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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
Oakland University
Advising Memo, Winter 2014
(subject to change)
NOTE
STUDENTS REGISTERING FOR ENGLISH CLASSES MUST ATTEND THE FIRST CLASS
SESSION TO CONFIRM THEIR REGISTRATION. STUDENTS WHO FAIL TO ATTEND THE
FIRST DAY MAY BE DROPPED FROM THE CLASS.
AMS 300: The Civil War in the American Imagination………………….……………………………………..C. Apap
CRN 12075
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR KNOWLEDGE APPLICATIONS
INTEGRATION. PREREQUISITE FOR KNOWLEDGE APPLICATIONS INTEGRATION: COMPLETION OF THE
UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE WESTERN CIVILIZATION KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA. SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN U.S.
DIVERSITY.
“You can't think seriously about this country without pondering the Civil War. The sin it expunged, the sin it
became. It's our DNA.”
-E.L. Doctorow
In this course we will take as our point of departure E. L. Doctorow’s statement about the American Civil War as a
definitive and inescapable trauma for the nation. We will explore a variety of approaches to that conflict and the
legacy of American slavery. We will ask especially how each work to which we attend uses the Civil War to
refract contemporary concerns, including issues of democracy, race, religion, civil rights, gender, and
individualism. These issues will allow us to ask questions about history and literature in general. How, we will
ask, do Americans characterize their own history? To what purpose? What does placing the action of a fiction in
the historical past allow the author to say about his own time? What does it mean to be an American?
We will begin by discussing sectionalism, abolitionism, and the origins of the Civil War. We will then attend to
the experience and aftermath of the Civil War and Reconstruction in order to interrogate the role of the Civil War
in crafting American identity in that era, and the intersection of both memory and forgetting in that process. We
will then turn to the twentieth century in order to study the rise of Southern nostalgia about the antebellum south
and the further calcification of regional and national identity. We will then study late twentieth century fiction and
film to consider how the Civil War persists in our national memory into the twenty-first century. We’ll close out
the semester by looking closely at two 2012 films imagining the Civil War era: Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln:
Vampire Hunter. We’ll think through what these dual imaginings of Lincoln mean for us as a nation—and how
our own historical moment might be reflected in these works.
Be aware: Because we’ll be dealing with at least five or six films, I will hold semi-regular film viewings on
campus (likely on Thursday afternoons between 3 and 6 PM). If, however, you cannot attend those nonmandatory sessions, you will be required to see the films on your own outside of class; when possible, I will place
films on hold in Kresge Library.
Requirements: Regular attendance and active participation in class; 4 brief writing assignments of 2-4 pages; a
final paper of 6-8 pages, which will be peer-reviewed and revised. Prerequisite: Writing requirement (may be
waived by the concentration coordinator in the case of foreign students). Identical to ENG 324.
TEXTS:
Reading will likely include works by Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Walt Whitman, Herman
Melville, Ambrose Bierce, Stephen Crane, William Faulkner, Alice Randall, and E.L. Doctorow; films
will include The Birth of a Nation, Gone With the Wind, Glory, Clod Mountain, Lincoln and Abraham
Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
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MEETS:
TR 10-11:47a.m., 171 SFH
AMS 401: Senior Project…………………………………………………………………………………………….J. Insko
CRN 10970
Either an independent research project or an internship in American studies. Plans for this project must be
developed with the concentration coordinator the semester before the student registers for the course.
Prerequisite: AMS 300.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TBA
CINEMA 150: Introduction to Film………………………………………………………………………….J. Remeselnik
CRN 11752
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE ARTS KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA. SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS IN U.S.
DIVERSITY.
This course is designed to offer a basic framework for cinematic literacy, exploring the technical, historical,
political, and aesthetic dimensions of film. A diverse array of narrative and non-narrative films of various styles
and genres will be screened. Film’s relationship to other artistic media (such as literature, visual art, and theater)
will also be considered. Students will be required to see all assigned films, complete all assigned readings,
participate regularly, and demonstrate their comprehension of course material through regular quizzes, a scene
analysis essay, and a final exam. Monday class meeting time extended to accommodate film viewing
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
M 9:20-11:47a.m., 203 DHE; W 9:20-11:07a.m., 203 DHE
CINEMA 150: Introduction to Film…………………………………………………………………………….K. Edwards
CRN 13721
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE ARTS KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA. SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS IN U.S.
DIVERSITY.
Introduction to the art of film by examination of the filmmaking process, study of narrative and nonnarrative film, and exploration of film’s relation to society. Tuesday class meeting time extended to
accommodate film viewing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
T 10:00a.m.-12:27p.m., 203 DHE; R 10-11:47a.m., 203 DHE
CINEMA 150: Introduction to Film………………………………………………………………………………C. Meyers
CRN 12269 & 12366
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE ARTS KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA. SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN U.S.
DIVERSITY.
Introduction to the art of film by examination of the filmmaking process, study of narrative and nonnarrative film, and exploration of film’s relation to society. Class meeting time extended to accommodate film
viewing.
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TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
M 6-9:50p.m., 125 AFC, Mt. Clemens & R 6-9:50p.m., 125 AFC, Mt. Clemens
CINEMA 165: Introduction to Digital Film Production………………………………………………………A. Gould
CRN 12812
Introduction to digital film production through group projects. Prerequisite: CIN 150 or ENG 250; permission
of instructor; cinema studies major standing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
T 5:30-8:50p.m., 409 WH
CINEMA 252: Methods of Cinema Studies…………………………………………………………………J. Remeselnik
CRN 12813
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR A WRITING INTENSIVE COURSE
IN THE MAJOR. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY WRITING
FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.
This course will expose students to a number of key critical methodologies for the study of cinema, including
auteur theory, gender studies, Marxism, queer theory, and phenomenology. A diverse array of narrative and nonnarrative films of various styles and genres will be screened. Students will be required to see all assigned films,
complete all assigned readings, participate regularly, and demonstrate their comprehension of course material
through critical analysis essays and a final exam. Film viewing during the Wednesday class meeting.
Prerequisite: CIN 150 or ENG 250; WRT 160 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MW 1:20-4:07p.m., 93 SEB
CINEMA 265: Form and Meaning in Production………………………………………………………………A. Gould
CRN 14362
Through group projects and individual editing, students explore formal methods of creating meaning in shots,
sequences, and short films. Prerequisite: CIN165; permission of instructor.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
F 3-5:47p.m., 107 WH
CINEMA 301: History of Film: The Sound Era to 1958 ……………………………………………………..K. Edwards
CRN 13723
Examination of significant directors, genres and movements: Welles, Hitchcock, Renoir, DeSica and others; the
western, gangster film, musical, neorealism, film noir. Film viewing during the Thursday class meeting.
