English Literature and Language

EN 0301. Intermediate Rhetoric & Composition. 3 Semester Hours.

This course, an introduction to writing and composition, is intended for international undergraduate students whose first language is not English and who do not meet TOEFL/IELTS score requirements for EN 1313 (Rhetoric and Composition for International Students). It emphasizes the structure of a paragraph, function of the topic sentence, supporting details, transitional expressions, and academic grammar usage. Students must pass the course with a grade of “C” grade or better to progress to EN 1313. This is a non-credit course. FALL, SPRING.

EN 1311. Rhetoric and Composition. 3 Semester Hours.

This course emphasizes the composing process, including development and control of authorial voice through pre-writing, shaping, and editing of product for audience and purpose. Required of all students, regardless of major, this course should be taken in the first semester. Must pass with a "C" grade or better. FALL, SPRING, SUMMER I.

EN 1313. Rhetoric and Composition for International Students. 3 Semester Hours.

This course is an enriched freshman composition experience for non-native speakers of English. Students receive instruction in the composing process by studying theory, analyzing model compositions, and completing in-class writing exercises, to produce formal academic compositions of their own. A personal tutor is assigned to aid students with specific writing needs. Must pass with a “C” grade or better. FALL, SPRING.

EN 2352. Survey of British Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

This course is a critical reading survey of selections from early through twenty-first century British literature. Critical writing and research based on readings. Prerequisite: EN1311 or EN 1313. Dual Credit HS class only (or some such language).

EN 2361. Multicultural American Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

Examines the work of contemporary writers from the many cultures that make-up the United States of America. The readings emphasize different cultural perspectives in American Literature. Through this class you will be invited to examine the question of “self” in relationship to others and in relationship to wider social structures. You will also examine how the characters in the literature address these concepts. By doing so, you will see that literature is a reflection of society. This course emphasizes critical reading, critical writing, and critical analysis of the work. Fall and Spring.

EN 2363. Multi-Ethnic Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

The purpose of this course is to consider the human experience through the practice and analysis of literature. The course will focus on literary relationships as a way of highlighting the connections among times, peoples, and literatures. This course will explore multicultural and multiethnic texts to examine the intersections of race, class, education, and gender, thereby allowing a better understanding of the human condition. Fall only.

EN 2364. Literature and the Immigrant Experience. 3 Semester Hours.

This course will examine the immigrant experience through a variety of genres, including memoirs, poetry, novels, short stories, plays, primary sources, film and other media, in order to gain a better understanding of the significance and impact of the immigrant experience. Students will gain a better understanding of the US immigration experience and the surrounding issues behind the topic. Fall only.

EN 2371. Literature and Medicine. 3 Semester Hours.

Why are we so fascinated by tales of doctors and patients, from Dr. Frankenstein and his famous monster to the brilliant detective work of House, M.D.? What do the stories we create—about disability and disease, about who (and what) has the power to heal, about the fear of death and desire to transcend it—tell us about our culture, our history, and the experience of being human? In this course, we’ll read novels, short stories, and essays written by both patients and clinicians as we investigate the surprising affinities among literary representation, medical science, and clinical practice. Topics will include the clinician-patient relationship, medical detection, illness and social exclusion, and the quest for immortality. Fall and Spring. Fall and Spring.

EN 2372. Literature and the Environment. 3 Semester Hours.

What can literature tell us about the relationship between humans and the environment? What do tales about stones, weather, animals, water, and plants tell us about ourselves and our place in the universe? How can the humanities combat climate change? In this course, students read poems, essays, short stories, and novels that explore the connections among literature, humans, and environments both natural and artificial. Topics include sustainability, ecology, climate change, and natural disasters, particularly as they relate to the human condition. Spring only.

EN 2373. Literature and Food. 3 Semester Hours.

Food and life experiences are inextricably linked. In this course, we will examine the ways in which literature uses food to represent and understand the human experience We will focus on the various symbolic functions of food associated with the images of cooking, eating, drinking, and feasting presented in these literary works. Fall and Spring.

EN 2374. Literature and Gender. 3 Semester Hours.

This survey of major writers and traditions of literature spans time and space to examine how women constructed a place in their living world and how they constructed fictional ones as well. We will read and discuss stories, poems, memoirs, and essays in the context of women’s changing social and economic conditions. Fall only.

