Communication
- COMM 328 Communication of Race, Class and Gender
- COMM 370 Intercultural Communication
Other courses may be substituted with approval of the chair of English / Communication Studies.
*This minor is only available for non-English majors.
English Undergraduate Courses
Course Number | Title | Credits | |
---|---|---|---|
ENGL 110 | Intensive Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Intensive Writing : | The course provides students with intensive practice in writing, enabling them to adapt to the demands of differing rhetorical contexts. Emphasis on understanding writing processes and learning to respond thoughtfully to writing at various stages. Critical reading will be practiced as an integral part of the writing process. Prerequisite: participation in the Academic Development Program | ||
ENGL 121 | Critical Thinking: Lit/Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Critical Thinking: Lit/Writing : | Students will read and write about literary texts critically and closely. The course emphasizes recursive reading and writing processes that encourage students to discover, explain, question and clarify ideas. To this end, students will study a variety of genres as well as terms and concepts helpful to close analysis of those genres. They will practice various forms of writing for specific audiences and purposes. Students will reflect on and develop critical awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses as readers and writers. The writing load for this course is a minimum of 12 pages of formal revised writing. | ||
ENGL 190 | Adv Crit Thinking: Lit&Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Adv Crit Thinking: Lit&Writing : | English 190 is a core course in literature and writing for specially qualified students who show greater aptitude and preparation than typical first-year students or those whose pre-matriculation credits cover some, but not all, of the content of ENGL 121. The learning goals are the same as those for ENGL 121; however, writing, critical thinking, and textual analysis are taught at a higher level and with increased complexity in this course. | ||
ENGL 201 | Perspectives on Genre & Craft | 4 | |
Description of course Perspectives on Genre & Craft : | This course examines the conventions of, and development within, a literary genre during a specific period or across literary history. It may also explore the particular choices made by writers working in several genres and the effects of those choices on us as readers. The course will examine both the conventions and innovations practiced by writers working within one or more genres or periods, and may include study of the authors' reflections on their own work and the work of their fellow writers. The writing load for this course is a minimum of 15 pages of formal revised writing. | ||
ENGL 202 | Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 4 | |
Description of course Interdisciplinary Perspectives : | This course examines a body of literary texts in the framework of a discipline other than literary or English studies per se--e.g., the physical or social sciences, religion/theology, history, the other arts. The writing load for this course is a minimum of 15 pages of formal revised writing. | ||
ENGL 203 | Thematic/Intertextual Perspect | 0 OR 4 | |
Description of course Thematic/Intertextual Perspect : | With its focus on thematic and intertextual perspectives, the readings in this course might be ordered any number of ways: according to theme, an idea that develops across genres or literary periods, or by their incorporation of specific oral or textual precedents (e.g. mythology, the Bible, classical writings, legends, or folklore). The writing load for this course is a minimum of 15 pages of formal revised writing. | ||
ENGL 204 | Perspect on Language/Cult/Lit | 4 | |
Description of course Perspect on Language/Cult/Lit : | This course examines artifacts of language and literature in their function as social and cultural phenomena. The course will explore angles of analysis appropriate to the study of one or more of the following: everyday language, public rhetoric, or the various forms of mass and popular culture (film, music, blogging/texting). The course may also examine essential but critically contested concepts such as literacy , culture, or literature. The writing load for this course is a minimum of 15 pages of formal revised writing. | ||
ENGL 211 | British Authors I | 4 | |
Description of course British Authors I : | How have heroic ideals changed from Beowulf to the 18th century? How did marriage evolve from an arrangement between tribes and families to love between two people? Such questions will be explored in a chronological framework through extensive readings in the British literary tradition in the period from approximately 900-1780. Threaded throughout the literature are themes such as war and conflict, the history of love, humor and satire, social reform, religious reform and the rights of the individual. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 212 | British Authors II | 4 | |
Description of course British Authors II : | How has the category of “English literature” expanded as a result of global changes over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries? How have authors responded to fundamental upheavals in the individual, religion, the British Empire, the role of women, and the value of poetry and art? Such questions will be explored in a chronological framework through extensive readings in the British literary tradition from approximately 1789 to the present. Threaded throughout the literature are themes such as revolution and reform, authorship, war, nationality and race, and the relationships between literature and other arts. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 214 | American Authors I | 4 | |
