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English & Philosophy Program

English Course Descriptions

NOTE ON PREREQUISITES:

SENL 100B/101B and 102B or equivalent are prerequisites for all English courses, 200-level and above. Non-majors are encouraged to enroll in any 200-level English course numbered 201 through 207 to fulfill the English Literature requirement, and they are required to obtain permission from instructors teaching 300-level or 400-level English courses before enrolling in such courses. In certain cases, prerequisites may be waived for 400-level courses with the instructor's permission.

ENGLISH 100-LEVEL COURSE OFFERINGS:

ENGL 100B | COREQUISITE ENGLISH (Credit, 5 hours)

This class is a combination of Developmental English and Freshman Composition I. Emphasis on writing as a learning, thinking process. Discussion of and practice in strategies used in prewriting, writing, and revising expressive, informative, analytical, and argumentative essays. Special sections designated for honors students.

SENL 101B | FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I (Credit, 3 hours)

Emphasis on writing as a learning, thinking process. Discussion of and practice in strategies used in prewriting, writing, and revising expressive, informative, analytical, and argumentative essays. Special sections designated for honors students.

SENL 102B | FRESHMAN COMPOSITION II (Credit, 3 hours)

Emphasis on teaching students to write multi-paragraph essays utilizing standard English. These expository essays will clearly state, logically develop, and adequately support one idea. Strategies learned in SENL 101 in prewriting, writing, and revising essays will be reemphasized.  Special sessions will be devoted to writing a documented paper. Prerequisite: SENL 101B.

ENGLISH 200-LEVEL COURSE OFFERINGS:

SENL 232B | INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of literary types and themes with emphasis on the relationships between form and idea. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B. For English majors and minors.

SENL 220B | WORLD LITERATURE (Credit, 3 hours)

Thematic or chronological study of selected masterworks of world literature from classical antiquity to the present. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B.

SENL 240B | INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE (Credit, 3 hours)

Survey of African American literature of the 20th century, with introduction to the works that reflect major historical and cultural trends of African American people. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B. For non-majors.

ENGL 204B | INTRODUCTION TO FICTION (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of the short story and the novel with emphasis on the relationships between form and idea in major Western writers. Emphasis on writing in response to readings and discussions of the genre. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B.

ENGL 205B | INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of drama with emphasis on writing in response to readings and discussions of the genre. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B.

ENGL 206B | INTRODUCTION TO POETRY (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of poetry with emphasis on writing in response to readings and discussions of the genre. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B.

ENGL 207B | INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE FICTION (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of science fiction short stories and novels. Emphasis on relationships between science and culture and possibilities of social change. Writings in response to readings and discussions. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B.

ENGL 208B | PRACTICAL WRITING AND VOCABULARY BUILDING (Credit, 3 hours)

Enhancement of writing skills with practice and improvement of vocabularies through an intensive study of English words, origins, meanings, pronunciation, and usage in speech and writing. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B.

ENGL 261B | COMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (Credit, 3 hours)

Introductory course in computer theory, operations, and use of application software. Emphasis on creation and production of documents relating to composition and language skills for use in the classroom and community. Extensive hands-on training using Windows operating systems. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B. For English majors and minors.

ENGLISH 300-LEVEL COURSE OFFERINGS:

ENGL 301B | GRAMMAR REVIEW (Credit, 3 hours)

Refresher course emphasizing a systematic approach to the basics of standard English. Includes conventions of written English, inflectional forms, and basic sentence structure. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B. For non-majors and minors.

ENGL 305B | APPLIED ENGLISH GRAMMAR (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of modern English grammatical systems as applied to major forms of discourse. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B. For English majors and minors.

