ENGLISH AND DRAMA

Overview
Major
Secondary Education Certification
Minor in English
Minor in Drama/Drama Emphasis
Four-Year Plan
Course Descriptions

Margaret Ellen Mahoney, SSND, Ph.D., Chair
Ray Bossert, Ph.D.
Kate Bossert, Ph.D.
William A. Davis Jr., Ph.D.
Jeana DelRosso, Ph.D
Gene Farrington, Ph.D.
Shelley Puhak, M.F.A.

The English department of the School of Arts and Sciences offers a major in English and minors in English and drama to students in the Women's College. Women's College students may also pursue a preparatory program for secondary certification in English. Students learn to respond to literature with critical thought, understanding, inquiry and imagination, sharing the many experiences recorded in literary works of all genres and periods. They also have an opportunity to develop their own literature through a strong writing program. Around the core of required English courses, each student can construct a program with an emphasis on either literature or writing, or a balance of both. Special features of the English department are opportunities in creative writing and drama.

The director of the Academic and Career Enrichment Center places English majors in elective internships in public relations firms, newspaper offices, schools, law firms and businesses requiring writing, editing and other English-related skills. These internships are available during the fall, spring, summer and Winterim terms.

Students regularly publish their creative work in outside publications. The department chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, The International Honor Society in English, plans theatre excursions, lectures, literature readings and service projects.

Graduates of the department have completed advanced degrees at institutions such as the Yale School of Drama, The Johns Hopkins University, the Catholic University of America, the University of Delaware, American University and the University of Pittsburgh. Graduates are employed by a diverse number of organizations such as The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore County Public Schools, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Johns Hopkins University Press.

Students may fulfill the general education requirement for literature by taking any of the following literature (ENG) courses: 205, 213, 215, 216, 220, 221, 222, 224, 226, 230, 238, 240, 242, 243, 250, 251, 270H ,275, 309, 310, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 323, 324, 327, 347, 360H 405, 410, 411 and 412.

English courses that satisfy the general education requirement in cross-cultural studies are ENG-221, 222, 226, 251, 323, 327 and 410. English courses that satisfy the general education requirement in gender studies are ENG-243, 275, 318 and 412   440H    Drama courses that satisfy the general education requirement in fine arts are DRM-240 and 245.

Students must earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all courses taken to complete the requirements of the English major.

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Programs of Study

Required Courses for a Major in English (42 Credits)

Creative Writing (one course) (3)
ENG-201 Techniques in the Writing of Verse
ENG-202 Techniques in the Writing of Short Fiction
ENG-203 Playwriting
ENG-207 Techniques in Writing Creative Nonfiction

American Literature (one course) (3)
ENG-215 American Literature in the 19th Century
ENG-216 American Literature in the 20th Century

Required Courses (three courses) (9)
ENG-223 Literary Research
ENG-224 Literary Perspectives I (British Literature to 1800)
ENG-244 Literary Perspectives II (British Literature in the 19th and 20th Centuries)

Shakespeare (one course) (3)
ENG-317 Shakespeare: Chronicles and Comedies
ENG-319 Shakespeare: Tragedies and Romances

Required Courses (three courses) (9) ENG-327 Contemporary World Literature
ENG-452 Senior Seminar
ENG-453 Literary Interpretation

Additional Courses(15)
Five courses in English electives, at least two at the 300- or 400-level (15)
Students may choose DRM-240 and/or DRM-245 as their 200 electives for either a major or minor in English.

Creative Writing Track (42 Credits)

Nine "core" courses as listed above (27)
Five additional courses in place of the five elective courses:

Second Techniques Course (choose one) (3)
ENG-201 Techniques in the Writing of Verse
ENG-202 Techniques in the Writing of Short Fiction
ENG-203 Playwriting
ENG-207 Techniques in Writing Creative Nonfiction
COM-101 Introduction to Media Writing

One workshop (choose one) (3)
ENG-302 Workshop in Creative Writing
COM-301 Feature Writing
COM-314 Reporting and Writing News