Prerequisite: CIN 150 or ENG 250.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 3-5:47p.m., 202 DHE
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CINEMA 311: Studies in Documentary Film …………………………………………………………………A. Hoffman
CRN 13724
This course offers a survey of the history of nonfiction filmmaking, organized around six major approaches or
“modes” that documentary filmmakers have employed to represent reality. Through focused readings, screenings,
discussions, and assignments, we shall consider: 1) the strengths and limitations of each documentary mode; 2)
the historical, cultural, and technological contexts that gave rise to each mode; and 3) the ethical and philosophical
questions that arise from the attempt to construct reality and “truth” on film. The overall objective of this course is
to broaden your knowledge of the artistic and democratic possibilities offered by nonfiction filmmaking. Film
viewing during the Tuesday class meeting. Prerequisite: CIN 150 or ENG 250.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 12-2:47 p.m., 202 DHE
CINEMA 350: ST: Studies in Animation………………………………………………………………………H. Vaughan
CRN 13211
Studies in Animation offers students a survey introduction to the use of animation in moving-image
media. Combining industry history with visual aesthetics, film-philosophy, and cultural studies, students will
explore a wide range of international animation history, including: hand coloring in early silent cinema; avantgarde experiments in abstract film art; and the evolution of mainstream commercial animation practices, from the
legacy of Disney to Japanese anime, from multi-plane Cel Animation to Claymation and innovations in CGI, from
the feature-length classics to the contemporary cartoon revolution that has influenced primetime televisual culture
since the iconic success of The Simpsons. Over the course of the semester, students will be encouraged to
appreciate animation in film culture— from early special effects to the present-day importance of digital postproduction—not as an exception, but as the theoretical basis and practical bedrock of moving-image
culture. Assignments will include weekly reading and discussion, MOODLE activities, essays, and group
presentations. May be repeated for credit under separate sub-headings. Film viewing during the Wednesday class
meeting. Prerequisite: CIN 150 or ENG 250.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MW 5:30-8:17p.m., 202 DHE
CINEMA 450: ST: Screening Gender in American Film History……………………………………A. Hoffman-Han
CRN 13725
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE.
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR A WRITING INTENSIVE COURSE
IN THE MAJOR. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY WRITING
FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.
In this course we will investigate representations of gender, sexuality, race and class, --and their multiple
intersections--in American cinema. Moving from mainstream Hollywood movies to underground experimental
“film art” and then to various cinemas in-between, this course examines various (self-) representations and their
historical context in U.S. cinema from 1895 to the present. While we will spend much of our time studying
Hollywood’s “productions of culture,” we will also have a chance to look at alternative, independent work by
feminist and queer filmmakers laboring in cinema’s various “cultures of production.” Film viewing during the
Wednesday class meeting. May be repeated for credit under different subtitle. Prerequisite: CIN 315 or
permission of instructor.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MW 9:20a.m.-12:07p.m., 93 SEB
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ENGLISH 100: Masterpieces of World Literature……………………………………..........................................T. Hayes
CRN 13375 & 13377
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
A survey acquainting the student with some of the great literature of the world.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 10-11:47a.m., 105 WH & TR 1-2:47 p.m., 273 SFH
ENGLISH 100: Masterpieces of World Literature………………………………………………………………N. Joseph
CRN 13052
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
Designed to introduce students to some great works of literature that span several centuries, this course presents
readings, discussions videos, and writing assignments that expose students to an understanding and application of
important principles of literary study. These elements include reading and analyzing literature in a meaningful
manner, understanding the author’s craft and message, recognizing the significance of a work’s historical and
social context, writing about a work with insight and accuracy, and understanding the application of an author’s
message to contemporary life. Readings include short stories, plays, poems, and a novel. REQUIREMENTS:
Active participation in on-line class discussions and activities. Reading quizzes, writing assignments, and a
midterm and a final exam.
TEXTS:
Literature: The Human Experience by Abcarian, Klotz, and Cohen; A Thousand Splendid Suns by
Khaled Hosseini
MEETS:
Internet; Online course
ENGLISH 100: Masterpieces of World Literature……………………………………………………………...D. Plantus
CRN 11107
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
This course uses literature to attempt a definition of the world: therefore it is broad in text selection, observes
general chronology, and respects a variety of cultures. Finally, however, the texts will work together to reveal
themes, plots and characters that have both challenged and endured the course of human history, while generating
critical discourse on issues such as, but not limited to, history, gender, race, politics, myth, religion, and culture.
The course uses a robust lecture and discussion format, quizzes and exams, and stresses critical thinking as a
means of exploring the literature in refreshing, relevant ways.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 9:20-10:27a.m., 102 WH
ENGLISH 100: Masterpieces of World Literature………………………………………………………… A. Spearman
CRN 10582 & 12074
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
This course covers a sampling of great literature from around the world. Although the course is by no means
comprehensive of all great world masterpieces, we will attempt to explore a series of seemingly universal themes,
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such as religion and love, as expressed by authors from different ages, cultural backgrounds, and geographic
locations. In doing so, we will explore a variety of literary forms from poetry and prose to drama and epistles.
Class sessions include lectures, quizzes, discussion, and group work. In addition, students will complete short
response papers, one essay, two exams, and one group project.
