BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY
ENGLISH COURSES—FALL 2016
English courses help students improve their communication skills, gain insight into human
nature, and broaden their knowledge of other times and other places. Many of the courses also
satisfy general education requirements. In particular,
-- all courses listed meet requirements for Group A (Humanities) under the old Gen. Ed. Plan
-- GEPs under the new Gen. Ed. Plan: For freshmen enrolled summer 2012 or later and for
transfers enrolled summer 2014 and later, General Education Points (GEPs) approved
for courses in the new general education program are indicated after the course title.
--* indicates courses that may be used as alternates to Composition 2 (201) in fulfilling the
second required writing course under the old Gen. Ed. Plan. Students must complete
English 101 before taking a writing-intensive course (*) as an alternative for
Composition 2 credit.
-- Students must complete either 201 (Composition 2) or 203 (Approaches to Literary
Study) before enrolling in any 300 or 400 level English course.
--+ indicates courses that fulfill the Diversity Requirement under the old Gen. Ed. plan
-- indicates courses applicable to the Gender Studies Minor
-- # indicates courses applicable to the Ethnic Studies in the United States Minor
111.01 Language & Social Interaction
Costanzo
(GEPs: Goal 4=3)
This course is an introductory course in sociolinguistics, the study of the relationship
between language and society. We will start with an introduction to the study of language, and
then move into a discussion of geographical and social dialects of American English, with a
specific focus on linguistic diversity in Eastern Pennsylvania. Other topics discussed include
language policy, language attitudes & ideology, multilingualism, and the history of sociolinguistic
inquiry.
*151.01 Introduction to Literature
Noon
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Why study literature? Why is it necessary to talk or write about a literary work? These
are among the many questions we’ll explore through the basic principles of reading, responding,
and arguing. A very small sampling of the fiction, poetry, and drama that will be addressed
includes works by Susan Perabo, Edgar Allan Poe, William Faulkner, Shirley Jackson, Edwin
Arlington Robinson, Gwendolyn Brooks, Edna St. Vincent Millay, John Donne, William Carlos
Williams, Langston Hughes, Sophocles, Erica Dawson, Sherman Alexie, and Gary Snyder.
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William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night will be explored, and, regarding poetry, the sonnet form will
be given particular attention. In addition to two papers, two examinations, and quizzes, students
will write and share informal responses to the assigned readings.
*152.01 Literature & Society: Exotica
McCully
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course will consider the ideological implications of our cultural escape into “exotic”
worlds. Readings will include selections from The Arabian Nights, William Beckford’s Vathek,
H. Rider Haggard’s She, and Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan of the Apes. We will compare film
adaptations with the original texts, watch more contemporary films and television programs, and
consider “Exotica” as it evolved into the “Tiki Culture” of the 1950’s. Assignments will include
reading quizzes, a midterm and final exam, and an essay concerning a manifestation of the
“Exotic” in contemporary culture.
*152.02 Literature & Society: Modernist Literature
Salih
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Using classic works by Chekhov, Joyce, Lawrence, Shaw, Yeats, and others, this course
explores the role modernist literature played in Western culture’s civilizing process—the idea that
in weakening the power of religion, tradition, and tribe, modernity has strengthened, in Stephen
Pinker’s words, “the forces of individualism, cosmopolitanism, reason, and science.”
*152.03 Literature & Society: Literature, Film & Social Issues
Randall
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course is a survey of diverse ethnic and cultural issues and experiences by way of
contemporary novels, short stories and films. Specific emphasis is placed on strategies of reading,
evaluating and interpreting prose fiction, its adaptation to film and its relation to socio-political
contexts. An exploration of contemporary film and literature will reveal how literary and
cinematic texts are enhanced and illuminated, given an awareness of their relation to social
problems and concerns.
*152.04 & 05 Literature & Society: Warriors and Literature
Decker
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This class will examine how literature and film has portrayed warriors both on the
battlefield and as they return home. While the course will focus on American texts like Stephen
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Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage and Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper, it will also investigate
the way the ancient Greeks depicted their warriors to provide cultural and historical context.
*152.06 Literature & Society: Political Dimensions of Literature
Noon
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course will emphasize the social and political dimensions of literature through the
exploration of a wide range of readings focused on five enduring themes—Growing Up and
Growing Older, Women and Men, Money and Work, Peace and War, and Varieties of Protest. The
authors addressed include Sandra Cisneros, Joy Harjo, Raymond Carver, Tillie Olsen, B. Traven,
Ray Bradbury, Toni Morrison, and Dorothy Canfield Fisher. While the literary elements of fiction,
poetry, and drama are defined and discussed, the opportunity to look at depictions of social
criticism in film is also offered through a close examination of the screenplay of the landmark film
Salt of the Earth, inspired by a 1951 strike led by Mexican American zinc miners. In addition to
short written responses to the readings and quizzes, there will be two examinations and two papers.