Description of course American Authors I : | Where does the popular perception of America as the “New World” come from? How could slavery flourish in a land idealizing freedom? Why were immigrants so feared and reviled? Why did expansionism push out some and make millionaires of others? Such questions will be explored in a chronological framework through extensive readings from the beginnings of the American literary tradition to the turn of the twentieth century. Threaded throughout the literature are themes such as religious identity, political reform, race, slavery, war, gender, and industrialization. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 215 | American Authors II | 4 | |
Description of course American Authors II : | How did the modern warfare of World War I change those who fought and those who stayed at home? Why did so many of the best American artists flee to Paris? How did the traditionalism and stability of the 1950s lead to the radicalism and rebellion of the 60s? How has technology, from the typewriter to the internet, reshaped literature? Such questions will be explored in a chronological framework though extensive readings in American literature from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. Threaded throughout the literature are themes such as progress and innovation, war, the “lost generation,” the New Woman, race, and conformity and individuality. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 217 | Multicultural Literature | 4 | |
Description of course Multicultural Literature : | What does it mean to be labeled an African American dramatist? A Latino/a poet? A transgender novelist? An Asian American essayist? A Native American environmental writer? How do the varied experiences and backgrounds of authors writing from diverse subject positions inform, mark, and/or transform their writing? How do the works of these writers fit into, conflict with, actively resist, or even redefine the American Literary canon as it has been traditionally understood? These questions and more will be explored in a chronological framework through extensive reading of literature from: a) American communities of color; b) postcolonial peoples; c) immigrant and/or diasporic peoples; or d) LGBTQ communities. This course will focus on the literary and cultural texts of one or more of these groups with an emphasis on the cultural, political, and historical contexts that surround them. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 218 | Lit by Women:Critical Hist | 4 | |
Description of course Lit by Women:Critical Hist : | From Sappho to Austen to Woolf to Morrison – women have been rendering the world into exquisite words for centuries. But how has the writing of women served as a critique of patriarchy? What impact has women’s writing had on important cultural and political movements such as abolition, suffrage, and environmentalism? In what ways has the writing of women been more radical than polite, more aggressive than demure, more confrontational than deferential? How have women consistently defied the limiting expectations of them through the creation of some of the most experimental, risky, and defiant works of literature in existence? These questions and more will be explored in this course, which focuses on the history of literature by women. While it will concentrate mainly on British and American women writers, the course will also address the work of non-western writers. Ultimately, this course will examine gender and its role in both the composition and reading of literary texts. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 220 | The Classical Tradition | 4 | |
Description of course The Classical Tradition : | What might it mean to speak of “the classical tradition?” What does that include and exclude? And how does it matter to us today? From the ancient Greek gods in their serenity to the howls of the damned in Dante’s vision of the afterlife, whether mythological or theological, the works to be studied engage us in the most fundamental questions about what it means to be human. Such questions will be explored in a chronological framework through extensive readings of representative texts of Western literature in translation from ancient Greece to the Renaissance, including some interactions of the European traditions with ancient or medieval Asian, Mesopotamian, or Middle Eastern literatures. Authors may include Homer, Aeschylus, Sappho, Virgil, Dante, Rumi, Marie de France, and Christine de Pizan. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 221 | The Modern Tradition | 4 | |
Description of course The Modern Tradition : | What might it mean to speak of “the modern tradition”? What does that include and exclude? And how does it matter to us today? How does the modern tradition help us understand about concepts such as authorship, originality, literacy, and literary excellence? Such questions will be explored in a chronological framework through extensive readings of representative texts of Western literature in translation from the seventeenth century through the present, including some interactions of the European traditions with modern African, Latin American, or Asian literatures. Authors may include Racine, Goethe, Flaubert, Dostoevsky, Rilke, Solzhenitsyn, Duras, Lispector, and Achebe. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 222 | Catholic Literary Tradition | 4 | |
Description of course Catholic Literary Tradition : | What makes a text a work of Catholic literature? How do Catholic writers struggle with the existential questions of meaning, purpose, or suffering in a unique fashion? How do the themes they engage—such as forgiveness, redemption, or the power of grace in the world—place them within the Catholic tradition? Is there a sacramental imagination or incarnational theology at the root of a work of Catholic literature? Such questions will be explored in a chronological framework through extensive readings of representative texts of Catholic literature in both English and translation from the medieval era through the present. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 243 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