TEXTS:
Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces (Expanded Edition)
MEETS:
TR 10-11:47a.m., 102 WH & TR 1-2:47p.m., 272 SFH
ENGLISH 105: Introduction to Shakespeare……………………………………………………………………K. Laam
CRN 11108 & 13701
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
This course will introduce students to the dramatic works of William Shakespeare and to the primary historical
contexts in which they were produced. We will trace Shakespeare’s literary career through the course of five
plays, with a particular focus on his tragedies and comedies. In the course, we will pay close attention to both the
formal features and cultural meanings of Shakespeare’s plays, with the objective of making his work accessible
and relevant to our interests as twenty-first century readers. In addition to close reading, we will also consider
Shakespeare in performance through regular in-class screenings of theatrical and filmic productions: some
traditional, some radical. There will be weekly quizzes and regular in-class group writing assignments, as well as
a midterm and a final examination. Class sessions will be comprised variously of lecture, discussion, and group
work. Diligent attendance and preparation are essential.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 12-1:07p.m., 124 WH & MWF 1:20-2:27p.m., 105 WH
ENGLISH 105: Introduction to Shakespeare…………………………………………………………………….N. Herold
CRN 11109 & 13700
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
We will study and discuss in detail four plays, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, and a forth
play, TBA. While most of our attention will be on each of these plays as individual works of dramatic art, we will
also have time to consider Shakespeare’s evolving career in the Renaissance theater, the playhouses and audiences
for which he wrote, and some historical conditions of the early modern period which his dramatic art both
reflected and helped create. We will be using an excellent text-book, David Bevington’s Shakespeare: Script,
Stage, and Screen, which presents the plays in a way that allows us to see what happens to them as they are
transformed into theatrical, video, or cinematic performances. We will look at some of these productions to help
us consider why Shakespeare continues to be an enduring focus for our cultural and political passions.
Requirements include midterm exams, essay writing on each play, and a final exam.
TEXTS:
Shakespeare: Script, Stage, Screen
MEETS:
MWF 10:40-11:47a.m., 166 SFH & MWF 1:20-2:27p.m., 273 SFH
ENGLISH 111: Modern Literature………………………………………………………………………………D. Plantus
CRN 11292 & 10456
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
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We will explore literary modernism through a variety of texts and genres, such as poetry, short story, and novel,
under the larger influences of the period between 1900 and 1950. The class relies on vibrant and robust class
discussions of the compelling themes that influenced modern writers. The selections, discussions, exams, and
spontaneous but creative assignments feature critical thinking: students will learn how to think, using modern
literature as a meaningful and relevant medium.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 8-9:07 a.m., 102 WH & MWF 10:40-11:47a.m., 102 WH
ENGLISH 111: Modern Literature…………………………………………………………………………..J. Remeselnik
CRN 13053 & 13054
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
This course will consider literary works of the 20th and 21st century in their historical and aesthetic contexts,
including poems, novels, plays, short stories, essays, and song lyrics. Literature’s relationship to other artistic
media (such as visual art, music, and film) will also be explored. Students will be required to complete all assigned
readings, to attend and participate regularly, and to demonstrate their comprehension of course material through
regular quizzes and a final exam. Authors will include Gertrude Stein, Franz Kafka, André Breton, Langston
Hughes, Samuel Beckett, Allen Ginsberg, and Woody Allen, along with various essayists and hip-hop artists.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 10-11:47a.m., 271 SFH & TR 1-2:47p.m., 376 SFH
ENGLISH 111: Modern Literature……………………………………………………………………A. Stearns-Pfeiffer
CRN 13719
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
English 111 is an introduction to important literary texts written during the modernist period (which can include
works written in the early twentieth century to the present). Our readings this semester will focus on differing
perspectives, both in terms of story telling and in our interpretations of the texts we read. Students are expected to
come to class prepared to discuss each week’s reading; additional requirements include in-class written responses
and quizzes, mid-term and final exams, various Moodle assignments, and consistent attendance. Much of our work
will consist of class discussions and written responses to what you’ve read. Tentative authors for this course
include: Langston Hughes, Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Zora Neale Hurston, Lorraine Hansberry, Willa
Cather, William Faulkner, Richard Wright, and Sylvia Plath.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 1:20-2:27p.m., 318 PH
ENGLISH 112: Literature of Ethnic America………………………………………………………………...B. McDaniel
“Poor, Tired, Huddled Masses: Constructing ‘the Immigrant’ in Recent US Literature”
CRN 11359 & 11360
SATISFIES THE UNVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA. SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN U. S.
DIVERSITY.
In her poem appearing on the Statue of Liberty, Emma Lazarus declares: "Give me your tired, your poor, your
huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless,
tempest-tossed to me . . .” Whether “tired,” “poor,” or merely undocumented, immigrants and their experiences
have provided rich fodder for American literature since the country’s inception. Coming out of a nation founded
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on the concept of (and by) outsiders, American literature often reveals what writers, readers, and critics imagine
what it is to be an “outsider” based solely on one’s nation of birth. What do these texts reveal about the “border
culture” inhabited by individuals whose desire to honor “homeland” (whether it be Latino culture, or the Navajo
nation) conflicts with one’s adopted soil? Where does reinvention end and assimilation (or even “passing”)
begin? While paying close attention to how notions of gender, class, race, and “American-ness” are informed by
historical, political, and cultural landscapes, we’ll read fiction, drama, poetry, and memoir that engage (for lack of
a better/more concise term) the “immigrant experience.” Our syllabus includes writers who represent Latino-,
Asian-, Arab-, Afro-Caribbean, and Native American voices, with the majority of material written in the last fifty
years. REQUIREMENTS: Weekly (easy) Quizzes; Midterm and Final Exams; Class (Group) Presentation;
Rigorous Class Participation; Required Attendance; Student-Generated Discussion Questions.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 10:40-11:47a.m., 306 PH & MWF 1:20-2:27 p.m., 316 PH
ENGLISH 200: ST: Service Learning……………………………………………………………………………R. Smydra
CRN 11573
Students will read novels and short stories and participate in off-campus service learning projects to explore the
connections between the texts and social applications. Using these experiences, classroom discussion will focus
on creating new strategies to read and (re)interpret literature. Reading texts such as The Namesake, Old School,
and A Lesson Before Dying, and various short stories, students will explore the connections between literary
studies and community social issues, such as race, gender, and class, which exist in and outside of the text. Course
sessions will include group discussion, guest speakers, and service learning engagement.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 10-11:47a.m., 169 SFH
ENGLISH 211: Introduction to Literary Studies……………………………………………………………..R. Anderson
CRN 13702
Introduction to literary research, the writing conventions of literary criticism, and the critical analysis of drama,
prose fiction, and poetry. Required for the English major and minor. Prerequisite for the 300-level literary history
and capstone courses. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a 2.0 or higher and English major or minor
standing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 10-11:47a.m., 269 SFH
ENGLISH 211: Introduction to Literary Studies…………………………………………………………………J. Insko
CRN 12432 & 12433
Introduction to literary research, the writing conventions of literary criticism, and the critical analysis of drama,