Upper-level genre course (choose one) (3)
ENG-355 Special Topics in Creative Writing
ENG 430 The Literary Essay
ENG 318 Modern and Contemporary Women Dramatists
ENG 320 Influence and Experiment in Modern Drama
ENG 405 Modernism in Fiction

Practicum (choose one) (3)
ENG 401 Writing Tutorial
IDS 361 Career Internship

Elective: One additional course from any of the four options above (3)

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Secondary Education Certification: Approved Program in English

Students who wish to prepare for teaching in secondary schools take the required courses for a major in English. They also take the professional education courses offered by the education department. The education department requires that students also take English courses in which some adolescent, ethnic and non-Western literatures are taught. The education department recommends that students take courses in drama and film.

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Minor in English

Students who desire a minor in English take six English courses beyond ENG-101. Three of the six courses must be at the 300- or 400-level.

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Drama Emphasis or Minor

English majors who wish to complete a drama emphasis or minor take the following seven courses:
DRM-240 Acting Techniques
DRM-245 Directing Techniques
DRM-320 Techniques in Theatre Practice
ENG-203 Playwriting
ENG-220 Introduction to Drama
ENG-318 Modern and Contemporary Women Dramatists, or
ENG-320 Influence and Experiment in Modern Drama
DRM-320 Techniques in Theatre Practice (focus in stagecraft area)

Students also have the option of a student-designed drama major in conjunction with courses taken at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom.

Liberal Arts Majors With English Track

Students who desire to major in Liberal Arts with a track in English may select any courses from English Department offerings.

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Four-Year Plan

Sample program of study for the English major. Students should select courses with the assistance of a faculty advisor.

See course descriptions for a list of required courses and description of course and program options.

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Course Descriptions

English courses

ENG-101 COLLEGE WRITING

Provides students with an understanding that clear thinking is fundamental to clear writing. It also demonstrates every stage of the composing process: generating and organizing ideas, prewriting and drafting, critiquing, revising, final editing and proofreading. In addition, students work to accomplish clarity, unity, coherence and emphasis in sentences, in paragraphs, and in the overall structure of an essay. They develop techniques of style and tone toward more fluent and appealing prose and strive to sharpen their analytical, critical and editing skills by interacting with other students about their own writing and about the writing of professionals. Students learn to use standard English and develop a sensitivity to sentence structure and diction and to appreciate effectively written prose and recognize characteristics that make such prose effective. To fulfill the general education requirement in composition a minimum grade of C is required. [3 credits]

ENG-201 TECHNIQUES IN THE WRITING OF VERSE

Reviews and practices fundamental techniques of writing poetry. Provides experience with writing in a variety of verse forms and styles, from traditional to contemporary, from lyrical writing to free verse, and from metaphorical to fairly direct styles. Explores the means through which written expression can be made more emphatic, figurative, memorable and evocative. Course will be a workshop experience. Students will complete a portfolio of work. Prerequisite: ENG-101. [3 credits]

ENG-202 TECHNIQUES IN WRITING SHORT FICTION

Introduces a step-by-step approach to writing a short story. Develops the techniques of writing fiction, including development of theme, setting, plot and character, through the exploration of the craft. Course will be a workshop experience. Students will complete a portfolio of work. Prerequisite:ENG-101. [3 credits]

ENG-203 PLAYWRITING

Explores creative techniques and the craft of writing plays. Requires students to present and rewrite work which is read, acted out and discussed for dramaturgical effectiveness. Each student writes a "10-minute" play and either a one-act play or the equivalent portion of a full-length play. Staged reading, production issues and submission of play manuscripts are covered. Extensive review of work in progress by peers and instructor in workshop setting. Prerequisite: ENG-101. [3 credits]

ENG-205 SHORT FICTION

Examines the short story with emphasis on the elements of fiction, focusing especially on plot, character, setting, point of view, and theme. Introduces students to stories by a variety of authors—traditional and contemporary, ethnic and mainstream, American and international. Broadens analytical and critical ability through guided discussion and short papers that respond to the literature. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-207 TECHNIQUES IN WRITING CREATIVE NONFICTION