EN 2375. Literature and Community Engagement. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines a selection of readings about community engagement that highlight the importance of contact and shared community values. It raises deep questions about community and examines how individuals and various cultures have engaged with their communities. We will focus on stories highlighting the conflict between the individual and the community and the forces to be negotiated for solidarity and connection needed in order to meet the common good, both a space for connection as well as a space to exercise one’s own free will. The selections will help us to think more deeply about the beliefs and opinions that inform the activities not only of other cultures but those of our own as well. The purpose of this course is to consider the human experience through the practice and analysis of various genres of literature. The course will explore various literary texts representative of multiple cultures and ethnicities within the United States while allowing opportunities for community engagement via service-learning projects and connections to various social issues like systemic racism, immigration, and poverty among other topics. Fall and Spring.

EN 2376. Literature of Peace and Protest. 3 Semester Hours.

This course will offer a chronological and topical survey of the literature of protest. We will read works by Gandhi, Thoreau, and King as well as more contemporary texts by founders of modern protest movements, including PRIDE and Black Lives Matter. This class examines moments when writers seem not only to represent politically charged topics and themes, but also help bring about political change. We will ask questions about the efficacy of different kinds of protest; does protest lead to greater justice and, ultimately, to peace? Maymester only.

EN 2377. The Literature of Adventure. 3 Semester Hours.

From writers who climb mountains, sail seas, hike the Pacific Coast Trail or carve a new path through the Amazon, we gain the stories of their triumphs and, sometimes, of their despair. Why do human beings take great risks, pay heavy prices for the thrill of adventure? In this course, we will read the literature of adventure from writers all over the world. Fall and Summer.

EN 2378. Literature and the Civil Rights. 3 Semester Hours.

A comprehensive study of fiction and nonfiction of notable activists who led the struggle for improvement in civil rights in the United States. Spring only.

EN 2379. Literature of Crime and Punishment. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines literature that has challenged laws of the society in which they were written or has questioned or complicated notions of justice prevailing in the culture. The selection of writings on crime and punishment probe the complexities of situations and examine justice from different perspectives. An examination of the role of the detective in several cultures. Detective fiction investigates the sources of power and powerlessness in a given society, so these works highlight gender roles and class difference while offering the reader a puzzle to solve. Spring only.

EN 2381. Introduction to Fantasy. 3 Semester Hours.

This course covers a selection of readings in Fantasy as a way to examine how fantasy has been used and for what purposes. We will explore the elements and characteristics of fantasy and how it plays an important role in the psychology not only of the individual but of the culture. Summer only. This course covers a selection of readings in Fantasy as a way to examine how fantasy has been used and for what purposes. We will explore the elements and characteristics of fantasy and how it plays an important role in the psychology not only of the individual but of the culture. Summer only.

EN 2382. Fairy Tales, Myths & Folklore. 3 Semester Hours.

Since the beginning of time, people have gathered to tell stories of angry gods, harrowing journeys, cunning animals, horrible beasts, and those who have vanquished them. Fairytales, myths, and folklore help us make sense of our world and the challenges we encounter throughout our lives. Beginning with an overview of mythology and different types of folklore, we will journey with age-old heroes as they slay dragons, outwit gods, defy fate, fight hopeless battles, and outwit clever monsters with strength and courage. We’ll explore the universality and social significance of fairy tales, myths and folklore to see how these powerful tales continue to shape society even today. Fall and Spring.

EN 2383. Introduction to Science Fiction. 3 Semester Hours.

This course introduces students to the study of science fiction as an important intersection of the sciences and the humanities. Students will examine how literature explores the humanistic aspects of scientific endeavors such as space travel, the search for extraterrestrial life, and bioengineering. Representative authors include Edgar Allan Poe, Carmen Maria Machado, Octavia Butler, Neil Gaiman, and Cixin Liu. Spring only.

EN 2399. Special Topics in English. 3 Semester Hours.

Special Topics in English (Elective transfer credit only).

EN 3300. Advanced Composition. 3 Semester Hours.

This course explores the expository essay: the review, critical essay, essay of definition, essay of persuasion, position paper. Focus on writing across majors. Prerequisites: EN 1311 or EN 1313, plus SMC 2304, or if it is a school-specific requirement, 3 hours of EN 2323, EN 2352, or EN 2357. FALL, SPRING.