ENGL 251 | Writing in the Academy | 4 | |
Description of course Writing in the Academy : | This course focuses on principles of effective academic writing. Attention will be paid to strategies for development, patterns of organization, and rhetorical concerns such as voice, audience, purpose and style. Students will consider conventions of academic discourse, both as they are shared and as they vary across disciplines. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 255 | Intro to Creative Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Intro to Creative Writing : | This course introduces students to the craft of creative writing, focusing on three broad genres: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Students learn how various forms (e.g., free verse, the sonnet, narrative) have developed and evolved historically and within various contexts (cultural, political, social)—and by extension, what it means to write in these forms today. They receive instruction in setting, character, voice, point of view, literal and figurative imagery, rhythm and sound patterns, and literary structures; and practice writing in all three genres. Assignments include close readings of literary texts that model craft techniques, weekly writing exercises that encourage exploration and development of craft, and workshop discussions to develop students’ analytic and critical skills. For English majors, it fulfills the Genre Study requirement. Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 256 | Intro to Professional Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Intro to Professional Writing : | This course introduces students to principles and skills necessary for writing in professional settings. It includes study of rhetoric, ethics, and information design in workplace writing; examination of the roles of professional writers; close readings of texts and documents that model professional techniques; and practice composing in a variety of professional genres. The course will include instruction in ethical communication, rhetorical context, document design, communication technologies, precision, concision, and tone. This course fulfills the Theory and Practice requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 269 | Research | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
ENGL 280 | Intro to English Studies | 4 | |
Description of course Intro to English Studies : | This gateway course into the English major and the minor is an introduction to (a) literary tools, techniques, and terminology for reading and writing in English studies; (b) the history of English Studies as a discipline and the intellectual concepts and critical debates that have shaped the field; and (c) the practices of English Studies, from close reading and analysis of literary and critical texts to interpretation and scholarly research. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 294 | Writing Video Games | 4 | |
Description of course Writing Video Games : | As video games have become increasingly complex, there’s a stronger need than ever for video game writers and narrative designers. But what is a narrative designer? In this course, students will study how professionals write video games and then attempt to do so themselves. Using a variety of simple-to-learn programs, students will collaborate in small development teams in addition to writing their own meaningful video games. Examples such as GONE HOME or UNDERTALE will be analyzed in class. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190 | ||
ENGL 295 | Topics | 2 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 297 | Topics | 4 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 298 | Topics | 4 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 300 | Theory& Practice of Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Theory& Practice of Writing : | This course introduces students to current writing, rhetorical, and pedagogical theory, and helps them develop a vocabulary for talking about writing and strengthen their abilities to write and to assist others in developing their academic literacy. Students will practice writing in a variety of forms such as academic writing, professional writing, experimental writing, and writing with particular attention to social justice. Required for secondary licensure in communication arts and literature students. This course fulfills the Theory and Practice requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 304 | Analytical/Persuasive Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Analytical/Persuasive Writing : | This course examines rhetorical strategies used in published writing, focusing in particular on the roles of analysis and persuasion in the writing process. Students will strengthen their own writing through various projects and possible partnerships with community organizations with an eye toward the writing they will be doing upon graduation. This course fulfills the Theory and Practice requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 305 | Linguistics: English Lang | 4 | |
Description of course Linguistics: English Lang : | This course is an introduction to the systematic study of the English language, with an emphasis on connections between academic linguistics and relevant social and educational questions. Students will study the English sound system through phonetics and phonology, how words are formed through morphology, how words combine to create clauses and meaning through syntax and semantics. After learning the linguistic tools to describe the English language, students will examine the contexts of language production in real life through the study of U.S. dialects, historical and ongoing changes in English, and various social interactions in language. This course fulfills the Theory and Practice requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 311 | Theory & Prac of Lit Criticism | 4 | |
