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English

Willard Greenwood (2001), Chair, Associate Professor of English, Editor of the Hiram Poetry Review
B.A., University of Maine;
M.A., Georgia State University;
Ph.D., Purdue University

Academic Interest: Nineteenth-and twentieth-century American literature, poetry, theory and aesthetics

David R. Anderson (1966), Professor of English Emeritus

B.A., Hiram College;
M.A., University of California (Berkeley);
Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University

Academic Interest: American literature, world literature, regional literature and architecture

Joyce Dyer (1991), John S. Kenyon Professor of English; Director, the Lindsay-Crane Center for Writing and Literature
B.A., Wittenberg University;
M.A., Ph.D., Kent State University

Academic Interest: Creative writing, including creative nonfiction and literary journalism, American literature, Appalachian studies

Paul Gaffney (2006), Instructor of English

B.A. Western Washington University;

M.A., Ph. D. University of Virginia

Academic Interest: Medieval literature, linguistics, Renaissance studies, history of the English language

Kirsten L. Parkinson (2001), Associate Professor of English
B.A., Harvard University;
M.A., Ph.D., University of Southern California

Academic Interest: Nineteenth-century British literature, world literature, gender studies

Mary Quade (2006), Assistant Professor of English

A.B., University of Chicago;

M.F.A., University of Iowa, Writers Workshop

Academic Interest: Creative writing, including poetry and fiction, photography

Jeffrey Swenson (2007), Director, Writing Across the Curriculum Program; Assistant Professor of English

B.A., St. John’s University (MN);

M.A., University of Alaska, Fairbanks;

Ph.D., University of Iowa

Academic Interest: Writing Across the Curriculum, creative writing, postmodernism, American and Canadian literature

Department Web Site:

http://home.hiram.edu/www/english/

Courses for the non-major
Non-majors will gain knowledge of a set of primary literary texts and practice basic skills of literary analysis through class discussions and the composition of short essays. Courses will focus on a particular author, genre, or literary tradition.

ENGL 209 Shakespeare in Performance

ENGL 219 Introduction to American Literature
ENGL 222 Introduction to British Literature
ENGL 226 Introduction to World Literature

ENGL 239/240 Modern Drama

ENGL 241 Literary Perspectives on Women

ENGL 252 The English Language: A Linguistic Introduction

ENGL 262 Shakespeare
ENGL 280 Special Topics Seminar

Non-majors may also take higher-level English courses with the permission of the instructor. Please consult the English Department about specific courses.

The English Major

(11 courses for Class of 2011 and later; 10 courses for Classes of 2009 and 2010)

The English major encourages students to develop a deeper and richer understanding of our cultural heritage through the study of literature. The department places special emphasis on the tradition of English and American literature, but also often examines colonial and post-colonial works in English (from Canada, Australia, Asia, India, Africa, and the Caribbean), as well as European and world literatures in translation. The course of study in the English Department offers interested students a structured opportunity to evaluate these texts from a variety of critical perspectives, and also, for those so inclined, an array of writing courses in which to develop their creative and expository talents.

NOTE: This version of the English major will become effective in the 2007-2008 academic year. Students from the Classes of 2009 and 2010 are recommended to complete this new version of the major but may elect to complete the older version (see 2006-2007 catalog for course requirements). Students from the Classes of 2011 and later will be required to complete the major as listed here.

Introductory Course (1 course)

Students will acquire a fundamental knowledge of genre, literary conventions, literary theory and historical and literary traditions that will form the foundation for the study of 300- and 400-level courses. They will also develop skills in writing and literary analysis.

ENGL 206 Introduction to Literary Studies (4 hours)

Foundation Courses (3 courses)
Students will recognize the major traditions, works, and authors of American, British, and world literature. They will continue to develop their ability to conceive and implement original interpretations of the literature they read. Students should choose three of the following eight courses:
ENGL 350 American Literature to 1900 (4 hours)
ENGL 351 American Literature since 1900 (4 hours)
ENGL 353 Medieval Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 354 Renaissance Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 355 Restoration and 18th-Century British Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 356 19th-Century British Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 357 20th-Century British Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 359 World Literature (4 hours)

Advanced Seminar Courses (2 courses)
Students will gain in-depth knowledge of a specific literary topic, including engagement with secondary materials. They will plan and complete original research and write a substantial research paper.
ENGL 418 Advanced Studies in American Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 428 Advanced Studies in British Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 438 Advanced Studies in World Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 470 Literary Theory (4 hours)

Electives (4 courses)
Electives in the English Department allow students to extend their knowledge of particular areas of literature or to explore new literary fields not covered in their other major coursework. The 300-level English electives incorporate both primary and secondary texts, draw on the literary theories introduced in ENGL 206, and require a short research paper that builds toward the requirements of the 400-level courses.

Students may choose electives from the courses for majors above or from the following electives. ENGL 252 may count as an elective for the major; no more than one other 200-level English course may count as a departmental elective. Up to two of the elective requirements also may be satisfied with 300-level creative writing courses.