Combines the study and writing of various sub-genres of creative nonfiction. Allows writers to explore a wide range of prose types, from travel writing to memoirs to scientific exposition. Provides students with the ability to apply the art and craft of writing to different contexts according to their interests and future goals. Students produce a portfolio of work. Prerequisite: ENG-101. [3 credits]

ENG-213 CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN LITERATURE

Examines and interprets representative works from contemporary authors. Analyzes and compares major movements such as Modernism and Postmodernism. Assists students in building an informed critical response to literature. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-215 AMERICAN LITERATURE IN THE 19TH CENTURY

Introduces and assists students in interpreting representative works from major authors, including Hawthorne, Douglass, Thoreau and Dickinson. Analyzes and compares major movements such as Romanticism and Realism. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-216 AMERICAN LITERATURE IN THE 20TH CENTURY

Examines and interprets representative works from major authors including Chopin, Faulkner, Williams and Morrison. Analyzes and compares major movements such as Realism, Modernism and Postmodernism. Provides students with a basic background in contemporary literature. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-220 INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA

Studies drama as a genre to be read and performed, making much of the course experiential. Texts span the centuries from the Greek classical age to the 20th century, represent themes ranging from intense tragedy to light comedy, and exemplify both traditional and experimental forms rooted in different cultures. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-221 GROWING UP IN LITERATURE

Examines the coming-of-age theme in literature. Readings include some full-length novels and/or memoirs by American and international writers, but most readings are short stories focused on children and adolescents in international settings. Students relate the coming-of-age theme to theories of professional psychologists. They also study variations in the literary treatment of the theme and the causes of these variations, especially the influence of familial, social, and cultural milieu. This course would be of particular interest to prospective teachers. Fulfills general education requirements in literature and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]

ENG-222 AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE

Examines form and style, issues of audience, and historical, social, economic and racial issues and contexts in African American fiction, poetry, autobiography and drama. Builds student ability to analyze literature. Fulfills general education requirements in literature and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]

ENG-223 LITERARY RESEARCH

Introduces students to the methods and processes of literary research, bibliography and scholarly writing. Students identify and use the latest Internet research tools along with other standard sources in English and American literature and apply their skills to selected literary texts. Provides students with instruction and practice in identifying an original research project, finding and incorporating literary criticism into their own writing, and presenting their work to other students. Majors only.  [3 credits]

ENG-224 LITERARY PERSPECTIVES I: BRITISH LITERATURE TO 1800

Surveys the origins and development of British literature through 1800, introducing students to representative works from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Restoration and 18th Century. Traces pervasive themes, techniques, and genres that develop across periods. By building a foundation in the understanding of literary history, the course establishes a basis for later in-depth study at the 300-level. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-226 AFRICAN LITERATURE

Examines fiction and drama of African writers from two perspectives: the colonial writing of Conrad and Cary and the post-colonial variant view of contemporary African writers from diverse cultures, including Achebe, Soyinka, Gordimer and Okri. Fulfills general education requirements in literature and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]

ENG-230 GOTHIC FICTION

Examines the origins and conventions of the Gothic tradition in literature and studies representative works by Mary Shelley, Charles Brockden Brown, Emily Bronte, Edgar Allan Poe, and others. Students practice and refine the skills of interpretive reading, discussion and writing as they address literary elements such as plot, character, setting, point of view, and theme. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-238 DETECTIVE FICTION

Traces the history of the art of detective fiction from more intellectual short stories of Poe and Doyle through the early "hard-boiled" private eye fiction and the "cozies" of the 1930s and 1940s to the many varieties of today. Identifies adaptations of the genre in pre-1950 radio broadcasts and later films and TV shows. Through charts, short papers and presentations students analyze artistry in plotting, characterization, formulaic devices, and literary techniques of effective short stories and novels in comparison with less well-constructed examples of the genre. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-240 CONTEMPORARY IRISH LITERATURE

Analyzes recent fiction, poetry and drama by Ireland's living writers, including Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel, William Trevor, Martin McDonagh, Eavan Boland, Maeve Kelly and Patrick McCabe. Explores the literature against the background of Irish social and cultural issues, such as the question of Irish identity; Northern Ireland's "troubles"; the relationship of South and North; and women and gender issues. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-242 COMEDY AND HUMOR 

