Administered by Department of English
Effective Fall, 2004
When 20.203 is listed as a prerequisite, any 100-level or 200-level literature course may be substituted as the prerequisite.
20.101 Composition I (3) - Study and practice of the principles of composition to improve proficiency in writing skills.
20.111 Language and Social Interaction (3) - A study of varieties of language, verbal and non-verbal and their communicative and social functions.
20.112 Practical Grammar and Usage (3) - A study of grammatical forms, rules and accepted usage of current written standard English, with practical application to improve diction, sentence structure and style.
20.131 The Bible as Literature (3) - Examination of literary types found in the Old and New Testaments and their profound influence on Western culture.
20.151 Introduction to Literature (3) - Exploration of literature as experience and the techniques by which it communicates in short story, novel, drama and poetry.
20.152 Literature and Society (3) - Readings selected for consideration of purposes, characteristics, issues and values of specific areas (such as business, psychology or science) from a humanistic perspective.
20.153 Folklore (3) - A survey of such traditional forms of oral literature as epic, ballad, folksong, folktale and superstitions examined in terms of origin, transmission and influence on literature.
20.154 Folklore of the American West (3) - A study of folklore genres, including legends, tall tales, ballads and customs of Native Americans, English, French and Spanish of the Trans-Mississippi West.
20.156 Popular Literature (3) - Study of one type of popular literature (such as detective fiction, science fiction, literature of terror or popular drama) and examination of its forms, conventions and ideas. Course content varies with each presentation of the course.
20.200 Writing Proficiency Examination (3) - A series of compositions written under examination conditions on topics provided by the staff. Faculty consultations and a writing laboratory are available for students in the course. Not for English majors. Prerequisite: 20.101.
20.201 Composition II (3) - Intermediate-level study and practice in composition, reinforcing and expanding basic writing skills. Instruction in short and long essays and in research-supported writing. Prerequisite: 20.101 or consent of department chairperson.
20.203 Approaches to Literary Study (3) - An introduction to writing about literature; a consideration of research techniques and types of literary analysis. Satisfies requirement for Composition II. Required for all English majors. Prerequisite: 20.101; open to all students. When 20.203 is listed as a prerequisite, any 100-level or 200-level literature course may be substituted as the prerequisite.
20.204 Introduction to Creative Writing (3) - An introductory course that covers theory and methods of creative writing in prose and poetry forms. Students create and revise their own imaginative works using models by established writers, exercises and peer and instructor comments. Prerequisite: 20.101 or permission of the instructor.
20.205 Honors Composition (3) - Similar to 20.101 but offered only to freshmen exempted from 20.101 on the basis of admission criteria. Study and practice in short and long essays and in research-supported writing. Prerequisite: 20.101.
20.226 European Literature I (3) - Major Continental literary works in translation from the classical Greek period through the Renaissance, including Biblical backgrounds.
20.227 European Literature II (3) - Major Continental literary works in translation from the 17th century to the present.
20.236 American Literature I (3) - Survey of American literature from its colonial beginnings through the Civil War.
20.237 American Literature II (3) - Survey of American literature from the Civil War through the modern era.
20.246 British Literature I (3) - Survey of British literature from Beowulf through Samuel Johnson.
20.247 British Literature II (3) - Survey of British literature from the Romantics through the modern era.
20.256 Non-Western Literature I (3) - Study of a literature or literatures outside the traditions of European-American cultures. Approved for diversity requirement.
20.257 Non-Western Literature II (3) - Study of a literature or literatures outside the traditions of European-American cultures, differing from 20.256 by either the literature(s) or the works studied. Approved for diversity requirement.
20.280 Poetry (3) - Exploration of the nature of poetry in terms of its aims, forms and substance. Not offered every semester.
20.287 Black Women Writers (3) - Introduces students to a wide range of black women writers from the United States, Caribbean and Africa. Approved for diversity requirement. Not offered every semester.
20.288 Feminist Reading of Culture (3) - Teaches students to "read" culture through a wide range of "texts," including television and film and to analyze sexism, racism, classism and homophobia. Approved for diversity requirement. Not offered every semester.