ENGL 252 The English Language: A Linguistic Introduction (3 hours)
ENGL 329 Studies in American Literature (3 hours)
ENGL 330 Studies in British Literature (3 hours)
ENGL 331 Studies in World Literature (3 hours)
ENGL 332 Studies in Genre (3 hours)
ENGL 333 Studies in Linguistics (3 hours)
ENGL 380 Seminar

Senior Capstone (1 course)
Classes of 2009 and 2010:
Students are required to complete a capstone experience, as structured by the English Department. A capstone course will not be required.

Classes of 2011 and later:
In their senior year, students must complete ENGL 480: Senior Seminar (3 hours). This 3-week revision and workshop course requires students to significantly rework an essay from one of their 400-level English courses. Students must also write a short essay reflecting on their experience as a major and connecting what they have learned to career or life goals. At the end of the course students will present their work in a public forum

Distribution
In satisfying the requirements above, students must take a minimum of 2 courses in British literature, 2 courses in American literature, and 1 course in world literature. They must also take at least one course in literature before 1800. This will ensure that students develop a breadth of literary knowledge while still allowing them significant freedom in choosing courses.

Foreign Language Requirement
Students must complete a foreign language through the 103 level.

Majoring and Minoring in Writing
Students completing this version of the English major may not combine it with a major in Creative Writing or minor in Writing; students interested in taking extensive coursework in writing should consider the major in Creative Writing.

AP Credit
Students who have received a 4 or 5 on the English Literature Advanced Placement (AP) text receive credit for one of the required elective literature courses in the major. However, the English Department encourages students who are considering graduate work to take additional courses in the major.

Advising
All students majoring in English must have an academic advisor, as either their primary or secondary advisor, in the English Department.

The Creative Writing Major

(12 for classes of 2009 and 2010; 13 courses for 2011 and later)

The major in Creative Writing allows students an opportunity to explore their talent as writers of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and drama or screenplays. The major places emphasis on reading, craft and technique, genre study, workshops, and revision. Although the major requires exposure to multiple genres, the 400-level advanced workshops offer students an opportunity to concentrate on forms of their choosing and to begin to specialize. The major in Creative Writing is carefully sequenced to insure the progress and development of writers. It is also designed to help writers learn about professional opportunities in the field. The major emphasizes literary writing and encourages emerging writers to locate themselves within a literary tradition. This degree is one of only five majors in Creative Writing in the state of Ohio.

Note: The Major in Creative Writing will become effective in the 2007-2008 academic year. It will be available to students in the class of 2009 and later.

Introductory Course in Creative Writing (1 course)
The following introductory course in writing is a prerequisite to all other writing courses:
WRIT 221: Basics of Creative Writing (3 hours)

Students from the Classes of 2008 and 2009 may substitute WRIT 220: Introduction to Creative Writing.

Genre Courses in Writing (3 courses)
Three 300-level genre courses (students must have WRIT 220 or 221 to begin this sequence):
WRIT 304 Craft and Technique: Poetry (4 hours)
WRIT 305 Craft and Technique: Creative Nonfiction (4 hours)
WRIT 306 Craft and Technique: Fiction (4 hours)
WRIT 307 Craft and Technique: Playwriting (4 hours)
WRIT 309 Craft and Technique: Screenwriting (4 hours)

Electives in Writing (2 courses)
We recommend that students select electives that complement their professional or academic goals. Elective clusters might include concentrations in the following areas:

Professional Writing (e.g., COMM/WRIT 240, COMM/WRIT 243, COMM/WRIT 246, WRIT 311, WRIT 312, WRIT 319, WRIT/COMM 320, WRIT 321, COMM/WRIT 345, WRIT 498)

Writing Instruction and Pedagogy (WRIT/EDUC 313, WRIT/COMM 205, COMM/WRIT 333)

MFA/Graduate School Preparation (additional genre courses in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction)

Students may choose electives from the 300-level genre courses and 400-level advanced workshops or from the following courses:
WRIT/COMM 205 Style and Grammar for Writers (3 hours)

WRIT 231 Art of Poetry (3 hours)
COMM/WRIT 240 Survey of Journalism (4 hours)
COMM/WRIT 243 Photojournalism (3 hours)
COMM/WRIT 246 Sports Journalism (3 hours)
WRIT 280 Special Topics (1-4 hours)
WRIT 310 Travel Writing (1-4 hours)
WRIT 311 Writing for Business (4 hours)

WRIT 312 Technical Writing (4 hours)
WRIT/EDUC 313 Teaching and Supervising of Writing (4 hours)

WRIT 314 Writing about Science and Nature (3 hours)
WRIT 316 Metafiction (3 hours)
WRIT 318 Memoir (3 hours)
WRIT 319 Literary Journalism (3 hours)
WRIT/COMM 320 Professional Editing (3 hours)