Explores comedic literature across periods and genres, from the Middle Ages to the present day.  Investigates the social, political, and cultural effects of humor and laughter.  Readings may range from jokes, insults and other forms of popular culture to drama, poetry, film, and the comic novel.  Fulfills the general education requirement in literature.  [3 credits]

ENG-243 LITERATURE BY WOMEN

Requires students to analyze, interpret and write critically about a select number of texts by and about women to investigate how women represent ourselves. The course contributes to students' critical skills by teaching them to read and write about literature, and it introduces diversity into the curriculum by presenting authors who are often omitted from the literary canon. Students will discuss texts and question what we read, as well as write about the texts with critical engagement. Fulfills general education requirements in literature and gender studies. [3 credits]

ENG-244 LITERARY PERSPECTIVES II: BRITISH LITERATURE IN THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES

Traces pervasive themes, literary theories, and the development of genres in English literature during the Romantic and Victorian periods and in the 20th century. Interprets selected works of these periods in the context of social, political, and literary history, analyzing ways in which literature has been shaped by literary movements and world events. Traces signs of modernism and postmodernism as they are reflected in 20th century authors. [3 credits]

ENG-250 READING POETRY

Focuses on the basic poetic elements: speaker, theme, diction, imagery, figures of speech, tone, patterns of sound and rhythm, meter, rhyme and various poetic forms. Examines poems by a variety of poets—traditional and contemporary, ethnic and mainstream, American and international. Teaches students to analyze and scan poems. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-251 HONORS: ETHNIC AMERICAN LITERATURE

Studies works by writers of different ethnic groups in 20th-century America, with emphasis on African American, Asian American, Jewish American, Native American and Latino/a writings. The course will provide interdisciplinary approaches to literature; readings will come from several literary genres, including novels, short stories and poetry, but students will also read theory and criticism relevant to recent work in ethnic studies. The course will teach students to read and write about literature, and it will introduce many of the important works of 20th-century American minority literature. Prerequisite: Morrissy Scholar or permission. Fulfills general education requirements in literature and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]

ENG-275 AMERICAN WOMEN WRITERS

Requires students to read, analyze, interpret, and write critically about a select number of texts by 20th-century American women writers. Students will learn to enjoy and appreciate the literary artistry of representative women writers; to identify common concerns of women writers of the past century; to experience vicariously the lives of diverse women and evaluate the social, cultural, economic and political forces that shape those lives; to recognize different approaches of women's portrayal of women; to understand how American feminism has developed and how it is manifested in these writings; and to develop their critical reading and writing skills. Fulfills general education requirements in literature and gender studies. [3 credits]

ENG-302 WORKSHOP IN CREATIVE WRITING

Provides advanced practice in the writing of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction or plays. Participants choose to work in the craft of specific genres. Students share in reading and discussing the submitted artifacts. Revision is emphasized as a significant function of the creative process as students produce a portfolio of work. Prerequisite: ENG-201, 202, 203 or 207, or presentation of a suitable manuscript. [3 credits]

ENG-309 ENGLISH LITERATURE OF THE RENAISSANCE

Focuses on English literature in the 16th and 17th centuries, from the beginning of the Tudor period in 1485 through the era of the Commonwealth. Analyzes links between literature and life in Britain during a time of cultural rebirth and political turmoil. Explores non-Shakespearean drama, representative essays of the time, and newly evolving Elizabethan fiction and Utopian fantasy. Compares varied poetic techniques in epics of Spenser and Milton, in popular ballads, and in the lyrics of the cavalier and metaphysical poets. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-310 ENGLISH LITERATURE BEFORE 1485

Examines the roots of English literature from the fifth-century Anglo-Saxon period through the Middle Ages to the beginning of the Tudor reign in the 15th century. Traces images of the heroic life from the folk-epic hero Beowulf through the evolution of Arthurian traditions in the later Middle Ages. Explores other aspects of medieval life through student-selected research projects on such topics as illuminated manuscripts, medicine, archeology, history, drama, or whatever else appeals to individual students. Demonstrates the relationship between modern English and Middle English through oral reading and analysis of selected passages from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-313 HONORS: THOMAS HARDY: NOVELIST AND POET