Description of course Theory & Prac of Lit Criticism : | This course engages students in the study, reading, and writing of literary criticism. Emphasis may be placed on historical periods of criticism, schools of thought, modes of writing, or the application of theories, such as Marxist, feminist, postcolonial, psychoanalytic, or eco-critical to literary works. This course fulfills the Theory and Practice requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 314 | Professional Editing | 4 | |
Description of course Professional Editing : | This course focuses on current theories, practices, and conventions of professional editing in the field of English studies. This includes discussion of broad questions relating to authorship, textuality, and the role of the editor, as well as hands-on practice introducing, annotating, and copyediting literary texts. Students will learn techniques for ensuring consistent, accurate copy, including the use of style sheets and guides. They will also learn how to track and manage editorial projects. The course will include guest lecturers from the community as well as practice managing real-world editing assignments. This course fulfills the Theory and Practice requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 315 | Topics in Pro. Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Topics in Pro. Writing : | This course provides intensive study and practice in a particular area of professional writing. All sections concentrate on learning professional terminology and conventions and on writing for specific audiences and purposes. The focus of genre and study will vary for each section offered; credit may be earned more-than once under this number for different emphases. This course fulfills the Theory and Practice requirement in the English major. Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 317 | Writing for Health/Human Sci | 4 | |
Description of course Writing for Health/Human Sci : | This course focuses on the rhetorical principles and writing practices necessary for producing effective documents and materials within human health and medical contexts. Students will gain experience producing such genres as patient information materials, personal statements, reviews, and reports. Readings will include scientific, academic, and popular texts as well as digital sources. The curriculum is informed by collaborative work with faculty members in health and science fields as well as current research in rhetoric and professional writing. Although this course is most relevant for students in the College for Health, the School of Nursing, and students pursuing a narrative medicine minor or postgraduate careers in health and medicine, no specific medical knowledge is required to take this course. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190, or transfer equivalent and 80 completed credits | ||
ENGL 321 | Writing Poetry | 4 | |
Description of course Writing Poetry : | This intermediate course explores traditional and innovative patterns of poetry writing. Emphasis on experimentation with a variety of techniques and development of individual voice. This course will include critique sessions, readings to broaden possibilities of form and subject, and individual instruction. Open to students with some previous experience in writing poetry. This course fulfills the Genre Study requirement in the English major. Prerequisite: ENGL 255 or permission of instructor. | ||
ENGL 322 | Writing Fiction | 4 | |
Description of course Writing Fiction : | This intermediate course explores traditional and innovative patterns of fiction writing. Emphasis on experimentation with a variety of techniques and development of individual voice. This course will include critique sessions, readings to broaden possibilities of form and subject, and individual instruction. This course fulfills the Genre Study requirement in the English major. Prerequisite: ENGL 255 or permission of instructor. | ||
ENGL 323 | Writing Creative Nonfiction | 4 | |
Description of course Writing Creative Nonfiction : | This intermediate course explores traditional and innovative patterns of creative nonfiction writing. Emphasis on experimentation with a variety of techniques and development of individual voice. This course will include critique sessions, readings to broaden possibilities of form and subject, and individual instruction. This course fulfills the Genre Study requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 255 or permission of instructor. | ||
ENGL 324 | Genre Studies | 4 | |
Description of course Genre Studies : | This course will study literature in terms of form, with explicit attention given to the concept and practice of genre—whether one or more, traditional or emerging, from various canonical or non-canonical traditions, print or emerging digital literacies, etc. Credit may be earned more than once under this number for different emphases. This course fulfills the Genre Study requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 325 | Spec Study:Genre,Reg,Theme | 4 | |