WRIT 321 Literary Journalism (4 hours)
WRIT 324 Writing about Science and Nature (4 hours)
COMM/WRIT 333 Rhetorical Criticism (4 hours)
COMM/WRIT 345 Writing for Publication (3 hours)
WRIT 380 Special Topics (1-4 hours)
WRIT 498 Internship in Writing(1-4 hours)

Advanced Workshops in Writing (2 courses)
Two 400-level workshops, designed to produce advanced work, from the following:
WRIT 404 Advanced Workshop in Poetry (4 hours)
WRIT 405 Advanced Workshop in Creative Nonfiction (4 hours)
WRIT 406 Advanced Workshop in Fiction (4 hours)

Senior Capstone (1 course)
Classes of 2009 and 2010
A capstone course will not be required. However, a capstone experience will be structured by the English Department and detailed at a later date.

Class of 2011 and later

In their senior year, students must complete WRIT 480: Senior Seminar (3 hours). This 3-week course allows students to revise promising work from their portfolio. They must also write a short essay reflecting on their experience as a major in writing. At the end of the course, students will do a public reading.

Introductory Course in Literature (1 course)
To begin the literature component, students must take ENGL 206.
ENGL 206: Introduction to Literary Studies (4 hours)

Literature Component (3 courses)
A minimum of three other courses in literature, at the 300- or 400-level. The combination of these courses must fulfill the following requirements:
American literature course
British literature course
World literature course
Literature course after 1900
Literature course before 1800

Foreign Language
Students must complete a foreign language through the 103 level.

AP Credit
Students who have received a 4 or 5 on the English Language and Composition Advanced Placement (AP) text receive credit for one of the required elective writing courses in the major. However, the English Department encourages students who are considering graduate work to take additional writing courses.

Majoring and Minoring in English
Students completing the major in Creative Writing may not combine it with a major or minor in English but should take additional literature courses within the major; students interested in taking the majority of their coursework in literature should consider the major in English.

English with a Creative Writing Emphasis Major

This major is available only to students in the Classes of 2010 and earlier. Students from the Class of 2011 and later should consider the major in Creative Writing. Students from the Classes of 2010 and earlier who are majoring in English with a Creative Writing Emphasis should consult the 2006-2007 Catalog for course requirements for this major.

Requirements for Minors

The English Department sponsors two minors, the English minor and the Writing minor. They provide special opportunities for students who enjoy literature or writing but wish to major in other subjects. Starting with the Class of 2011, they may not be combined with majors within the English Department.

The English Minor

(6 Courses)

Introductory course (1 course)

ENGL 206 Introduction to Literary Studies (4 hours)

Foundation courses (3 courses)
Students will recognize the major traditions, works, and authors of American, British, and world literature. They will continue to develop their ability to conceive and implement original interpretations of the literature they read. Students should choose three of the following eight courses:
ENGL 350 American Literature to 1900 (4 hours)
ENGL 351 American Literature since 1900 (4 hours)
ENGL 353 Medieval Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 354 Renaissance Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 355 Restoration and 18th-Century British Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 356 19th-Century British Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 357 20th-Century British Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 359 World Literature (4 hours)

Advanced seminar courses (1 course)
Students will gain in-depth knowledge of a specific literary topic, including engagement with secondary materials. They will plan and complete original research and write a substantial research paper.
ENGL 418 Advanced Studies in American Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 428 Advanced Studies in British Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 438 Advanced Studies in World Literature (4 hours)
ENGL 470 Literary Theory (4 hours)

Elective (1 course)

Students must take at least one additional English course. Students can choose from additional foundation courses, advanced seminars, and electives.

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no language requirement for the minor, but study of a foreign language is strongly recommended.

The Writing Minor

The Minor in Writing offers writing experience to students with majors outside the English Department. Students in the past have combined the Minor with a wide range of other disciplines, including philosophy, math, biomedical humanities, psychology, communication, history, and biology. This degree requires a firm commitment on the part of the student and approval by the writing faculty. Application to pursue the Minor in Writing should occur no later than the fall of a student's junior year. At least five (5) courses are required. No more than three (3) may be selected from the 200-level sequence. All Minors must take WRIT 221: Basics of Creative Writing as well as one nonfiction course (e.g., WRIT 305, WRIT 310, WRIT 314, WRIT 318, WRIT 319, WRIT 321, WRIT 323, WRIT 324, WRIT 405). An application form should be requested from Prof. Joyce Dyer and then submitted to her electronically. Materials should include three discrete files: the application form, Sample #1, and Sample #2. Beginning with the class of 2011, students are not permitted to both major in English and Minor in Writing; students who might have been considering such a combination should explore the Major in Creative Writing.