20.300 Writing Children's Literature (3) - Approaches to and practice in writing children's books for publication. Consideration of various literary types and techniques with discussion of field research in writing nonfiction, fiction and poetry for children. Prerequisite: 20.384 or 20.385 or consent of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.301 Creative Writing: Fiction (3) - Original creative work in fiction; critical analysis by the instructor and the class in group discussion. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.302 Creative Writing: Non-fiction (3) - Advanced study of writing nonfiction prose: form, style, audience, editing, evaluation. Prerequisite: 60 semester hours. Not offered every semester.
20.303 Creative Writing: Poetry (3) - Lecture and discussion concerning the fundamental theory and techniques of poetry writing together with writing and evaluation of poems in a workshop situation. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.306 Theory and Practice of Writing (3) - Introduction to new theories of writing and the teaching of writing including both study of and practice in the methods the theories require. Recommended for secondary education students in English, but open to all students interested in advanced work in writing. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Offered in fall semester only.
20.307 Writing for the Internet (3) - An advanced course, open to all majors but particularly oriented toward those interested in publishing, e-commerce and media studies. Students will demonstrate critical awareness of rhetorical conventions on the Internet as well as producing websites, both individually and in collaboration with other members of the class. Previous experience with word-processing and web-browsing programs is assumed; no other computer experience is necessary. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.308 Advanced Expository Writing (3) - An advanced course in the essay, with emphasis on expository writing. Readings will explore the history and contemporary trends in the genre. Students will also study theory, and write essays with an emphasis on the writing process (drafting, revision, polishing) to develop clear, mature prose. The course will be beneficial for students who enter graduate or professional school, whose professional lives will include writing, and who enter the teaching profession. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.
20.311 Structure of English (3) - Study of the sound patterns, morphology, word formation processes, semantics and syntax of modern English and of children's acquisition of their first language. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.
20.312 History of the English Language (3) - Survey of the major developments in the English language from its Anglo-Saxon origins to the present. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.
20.334, 20.335 Studies in American Literature (3) - Major American writers instrumental in shaping and interpreting the American experience. Writers vary with each presentation of the course. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.341 Medieval Literature (3) - Major works of the Old and Middle English periods (the former in translation) that relate to a common theme, period or genre (such as drama or metrical romance), generally excluding the works of Chaucer. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.342 The Renaissance (3) - The poetry and non-dramatic prose of the 16th and 17th centuries (to 1660), excluding the works of Milton. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.344 Restoration and Eighteenth Century (3) - The prose, poetry and drama of the period from 1660 through the end of the 18th century. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.345 Romantic and Victorian Literature (3) - The poetry and prose of the late 18th and 19th centuries. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.346, 20.347 Studies in British Literature (3) - Major writers instrumental in shaping and interpreting the British experience. Writers vary with each presentation of the course. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.348 British Modernism (3) - A study of British Modernism from 1890 to 1939, including authors, movements, themes, as well as social, political and philosophical contexts. Emphasis will be on literature but links with architecture, cinema and the visual arts may also be explored. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester
20.363 Shakespeare (3) - Study of Shakespeare's plays with emphasis on Shakespeare as poet and playwright and attention to conditions of the Elizabethan theater and history of the Shakespearean text. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.
20.364 Chaucer (3) - Chaucer's major poetry (with practice in speaking and reading Middle English) including consideration of the medieval social and intellectual contexts of his work. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.365 Milton (3) - The poetry and prose of John Milton considered in the contexts of his age, his Puritanism and his learning. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.370 The English Novel (3) - History and development of the novel in England from its inception to the end of the 19th century. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.372 Modern Novel (3) - Major modern novels, with emphasis on developments in fictional art. Writers vary with each presentation of the course. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.374 Short Story (3) - The history, characteristics and techniques of the modern short story. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Offered summer only.
20.375 Renaissance Drama (3) - The plays of Shakespeare's predecessors and contemporaries and those of later Jacobean and Caroline dramatists. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.377 Modern Drama (3) - Major Continental, English and American plays from Ibsen to the present with emphasis on contemporary attitudes, themes and style. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.379 Modern Poetry (3) - A survey of contemporary poetry and poetic movements. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.384 Literature for Children (3) - Studies the development of literature for children, including consideration of criteria for selecting literature for the classroom and library and methods for presenting literary works in an elementary classroom. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.