Description of course Spec Study:Genre,Reg,Theme : | This course will offer an intensive focus on a body of literature defined by its association with a special genre, locale, or theme. Such specialized topics as the epic poem, contemporary autobiography, Minnesota literature, or Genesis in literature might be studied. Students will also consider relevant critical approaches and issues. Credit may be earned more than once under this number for different emphases. Some sections of this course fulfill the Genre Study requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 326 | Topics in Creative Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Topics in Creative Writing : | This intermediate course explores traditional and innovative topics and forms of imaginative writing. Emphasis on experimentation with a variety of techniques and development of literary voices. The focus of genre and writing for each section offered will vary. Some examples of possible topics include Postmodern Poetry Forms, Writing Magical Realism, Contemporary Autobiography, and Submersion Journalism. This course will include peer review, readings to broaden possibilities of form and subject, and individual instruction. This course fulfills the Genre Study requirement in the English major Prerequisites: ENGL 255 or permission of the instructor. | ||
ENGL 327 | Major Literary Genres | 4 | |
Description of course Major Literary Genres : | Study of major literary genres (poetry, drama, fiction, essays). Consideration of the varying definitions, boundaries, and formal properties of these genres, as well as the historical and cultural contexts in which they developed and in which they continue to function. Readings may include some examples of emergent, experimental, or mixed literary genres as well. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or ENGL 190. | ||
ENGL 334 | Lit from Christian Perspective | 4 | |
Description of course Lit from Christian Perspective : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of how literature engages Christian thought, experience, and practice and how a reader engages works of imaginative literature from an intellectually serious Christian perspective. The course will also provide an introduction to theories in the interdisciplinary field of religion and literature. Religious themes studied will come from a variety of literary forms, including those of myth, history, parable, short story, essay, children's literature, poem, and novel. The literature chosen may reflect a variety of cultural backgrounds so that, among other things, we may consider how meaning may be affected by changes in worldview. Specific topics vary; accordingly, credit may be earned more than once for this course number. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 337 | The Lit. of Human Diversity | 4 | |
Description of course The Lit. of Human Diversity : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of literatures that focus intensively on topics related to race, ethnicity, nation, class, gender, and/or sexual orientation. It examines questions related to how these literatures fit in “the canon” and how they speak to or inform each other, which critical approaches are relevant for studying these literatures, how issues of power and privilege are connected to our understanding of these literatures, and what provocations and concerns emerge from the study of these literatures. Specific topics vary; accordingly, credit may be earned more than once for this course number. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 341 | Lit by Women:Crit Questions | 4 | |
Description of course Lit by Women:Crit Questions : | This course will offer an in-depth exploration of a select body of women’s writing, organized by period, genre, or theme. As a Women’s Studies course, it will examine diverse situations of women, nationally or globally, and discuss strategies of social change. Examples might include women, sport, and the body in literature; women writers and celebrity in the Victorian era; female independence and female friendship; or women writing about exile. Specific topics vary; accordingly, credit may be earned more than once for this course number. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 350 | Tech Writing: Practice & Rsrch | 4 | |
Description of course Tech Writing: Practice & Rsrch : | This course will familiarize students with theories and practices of technical writers and explore opportunities for students in technical writing careers and graduate studies. Assigned projects will help students learn how technical writers are responsible for both creating content and also managing it across various digital systems. Topics will include user experience, content management, content operations, information design, single-source authoring, and other areas that become relevant as the field of technical writing expands. By articulating concepts integral to the field and by enacting them in diverse rhetorical situations and for diverse audiences, students will be better positioned to apply for technical writing positions or to graduate programs in technical and professional communication. Prerequisites: ENGL 256, ENGL 314, or ENGL 315 or instructor permission | ||
ENGL 360 | Chaucer & Medieval Period | 4 | |
Description of course Chaucer & Medieval Period : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors of the British Middle Ages, a time of international literary culture, transformation of the English language, courtly love, and the Crusades. Alongside the work of Chaucer, the selected texts or authors will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include the role of the knight, religious controversy and the Inquisition, love and marriage, cross-Channel influences such as Marie de France and Dante, medieval women writers, and literatures of revolt. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 361 | Shakespeare & Early Modern | 4 | |