Courses that count toward the Minor in Writing:

WRIT/COMM 205 Style and Grammar for Writers (3 hours)

WRIT 312 Technical Writing (4 hours)
WRIT/EDUC 313 Teaching and Supervising of Writing (4 hours)

WRIT 314 Writing about Science and Nature (3 hours)
WRIT 316 Metafiction (3 hours)
WRIT 318 Memoir (3 hours)
WRIT 319 Literary Journalism (3 hours)
WRIT/COMM 320 Professional Editing (3 hours)

WRIT 404 Advanced Workshop in Poetry (4 hours)
WRIT 405 Advanced Workshop in Creative Nonfiction (4 hours)
WRIT 406 Advanced Workshop in Fiction (4 hours)
WRIT 498 Internship in Writing (1-4 hours)

Minors in Writing are required to complete a two-hour writing internship. Minors also will be expected to give a 20-minute public reading the spring of their senior year, featuring samples from at least three separate manuscripts. Joyce Dyer, Paul Gaffney, Mary Quade, and Jeff Swenson will serve as advisors to Minors in Writing.

Requirements for Honors in English

Departmental honors are a privilege conferred upon the English Department’s most outstanding students each year upon completion of the honors requirements. In addition to meeting the Hiram College requirements for Departmental Honors, honors candidates must fulfill additional requirements to be developed in conjunction with members of the English Department faculty.

Departmental Offerings for English

The English Department offers a broad selection of classes ranging from 200-level literature courses (with no prerequisites) for the general student, through 300-level foundation courses for the English major or minor, to 400-level advanced research courses for upper-level students in the department.

206 Introduction to Literary Studies IM 4 hours

A basic introduction to the study of literature, with an emphasis on British and American examples. Through discussion and writing, students study the major genres in Western Literature, practice textual analysis, and learn about significant theories of literary criticism. Several critical papers and one documented research paper are required.

209 Shakespeare in Performance 3 hours

Performance is the way in which dramatic texts come to life, and performing a play is an indispensable heuristic to knowledge about it. In this course, advanced students of Shakespeare shall investigate one play in its entirety, learning each scene by staging it. Becoming familiar with the work of the actor and director as well as with that of the critic, scholar, and reviewer, students will keep a daily journal and write analyses of scenes in preparation for staging work in class. The instructor will not serve as a director; rather, students will explore scenes in their own groups. Readings will include critical essays, scholarly discussions of textual issues, and reviews of performances. Also listed as THEA 209.

219 Readings in American Literature IM, CA 1 - 4 hours

This course will present some of the masterpieces, both great and minor, of American literature. The course may be organized around a major theme (such as “Nature in American Literature”), concentrate on important works of a single author (“The Poetry of Emily Dickinson,” “Hemingway’s Novels”), or examine examples of a particular literary genre (“The American Short Story,” “Journals and Diaries in American Life”). Recent offerings include: “American Renaissance” “Harlem Renaissance” “Ohio and the Western Reserve” Not recommended for English majors.

222 Readings in British Literature IM, CA 1 - 4 hours

This course will present some of the masterpieces, both great and minor, of British literature. The course may be organized around a theme (such as “Depictions of Class in British Literature”), concentrate on important works of a single author (“Jane Austen’s Contribution to the Novel”), or examine examples of a particular literary genre (“Modern British Poetry” or “The Development of the English Mystery”). Recent offerings include: “Charles Dickens” “English Renaissance Poetry” “Utopias and Dystopias” Not recommended for English majors.

226 Readings in World Literature IM, EW 1 - 4 hours

This course will present some of the masterpieces, both great and minor, of world literature. The course may be arranged around a theme (such as “Post-colonialism” or “The Epic Impulse”), concentrate on important works of a single author or geographical area (“The Novels of West Africa,” “Nabokov’s Russian and American Novels”), or examine examples of a specific genre of writing (such as “African and Australian plays,” “English Poetry in Asia”). Recent offerings include: “20th-Century Indian Literature” “Postcolonial Literature” Not recommended for English majors.

239 Modern Drama 3 hours

This survey begins with innovative plays by 19th-century European realists and expressionists, including Ibsen, Strindberg, and Chekhov, continues through representative works by Brecht and Beckett, and concludes with plays by contemporary European, American, and African playwrights. We shall practice analysis of these plays as pieces for theatrical performance as well as for literary interpretation. A 4-hour version of this course is offered for as English 240A student may receive credit for only one of these courses. Also listed as THEA 239.

240 Modern Drama 4 hours

This survey begins with innovative plays by 19th-century European realists and expressionists, including Ibsen, Strindberg, and Chekhov, continues through representative works by Brecht and Beckett, and concludes with plays by contemporary European, American, and African playwrights. We shall practice analysis of these plays as pieces for theatrical performance as well as for literary interpretation. A 3-hour version of this course is offered as English 239. A student may receive credit for only one of these courses. Also listed as THEA 240.

241 Literary Perspectives on Women IM, CA 3 hours

Gender expectations have shaped women’s roles in literature and their work as writers. This course examines several facets of the complex dilemmas faced by women artists within their historical context. Its perspectives include such concerns as the debate about women’s innate nature, their role in both the domestic and outside world, their contributions, and their current status within or literary culture.