Provides an in-depth study of English writer Thomas Hardy (1840-1928). Hardy is known as a Victorian novelist and a modern poet; his work thus crosses literary (generic) and historical boundaries. Hardy wrote 14 novels, 50 short stories, roughly 1,000 poems, one epic drama, seven volumes of published letters, an autobiography, and a number of essays on literary and sociological topics. Students will read selected novels and poems as we trace Hardy's career and examine literary topics such as serial publication, the circulating library, and censorship, along with themes such as the Victorian "Woman Question," the part-real, part-invented land of Wessex, social class, law, and the "ache of modernism" in his later novels. Students will engage in primary (letters, notebooks, etc.) and secondary (critical) research as they explore these and other topics in two research projects during the semester. The course emphasizes the process of writing a research paper. Prerequisite: Morrissy Scholar or permission. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-314 NEOCLASSICAL ENGLISH LITERATURE

Discusses major writers, literary works and theories of the 18th century in England, including representative works by Pope, Swift and Johnson. Provides students with opportunities to study such neoclassical concerns as the hierarchy of genres, public and private writing, satire, reason and imagination as foundations of literature, and the rise of the neoclassical as a literary genre. Fulfills the general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-315 ENGLISH LITERATURE: 19TH CENTURY

Examines selected works of major Romantic and Victorian authors in the context of these two literary periods. Students will read selections by Coleridge, Wordsworth, Keats, Browning, the Bronte sisters and many others, and will examine 19th-century literary theories and pervasive themes as these inform the poetry, nonfiction prose and fiction of the period. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-316 ENGLISH LITERATURE: 20TH CENTURY

Studies major writers and literary techniques and themes characteristic of 20th-century Britain. The course examines modernism and postmodernism and the way in which the literature has been shaped by literary movements and world events. Students will have the opportunity to read selected poems, novels, essays and short plays by authors ranging from Hardy and Yeats to A. S. Byatt and Iris Murdoch. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-317 SHAKESPEARE: CHRONICLES AND COMEDIES

Examines selected Shakespearean chronicles and comedies in light of earlier drama which set patterns for Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Explores ways in which Shakespeare's chronicle plays portray British history and political theory during the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses. Demonstrates the range of character development, comic techniques and vivid language in his comedies. Provides opportunities for students to view major film versions of the plays and to practice their own dramatic skills in group presentations of selected scenes from the comedies. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-318 MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY WOMEN DRAMATISTS

Explores the development of the role of women on stage from Ibsen and Shaw up through contemporary work by important women playwrights such as Glaspell, Churchill, Duras, Fornes and others who have impacted contemporary drama. As part of the course experience, students attend local area productions. Fulfills general education requirement in literature and gender studies. [3 credits]

ENG-319 SHAKESPEARE: TRAGEDIES AND ROMANCES

Examines selected Shakespearean plays. This study is preceded by an overview of earlier drama that set patterns of tragedy and romance that Shakespeare used and adapted. Provides opportunities for students to view major film versions of the plays and to practice their own dramatic skills in group presentations of selected scenes. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-320 INFLUENCE AND EXPERIMENT IN MODERN DRAMA

Studies important theatre movements and innovative voices of 20th century drama in the Western world. The development of contemporary theatre is traced in the experimental work of Strindberg, Kaiser, Apollinaire, Pirandello, Pinter, Brecht and Beckett, among others. Students attend local area productions. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-321 VOICES OF DISSENT AND AFFIRMATION IN 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN LITERATURE

Examines and interprets representative works from major authors, including Irving, Hawthorne, Emerson, Douglass and Twain. Analyzes and compares major movements such as Romanticism, Realism and Naturalism. Identifies, describes, compares and contrasts genres of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-323 MODERN IRISH LITERATURE

Examines the literature of the Irish Renaissance: the works of W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, J. M. Synge, James Joyce, Sean O'Casey and others. Explores the literature in the context of Irish myth and legend, religious and political influences, nationalism and revolution. Fulfills general education requirements in literature and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]