Description of course Shakespeare & Early Modern : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from British literature of the Renaissance or early modern era, a time of religious schism, early British imperialism, the rebirth of the classical world, and the birth of the professional theatre in England. Alongside the work of Shakespeare, the selected texts or authors will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include Shakespeare and the rise of the Renaissance theatre; Elizabethan writers and the Islamic world; Shakespeare and the idea of the human in the drama, sonnet, and personal essay; your brain on Shakespeare: cognitive literary studies. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 362 | Milton & 17th Cent Brit Lit | 4 | |
Description of course Milton & 17th Cent Brit Lit : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from British literature of the seventeenth century, a time of English civil war and the upheaval of national identity, political satire, metaphysical poetry, and scientific inquiry. Alongside the work of John Milton, the selected texts or authors will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include Revolution to Restoration in British Literature, women and the stage in seventeenth-century Britain, Paradise Lost and its cultural history. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 364 | 18th Century British Lit | 4 | |
Description of course 18th Century British Lit : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from British literature of the eighteenth century, a time of exploration that launched industrialization, capitalism, the slave trade, imperialism, and the police force and prisons, as well as the vibrant new genres of the novel, biography, and the first comprehensive dictionary. Selected texts or authors (such as Behn, Defoe, Fielding, Pope, Haywood, and Austen) will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include bawdy dramas vs. elegant novels of manners, “secret histories” of disguise and mistaken identity, criminal biographies and moral philosophy, and how to choose a marriage partner. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 365 | Romantic Literature | 4 | |
Description of course Romantic Literature : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from British literature of the Romantic period, 1789-1837, a time of scientific and industrial revolutions, national independence and reform movements, passions and interiority, suffering genius-artists, the first science fiction, Regency “romances,” and Byronic heroes. Selected texts or authors (such as Wollstonecraft, Blake, Wordsworth, Scott, Byron, Austen, the Shelleys, and the Brontë sisters) will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include Transatlantic Romanticism; what is a poet?; Romantic science and the birth of science fiction; the Byron-Shelley Circle and writing communities. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 366 | Victorian Literature | 4 | |
Description of course Victorian Literature : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from British literature and culture of the Victorian age, 1837-1901, a time of expansion of the British Empire, religious doubt, Darwinism, the periodical press, and the New Woman. Selected texts or authors (such as Dickens, Christina Rossetti, Wilde, and George Eliot) will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include Victorian novels and the popular press, Victorian detectives, the Aesthetic Movement in literature and art. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 367 | 20th Century British Lit | 4 | |
Description of course 20th Century British Lit : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from British literature of the twentieth and early twenty-first century, an era of world wars, new technologies, changing literacies, women’s suffrage, modernism and the avant-garde, globalization and post-colonizing, and postmodernism. Selected texts or authors (such as Yeats, Woolf, Derek Walcott, J. M. Coetzee, and Zadie Smith) will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include postcolonial British literature and film, modernism across the arts, writing war across the twentieth century, literature in the age of mechanical reproduction, the twentieth-century manifesto. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 370 | Colonial/Early Amer Lit | 4 | |
Description of course Colonial/Early Amer Lit : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from American Literature from the period of European discovery and colonization through the first decades following American independence. Selected texts or authors (such as Native American oral tales, John Winthrop, Anne Bradstreet, Mary Rowlandson, and Jonathan Edwards) will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include native voices in early American literature; poetry, journals, and the religious experience in colonial New England; representations of and responses to the slave trade in Colonial America; captivity narratives as literature and ideology; the myth of the wilderness. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 371 | 19th Century American Lit | 4 | |
Description of course 19th Century American Lit : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from 19th-Century American Literature, a time of national expansion, civil war and restoration. Selected texts and authors (such as Emerson, Hawthorne, Zitkala-Ša, Melville, Douglass, Dickinson, James) will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include American literature in the age of Darwin, literary representations of the Civil War, transatlantic Romanticism; the national and the regional in late 19th-century American women’s writing; the concept of freedom in American literature. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 372 | Modern American Literature | 4 | |