20.385 Literature for Young Adults (3) - Critical discussion of literature aimed at young adult readers or popular with them, by such writers as S.E. Hinton, Robert Cormier, Judy Blume and Paul Zindel. Consideration of literary works for the secondary classroom with attention to the subject of censorship. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Offered spring semester only.
20.386, 20.387 Studies in Contemporary Literature (3) - Study of a topic, author or movement significant in post-World War II literatures. Course content will vary. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.388 Gender/Race/Class (3) - Analyzes identity-construction and cultural processes in constructing categories of gender, race and class. Approved for diversity requirement. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.391 Literature and Film (3) - Film translations of literary texts, focusing on cinematic techniques, genre constructions, the formal codes and conventions of film, and critical vocabulary. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.401 Writing in the Professions (3) - An advanced course, open to all majors but designed for students in the humanities and social science, in which students will complete writing projects geared toward on-the-job writing, e.g., proposals, reports, market surveys. Students are expected to enter the class with specific career objectives in mind. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.404 Creative Writing Seminar (3) - An advanced course in creative writing. Through revision and editing, students have the opportunity to create a publishable body of work in a genre of their choosing, and create a portfolio suitable for job/graduate school interviewing. This course will enable students to develop a significant creative writing project while in a workshop setting and under the guidance of an instructor. Exercises to hone craft and essays to articulate theory are also included. Prerequisite: 20.404 and 90 earned credits. Not offered every semester.
20.411 Modern Linguistic Theory (3) - A survey of modern developments in linguistics, including transformational-generative grammar; applications of theory to patterns of language acquisition; current adaptations of theory for presentation as grammar in schools. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.413 Language in American Society (3) - Review of social, political and philosophical perspectives on the historical development and current status of English and other languages in American society. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.431 American Romanticism (1820-1865) (3) - An advanced course in the significant literary and cultural movements and writers of the period 1820-1865. Special emphasis given to the works of Irving, Cooper, Emerson, Hawthorne, Poe, Thoreau, Melville, Douglass, Whitman and Dickinson. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.432 American Realism (1865-1914) (3) - Study of American literature between the Civil War and 1914. Content varies, but will include Twain, Howells, James, Wharton, Crane and Dreiser. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.433 American Modernism (1914-1945) (3) - Consideration of significant fiction, drama and poetry written between 1914 and 1945, with emphasis on writers and texts reflecting the social, political, intellectual and artistic diversity of the period. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.434 Contemporary American Literature (3) - Consideration of significant fiction, drama and poetry since World War II, with emphasis on writers and texts reflecting the social, political, intellectual and artistic diversity of the period. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.436 African-American Literature (3) - A detailed study of one of the three major areas in African-American literature: the African-American novel, the Harlem Renaissance or African-American Writers. Prerequisite: 45 semester hours, including 20.203. Not offered every semester. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.
20.480 Special Topics (3) - Study of a topic in literature; topic varies with each presentation of the course. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.
20.481 Special Topics (3) - Study of a topic in literature; topic varies with each presentation of the course. Not offered every semester.
20.488, 20.489 Seminar (3) - An opportunity to explore, at an advanced level, a literary or linguistic subject not offered in regularly scheduled courses. Content determined by the instructor. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.
20.491 Topics in Criticism (3) - An examination of a selected topic in literary-critical practice in light of contemporary theoretical debate. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Not offered every semester.
20.492 Literary Theory and Criticism (3) - Study of traditional literary criticism from Aristotle to the present, as well as of contemporary trends in literary theory, at an advanced level. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor. Offered spring semester only
20.493 Bibliography and Literary Research (3) - Investigation of methods of literary scholarship and study of book history and production with practice in preparing specialized bibliographies and planning scholarly projects. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.
20.495 Independent Study in English (3-6) - Prerequisite: 60 semester hours.
20.497 English Internship (1-12) - A work-study program. Open to English majors; others by departmental consent. Prerequisite: 45 credits and either 20.201 or 20.203 or permission of the instructor.