prose fiction, and poetry. Required for the English major and minor. Prerequisite for the 300-level literary history
and capstone courses. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a 2.0 or higher and English major or minor
standing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 10:40-11:47a.m., 268 SFH & MWF 1:20-2:27p.m., 169 SFH
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ENGLISH 215: Fundamentals of Grammar……………………………………………………………………J. McClure
CRN 10581
As implied by the title, this course seeks to give students the basics of English grammar through a careful study of
how it functions structurally. We will use traditional tools like word classification and sentence diagramming to
gain experience in recognizing and using grammatical structure as we write and speak. To that end and as time
allows, we will also consider how a working knowledge of grammar can inform rhetorical conventions and
facilitate choices in the written voice. This is not a lecture course, so students should be prepared to participate
extensively in class discussion and informal, sometimes spontaneous, presentations. Numerous exercises and brief
quizzes, approximately three tests, and a (tentative) final exam will round out the agenda. Our mantra, repeated
daily, will be “Grammar is Fun.” Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 10-11:47a.m., 268 SFH
ENGLISH 215: Fundamentals of Grammar…………………………………………………………………J. McClure
CRN 10077
As implied by the title, this course seeks to give students the basics of English grammar through a careful study of
how it functions structurally. We will use traditional tools like word classification and sentence diagramming to
gain experience in recognizing and using grammatical structure as we write and speak. To that end and as time
allows, we will also consider how a working knowledge of grammar can inform rhetorical conventions and
facilitate choices in the written voice. This is not a lecture course, so students should be prepared to participate
extensively in class discussion and informal, sometimes spontaneous, presentations. Numerous exercises and brief
quizzes, approximately three tests, and a (tentative) final exam will round out the agenda. Our mantra, repeated
daily, will be “Grammar is Fun.” Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
Internet: Online course
ENGLISH 216: Intro Fiction/Poetry Writing……………………………………………………………………D. Newton
CRN 13058
In this course, we will play with words, shaping them into lines and sentences, poetry and prose. Heather Sellers,
author of the textbook and professor at Hope College, likes to talk about writing as “play.” We’ll investigate this
idea of writing as play (and work as well) while we explore the power of our words using cross-genre exercises
and writing techniques. Students will participate in class discussion, group work, and writing workshop; they will
also be responsible for developing a critical vocabulary with which to approach the reading material and
classmates’ work. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
Sellers, Heather. The Practice of Creative Writing: A Guide for Students. 2nd Edition.
MEETS:
MW 3:30-5:17p.m., 168 SFH
ENGLISH 216: Intro Fiction/Poetry Writing……………………….…………………………………………..V. Stauffer
CRN 13071
An introduction to the basic skills and techniques associated with the study of creative writing within the
academy. Through the study of selected modern and contemporary authors, students will learn the basic generic
conventions of poetry and fiction and practice these conventions in producing their own work. In addition to
creative assignments, students will work to refine their analytical and expressive skills—both written and verbal—
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through short critical assignments and small- and large-group workshops. This course also examines the role of
art and the artist in contemporary society and will encourage the exploration of other crafts. Students will submit
two portfolios representing their best creative and analytical work, one of poetry and one of fiction, and write both
a midterm and a final exam. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 9:20-10:27a.m., 171 SFH
ENGLISH 217: Intro Workshop in Dramatic Writing for the Screen and Television………………………..D. Shaerf
CRN 13705
In ENG 217 students will be introduced to the key components of creative writing for television and film narrative.
The intent of this class is to present students crucial components of script development: narrative structure, theme,
scene structure and rhythm, effective dialogue, character development as well as learning to interface with these
techniques. In addition to learning the pragmatic technical elements of the scriptwriting process, students will
utilize these devices in the creation of several dramatic writing projects. Class meeting time is extended to
accommodate film viewings. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 9:20-10:27a.m., 318 PH
ENGLISH 224: American Literature……………………………………………………………………………….C. Apap
CRN 10555 & 13706
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
There are many ways to tell the story of American literature. Exploring them all would be impossible, but in this
course we will study the ways that several different stories intersect over the course of four centuries of American
literature. We will work to develop a critical vocabulary about American literature and the ways that several
tensions operate over time in a variety of genres, including poetry, sermons, political writing, speeches, and
fiction. In the process, we will trace some of the ways that American literature reflected, produced and at times
critiqued American culture from the colonial period to the late early twenty-first century. Our readings will tend to
focus on shorter works that will open up into broader discussions of American literature, and we will spend
considerable time with a single novel to be found in our anthology: Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Requirements include active and engaged participation, regular in-class reading quizzes, and three to four takehome exams.
TEXTS:
Norton Anthology of Literature
MEETS:
TR 1-2:47p.m., 102 WH & R 6:30-9:50pm, 274 SFH
ENGLISH 224: American Literature…………………………………………………………………………..A. Knutson
CRN 12580 & 10579
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
This course is an introduction to literary analysis and appreciation through readings in the American literary
tradition, with emphasis on such authors as Hawthorne, Thoreau, Dickinson, James, and Hurston. Our readings
and discussion this semester will focus on exploring and defining the American experience as it is expressed at
various stages of U.S. history from the Revolution into the twentieth century, specifically looking at the ways that
issues such as race, gender, and class contribute to an American identity. We will read works chronologically to
get a sense of literary history, and we will examine each work in light of its author’s life, its cultural and social
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context, and its literary genre. Requirements: attendance, regular reading quizzes, and exams.
TEXTS:
Include—but are not limited—selected stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Frederick Douglass, Narrative of
the Life of Frederick Douglass; Henry David Thoreau, Walden; Henry James, Daisy Miller; Stephen
Crane, Maggie; Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God.
MEETS:
T 6-9:20p.m., 370 SFH & R 6-9:20p.m., 102 WH
ENGLISH 241: British Literature: Crazy in Love…or just Crazy: Expression, Repression, and Obsession
in British Literature from the 1300s to the 1900s……………………………………………………………...S. Beckwith
CRN 11110 & 13073 & 13072
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
In this course we will examine the expression and repression of emotion as well as the depiction of ‘experience’ in
British Literature. We’ll meet characters and narrators whose stories are driven by obsessions of love, hate, and
science. We will consider how each text is determined by the specific cultural, social, political, and historical
moment in which the literature was created and read; and we will explore the question of how literary texts
themselves operate—for example, how the narrative structure of a text can serve to “punish” a character who
exhibits excessive or unacceptable behavior linked to their “desires.” We’ll encounter crazy characters, violent
criminals, and love-struck ladies—as well as some actual ghosts—as we explore how emotions and ideas (whether
expressed or repressed) haunt British Literature. Close and careful reading along with discussion participation will
be required of all students. Assignments include: participation on Moodle, two exams, and a group project.