EN 3301. Advanced Research Writing Practice. 3 Semester Hours.

This course emphasizes the development and practice of academic writing and research skills. The objectives are to critically analyze scholarly sources and effectively integrate source material into a complex argument. Assignments include prewriting exercises, a critique, a critical annotated bibliography, a literature review, and a statement of proposed research. SPRING.

EN 3302. Advanced Research Writing for Publication. 3 Semester Hours.

This course emphasizes the development and practice of academic writing and research skills. The objectives are to critically analyze scholarly sources and effectively integrate source material into a complex argument. Assignments include prewriting exercises, a critique, a critical annotated bibliography, a literature review, and a statement of proposed research. Ultimately, students will produce and edit a finished essay to submit to an appropriate print or web publication. SPRING.

EN 3310. Introduction to the Creative Process. 3 Semester Hours.

This course offers strategies for developing verbal expression and for evaluating our own and others’ literary efforts. Students produce short stories and poetry.

EN 3311. Poetry Writing Workshop. 3 Semester Hours.

This course emphasizes analysis of a wide range of poetry and the creative process, as students increase their understanding and enjoyment of this art form, while they also develop their skills as poets. Performance required.

EN 3312. Fiction Writing Workshop. 3 Semester Hours.

This course facilitates experimentation with a variety of structures and forms, as exemplified in the works of a variety of American, British, and International authors, in student writing of fiction.

EN 3313. Linguistics: Grammar as Communication. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines grammatical structures and practices in written communication.

EN 3315. Children’s Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

This course includes a critical reading survey of selections of children's literature, identification and perception of literary conventions, types and genres of literature, and an appreciation of the role of children's literature in the transmission of cultural heritage. Models of extension reading activities will be demonstrated and used in school settings. Field experience required. SPRING.

EN 3321. Persuasive Writing. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines classical and more recent approaches to persuasive prose, facilitating student composition of effective claims and convincing arguments.

EN 3331. Free-Lance Writing. 3 Semester Hours.

This course focuses on writing non-fiction articles for commercial publication.

EN 3332. Publication Writing. 3 Semester Hours.

This course focuses on writing for a targeted market, copyright issues, proofreading, style sheets, manuscript preparation, and the publishing industry.

EN 3333. Business Writing. 3 Semester Hours.

This course emphasizes the practice of writing clear, effective, professional business documents, such as email, memos, letters, and reports.

EN 3341. Teaching of Composition. 3 Semester Hours.

Focuses on rhetoric as both theory and practice, studying the history of rhetorical theory from Aristotle to the present, researching recent composing processes and methods for facilitating and developing student writing in today's culturally diverse classroom. Required for all EN-ED majors.

EN 3342. Technical Writing. 3 Semester Hours.

This course explores advanced writing in technical, scientific, and business fields, providing students with broad experience in report-writing formats, such as abstracts, proposals, operation manuals, progress reports, and other correspondence.

EN 3345. Creative Non Fiction. 3 Semester Hours.

In The Literature of Fact by Ronald Weber (Ohio Press University, 1980), Ronald Wood writes that until recent years, the most widely used term for creative non-fiction was “The New Journalism.” Other terms for the same kind of writing include “literary nonfiction,” “creative journalism,” and “literary reportage.” According to Weber, creative nonfiction is “. . . fact writing based on reporting that frequently employs techniques drawn from the art of fiction to create something of fiction’s atmosphere or feeling and that, most important, moves toward the intentions of fiction while remaining fully factual.” In other words, creative nonfiction is genre of writing that uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives. We will produce three shorter pieces of creative nonfiction and one longer, article-length piece as a final (2000+ words). These essays will be assigned from many of a variety of forms, which we will discuss in class, including personal journalism, feature writing, personal or literary essay, autobiographical narrative, or forms yet-unnamed.

EN 3350. Introduction to the Critical Study of Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

This course engages students in an historical approach to literary analysis, an exploration of literary terms and their application, and an investigation of a variety of analytical approaches to literature including theories of formalism, poststructuralism, and eco criticism. Required for all English Majors and Minors, and should be taken as early in the program as possible. Recommended for all EA Majors and Minors. Prerequisites: Completion of Core EN requirements. SPRING, FALL.

EN 3351. The History of the English Language. 3 Semester Hours.