ENG-324 HONORS: THE IRISH "TROUBLES": LITERATURE, HISTORY & FILM

Examines from a variety of perspectives the Irish "Troubles," that is, the violent political conflicts between Irish and English in the early 20th century and between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland in the late 20th century. Explores literary and cinematic treatments of the conflict and compares them with historical accounts in order to arrive at a better understanding of the "Troubles." Students will discuss the treatment of the "Troubles" in the plays of Sean O'Casey and Brian Friel, the poetry of W.B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney, the fiction of Frank O'Connor, Liam O'Flaherty, Eugene McCabe and others, and the memoir, Guerilla Days in Ireland by Tom Barry. Students will also view several films, including Michael Collins and Bloody Sunday. Prerequisite: Morrissy Scholar or permission. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-327 CONTEMPORARY WORLD LITERATURE

Introduces an understanding and appreciation of the diversity of contemporary literatures from different cultures by presenting authors who are often omitted from the literary canon. Students will attain a global view of basic social issues as they are represented in literature and will focus on the common elements of humanity as well as on the differences across diverse cultures. The class will examine the themes of hope and despair, peace and war, joy and anguish, and the distances between these through fiction, autobiography and essay. We will also examine the different cultural perceptions of literature and its purposes. Fulfills general education requirements in literature and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]

ENG-347 HONORS: "NEW WOMAN" LITERATURE

This course will examine selections from the body of writing known as New Woman literature in England during the 1880s and 1890s, along with selected works from American and European writers. New Woman novels, essays, and plays address what was called "the Woman Question" and its primary issues, e.g., women's independence, the "nature" of women, women's roles and responsibilities, the effects of women's independence, sexual relations and gender differences. The course will follow the development of the New Woman character and will examine common conflicts and themes among the various representative works. Prerequisite: Morrissy Scholar or permission. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-355 HONORS: SPECIAL TOPICS IN CREATIVE WRITING

Focuses on an author, group of authors, period. theme, genre or subgenre in creative writing so that students will be able to gain familiarity with the selected field of poetry, fiction, drama, or creative nonfictionand be able to distinguish its critical features. Students may repeat the course if it is offered on a topic that they have not previously studied. For anyone who opts to repeat the course, the second topics course counts only as an elective and may not count toward completion of the student's major or minor requirements. Prerequisite: ENG-201, 202, 203 or 207 or permission of instructor. [3 credits]

ENG-401 WRITING TUTORIAL

Provides student the opportunity for intense work on a single extended work or collection of shorter works under the direction of one English faculty member. Allows student to recognize the importance of revision in the writing process. Before enrolling in this course, the student is expected to have demonstrated proficiency in one of the creative writing genres and to have obtained the consent of her prospective tutorial director. The minimum prerequisite for this course is the successful completion of the relevant writing workshop, depending on the writing genre that the student wishes to pursue. With the consent of the instructor, the writing tutorial may be continued for two semesters, with three credits applicable to degree requirements each term. Prerequisite: ENG-302  and permission of instructor. [3 credits]

ENG-405 HONORS: MODERNISM IN FICTION

Engages students in an intensive study of the modern novel. In the evolution of the novel, between traditional and postmodern forms, modern forms of the novel span the 20th century. Now, modernism can be seen in historical perspective. This course studies modernism in fiction and poetry, situating it between the traditional and postmodern novel. Prerequisite: Morrissy Scholar or permission. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-410 TOPICS IN LITERATURE: CROSS-CULTURAL STUDIES

Investigates the social and cultural dimensions of literature written by and about peoples of other countries or of regional or minority cultures within the United States. Topics may focus on literature from English-speaking countries or on literature in translation by writers from non-western countries. Topics will reflect cultural diversity as represented in selected works of literature. The topic will be announced before registration each semester when the course is offered, and the course itself can be taken more than once on different subjects. Fulfills general education requirements in literature and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]