Description of course Modern American Literature : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from American Literature of the first half of the twentieth century. Selected texts or authors (such as Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Ellison, Wharton, Faulkner, Cather, Elizabeth Bishop and Zora Neale Hurston) will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include literary representations of and responses to the world wars, literature and the rise of cinema, literature and the agrarian movement, the proletarian tradition in literature, atom-smashing and literary modernism, American literature and American psychoanalysis. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 373 | Contemporary American Lit | 4 | |
Description of course Contemporary American Lit : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a select group of texts or authors from American Literature from the late twentieth century to the present. Selected texts or authors (such as Baldwin, Morrison, Erdrich, and David Foster Wallace to the most contemporary) will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Examples might include literature and civil rights, American literature and new media, immigration narratives, American regionalisms, changing American identities. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 389 | Research | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
ENGL 390 | Major Lit Figures in Context | 4 | |
Description of course Major Lit Figures in Context : | This course provides an in-depth exploration of a significant body of work by a major writer, for example, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, or Virginia Woolf. The author’s work will be studied in terms of a particular historical, cultural, or other context, or in terms of a convergence with authors or texts from other literary traditions or intellectual disciplines. Specific topics vary; accordingly, credit may be earned more than once for this course number. This course fulfills the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major. Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 393 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
ENGL 395 | Issues in Lit. Lang. & Culture | 4 | |
Description of course Issues in Lit. Lang. & Culture : | Any written text emerges out of a significant context; that is, the historical and cultural moment that gives rise to the text. This course offers an intensive focus on texts, both popular and traditional, and their significant “extra literary” context: for example, religious movements; political and social hierarchical structures; cultural, political and national identities; moral and political implications of language use. The course emphasizes, appropriate critical approaches, dependent on course topic, such as critical race theory, Marxism, post‐colonial theory, third‐wave feminism, etc. Course content varies; some sections will fulfill the Human Diversity requirement. Credit may be earned more than once under this number for different emphases. Some sections of this course fulfill the Contexts and Convergences requirement in the English major; other sections fulfill the Theory and Practice requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. | ||
ENGL 405 | Advanced Creative Writing | 4 | |
Description of course Advanced Creative Writing : | This advanced course will focus on the student’s development of a substantial body of work in a chosen genre: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. Students will review their previous writing, do further exploration of a chosen genre, and produce significant new work in that genre. Reading will include theoretical and creative texts. This course fulfills the Genre Study requirement in the English major. Prerequisite: ENGL 321 or 322 or 323 or permission of instructor based on examination of a portfolio, and 80 completed credits. | ||
ENGL 421 | Literary Magazine Practicum I | 2 | |
Description of course Literary Magazine Practicum I : | Activities during the fall semester of the sequence include readings from The Little Magazine: A History and Bibliography and The Little Magazine in America: A Modern Documentary History; examining the design and content of fifteen professional literary magazines; learning InDesign CS3 desktop publishing program; creating preliminary Summit Avenue Review page designs; working collaboratively with other literary magazine editors to develop selection procedures and principles; and writing a comparison essay on two professional literary magazines. Prerequisite: Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENGL 321 or 322 or 323 or instructor permission. | ||
ENGL 422 | Literary Magazine Practicum II | 2 | |
Description of course Literary Magazine Practicum II : | The spring semester component of the sequence includes readings from The Art of Literary Editing; active involvement with other editors in the selection process; learning and applying principles of literary copyediting; using desktop publishing to produce the new edition of Summit Avenue Review, from the creation of style sheets and master pages to final proofreading; writing a reflection essay on the editing process as you experienced it; examining the design and content of five professional literary magazine web sites; learning the Dreamweaver web design program; and managing the Summit Avenue Review web site. Prerequisites: ENGL 421 | ||
ENGL 450 | Advanced Literary Studies | 4 | |
Description of course Advanced Literary Studies : | This advanced course will focus on a closely defined group of literary and critical texts. Students will be asked to synthesize as they read and write, using extensive critical analysis to integrate their experience of literary texts with relevant critical insights and ongoing scholarship. Students will also be expected to take part in and lead discussion, and to write a substantial critical essay. Prerequisites: 5 courses beyond the ENGL core 121 and 201-204, including ENGL 280. Open to limited undergraduate student enrollment by permission of instructor and the graduate program director. | ||
ENGL 476 | Experiential Learning | 1 TO 4 | |
Description of course Experiential Learning : | No description is available. | ||