252 The English Language: A Linguistic Introduction 3 hours

This course traces the historical development of the English language from its Indo-European origins down to present day U.S. speech, with a special emphasis on the various contemporary American dialects. In studying this long evolution of our native tongue, students will be introduced to modern linguistic techniques and terminology. Some field work in local dialects will be required.

258 Appalachia in Literature and Film 3 hours

In literature and film, Appalachia has often been depicted as “hillbilly-land.” Most of us are familiar with the stereotypes of Ma and Pa Kettle and Lil’ Abner. The course attempts to sift and sort through books (histories, fiction, nonfiction, poetry) and films (including TV shows like The Beverly Hillbillies) for a more accurate and complete account of Appalachian life and people. The course explores the changing attitudes of our country-and its artists-toward the people of the Appalachian Mountains. It also attempts to correct a literary history that has not been kind to the writers of the Southern Highlands.

262 Shakespeare 4 hours

This introductory course features major plays by Shakespeare with an emphasis on their place in the theater. We shall also consider historical context, language, genre, and theoretical influences on recent criticism. Plays representing early and late periods such as Twelfth Night, I Henry IV, Hamlet, Measure for Measure, King Lear, Antony and Cleopatra, and The Winter’s Tale, may be included. Also listed as THEA 262.

280 Special Topics Seminar 1 - 4 hours

281 Independent Study 1 - 4 hours

330 Studies in British Literature IM, CA 3 hours

This course offers in-depth examination of significant works of British literature. It builds on the concepts introduced in ENGL 206 and prepares students for the advanced study and research of 400-level courses. Students will read both primary and secondary texts and produce a short research paper. The course may be organized around a theme, concentrate on important works of a single author, or focus on examples of a particular literary genre. Recommended for English majors. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

331 Studies in World Literature IM, EW 3 hours

This course offers in-depth examination of significant works of world literature. It builds on the concepts introduced in ENGL 206 and prepares students for the advanced study and research of 400-level courses. Students will read both primary and secondary texts and produce a short research paper. The course may be organized around a theme, concentrate on important works of a single author, or focus on examples of a particular literary genre. Recommended for English majors. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

332 Studies in Genre IM 3 hours

This course offers in-depth examination of significant works in a single literary genre, such as drama, poetry, the novel, the short story, or the essay. It builds on the concepts introduced in ENGL 206 and prepares students for the advanced study and research of 400-level courses. Students will read both primary and secondary texts and produce a short research paper. Recommended for English majors. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

350 American Literature I CA, UD 4 hours

This course will introduce students to literature from the American colonial, revolutionary, and Romantic periods (the 1490s through 1900), including major authors, works, and genres. In addition to specific texts, the course will consider the impact on literature of significant cultural and historical developments of the period, such as North and South American colonization and the cultural contact zone; developing American cultural identities, racial conflicts; immigration; industrialism; and westward expansion. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

351 American Literature II IM 4 hours

American Literature II will look at novels and poetry in various movements such as: Romanticism, Naturalism, Realism, Modernism and Postmodernism. We will also look at what modes of literary theoretical inquiry developed during these periods. By doing so, students will gain an understanding of the formation of the American Canon in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

353 Medieval Literature IM, CA 4 hours

This course will explore the development of literature in the British Isles from Old English through the fifteenth century, including major authors, works and genres. Cultural and historical contexts such as the rise and decline of feudalism, pilgrimage and crusading, and the Black Death will inform the discussion and analysis. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

354 Renaissance Literature IM, CA 4 hours

This course will explore the development of literature in the British Isles from the early sixteenth century through the mid seventeenth century, including major authors, works and genres. Cultural and historical contexts such as the growth of printed materials, the Protestant Reformation, and the beginnings of European colonialism will inform the discussion and analysis. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

355 Restoration and 18th-Century British Literature IM, CA 4 hours

This course will introduce students to British literature from the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, including major authors, works, and genres. In addition to specific texts, the course will consider significant cultural and historical developments of the period, such as the rise of the novel as a genre and the Enlightenment, and their impact on the literature. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

356 19th-Century British Literature IM, CA 4 hours

This course will introduce students to literature from the British Romantic and Victorian periods (the 1790s through 1900), including major authors, works, and genres. In addition to specific texts, the course will consider significant cultural and historical developments of the period, such as industrialization, imperialism, and early feminism, and their impact on the literature. Prerequisite: ENGL 206

357 20th-Century British Literature IM, CA 4 hours

This course will introduce students to literature of the British Isles and its colonies written in the twentieth century, including major authors, works, and genres. In addition to specific texts, the course will consider significant cultural and historical developments of the period, such as the decline of empire, World War I, and World War II, and their impact on the literature. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

