English

Courses

ENGL100L: English Composition

In this course, students will be presented with critical thinking strategies that will be used to effectively convey meaning and thought in analytical terms. Students will learn to write concisely through the use of the writing process and integration of information literacy and Meta-literacy strategies.

ENGL124L: Business Communications

Effective communication strategies and writing techniques that inform much of the business world are introduced and examined. Emphasis is placed on developing an awareness of professional conventions and genres while building tangible skills relating to research, design, collaboration, and writing. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL223L: Survey of American Literature

An overview of how America's best-known thinkers, authors and poets have reflected and influenced culture, this course takes an historical approach to studying literature from colonial to contemporary times. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL224L: The American Short Story

Early, modern, and contemporary short stories are read closely and analyzed for theme, plot development, character study and author'92s style. Stories are placed in their historical context. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL225L: Film as Literature

The world is full of moving images. Think of the number of movies you have seen this month. Think of the number of video recordings that are uploaded to YouTube every minute. In a world where screens have become more prevalent, it makes sense that we should expand our understanding of what is considered a text. This course explores film as literary text, more specifically focusing on how theme is developed through this medium. These emerging ideas and observations will then be considered within the larger framework of providing new perspectives on societal and cultural concerns.

ENGL235L: Creating Writing: Nonfiction

This course focuses on the reading and writing of creative nonfiction or, in essence, "true stories well told." Students will be creative in their study and use of literary techniques to present factually accurate prose about real people and events in a compelling and dramatic manner with the goal being to make nonfiction stories read like fiction. Nonfiction includes a broad category of prose works such as personal and narrative essays, memoirs, travel writing, observational or descriptive essays, and so on. Professional and student work will be read, and workshopped throughout the semester. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL236L: Creative Writing: Fiction, Poetry, and Drama

Through their writing, students will strive to make the ordinary extraordinary in this course. While honing their creative writing skills by writing short fiction, poetry, and drama, students will also read, examine, and discuss works in the various genres. Using these readings as models for understanding, students will examine elements of style, form, and meaning while developing voice and technique. Feedback on writing will be given during workshop sessions. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL246L: Tolkien and the Ring of Power

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien are studied and analyzed. Tolkien's biography, his writing life, the origins of the stories, and their publication history, as well as his construction of a mythological world and its peoples and languages, his characters and their development, and his thematic concerns are researched. Finally, Tolkien's influence on 20th century fantasy literature is considered. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL251L: Introduction to Literature

This course delves into the reading and analyzing of literary works in order to develop an appreciation for the place literature has in its influence on culture and society. Selections will be taken from four literary genres: Poetry, drama, the novel, and the short story. By becoming familiar with and applying key literary terms and various approaches to literary criticism to reading, students will be able to hone their abilities to write in an analytical manner while engaging with primary and secondary sources. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL256L: Introduction to Drama

The basis of this course is the reading and discussion of significant plays in Western literature, from the Greeks to the present with related writing assignments. The plays are viewed within their historical and social contexts, with an emphasis on the relationship between their literary and theatrical forms. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL257L: The Myth of the Hero

The character of the hero, as he or she appears in the myths of different societies, is studied, and analyzed. Students explore the meanings of mythological figures, motifs, and references from a variety of perspectives. Creation and fertility myths of the world, as they impact understanding the role of the hero, are considered as well. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL258L: Concepts of Evil

The recognition and appropriation of the term evil is one that is being constantly negotiated in society. It is a term that represents one of the core dichotomies that defines humanity: does a man or woman act in terms of good or evil? Historically, this term has followed an evolution of sorts that begins within Platonic idealism, becomes central within the birth of the Judeo-Christian world, is grasped at through theodicy, and then fractured through the 1775 Lisbon earthquake and the horrors of Auschwitz during World War II. This course will question the concept of evil in its various forms and explanations in an attempt to better understand its historical context, but also how it has come to be used and understood in today's society. Students will read and analyze various literary, philosophical, and cultural primary and secondary texts that consider manifestations of evil in violence, suffering, scapegoating, and apathy as they appear in characters such as Satan and witches and historical circumstances such as the Grand Inquisition, a modern plague, and Nazi Germany.

ENGL260L: Public Speaking

This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of public speaking and offers students the opportunity to practice these skills through a variety of in-class speeches. Students research, prepare and deliver oral presentations. In addition, class members serve as an audience and provide feedback to their fellow classmates. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)

ENGL299BL: Topics in Lit: Black Mirror

Episodes from the British television series, Black Mirror, have been produced and aired since 2011. Seen by many as an homage to older anthology series such as The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, this series explores society'92s engagement with technology. Often critiquing this engagement, the series depicts dystopian situations that tie closely to current events and technological developments. To better understand the societal implications that arise from a thematic analysis, this course will explore specific episodes from Black Mirror that reflect current cultural and technological trends. As well, the course will provide a collaborative research platform for students to engage and reflection on these topics.

ENGL299L: Topics in Literature

In this course, focus will be given to a particular genre, theme, or issue within literature to enable comparison and analysis of several texts. While the topics may change per semester, emphasis is placed on critical methods of thinking, reading, and writing. May be repeated for credit when course content changes; may be taken with other topics courses during the same semester. (ENGL100L may be taken concurrently)