St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 6 Designation
Humanities & Fine Arts
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date: ______________________
Effective Date: ______________________
1.
Prepared by: Glenn Davis
Phone: 8-2197
Proposal Number: _________________
Email: gmdavis@stcloudstate.edu
2.
Requesting Unit: English Department
3.
Department, Course Number, Title: English (ENGL) 184: Introduction to Literature
4.
New Course
5.
Will this course be flagged as a diversity course?
Already Designated as Diversity
6.
Will this course also satisfy another General Education Goal Area?
If “Yes” specify which goal area.
Existing Course
No
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
No
Yes
7.
Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
ENGL 184. Introduction to Literature
A study of imaginative literature to improve the understanding and increase enjoyment through reading, writing,
and discussion. Emphasis on thematic organization, historical period, cultural representation, and type of literature
will be the option of instructor. 3 Cr. F, S.
8.
Indicate the clientele for whom this course is designed. Is the course for general education only, or
does it fulfill general education and other program needs for this or another department? Obtain
signatures from any affected departments.
This course is designed primarily for non-English majors seeking general education credits. It does not
count toward the English major or minor, or for any other majors and minors in other departments.
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
There are no changes that need to be made.
10.
For new courses or courses not yet approved for General Education, indicate any other SCSU departments
or units offering instruction that relates to the content of the proposed course.
There are no other departments that offer instruction that relates to the content of ENGL 184.
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11.
Courses designated as General Education are included in the assessment plan for the Goal Area(s)
for which they are approved. Courses for which assessment is not included in the annual GE
assessment report for two years will be removed from the General Education Program.
The Requesting Unit understands and recognizes the above conditions.
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12.
Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course.
Goal Area 6: Humanities & Fine Arts
Expand appreciation and critical understanding of changing modes of human expression and systems of
thought in the arts and humanities, and develop abilities in the creation and performance of meaning.
ENGL 184 – Introduction to Literature offers students an opportunity to develop an appreciation for a
broad range of literature written by a diverse group of authors. The syllabus includes literature written by male
and female authors from many parts of the world and from many different historical periods, which introduces
students to a spectrum of humanistic perspectives. In addition to appreciation, students also gain a critical
language for analyzing literature, which includes an extensive focus on the terminology used in literary study.
Students also learn about the social, historical, and cultural contexts of the literature they read, which contributes
to their understanding of ways that literature and society intersect.
13. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 6, it must address at least 5 of the 7 student learning
outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course.
1. Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
2. Describe and appreciate works in the arts and humanities as expressions of individual and collective values
within an intellectual, cultural, historical and social context.
3. Interpret and respond critically to works from various cultures in the arts and humanities.
4. Explore intellectually the ideas expressed in works in the arts and humanities.
5. Engage in creative processes or interpretive performance.
6. Articulate an informed personal response to works in the arts and humanities.
7. Analyze the diverse means of communication in the arts and humanities.
14.
Discuss how each Student Learning Outcome checked above is achieved in this course. (Note: Although
descriptions of typical assignments or types of assignments may be part of this discussion, it is not
appropriate to submit copies of actual assignments.)
1. The syllabus for ENGL 184 includes literature written by a diverse group of world-wide authors who
wrote during the Classical period, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and in the modern era. Authors represent
many cultures, ethnicities, and points of view. This range of texts gives students a thorough grounding in the
varieties of literature that have been produced.
2. Instructors of ENGL 184 include information about the historical and cultural contexts of the primary literary
texts on the syllabus, which demonstrates for students that no piece of literature is outside of its milieu. Instructors
also talk about ways that texts might be read differently by different audiences in different places and times,
which further demonstrates the importance of knowing the intellectual, cultural, historical, and social contexts of
literature.
3. Students in ENGL 184 engage in a variety of activities that help them interpret and respond critically to literary
works, including class discussion; responding to specific questions about literary texts and contexts during in-
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class writing exercises; writing analysis papers; taking exams that test their both objective knowledge of historical
facts and literary terminology, and also their ability to close read passages and synthesize ideas in answering
longer essay questions.
4. Students engage and explore the ideas expressed in the literature they read through class discussion, writing
essays, and taking exams.
6. Students are asked to express their opinions about the literature they read using the critical discourse that is the
focus of the course. They do this especially in class discussion and in short written responses to the literature.
7. Students are exposed to a broad range of literature texts, which requires them to look at rhetorical decisions
made by each author. This diversity of means of expression is emphasized in particular in class lectures.
15.
List or attach the Course Outline (adequately described and including percentage of time to be allocated
to each topic). Curriculum Committees may request additional information. Topics larger than 20% need
to be broken down further. Indicate in your course outline where the Student Learning Outcomes
checked above are being met.
Studying and applying basic literary terminology: 15%
Learning and practicing close reading skills: 15%
Interpreting and responding critically to works from various cultures in the arts and humanities: 45% (poetry 15%; fiction - 15%; drama - 15%)
Analyzing the historical, social, intellectual, and cultural contexts of particular works of poetry, fiction, and
drama: 15%
Learning and discussing techniques for writing about literature: 10%
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