This course engages students in the story of English from its beginnings as the language of Beowulf through its transformation by social, political, economic, and military forces, especially the invasion of England in 1066, into a global lingua franca.

EN 3352. How English Works. 3 Semester Hours.

This course focuses on the syntax of an English sentence. Students explore syntactic foundations by identifying and manipulating grammatical structures and their various functions. By doing so, they emerge as stronger writers and editors who can successfully develop within and adapt to a variety of communication environments, ranging from academic prose to poetry, fiction, journalism, and social media.

EN 3363. Drama Analysis. 3 Semester Hours.

Study of drama from many countries. Discussion about dramatic structure, character, plot, setting, dialogue, and theme.

EN 3371. Contemporary Literary Criticism. 3 Semester Hours.

This course is an application of critical approaches, including reader-response, psychoanalytical, mythic, socio-historical, and feminist approaches, to works of literature.

EN 3372. Rhetorical Criticism. 3 Semester Hours.

This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts and tools of describing, analyzing, interpreting and evaluating a variety of texts. Grounded in rhetorical theory, this course helps students learn about the nature, function and effects of communications and develop the skills necessary to produce written, scholarly, analytical critiques.

EN 3381. Modern Short Story. 3 Semester Hours.

The course focuses on cross-cultural readings of the modern short story, historical development of the genre, and theory and practice of short story criticism to include theory of form, interpretation, and critical reading and writing. This course intends to cover many authors representative of the short story form and will also allow us to examine writers who have not been included in the literary canon.

EN 3391. Author and Work. 3 Semester Hours.

This course focuses on the body of work by one or two major authors, such as Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe, Doris Lessing and Margaret Atwood, James Joyce and Edna O’Brien, or Ernest Hemingway, with an emphasis on specific genres developed by writers.

EN 4310. American Romanticism: Origins and Development. 3 Semester Hours.

This course engages students in the study of how a distinctly American literature developed through the themes of individuality, nature, the rejection of materialism, and social reform. The course includes the writings of authors such as Emerson, Thoreau, Fuller, Dickinson, Whitman, Poe, Hawthorne, Stowe, Melville, Douglass, and Jacobs. This is a writing- and research-intensive course.

EN 4311. American Gothicism. 3 Semester Hours.

This course focuses on Gothicism in American literature from the eighteenth century to the present day. As a literary genre, Gothicism addresses not only horror and suspense but also mental illness, race, nationality, and gender. Representative authors include Edgar Allan Poe, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Shirley Jackson, and Toni Morrison.

EN 4312. American Realism and Naturalism. 3 Semester Hours.

The course will probe how the novel as genre in the Age of Realism and Naturalism (Civil War to First World War) expresses the class, racial, and gender tensions of the times. Typical authors read include Twain, James, Howells, Wharton, Jewett, Dreiser.

EN 4331. Contemporary American Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

This course embraces the rise of post-WWII feminine and minority voices. It coincides with America's reluctant assumption of the role of world power and adds significantly to an understanding of ourselves as a diverse people with a distinct culture within the world community. Intensive research and writing are required. (formerly EN 4353).

EN 4332. Literature and Film. 3 Semester Hours.

This course is an in-depth study of films and their connection to literature, with emphasis on the characteristics of cinema-drama (as opposed to stage-drama).

EN 4340. True Crime. 3 Semester Hours.

Why are we so attracted to true-life tales of murder and mayhem? Why are books, podcasts, and films about serial killers so successful? This course studies true crime as a literary genre, from sensational nineteenth-century “city tales” to podcasts such as Dr. Death. Students will explore the ethical, social, and political issues surrounding the genre.

EN 4351. Medieval English Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

In this course, students explore cultural meaning and literary excellence in a world lit only by fire. The medieval worldview is examined as made manifest in classic works such as in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur.

EN 4365. Shakespeare Studies. 3 Semester Hours.

This course focuses on Shakespeare’s dramatic and poetic genius through critical student of selected works, to understand how the Bard’s use of literary elements, motifs, and conventions generate themes of the works, as well as how those works were influenced by a variety of social and cultural issues and how they continue to influence society and culture.

EN 4375. Novel Analysis. 3 Semester Hours.

This course explores the rise and development of the novel through political, gender, class, and cultural analyses.