TEXTS:
TBA: But may include, Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles
Dickens, The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Novels by Henry James, Macbeth by William
Shakespeare, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley; Dracula by Bram Stoker; and Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by
Robert Louis Stevenson
MEETS:
MWF 12-1:07p.m., 172 SFH & MWF 1:20-2:27p.m., 370 SFH & M 6:30-9:50p.m., 124 WH
ENGLISH 260: Masterpieces of World Cinema……………………………………………………………C. Donoghue
CRN 11750 & 13212
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
KNOWLEDGE EXPLORATION AREA.
Examination of a range of cinematic traditions, historical trend, and national film movements from around the
globe. Special emphasis on the formal techniques of cinematic expression and methods of critical analysis.
Monday class meeting time extended to accommodate film viewing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
M 9:20-11:47a.m.; W 9:20-11:07a.m., 202 DHE & M 1:20-3:47p.m.; W 1:20-3:07p.m., 203 DHE
ENGLISH 260: Masterpieces of World Cinema………………………………………………………………..C. Meyers
CRN 11751
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
KNOWLEDGE EXPLORATION AREA.
Examination of a range of cinematic traditions, historical trend, and national film movements from around the
globe. Special emphasis on the formal techniques of cinematic expression and methods of critical analysis. Class
meeting time extended to accommodate film viewing.
TEXTS:
TBA
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MEETS:
T 6-9:50p.m., 125 AFC, Mt. Clemens
ENGLISH 300: ST: The Literary Essay…………………………………………………………………….L. McCloskey
CRN 12152
The literary essay (sometimes referred to in a broader sense as literary or creative nonfiction) is one of the four
main literary genres, the others being fiction, poetry and drama. The genre includes nature and travel writing,
autobiography, memoir, and the personal or familiar essay. Literary essayists explore meaningful questions and
observations; however, they do not simply analyze and describe some aspect of reality. Rather, they attempt to
convey the meaning of personal experience in both narrative and expository form in order to engage their readers,
and to nudge them toward an examination of their own experiences and perceptions. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or
equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
T 6-9:20 p.m., 2085 HHB
ENGLISH 300: Special Topics in Literature & Language: Dante & Joyce…………………………………..B. Connery
CRN 10966
MEETS:
Off-campus - International
ENGLISH 300: Special Topics in Literature & Language: Italian Cinema………………………………….B. Connery
CRN 10962
MEETS:
Off-campus - International
ENGLISH 300: Special Topics in Literature & Language: London…………………………………………..B. Connery
CRN 11254
MEETS:
Off-campus-International
ENGLISH 301: Poetry……………………………………………………………………………………………V. Stauffer
CRN 11795
Emily Dickinson said it made her “feel physically as if the top of [her] head were taken off.” Robert Frost called it
“a momentary stay against confusion.” And Shakespeare’s Theseus described it as that which “gives to airy
nothing / A local habitation and a name.” While the culture at large most often defines a poem as a verbal artifact
that rhymes, or that expresses deep emotion, these characteristics are neither inherent nor exclusive to poetry.
Rather, the etymology of the word poetry reveals its fundamental process: derived from the Greek word poesis,
poetry means to make. Before rhyme or meter or expression of emotion, the intrinsic process of poetry is the
making of metaphor, the attempt to give words to that which cannot be said by attaching the abstract, the
unknown, the conceptual, to what is concrete, tangible, familiar.
Beginning with an exploration of reading as an act of the imagination, this course will examine the many ways in
which poets manipulate language on multiple levels—semantic, symbolic, phonetic, graphic—in pursuit of
answers to the essential questions of human experience. We will read and discuss a variety of poems, taking into
account both generic and historical points of view, but always returning to our central concern: the poem as an act
of making.
Requirements: genuine commitment to active reading, regular attendance and participation, two essays, two
exams, and a presentation.
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TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 12:00-1:07p.m., 310 PH
ENGLISH 303: Fiction……………………………………………………………………………………………J. Freed
CRN 11291 & 10924
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
The major forms of narrative fiction (short story, novella, novel) studied from generic and historical points of
view. Prerequisite: junior standing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 9:20-10:27 a.m., 166 SFH & MWF 12:00-1:07 p.m., 105 WH
ENGLISH 303: Fiction……………………………………………………………………………………….A. Spearman
CRN 12073
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
In this course we will explore the evolution of narrative fiction from the late 19th century to the late 20 th century.
The short story and novella forms will constitute much of the course, including works by authors such as Donald
Barthleme, Irwin Shaw, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Ursula LeGuin. In addition we will read three novels in
their entirety: Lolita, The Color Purple, and a third novel to-be-named. Through these works we will be exposed
to the many ways in which fiction can be used to tell stories ranging from the painfully realistic to the sublimely
fantastic. To fully understand our stories, we will break down the relationship between narrative voice (our
storyteller’s persona) and framework (our story’s structure). The course will consist of a great deal of reading , as
well as daily reading quizzes, weekly short writing assignments, one major essay, and two exams. Participation in
class meetings is a must. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher and junior
standing.
TEXTS:
Our texts will include the three novels listed above as well as The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction
MEETS:
T 6-9:20p.m., 268 SFH
ENGLISH 303: Fiction: The “Rules”: Literary Structures & Genre…………………………………..S. Beckwith
CRN 11369
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
Rule #1. The First Rule of Fiction [303] is, you do not talk about Fiction.
Rule #2. The Second Rule of Fiction [303] is, you DO NOT talk about Fiction.