359 World Literature IM, EW 4 hours

English-language literature is found on every continent of the world. British and American colonial influence resulted in Australian, African, and Asian literatures in English, as well as Caribbean and Canadian literature in North America. Class members will read and discuss examples of these works. Non-English world literature from the Middle Ages through the modern period may also be studied. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

360 Creeps and Castles: Gothic Fiction 4 hours

Populated by gloomy castles, ghastly ghosts, and other creepy characters and events, Gothic novels inspire shivering suspense and terror in their readers. Taking its name from the medieval period of achitecture, Gothic fiction is often set in this murky past. The genre developed in the late 18th century as a way to represent and make sense of the political, social, and even psychological changes underway in Britain during this period. Gothic writers explore the seamy underside of life, calling into question the push for progress and order occurring in Britain during this period. Britons' claims for civilization are repeatedly undermined by the images of villians and damsels in distress, crime and manipulation evident in these novels. At the same time, however, these texts often displace this disorder by location it in a distant time and or place. In this course, we will trace the rise of this genre and tie it to the social context that inspired it. We will follow the changes in Gothic fiction as it enters the Victorian period and consider the uses of the Gothic that continue into the present.

380 Seminar 1 - 4 hours

418 Advanced Studies in American Literature 4 hours

This course will engage students in advanced study and research in a topic in American literature. Recent topics include slave and captivity narratives and the aesthetics of sublimation. Students will present a significant documented essay after a concentrated introduction to the methodology of contemporary literary study. Prerequisites: ENGL 206 and junior standing.

428 Advanced Studies in British Literature 4 hours

This course will engage students in advanced study and research in a topic in British literature. Recent Topics include gender in Victorian Literature and the English Country House. Students will present a significant documented essay after a concentrated introduction to the methodology of contemporary literary study. Prerequisites: ENGL 206 and junior standing.

438 Advanced Studies in World Literature 4 hours

This course will engage students in advanced study and research in a topic of world literature. Recent topics include Indian Literature. Students will present a significant documented essay after a concentrated introduction to the methodology of contemporary literary study. Prerequisites: ENGL 206 and junior standing.

470 Literary Theory 3 hours

This introductory course in contemporary literary theory probes issues basic to language, interpretation, and culture. In response to a broad range of recent theoretical essays, we shall break ground on questions concerning the nature of the text, the (ir)relevance of historical context, the role of the reader/critic, the “death” of the author, the (in)determinacy of meaning, and the politics of gender, ethnicity, and class. Prerequisite: ENGL 206.

481 Independent Research 1 - 4 hours

498 Internship 1 - 4 hours

Writing Courses

The writing program serves the needs of not only English and Creative Writing majors, but also students with other majors who want to concentrate on better ways of communicating their knowledge.

105 Basic Exposition 2 hours

This course concentrates on helping students become more effective prose writers. Attention is given to clear thinking and wording, effective organization, insightful analysis, strong detail, and grammatical precision. Students must be willing to read their own work and comment on the work of others. Prerequisite: Permission.

205 Style and Grammar for Writers CM 3 hours

This course focuses on the close analysis of technical and stylistic strengths and weaknesses of writers in the class and helps them create prose that is more precise and agile.

221 Basics of Creative Writing CM 3 hours

Basics of Creative Writing will introduce beginning writers to creative writing—its fundamentals, its craft, its process. The course will concentrate on techniques that cross genres—scene and dialogue, description, three-dimensional characters, metaphor, etc. Students will analyze literature, but also their own work in a workshop environment.

231 The Art of Poetry 3 hours

Readings and exercises will be assigned that help students begin to shape experience and language into poetry. Exposure to contemporary poetry will be central to the course.

240 Survey of Journalism 4 hours

This course examines the contemporary professional journalistic field, particularly the areas of writing for media, design, layout, public relations and marketing. It provides students with practical experience and also an understanding of ethical and legal problems facing contemporary journalism. By examining the way First Amendment principles have translated in different political and social arenas, it also addresses how effectively journalism serves its various constituencies. Also listed as COMM 240.

243 Photojournalism 3 hours

This course introduces students to the medium by defining photojournalism and the difference between pictures made for publication and those made for personal purposes. Also listed as COMM 243.

246 Sports Journalism 3 hours

This course is an overview of sports journalism and includes the study of story development from a single idea to a published story in the field of sport. This course examines the various elements necessary to bring a sporting event from the playing field to the public through the print media. Topics include types of print media, the role of sports department personnel, coverage of the sporting event, developing contracts, gaining access to sports figures, interviewing, and story development. The course focuses on developing effective writing skills by approaching sports writing as a process. Also listed as COMM 246.