*152.07 Literature & Society: Literature and Medicine
Bernath
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Dozens of stories of great drama occur in medicine every day, whether from the standpoint
of doctor or patient, caregiver or friend. This course will explore the powerful thoughts and
feelings that arise when coping with serious illness. Many of the stories in this course are true
(memoirs, personal essays), others are fictional. Both joy and sorrow abound. Readings will
include essays, memoirs, fiction, and film. Daily reading, a blog, several response papers, a
midterm, and a final are required.
*152.08 Literature & Society
Stuart
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Focuses on a particular theme, social issue, ethical dilemma, or area of study or work
through readings (and/or screenings) of a range of texts. Provides a literary lens through which to
explore the chosen topic. Course focus varies with instructor. The course is designed for students
seeking General Education Points in Arts and Humanities and Communication and is conducted
in a combination of lecture and discussion, and formal and informal writing assignments. Not
applicable toward a major in English.
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*156.01 Popular Literature: Crime Fiction
Broder
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
In posing questions about human nature and offering varieties of justice, crime fiction has
ties to the (18th and 19th C) Gothic and even to ancient tragedy. It offers us a view of how we
deal with social disruption, often a disruption caused by murder. We will focus on the AngloAmerican tradition of detective stories, crime fiction, and films of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Mid-term, final, response pages, possible quizzes.
*203.01 Approaches to Literary Study
Vandivere
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 2=1, Goal 3=1)
Examines the fundamental elements of literary history, critical and analytical strategies,
terminology, research, and writing. Prepares students for advanced techniques of textual analysis,
literary research, and the writing of interpretive and research essays. Enrollment is restricted to
English majors and minors except with permission of the English Department Chair.
204.01 Introduction to Creative Writing
Lawrence
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course is an exploration of poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and sometimes drama.
Students new to the creative writing process or to creative writing classes will develop an ease
with and understanding of different genres through a series of exercises and readings. The majority
of their grade will be based on reading quizzes and the writing of original creative works. Toward
the end of the class, students will be asked to develop a portfolio of more finished examples of
their work, completing a polished short story, non-fiction essay, and several poems.
212.01 English Grammar & Usage
Roggenbuck
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=3)
This course offers students a descriptive overview of Standard American English grammar,
providing a structural framework for analyzing English syntax, with practical applications for
improving sentence structure and style. Topics covered include: Parts of Speech; Basic Sentence
Patterns; Verb Forms; Phrase Types; Clauses; and Usage. Students should expect daily homework
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as well as in-class group work and exercises. This course will fulfill the third part of the General
Education Communication requirement under the old Gen. Ed. Plan.
*221.01 Bible as Literature
Martin
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
This course includes the reading and analysis of the variety of literary texts in the Hebrew
and Christian scriptures, paying careful consideration of the historical, cultural, psychological and
geographical elements that create the foundation of individual texts and serve in creating the canon
as well as understanding how these texts have worked alongside other secular texts of those periods
and beyond. In addition, some evening film watching will be expected to determine how the
literature of the scriptures have found their way into modern film. It is planned that a one-day offcampus research trip for the major paper in the class will occur by traveling to Gettysburg
Seminary.
*226.01 European Literature I
Whitworth
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course examines many of the major texts of the classical and medieval periods, texts
that have long been considered the cornerstone of Western literature. Readings will include the
Iliad, the Odyssey, the Oresteia, the Aeneid, and the Inferno. Reading quizzes, two 4-6 page
essays, and a mid-term and final examination will be required.
*236.01 American Literature 1
Robinson
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
We will study a wide range works by most major and a number of minor writers who wrote
in America from the Puritan era to the Civil War. Most of the course will focus on the influential
nineteenth century writers—such as Irving, Poe, Hawthorne, and Thoreau—and the emergence of
a national literature. We’ll finish with the great American poets Whitman and Dickinson. The
emphasis will be on individual works and what the different authors contributed to literature and
to our understanding of the American experience. There will be midterm and final exams and term
paper. It’s pretty exciting stuff, so be ready. Come with a desire to learn; a sense of humor is
optional. I think it was Mark Twain who said that he’d rather take American Literature 1 at
Bloomsburg University than ANYWHERE!
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*237.01 American Literature 2
Asya
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Students will read poems, plays, short stories and novellas written by American writers
from 1865 to the present. They will learn about the writers, discover the circumstances which
compelled them to create this literature, and place the texts in their historical contexts.
Requirements include class participation, quizzes, papers, and examinations.