But, just like the book, Fight Club, which is all about fight club, discussing fiction is exactly what we will be doing
in this class! This semester, we’re going to pit Chick-Lit against Lad-Lit. Yes, there is another term for Lad-Lit,
which is much more ‘macho,’ but we won’t go there. It can also be referred to as Fratire. You can see already
how even the nomenclature or names of the genre are problematic—which will be one of the issues we tackle in
this course. But, since we’re on the subject of tackling… In this class we will examine a selection of ‘books for
men.’ Manly-man books. The Chunky-Soup of literature. We’ll read and analyze books that deal with fighting
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wars, fighting the system, and fighting one another. Books such as Fight Club, American Psycho, You are Here,
Slaughterhouse-Five and Catch-22. Novels that deal with the issue of what it ‘means’ to be a ‘man’ in
society. We will also be reading a selection of texts which serve as the predecessors to today’s Sex in the City and
Bridget Jones’s Diary. Even before Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Dorothy Parker, Jane Collier wrote An Essay
on the Art of Ingeniously Tormenting: a ‘how-to’ book for women…dating back to 1753! It is a [Lipstick] Jungle
out there, and we’ll be entering the jungle that makes up ‘gender-lit,’ considering the socio-economic and
historical import of each of the texts we will read in this class. Reading these books, we will examine how
characters and plot are constructed—and how they inform or reflect our social constructs of gender. We will
discuss literary concerns such as setting and narrative voice and tone—but we will also move outside these texts to
consider how they are marketed and how they subvert that marketing (did anyone else notice that Adam Brody is
wearing a Fight Club T-shirt when Brad Pitt interrogates him at the end of Mr. and Mrs. Smith?). Thus, despite
the labels of the genres, this class is marketed to both men and women and we’ll take a non-gendered approach to
the study of the literature we read. The books we’ll read in this course are bestselling novels which both men and
women can enjoy, relate to, and—most importantly—learn from.
Rule # 7 is: “If this is your first night at Fight Club, you have to fight.” In this class, you will also have to
complete weekly essays and other online assignments; prepare discussion & reading questions and review online
lectures and materials; and write a final paper of 8-10 pages…but not all on the first night! Prerequisites: WRT
160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher and junior/senior standing.
TEXTS:
TBD, but may include works from: Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Joseph Heller, Jane Collier,
Anita Loos, Dorothy Parker, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
MEETS:
Internet: Online course
ENGLISH 305: The Bible as Literature…………………………………………………………………………D. Plantus
CRN 11796
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA.
The Bible as Literature naturally invites an approach of study that emphasizes the artistic, imaginative and
historical aspects of this formidable anthology: the Bible. But any genuine study of the Bible must necessarily
include aspects of translation that have affected our reception of the material at various stages in human history.
Therefore, this course will first engage the student in careful reading and literary analysis of selected portions of
the Bible, as we strive to enhance our understanding of it as a literary text. In addition, we will consider the role
translation has played, and continues to play in revealing the original meaning and context of the Bible.
Consequently, the course will cover the basic elements of literary criticism of ancient texts, including style,
language, and perspective and historical influences and setting, noting the sociological and political influences of
civilizations of Sumer, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. We will also study the literary
elements such as: plot, character, theme, point of view, symbolism, allegory, metaphor, imagery, irony, and
humor. At all times, we will acknowledge the importance of language, both in its original context and the
numerous versions into which the Bible has and continues to be translated. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or
equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher and junior standing. Identical with REL 353.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
Internet: Online course
ENGLISH 307: Modern Drama…………………………………………………………………………………D. Shaerf
CRN 13707
This course studies the evolution of modern drama from late 19 th century realism to the avant-garde and beyond.
Attention is paid to performance and the visual codes of theater as well as social and historical contexts. Students
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will be introduced to a number of important dramatic texts spanning multiple national theatres. Playwrights
include Ibsen, Chekhov, Shaw, Brecht, Beckett, Williams, Miller, Kushner and Mamet.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 12-1:07p.m., 320 PH
ENGLISH 308: Playwriting……………………………………………………………………………………….K. Dubin
CRN 10532
The first part of this course will focus on the craft of playwriting: structure, character development and dialogue.
The rest will function as a writing workshop where students read each other’s plays aloud in class and exchange
feedback. Course objectives include learning the basic elements of playwriting, analyzing these elements in
existing works, and writing a one-act play that incorporates these elements. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or
equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher. Identical with THA 340.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 1-2:47 p.m., 229 VAR
ENGLISH 315: Shakespeare…………………………………………………………………………………….N. Herold
CRN 13708
The plays for this section of ENG 315 are A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry IV Part One, Macbeth, and
Twelfth Night and a package of primary historical materials that relate Shakespeare’s plays to the age that
produced and beheld them. Expect meticulous study of language and adventurous discussion of dramatic action.
Scholarly topics include the Renaissance playhouse, early modern performance practice, the genres and modes of
Renaissance drama, the ideology of early modern kingship, religious belief and practice, and the persistence of the
supernatural. We will be using a new edition of Shakespeare that focuses brilliantly on the past and present life of
each of the plays in performance; critical attention to the stage history of each of these plays will therefore also
help shape our interpretative ambitions. Requirements include a mid-term exam on each of the first three plays
and a final exam on the fourth play, along with a final exam essay question addressed to all four plays.
Prerequisite: ENG 211.
TEXTS:
Shakespeare: Script, Stage, Screen; The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare
MEETS:
W 6-9:20p.m., 268 SFH
ENGLISH 317: Early American Literature…………………………………………………………………A. Knutson
CRN 13076
This class introduces students to American literary and cultural roots of the 17 th and 18th centuries. We will read,
contextualize, and compare a wide range of writings from the colonial period through the Revolution and early
republic with special attention to developing patterns of the culture and nationalism. Special attention will be
given to the emergence of the myths and realities surrounding an American identity and the American “dream,”
including specific issues such as attitudes toward and fantasies about the New World, the cultural power of the
Puritans, the roles of women, the treatment of Indians, and the rhetoric of the Revolution. Focusing on genres
such as exploration narratives, captivity narratives, promotional literature, poetry, histories, oratory,
autobiographies, and political writings, we will be guided by the following questions: How does the literature
reflect various historical and cultural phenomenon and positions, and what are they? What cultural work does the
literature perform? Where do the texts affirm the status quo and where do they depict sub-cultures at odds with
the dominant culture? What does the literature say about the particular historical and cultural moment in which it
was produced? In what ways is the literature a reaction to previous American historical and cultural moments?
There will be a midterm and final exam, students will write weekly reading responses, and write two short analytic
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papers. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or equivalent with a 2.0 or higher; ENG 211.
TEXTS:
Bayam, et al., eds. The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Vol A (7th ed.)
Myra Jehlen and Michael Warner, eds., The English Literatures of America, 1500-1800
Ross Murfin and Supryia M Ray, eds. The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms
MEETS:
TR 3:4:47p.m., 306 PH
ENGLISH 319: American Literature1865-1920…………………………………………………………….K. Pfeiffer
CRN 13709
In 1865, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and the Union Stockyards opened in Chicago; by 1920, women’s
suffrage became law and daily airmail service linked New York to Chicago. The years in between saw exciting
and unnerving developments in American history and culture, and American writers paid close attention. This
class will read American literature in light of a rich and vivid history which saw the introduction of the typewriter,
the telephone, the circus, the Sunday comics, the Brooklyn Bridge, immigration, prohibition, race riots, and
lynching. Readings will include novels, poetry and short stories. Format: lecture and discussion with student
presentations, midterm exam, final exam, research report, paper. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or equivalent with a
2.0 or higher: ENG 211.