280 Special Topics Seminar 1 - 4 hours

281 Independent Study 1 - 4 hours

304 Craft and Technique: Poetry CM 4 hours

Students will write and revise poems through extensive practice and revision, as well as exposure to traditions, theory, prosody and esthetics, and method and craft. The course will focus on both practice and process – the tools needed to complete a successful poem, as well as the lifelong process that writers hone to tap into emotional experience and articulate it honestly. Workshops will be central, and students must be willing to read their own work and comment on the work of others. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or permission

305 Craft and Technique: Creative Nonfiction CM 4 hours

Students learn and practice a wide variety of nonfiction forms, including personal essays, memoir, lyrical essays, literary journalism, nature and science writing, analytical meditation, and prose short shorts. The course will be coupled with readings by historical and contemporary nonfiction writers. Students will be responsible for writing and rewriting several essays. Workshops will be central, and students must be willing to read their own work and comment on the work of others. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or permission.

306 Craft and Technique: Fiction CM 4 hours

Students learn how to write and perfect short fiction through the study and practice of techniques employed in fiction. The course will include the reading of short fiction by both established and new writers. Students will be responsible for writing and rewriting several original short stories and completing a number of writing exercises. Workshops will be central, and students must be willing to read their own work and comment on the work of others. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or permission.

307 Craft and Technique: Playwriting 4 hours

This course introduces students to the craft of playwriting through investigation of the work of professional playwrights and creation of original scripts. Students should expect to produce a set amount of writing every week, to participate in workshop-style writing exercises, and to read portions of their weekly writing aloud, as well as to respond to their classmates’ work. Classic and contemporary plays will provide models for study and critique while students’ own writing is in progress. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or permission.

309 Craft and Technique: Screenwriting CM 4 hours

Screenwriting is an introduction to the practice of writing for film. Students will learn the vocabulary and format of creating screenplays, study screenplays that have been produced as films, examine films with an eye toward the interpretation of the screenplay, and write and workshop their own work. The class will look both at original screenplays and at screenplays that adapt literature to film. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or permission.

310 Travel Writing 1 - 4 hours

Travel writing has a long and impressive history. This course will help writers to know that history and become part of it. The genre of travel writing, beginning with writers like Herodotus and Marco Polo has appealed to a wide range of fine writers, including Mary Montagu, James Boswell, Charles Darwin, Evelyn Waugh, Jan Morris, and Paul Theroux. In addition to reading such writers, students will compose their own travel essays based on travel experiences. Their descriptions of new experiences and sites may be heightened by irony, humor, cultural meditation, and a sense of a “mind in motion” that pushes toward larger meanings — ethical, political, and personal. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or permission.

311 Writing for Business 4 hours

This course will ask students to apply writing and thinking skills to the specific demands of business, from the varieties of business correspondence to the preparation of proposals and reports. Students will practice the modes of business writing and develop the rhetorical and stylistic skills necessary for effective business communication.

312 Technical Writing 4 hours

This course helps students learn to write for an audience that wants factual information for practical use. This specialized information is usually directed to a specific audience which already has familiarity with the field. Professional technical journals provide the primary sources for this writing, as do technical reports written for business and government use.

313 Teaching and Supervising Writing CM 4 hours

This course is designed to prepare students in all disciplines to teach, tutor, and supervise the writing of high school students and college undergraduates. The course will offer an introduction to the major trends in composition theory and research, as well as practice. It will also develop the technical and interpersonal skills necessary for effective instruction. Students will closely examine their own writing process and style. To fulfill the required laboratory element of this course, students will spend time each week working with a mentor in the Writing Center. Prerequisite: First Year Seminar and permission. Also listed as EDUC 313.

314 Writing About Science and Nature 3 hours

This is an intensive writing course. The combination of reading and writing will inspire student insights into science and nature. The course will cover such topics as evolution, genetic research, and the romantic lure of the natural world. We have the daunting yet vitally important task of writing about scientific issues in a manner that is accessible to a popular audience. Class assignments will reflect that goal. Course books will acquaint students with scientific and environmental issues from historical, aesthetic, and medical perspectives. Students will learn to write summaries and analyze articles about science and nature and to synthesize historical scientific information—e.g., the findings of Darwin.--with current scientific and ecological issues and thought. While the class concentrates on scientific issues, it will be crucial to speculate on what these issues mean for our society. Therefore, students will deepen their understanding of how scientific issues intersect with our democracy and culture-at-large. A 4-hour version of this course is offered as WRIT 324. A student may receive credit for only one of these courses. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or permission.

316 Metafiction 3 hours

Students will explore the craft of metafiction, fiction that deliberately undermines and resists the conventions of traditional fiction. Students will read examples of metafiction, a genre marked by great humor and invention, and write carefully constructed metafiction of their own. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or permission.

318 Memoir CM 3 hours

Memoir, with its roots in the personal essay, uses the techniques of fiction and other literary genres to allow writers to remember and discover their lives through a specific theme or lens. Students will be asked to read and review several contemporary memoirs and to write a short memoir of their own. Workshops will be central, and students must be willing to read their own work as well as comment on the work of others. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or permission.

