St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 6
Humanities & Fine Arts
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
1.
Proposal Number:
Prepared by: T.L. Jackson
Phone: 308-3188
Email: tljackson@stcloudstate.edu
2.
Requesting Unit: English
3.
Department, Course Number, Title: English 216
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.
Goal 7: Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the United States
7.
Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
English 216. African American Literature (Diversity/MGM)
Studies in African American literature from the slave narrative to contemporary writers. Content and
focus to vary. 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.
General education and English majors and minors
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
N/A
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.
N/A
11.
Courses designated as General Education are included in the assessment plan for the Goal Area(s)
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Existing Course
No
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
No
Yes
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.
Students are exposed to multiple genres—narratives, short stories, essays, speeches, film, and novels—of
African American literature. Through an examination of selected slave narratives, such as Frederick
Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of a Slave (1845), and autobiographical literature, such as Richard
Wright’s Black Boy (1944), the origins and evolution of African American letters are discerned. Through
inspection of foci in the literature, the critical acumen of students is enhanced.
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.)
SLO 1 & 6: The course materials constitute a number of genres (autobiography, essays, short stories,
film, etc.) Designed as a survey course, the course introduces students initially to a work deemed a "classic" of
African American literature: Douglass' Narrative of the Life of a Slave. From in-class discussion and in-class
writing, students are asked to form their own definition of "classic" literature and to identify personal choices.
Instruction is provided on the importance of definition prior to an exposition of the concept in written form.
SLO 2: Examination of the literature enables students to locate concepts, as defined by sources. Given the focus
of some of the literature, namely, slavery, the institution of slavery become a prism through which the cultural,
judicial, intellectual, and historical values of an era can be gleaned.
SLO 3& 4: Students are encouraged to research one or more historical references within the body of assigned
African American literature, namely, John Brown, Dred Scott, Touissant L'Overture. Instruction is provided,
among others, on the selection of secondary sources and bibliographical format. Students are expected to
synthesize research data on one or more of the historical figures. The assignment encourages students to draw
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conclusions on the relevance of the data in relation to the texts. Moreover, given the intersection of the literature
with other disciplines, namely, the anthropological, students are apprised of the origins of some folktales, as
expressed in selected literature, such as Chesnutt's Conjure Tales. Students are encouraged to locate influences
of the folktales in selected literature and to explore likely causes for the omnipresence of these folktales within
African American literature. Students are expected to buttress claims, articulated either during group exchanges or
submitted in written form, from texts or from other creditable sources.
SLO 6 & 7: Examination of the texts elicit questions related to audience, viz, for whom the texts were intended
upon publication. Such questions allow for discussion of style and the impact of audience upon expression.
Finally, inspection of a range of African American literature enables students to extrapolate meaning regarding
individual, as well as group, African American identities; likewise, exposure to African American literature
enables students to develop both empathy for and understanding of humankind.
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.
Course Outline
I. Definition of key concepts posed by the literature
King, Martin Luther, Jr. “Racism and the White Backlash.” Re-reading America. Gary Colombo,
Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston: Bedford, 1992. 319-30.
(10%) (SLO 1, 2)
II. Illumination of concepts in assigned literature
(20%) (SLO 2,3,4)
III. Definition of concept of “race”
(10%) (SLO 1, 2)
Omi, Michael, and Howard Winant. “Racial Formations.” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States:
An Integrated Study. 5th ed. New York: Worth, 2001. 11-20.
IV. Illumination of concept through the lens of Chesnutt’s literature (20%) (SLO 1,2,3,4, 6)
V. Examination of dialect in Chesnutt’s fiction
(5%) (SLO 1,2,3,4, 6, 7)
VI. Identification of common threads in the literature, namely, the influence of folktales
(20%) (SLO 1,2,3, 4,6)
VII. Legacy of the patrols as outlined in Slave Patrols: Law and Violence in Virginia and the Carolinas, by
Sally E. Hadden (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2001)
(5%) (SLO 2)
VIII. Self-reflective essay expressive of antidotes to issues raised by the literature
(10%) (SLO 6)
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St. Cloud State University
General Education Transmittal Form
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
Proposal Number
Department: English
Course or Course(s): 216
Department or Unit Chair Signature
Date
Department forward to Academic Affairs for publication and electronically to Chair of General Education Committee, Chair
of College Curriculum Committee, College Dean
Recommendation of General Education Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of University Curriculum Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of Faculty Association:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
FA Senate
Signature
Date
Action of Academic Vice President:
Approve
Disapprove
Signature
Entered in Curriculum Data File
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Remarks:
Date