ENG-411 TOPICS IN LITERATURE

Provides students with the opportunity of in-depth study of such literary topics as the following: a significant writer or group of writers, a literary period or movement, a particular genre or themes related to a geographic region. The topic will be announced before registration each semester when the course is offered, and the course itself can be taken more than once on different subjects. Fulfills general education requirement in literature. [3 credits]

ENG-412 TOPICS IN LITERATURE: GENDER STUDIES

Focuses on literature by and/or about women.   Although topics vary, all will provide a close study of a significant woman writer, a group of women writers, or a theme related to women’s studies.  Students apply feminist theories and methodologies to selected literary works from different genres, considering images of women in literature as part of broader social and cultural questions. Fulfills general requirements in literature and gender studies. [3 credits]

ENG-452 SENIOR SEMINAR

Requires students to examine, in a seminar format, a major literary topic or author(s). Students will employ the skills learned in Literary Research and Literary Interpretation: using library resources and databases, demonstrating an understanding of the variety of theories and approaches to literary criticism, and synthesizing critical research with their own original argument and interpretation regarding a text. Students will demonstrate their ability to present their research both orally and in clear, coherent prose. Majors only. [3 credits]

ENG-453 LITERARY INTERPRETATION

Studies the nature and practice of literary interpretation and evaluation. Examines both traditional methods, such as textual, genre and historical criticism, and contemporary approaches, including "new" criticism, psychological, Marxist, feminist and reader-response criticism. Students learn to analyze literary works from the perspective of these specific approaches. [3 credits]

ENG-463 INDEPENDENT STUDY

Offers the student a unique opportunity to engage in reading, creative research and writing about an author, theme or literary period of interest under the direction of a faculty member. The student plans her own approach to the subject and identifies objectives and reading lists in consultation with the professor. [3 credits]

ENG-496 ASSISTANTSHIP IN WRITING

Assists the instructor in class preparation and instruction, including research, classroom administration, assessment, guiding other students' writing, editing, and revision, and moderating student discussions. Students create and design lesson plans and class writing activities. Experience is designed for those desiring to teach English, particularly on the college level. Prerequisite: Prior successful completion of the course for which the student is the assistant and permission of the instructor. [3 credits]

Drama Courses

DRM-240 ACTING TECHNIQUES

Helps students develop their acting potential and sharpen their skills in interpreting scripts through individual and group exercises, improvisations, monologues and scene studies. Central to the conduct of the course will be relaxation and breathing exercises, oral projection, movement and gesture. Fulfills general education requirement in fine arts. [3 credits]

DRM-245 DIRECTING TECHNIQUES

Explores fundamentals of script analysis, conceptualization, visualization, composition, blocking and the role of theatre director. Practical application of learned techniques and completed playbook are required. Students are encouraged to direct productions of original student work and actively participate in campus productions. Fulfills general education requirement in fine arts. [3 credits]

DRM-320 TECHNIQUES IN THEATRE PRACTICE

Focuses on particular aspects of theatre: voice, movement, stage combat, improvisation, period acting, make-up techniques, costume design, lighting design, set design, or other elements. Practical application of the selected element or elements leads students to develop expertise in the area on which they are focusing. Design courses entail both design technique and practical application. A course focused on acting practices requires reading, research and application techniques in a theatre environment. This is an upper-division course in theatre practice, allowing students to achieve competence in a particular area of theatre. For classes in various acting techniques, DRM-240 is recommended. [3 credits]

DRM-427 LONDON THEATRE TOUR

Provides students with an opportunity to experience English life in the city and country; see professional plays; visit museums, cathedrals, and other places of interest in and around London; visit beautiful English towns such as Bath, Stratford, Salisbury and Windsor. Organized and directed by English department faculty. Offered during Winterim. [3 credits]

DRM-463 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN DRAMA

Requires students to create a production project in acting, directing or stagecraft. A student could direct a full-scale stage production, design either lighting or set for a show, perform as a lead actor in a production, or serve as dramaturg for a major production. These projects would be under the direction of a faculty member. For directing, a completed playbook would be required. For design projects, completed sketches and/or models would be required. For acting, an intense written examination of the role would be required. For dramaturgy, a paper outlining the extent of the research and the conclusions would be presented to the director. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. [1, 2 or 3 credits]

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