319 Literary Journalism CM 3 hours

Literary journalism has its roots in the early work of Daniel Defoe, but in the last few decades has come into its own—a genre marked by distinct conventions of style, form, and sensibility. Students will read samples of work by several generations of literary journalists who have shaped (and continue to shape) the genre—work by writers like George Orwell, Stephen Crane, Norman Mailer, Lillian Ross, Tom Wolfe, Mark Singer, Lauren Slater, Annie Dillard, Mark Kramer, John McPhee, Joan Didion, Michael Pollan, Robert Sullivan, Alice Walker, Amy Tan, and Ian Frazier, as well as new voices emerging every day. They will write a long piece of immersion journalism themselves, joining the ongoing conversation nonfiction writers are having about this inventive and important form in American letters. A 4-hour version of this course is offered as WRIT 321. A student may receive credit for only one of these courses. Prerequisites: WRIT 221 or permission.

320 Professional Editing CM 3 hours

This course offers training in the role and craft of the professional editor, with special focus on copyediting skills and preparation of book manuscripts. WRIT 221 or permission. Also listed as COMM 320.

321 Literary Journalism CM 4 hours

Literary journalism has its roots in the early work of Daniel Defoe, but in the last few decades has come into its own—a genre marked by distinct conventions of style, form, and sensibility. Students will read samples of work by several generations of literary journalists who have shaped (and continue to shape) the genre—work by writers like George Orwell, Stephen Crane, Norman Mailer, Lillian Ross, Tom Wolfe, Mark Singer, Lauren Slater, Annie Dillard, Mark Kramer, John McPhee, Joan Didion, Michael Pollan, Robert Sullivan, Alice Walker, Amy Tan, and Ian Frazier, as well as new voices emerging every day. They will write a long piece of immersion journalism themselves, joining the ongoing conversation nonfiction writers are having about this inventive and important form in American letters. A 3-hour version of this course is offered as WRIT 319. A student may receive credit for only one of these courses. Prerequisites: WRIT 221 or permission.

324 Writing About Science and Nature 4 hours

This is an intensive writing course. The combination of reading and writing will inspire student insights into science and nature. The course will cover such topics as evolution, genetic research, and the romantic lure of the natural world. We have the daunting yet vitally important task of writing about scientific issues in such a manner that is accessible to a popular audience. Thus class assignments will reflect that goal. Course books will acquaint students with scientific and environmental issues from historical, aesthetic and medical perspectives. Students will learn to write summarize and analyze articles about science and nature and to synthesize historical scientific information—e.g., the findings of Darwin—with current scientific and ecological issues and thought. While the class concentrates on scientific issues, it will be crucial to speculate on what these issues mean for our society. Therefore, students will deepen their understanding of how scientific issues intersect with our democracy and culture-at –large. A 3-hour version of this course is offered as WRIT 314. A student may receive credit for only one of these courses. Prerequisites: WRIT 221 or permission.

333 Rhetorical Criticism 4 hours

An examination of the nature and practice of rhetorical criticism as theory and methodology for understanding and critiquing contemporary discourse. The tools of rhetorical criticism, different methodological approaches, and the values of analyzing human discourse are explored. Students will do five critiques from a broad variety of contemporary discourse including speeches, essays, letters, editorials, theater, television, film, and other symbolic contexts of their choosing. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or COMM 240 or permission. Also listed as COMM 333.

345 Writing for Publication 3 hours

A critical survey of modes and styles in contemporary publications is offered. Emphasis will be placed on developing critical and analytical skills in assessment of manuscripts, as well as on improving research and interview techniques. Instruction will be provided about such issues as copyediting, marketing, agents, working with editors, and assembling feature-length or book-length texts. Students will contact publishers concerning article needs and editorial guidelines to enlarge their understanding of the appreciation for the standards and expectations of publishers. Prerequisite: WRIT 221 or COMM 240 or permission. Also listed as COMM 345.

380 Special Topics Seminar 1 - 4 hours

404 Advanced Workshop in Poetry 4 hours

This advanced course will allow writers to explore a fuller range of techniques and craft in poetry writing, as well as move toward longer forms. Students will have considerable freedom in the selection of their projects and receive workshop support on a regular basis. Prerequisite: WRIT 304 or WRIT 231 or permission.

405 Advanced Workshop in Creative Nonfiction 4 hours

This advanced course will allow writers to explore a fuller range of techniques and craft in nonfictionwriting, as well as move toward longer forms. Students will have considerable freedom in the selection of their projects and receive workshop support on a regular basis. Prerequisite: WRIT 305 or WRIT 310 or WRIT 318 or WRIT 319 or WRIT 321 or WRIT 323 or WRIT 324 or WRIT 280 (Personal Essay) or permission.

406 Advanced Workshop in Fiction 4 hours

This advanced course will allow writers to explore a fuller range of techniques and craft in short story writing, as well as move toward longer forms. Students will have considerable freedom in the selection of their projects and receive workshop support on a regular basis. Prerequisite:

WRIT 306 or WRIT 316 or permission.