ENGL 308B/309B | ENGLISH LITERATURE I & II (Credit, 3 hours each)

Survey of representative works and major developments in English literature from Beowulf to the 20th century. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 310B/311B | AMERICAN LITERATURE I & II (Credit, 3 hours each)

Survey of American literature from its origins to contemporary times, with emphasis on the major writers and literary developments. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 313B | BLACK AMERICAN LITERATURE (Credit, 3 hours)

Intensive study of writings by African Americans set against historical and cultural backgrounds. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 330B | RESTORATION AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURY LITERATURE (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of the Neo-classical spirit in English literature from 1660 to 1798. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 350B | ENGLISH ROMANTICISM (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of the spirit and temper of the Romantic period in English literature as seen in representative works of outstanding poets and prose writers. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 351B | VICTORIAN POETRY AND PROSE (Credit, 3 hours)

Focus on the spirit and temper of the Victorian period in English literature as seen in representative works of outstanding poets and prose writers. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 360B | CREATIVE WRITING (Credit, 3 hours)

Workshop for apprentice writers to explore basic concepts and techniques of writing fiction, poetry, and drama. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 362B | TECHNICAL WRITING (Credit, 3 hours)

Practice in writing narration, description, exposition, and argumentation as they apply to the preparation of reports, memoranda, and other technical documents. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B; junior or senior status.

ENGLISH 400-LEVEL COURSE OFFERINGS:

ENGL 400B | FOLKLORE (Credit, 3 hours)

Contextual study of various forms of folklore in oral tradition, the method of folklore investigation, and the relationship of folklore to literature. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 401B | ADVANCED WRITING (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of the principles of effective prose writing. Intensive practice in the writing, evaluating, and revising of compositions. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 404B | LITERATURE IN FILM (Credit, 3 hours)

Concentration on selected works of literature adapted to film. Emphasizes the psychological, social, and political implications of such works. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 406B | WOMEN AND LITERATURE (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of literature by and about women. Attention to thematic, aesthetic, and stylistic treatment in a selected body of such literature. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 407B | AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE OF THE SOUTH (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of African American writers, both major and minor, of the South. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and SENL 240B (non-major) or ENGL 313B (major).

ENGL 413B | MODERN AFRICAN AMERICAN PROSE FICTION (Credit, 3 hours)

Analysis of major trends in the development of African American fiction and poetry from Richard Wright to the present. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and SENL 240B (non-major) or ENGL 313B (major).

ENGL 415B | MULTICULTURAL AMERICAN LITERATURE (Credit, 3 hours)

Focus on significant African Americans, Native Americans, Mexican Americans, and Asian Americans set against historical and cultural backgrounds. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 420B | THE NOVEL (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of a major trend in the development of the novel of England, Europe, or America. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and one literature course.

ENGL 433B | HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE (Credit, 3 hours)

Survey of the historical development of the English language from its beginnings to the present: native and foreign elements; changes in inflection, pronunciation, vocabulary, and meaning. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and ENGL 305B.

ENGL 451B | LITERARY CRITICISM (Credit, 3 hours)

Introduction to the theories and applications of literary criticism. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, ENGL 308B, ENGL 309B, ENGL 310B, and ENGL 311B.

ENGL 470B | CHAUCER (Credit, 3 hours)

Intensive study of Chaucer in Middle English. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, ENGL 308B, and ENGL 309B.

ENGL 471B | SHAKESPEARE (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of selected Shakespearean plays in light of Renaissance culture and its modern significance. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, ENGL 308B, and ENGL 309B.

ENGL 480B | MILTON (Credit, 3 hours)

Focus on the poetry and prose of Milton within the context of literary history and the background of Milton's age. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, ENGL 308B, and ENGL 309B.

ENGL 485B | THE BLACK WRITER (Credit, 3 hours)

Intensive study of works by and about one major writer of the African Diaspora within the context of cultural significance and literary trends. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, and SENL 240B (non-major) or ENGL 313B (major).

ENGL 491B | CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH LITERATURE (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of representative British writers of the latter half of the 20th century. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, ENGL 308B, and ENGL 309B.

ENGL 492B | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN LITERATURE (Credit, 3 hours)

Study of representative writers in 20th-century American literature beginning with the post-World War II era. Prerequisites: SENL 101B, SENL 102B, ENGL 310, and ENGL 311.

ENGL 498B | ENGLISH SEMINAR (Credit, 3 hours)

A study of selected works from classical, British, and American literatures with an emphasis on reinforcing literary concepts; interrelating and synthesizing ideas; improving test-taking skills; enhancing oral, written, research, and computer skills; and identifying and discussing contemporary issues in literature. Seminar functions as a capstone course for all English (Liberal Arts) majors. Prerequisite: senior status as an English (Liberal Arts) major.