*246.01 British Literature I
Francis
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Beginning with the “monsters” of Beowulf, and continuing through to the Modest Proposal
of Jonathan Swift, this course will provide you with an overview of the periods of early British
literature, including the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, Restoration and early 18th century. In
addition to reading major works and authors from these periods, we will also be exploring
historical and cultural contexts. The understanding of a work can be greatly enhanced by
examining what political and social forces may have influenced that work. Assignments for the
course will include various writing-based projects and exams.
*247.01 British Literature 2
McCully
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Study of poetry, fiction and prose representative of the major British literary movements
from Romanticism to Modernism. The readings and lecture/discussions will address major
cultural themes of post-enlightenment British literature: political & social revolution, imagination,
the rise of realism, and the transition from Romantic to Darwinian concepts of nature.
Lecture/discussion. Assignments include three exams and one essay.
+*256.01 Non-Western Lit 1
Salih
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
[GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 4=1, Goal 7=1)
With emphasis on literary texts from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, Non-Western
Literature I offers wide-ranging engagements with a variety of themes characterizing the
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interaction between literature and the modern world. This course, through lecture, discussion, and
various writing assignments, aims to deepen the student’s understanding of human universals and
differences in both western and non-western worlds.
280.01 Poetry
Robinson
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This class is about power and beauty of language. We will discuss a wide range of poems
by English and American authors, focusing on the poet’s craft, on how the artist shapes language
to produce a variety of subtle feelings and effects. We will not study any particular tradition or
school; instead we will range freely from the seventeenth-century poems of Andrew Marvell to
the twentieth-century lyrics of Van Morrison. You don’t have to be a poet or an English major.
Come with enthusiasm for learning and a willingness to discuss.
♦286.01 Women’s Literature Survey
Broder
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
[GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=1]
A historical survey of works in English by women from early times through the present.
We’ll read works by canonical and lesser-known women writers, works intended for publication
and works intended for more private audiences, in a variety of genres. Students will write response
pages, midterm, and final. The main text is likely to be The Norton Anthology of Literature by
Women, 3rd edition, volumes 1 & 2.
288.01 Feminist Reading of Culture:
Mother-Daughter Relationship in Contemporary American Fiction
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
Asya
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 4=1, Goal 7=1)
This course will examine mother-daughter relationships, that may be always intimate,
mostly complex, and sometimes challenging, in the fiction of some contemporary American
writers. Students will have the opportunity to explore such related issues as family history, secrets
of the past, growing up, identity formation, adolescence, separation, marriage, divorce, illness,
birth, and death. Requirements will include participation, presentation, paper, midterm, and final.
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301.01 Creative Writing: Fiction
Lawrence
[Prerequisite: ENG 204 Intro to Creative Writing, or permission of instructor.]
In this course students will be introduced to the formal elements of writing fiction. The
focus will be on craft; however, we will also read many different examples of and experiments
with the short story form. Students will write their own short stories, which will be discussed in a
workshop format. Revision and preparation for publication will also be an element of the class.
Reserved for English Creative Writing majors. Contact professor to be enrolled.
303.01 Creative Writing: Poetry
Wemple
[Prerequisite: ENG 204 Intro to Creative Writing, or permission of instructor.]
Through a series of exercises students will create a portfolio of poems, including both
traditional and free verse forms. Attention is given to craft, invention, originality, and, above all,
revision with an eye toward creating work of publishable quality. Students will participate in
workshops, sharing their work with peers and critiquing each other’s work. Additional
assignments include reading and critiquing contemporary poetry collections, and attendance at
poetry events. Reserved for English Creative Writing majors and minors. Contact professor to be
enrolled.
306.01 Theory and Practice of Writing
Oleksiak
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203]
Introduction to new theories of writing and the teaching of writing including both study of
and practice in the methods the theories require. Required for secondary education students in
English, but open to all students interested in advanced work in writing.
311.01 Structure of English
Costanzo
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203; or permission of the instructor]
Linguistics is the study of human language. In this introductory English linguistics course,
students will become familiar with linguistic terminology, with primary emphasis placed on the
structural aspects of the English language. Students will learn to analyze and synthesize linguistic
data and will explore the disciplines within linguistics including: phonetics, phonology,
morphology, syntax, semantics, first language acquisition, and language variation. Required for
secondary education students in English. Offered fall semester only.