EN 4381. Nineteenth Century British Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

This course covers the poetry and prose of the Romantic and Victorian periods. It considers the influence of historical, social, political, and philosophical thought on the literature and the effect of ideas developed during this time on contemporary thinking.

EN 4398. Modernism. 3 Semester Hours.

This course tracks Modernism as a concept from its beginnings as a major aesthetic and philosophical revolt to its evolution as it is reflected in a variety of literary works.

EN 5162. Law and Literature. 1 Semester Hour.

In this one hour directed reading, students in the Nelson Wolff Pre-Law program will meet with a faculty member and read about law and literature. The student will read in the field of law and literature and will produce a 10 page essay based on this reading and a novel selected by the student.

EN 5325. Classical Literature of the Western World. 3 Semester Hours.

This course is designed to familiarize the student with the classic works of the Western World from Dante to Moliere, to more recent authors such as Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Works selected represent the various literary movements of the Western World.

EN 5326. Multicultural American Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

This course focuses on literature from diverse American cultures.

EN 5327. Mexican American Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

The course examines major works of Mexican American Literature, works written in English by Mexican-Americans. Readings emphasize the major genres and cultural perspectives in Mexican American Literature. The course also emphasizes critical reading, critical writing, and critical analysis of the work.

EN 5328. Mexican and Other Latin American Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

The course examines the work of American writers from the many Latino communities that make-up the United States of America, including Mexican American, Puerto Rican American, and Cuban American writers among others. Readings emphasize the major genres and cultural perspectives in Latino American Literature. The course also emphasizes critical reading, critical writing, and critical analysis of the work.

EN 5330. Women Authors. 3 Semester Hours.

This course focuses on the cross-cultural reading of women authors’ texts and the study of the development of a woman's tradition in literature, with an emphasis on the themes, genres, and writing styles created by female authors. Intensive research and writing are required.

EN 5333. Latin American Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

The course explores a variety of literature by Latin American authors.

EN 5335. Catholic Authors. 3 Semester Hours.

The focus of this course is on the cultural, philosophical, historical, and religious vision of a selection of major catholic authors from early writers such as Dante and Sor Juana Ines to writers of the present time, such as Shusaku Endo, Flannery O'Connor, Walker Percy.

EN 5340. Language of Peace. 3 Semester Hours.

This course focuses on the role of language in promoting, challenging, and sustaining cultures of peace and war.

EN 5350. African-American Literature. 3 Semester Hours.

This course is an intensive survey of African-American literary expression from the eighteenth century to the present day. Reading a mixture of poetry, short stories, novels, and essays, we will explore how African-American writers throughout U.S. history address such topics as slavery and abolition, racism, colorism, pan-African identity, and more.

EN 5360. Special Studies. 3 Semester Hours.

This course provides innovative approaches to selected topics in literature: literary genre, history, and criticism. Stress on relationship of literature to other disciplines. It also may include courses within other of the department’s designated areas. Students may take a second version of this course listed as EN5361.

EN 5361. Special Studies. 3 Semester Hours.

This course provides innovative approaches to selected topics in literature: literary genre, history, and criticism. Stress on relationship of literature to other disciplines. It also may include courses within other of the department’s designated areas. Students may take a second version of this course listed as EN5360.

EN 5390. Internship in English. 3 Semester Hours.

This course reinforces academic work by providing students with a range of opportunities for pre-professional workplace experience. Open to juniors and seniors only. Internships must follow general University guidelines and be approved by the Internship Coordinator. A second Internship (EN 5391) may be taken as an elective to further develop skills acquired in the first internship or to acquire different skills. FALL, SPRING, SUMMER I.

EN 5391. Internship in English. 3 Semester Hours.

This course reinforces academic work by providing students with a range of opportunities for pre-professional workplace experience. Open to juniors and seniors only. Internships must follow general University guidelines and be approved by the Internship Coordinator. FALL, SPRING, SUMMER I.

EN 5394. Research in English and Cultural Studies. 3 Semester Hours.

This course introduces students to advanced qualitative research methods applicable to English, Cultural Studies, and related or interdisciplinary fields. The sheer volume and fluidity of information as well as the constantly changing portals for accessing information requires different ways of thinking about, doing, and teaching research. The course helps students re-think writing, presentation, and publication in light of changing expectations. Recommended to be taken in the junior year. SPRING.