TEXTS:
(Tentative): Wolff, Four Stories by American Women; Chopin, “A Pair of Silk Stockings”and Other
Stories; Henry James, The Bostonians; Mark Twain, Pudd’nhead Wilson; Charles Chesnutt, The Wife of
his Youth; William Dean Howells, A Modern Instance; Willa Cather, A Lost Lady; Edith Wharton, The
Age of Innocence.
MEETS:
TR 10-11:47a.m., 270 SFH
ENGLISH 324: Issues in American Literature……………………………………………………………………C. Apap
CRN 13162
Study of literary works ranging across period and/or genre in their relation to a central issue, theme or problem in
American literature. Representative topics are romanticism, the Puritan tradition, American humor and the writer
and American society. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher. Identical to
AMS 300.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 10-11:47a.m., 171 SFH
ENGLISH 342: African American Literature…………………………………………………………………….T. Hayes
CRN 13075
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION
INTEGRATION AREA. PREREQUISITE FOR KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION INTEGRATION: COMPLETION OF
THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN THE LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE
EXPLORATION AREA. SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN U.S.
DIVERSITY.
The study of African American literary history, including the evolution of the form through slave narrative,
sentimental fiction, political protest, to contemporary writing; authors may include Douglass, Jacobs, Chesnutt,
Du Bois, Ellison, Perry and Morrison. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
T 6-9:20p.m., 269 SFH
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ENGLISH 354: British Medieval Literature……………………………………………………………………..K. Grimm
CRN 12560
This course will introduce the student to the historical study of the first eight centuries of British literature. We
will begin with selections from the Old English period (700-1100) in translation and then move on to a variety of
texts from the Middle English period (1200-1500), some of which we will read in translation, and some in the
original Middle English. Our primary focus will be on understanding individual literary works in terms of their
historical, literary, and textual cultures–what is the relationship of a literary work to its moment in history? To the
moment in which we read it? How does a work relate to the literary tradition from which it arose? And which
followed it? In what physical form did the work present itself to its first audience (as a handwritten text? a printed
text? a recited poem?) And how has that form changed over the centuries? NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF
MEDIEVAL LITERATURE OR LANGUAGE IS REQUIRED. SOME (at least) OF THE READING WILL BE
IN MIDDLE ENGLISH. Assignments (Tentative–subject to change): Two papers; an annotated bibliography; a
mid-term and a final exam; participation in weekly on-line discussion boards. All students must have email
accounts. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher; ENG 211.
TEXTS:
Tentative: Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy; Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays; Sir Gawain and
the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo; 100 Middle English Lyrics; Beowulf; Chaucer, Troilus and
Criseyde; Malory, Le Morte D’arthur, Vol. 2.
MEETS:
M 6-9:20p.m., 269 SFH
ENGLISH 358: British and Postcolonial Literatures since 1900……………………………………………J. Chapman
CRN13092
British and Anglophonic literature since 1900. Authors may include Joyce, Woolf, Eliot, Rhys, Beckett, Rao and
Achebe. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher; ENG 211.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 1-2:47p.m., 169 SFH
ENGLISH 369: The English Novel……………………………………………………………………………….A. Gilson
CRN 13158
A study of the origin and development of the English novel; we will read works from the 18th century to present.
Authors include: Sterne, Austen, Dickens, George Eliot, Joyce, Hilary Mantel, Penelope Fitzgerald, and John
Berger. Prerequisite: ENG 211with a grade of 2.0 or higher, or ENG 216. This course will also satisfy the
Creative Writing cognate requirement.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
R 6:30-9:50p.m., 169 SFH
ENGLISH 380: Advanced Critical Writing……………………………………………………………………..J. McClure
CRN 12302
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR A WRITING INTENSIVE
COURSE IN GENERAL EDUCATION. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE
UNIVERSITY WRITING FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.
The focus of this course is on thinking and writing critically, not as two separate functions but rather as an
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integrated whole. It will facilitate the development of an individual process approach to originating, composing,
and revising writing that is representative of your close reading of the essays and thoughtful discussion via forums.
The topics we write about, while dealing with the complex concepts of how we make meaning of the world around
us and convey that meaning to others, will also challenge you to think critically about education, writing, and the
classroom experience in the digital age. In addition, we will examine grammar and style, not as a set of rules to be
followed, but rather as tools that can be used creatively to achieve the writer’s purpose. Requirements: There will
be approximately three major papers and three minor papers, style exercises, and mandatory participation in
forums and peer review. Note: this class meets entirely on-line, and the majority of work is asynchronous. As
such, it requires both time-management skills and appropriate technology in order for you to be successful.
Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 1-2:47p.m., 269 SFH
ENGLISH 380: Advanced Critical Writing……………………………………………………………………R. Smydra
CRN 11732
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR A WRITING INTENSIVE COURSE
IN GENERAL EDUCATION. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY
WRITING FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.
In this course, we start off by exploring what makes writing effective for various audiences. To do this, we will
consider purpose, organizational patterns, grammar, sentences, paragraphs, and revision. After discussion and
review of these writing fundamentals, we will begin to apply what we have discussed to six writing format:
summary, analogy, description, dialogue, personification, and argumentative response. No tests are given, but inclass exercises, quizzes, and a journal will require your attendance and participation. Required course for
English STEP majors and minors. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
Internet: Online course
ENGLISH 383: Workshop in Fiction…………………………………………………………………………….D. Newton
CRN 11720 & 13710
This course introduces students to the craft of fiction and narration. Students will focus on all aspects of the
creative process – from brainstorming to revising. Throughout the course, students will read and analyze short
stories to understand the choices writers make as they tell stories. Students will learn about traditional narrative
development as well as more experimental storytelling. One of the key components of the course is the writing
workshop, in which students will offer up their short story manuscripts for feedback from peers and the instructor.
The course also emphasizes the importance of finding and developing a writing community. Students will write
two to three short stories, a piece of flash fiction, and a revision; they will also serve as readers and critics of
classmates’ stories. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or equivalent and junior standing.