ENGL 481 | Capstone Seminar: Lit Stu Emph | 4 | |
Description of course Capstone Seminar: Lit Stu Emph : | As a capstone seminar, ENGL 481 is designed to synthesize the intellectual experiences of the English major within the whole of the undergraduate curriculum, and to serve as a transition between undergraduate liberal arts education and the next steps in students' lives in graduate school or other career paths in the humanities. Students in this course will synthesize their disciplinary skills by exploring a particular literary problem or issue in depth; they will focus on, and write about, their own postgraduate vocational plans and aspirations within the field of English or related postgraduate endeavors. Prerequisite: Completion of five English courses at or beyond ENGL 211, including ENGL 280; or, for non-majors, permission of the instructor and department chair. | ||
ENGL 482 | Capstone Sem: Pre-Prof Emph | 4 | |
Description of course Capstone Sem: Pre-Prof Emph : | As a capstone seminar, English 482 is designed to synthesize the intellectual and the professional elements of the English major—to bridge the gap between academia and the public sphere and help students use the knowledge and skills acquired within the English major to enter the conversation of the next stage of their lives. Through discussion, reading, writing, and individualized research, the seminar engages students in a focused exploration of their career aspirations. Each student will conduct research and write a substantial essay, apply their findings for different rhetorical situations, and produce reflective writing on their intellectual development and vocational goals. Prerequisites: Completion of five English courses at or beyond ENGL 211, including ENGL 280; or, for non-majors, permission of the instructor and department chair. | ||
ENGL 490 | Topics | 4 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
ENGL 495 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. |
Theater Undergraduate Courses
Course Number | Title | Credits | |
---|---|---|---|
THTR 103 | Theatre Fine Arts Trans Crs | 4 | |
Description of course Theatre Fine Arts Trans Crs : | No description is available. | ||
THTR 111 | Introduction to Theater | 4 | |
Description of course Introduction to Theater : | Foundation in theater and drama for the non-major beginning student; orientation to the dramatic tradition through consideration of plays and playwrights from the Greeks to the present; history of theatrical customs, traditions and conventions as they affect modern stage design, acting, directing, costumes, make-up and criticism. Experience in seeing and analyzing SCU/UST and Twin City play productions and in producing a play. | ||
THTR 214 | Beginning Acting | 4 | |
Description of course Beginning Acting : | Provides a foundation for acting through examination of the research process essential to achieving physical and psychological characterization. Emphasis is on theory and the practical application of performance. | ||
THTR 218 | Acting for the Camera | 4 | |
Description of course Acting for the Camera : | Acting for the Camera is an introduction to principles, techniques, and performance methods relevant to acting on camera. Students will learn to apply principles and theory to analyze filmed performances and scripts, and we will apply techniques and methodology by preparing and performing dialogue and scenes with partners in class. Students will learn to analyze a film script in preparation for an audition and will learn best practices for self-recording for professional auditions, including the creative and technical acts of lighting, blocking, and sound. | ||
THTR 221 | Hist of Theater I: World | 4 | |
Description of course Hist of Theater I: World : | The history and analysis of theater forms, Western and non-Western, from ancient rituals to the 18th century with attention to the relationships between the plays and the audience, performers, and production methods of various periods. | ||
THTR 222 | Hist of Theater II:Mod/Contemp | 4 | |
Description of course Hist of Theater II:Mod/Contemp : | Examination of 18th, 19th and 20th century world theater with special attention to both the contemporary and historic perspectives. Deals with major movements and styles of modern theater. | ||
THTR 223 | Hist of Theater III-American | 4 | |
Description of course Hist of Theater III-American : | Development of theater in the United States from its 17th century roots to the present, with special attention to contemporary American drama. Emphasis on the connections between theater and culture. | ||
THTR 243 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
THTR 269 | Research | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
THTR 285 | Scenery Design | 4 | |
Description of course Scenery Design : | No description is available. | ||
THTR 297 | Topics | 4 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
THTR 298 | Topics | 4 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
THTR 389 | Research | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
THTR 393 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
THTR 412 | Drama:Theory & Criticism | 4 | |
Description of course Drama:Theory & Criticism : | Study in abstract and applied dramatic theory. Selected playwrights and bodies of criticism that surround their work are examined closely in relation to various theoretical systems. Aristotle through post-modern. | ||
THTR 489 | Topics | 4 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
THTR 490 | Topics | 4 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule | ||
THTR 495 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
THTR 497 | Individual Study | 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
THTR 498 | Individual Study | 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. |