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385.01 Literature for Young Adults
Stuart
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203; or permission of instructor]
A required course for secondary English education majors and Mid-Level Education
majors, this class addresses the what, why, and how of teaching Young Adult (YA) literature in
the classroom. What modes, audiences, and genres constitute Young Adult literature? Why is it
less commonly taught than the canonical texts that typically appear on secondary English
curricula? How might a teacher approach such YA texts with students? Four assignments
structure the course: a review of which books were important to you growing up, and why; a
portfolio of responses from different theoretical perspectives to common class texts; either a
semester-long case study based on work at a field placement or the design of a YA novel (first
chapters); and an outline for a lesson sequence linking several YA texts of your choice. Fall
semester only. Required for Secondary Education English students.
402.01 Writing in Multiple Media
Martin
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201, 203, or INTSTUDY 231, or permission of instructor]
This course is one of the capstone courses in the Professional Writing Minor and serves to
help writers understand how the ever growing choices in media production affect the creation and
distribution of texts. Understanding communication as a combination of oral, written and visual
choices, students in the class will be asked to critically evaluate multiple forms of texts as well as
create texts in multiple mediums, demonstrating a clear synthesis of theory and application. Issues
of intellectual property and ethical usage will be a strong component of the course.
463.01 Shakespeare
Francis
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203 and 246; or permission of instructor]
In As You Like It, the melancholy Jacques remarks, “All the world’s a stage, / and all the
men and women merely players” (2.5.138-39). For this semester, we will be examining how
Shakespeare’s work calls attention to playing a part, to the mechanisms of performance, and to the
masks we wear. Every day of our lives we play to our audience, perform in ways that are expected
by us, dictated by social conventions and the reactions we want to elicit from those closest to us.
To aid us in these conversations, we will be studying the following plays: Othello, Much Ado
About Nothing, Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, and at least two additional plays (TBD). The
class will consider the texts themselves, as well as contemporary adaptations on stage and screen.
Course work will include an in-depth research project and 2-3 other paper or exam assignments. I
hope to be able to offer a field trip to at least one stage performance in NYC, for which students
will be expected to contribute toward the cost of the performance. Fall semester only. Required
for Secondary Education English students.
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465.01 Milton
Whitworth
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203 and 246; or permission of instructor]
The poetry and prose of John Milton considered in the contexts of his age, his Puritanism
and his learning. This course counts as a Group A, Humanities and The Arts General Education
Requirements.
481.01 Special Topics: Spirituality in African Diaspora Literature
Agbaw
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203; or permission of instructor]
The Transatlantic slavery and European colonial expansion in Africa imposed upon
Africans and people of African descent in the Americas a European worldview through the
Christian religion and a Eurocentric education. This had a direct impact on African belief systems.
Everything spiritual in African religions became associated with witchcraft and the devil. While
Africans held on to some of their beliefs and continued to practice their various religions side-byside with Christianity and Islam, contemporary African American and Caribbean writers
transformed and incorporated African spirituality into their fiction. Toni Morrison in Song of
Solomon and Beloved, Maryse Conde in I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem, Gloria Naylor Mama
Day, Paule Marshall Praise Song for the Widow present diverse expressions of African spirituality.
Western critical traditions have used various labels to describe these works including surrealism,
magic realism, gothic fiction, psychological realism and post-modern fiction. While these
different labels are valid if these works are read exclusively through a western lens, if we apply
the Afrocentric theory to the analysis of these texts, they would reveal significant aspects of
African Spirituality that African Americans retained through their folklore and oral traditions. The
Special Topics course in African, African American and Caribbean literature would attempt to
accomplish this goal. This course can count as literature of an underrepresented culture. See
department chair for documentation.
488.01 Seminar
Entzminger
[Prerequisite: 90 credits; ENG 315; or permission of instructor]
In this course, students will be asked to explore post-graduation/career options in which an
English major’s skills might be put to use (e.g., environmental writing; technology reporting;
Victorian Studies; Information Management). Students will then propose, plan, research, and
develop a major writing project that might be used or required in their desired field. Smaller
assignments throughout the semester will help you develop the major project. Students will add
the project to their ePortfolios, and we will discuss strategies for shaping the ePortfolio for use
after graduation. This is a required course for students in the new literature concentration. Offered
fall semester only.
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492.01 Literary Criticism
Randall
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203; or permission of instructor]
Literary Criticism is designed to acquaint students with literary critical terminology and to
analyze the major movements of Western literary critical thinking from Plato to contemporary
theory. Very specific questions concerning language are the points of departure for the course and
lead directly to practical applications of critical writing strategies and techniques. An exploration
of short fiction and the questions of “literature” from a plurality of theoretical perspectives will
reveal how literary texts are illuminated by diverse critical approaches.
INTSTUDY 231.05 Technical Writing
Decker
[Prerequisite: 24 credits; ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=2, Goal 2=1)
This class will polish your critical thinking and reasoning skills as it introduces you to
strategies working writers employ in a technical workplace. We will also explore document design
and visual rhetoric.
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