TEXTS:
Van Cleave and Pierce, eds. Behind the Short Story: From First to Final Draft; Williford and Martone,
eds. The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction: 50 North American Stories Since 1970.
MEETS:
M 6-9:20 p.m., 313 WH & W 6-9:20p.m., 313 WH
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ENGLISH 384:Workshop in Poetry……………………………………………………………………………V. Stauffer
CRN 13712
A creative writing workshop in poetry, with emphasis on both traditional and experimental forms. Our primary
focus will be poems submitted by members of the class, with the majority of class meetings devoted to open
discussion of your creative work. We’ll also study basic elements of prosody—meter, rhyme, received form—and
consider how contemporary poets employ these traditional techniques in new ways. Texts to include a handbook
on prosody and two volumes of poems by contemporary poets.
Requirements: excellent attendance, active participation (verbal and written), exercises, workshop drafts, a final
portfolio of revised work, and a class reading. Prerequisites: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or
higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MW 3:30-5:17p.m., 171 SFH
ENGLISH 388: Workshop in Dramatic Writing for Television………………………………………………..D. Shaerf
CRN 13711
This workshop will familiarize students with progression of television narratives from the 1980s to today as well
as with the different formats of television drama, including length and genre of programs. Students will be
exposed to a number of literary elements crucial to successful television script development: theme, macro-plot
structure vs. episode structure, scene structure, pacing, effective dialogue, characterization, and the creation of a
comprehensive portfolio. Students will learn to identify the kinds of literary elements that dominate a selection of
television genre. Intensive work will be expected in the writing of a number of group and individual television
narrative projects; students will also be exposed to methods for pursuing employment in the field. Prerequisites:
ENG 217 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
M 6-9:20p.m., 171 SFH
ENGLISH 398: Approaches to Teaching Literature and Composition………………………………A. Stearns-Pfeiffer
CRN 13713
Introduction to teaching literature and composition. Topics include the reading and writing processes, adolescent
literature, media and the language arts, and spoken language. For students admitted to the secondary education
program (STEP). To be taken in the winter semester prior to internship. Prerequisite: permission of the
instructor.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
MWF 3:30-5:17p.m., 169 SFH
ENGLISH 400: ST: The Renaissance Ovid ………………………………………………………………………K. Laam
CRN 11282
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE.
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR WRITING INTENSIVE IN THE
MAJOR AREA. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY WRITING
FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.
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Publius Ovidius Naso (43 B.C – 17 A.D.), better known to English readers as Ovid, exerted an enormous influence
on the literature of Renaissance England. The works of the classical Roman poet were a staple of the Renaissance
classroom, much admired for their eloquence and erudition. Yet they also frequently drew the ire of critics for
their gratuitous violence and sexuality. Through the course of the semester, we will trace the influence and
evaluate the appeal of Ovid in Renaissance England. We will read (in translation) key selections from his most
influential works, including the Metamorphoses, Amores (the love elegies), Ars Amatoria (The Art of Love), and
Heroides (The Heroines). We will then examine several English works that bear Ovid’s influence, ranging from
Shakespeare’s controversial tragedy Titus Andronicus to Christopher Marlowe’s narrative poem Hero and Leander
to the erotic elegies of John Donne, as well as works by John Marston, Robert Herrick, Andrew Marvell, and
others. Requirements include a research paper, an oral presentation, and vigorous participation in class.
Prerequisite: ENG 211 and the three required 300-level British and American literary history courses; or
permission of the instructor.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
M 6-9:20p.m., 364 SFH
ENGLISH 401: ST: Comedy………………………………………………………………………………….B. Connery
CRN 13714
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE.
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR WRITING INTENSIVE IN THE
MAJOR AREA. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY WRITING
FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.
We’ll explore the history, nature, and theory of comedy and comic literature from Aristophanes (Old Comedy),
Plautus and Terence (New Comedy), with stops for Shakespeare (Romantic Comedy), Behn, Steele, Goldsmith,
Wilde, Shaw, at least one comic novel (TBA), and perhaps a film or two (TBA). While our focus will largely be
the romantic comic plot, we may also consider matters like the grotesque, black humor, wit, and stand-up comedy.
Our discussions will be informed by various theories of the funny and the comic including those of Hobbes,
Congreve, Steele, Bergson, Freud, Frye, and Segal. Discussion-based. Heavy reading load. Students will write
weekly, present one paper to the seminar, write a term paper, and submit two tests.
Prerequisite: ENG 211 and the three required 300-level British and American literary history courses; or
permission of the instructor.
TEXTS:
Aristophanes, Lysistrata (Dover edition); Plautus, The Pot of Gold and other plays (Penguin; we’ll be
reading Pot of Gold); Terence, The Comedies (Penguin; we’ll read The Girl from Andros); Barnet, ed.,
Eight Great Comedies (Plume; we are likely to read Twelfth Night, The Miser, and The Importance of
Being Earnest); Behn, The Rover, The Feigned Courtesans, and other plays (Oxford). And a novel TBA.
MEETS:
R 6:30-9:50p.m., 265 SFH
ENGLISH 401: ST: Human Rights Fiction………………………………………………………………………J. Freed
CRN 13728
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE.
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR WRITING INTENSIVE IN THE
MAJOR AREA. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY WRITING
FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.
Literature and film can be powerful tools for spreading the word about an ongoing conflict or galvanizing
international opposition to human rights abuses. But representing violence, especially violence experienced by
someone else, gives rise to troubling ethical questions: Who has the right to represent suffering, or to consume
such representations? What is the relationship between fiction and political action? How do we reconcile
descriptions of atrocity with the aesthetic dimensions of literature and film, on some level, do these texts strive to
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make suffering pleasurable or beautiful, or shape horrible events into a satisfying narrative arc? In this course,
we’ll read literature and watch films that depict human rights abuses, and grapple with the questions of truth,
aesthetic representation, and ethics that come along with them. May be repeated under different subtitle.
Prerequisite: ENG 211 and the three required 300-level British and American literary history courses; or
permission of the instructor.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
T 6:30-9:50p.m., 168 SFH
ENGLISH 401: ST: Literary Romance…………………………………………………………………………..K. Grimm
CRN 13727
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE.
SATISFIES THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR WRITING INTENSIVE IN THE
MAJOR AREA. PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING INTENSIVE: COMPLETION OF THE UNIVERSITY WRITING
FOUNDATION REQUIREMENT.
The study of a single literary kind, whether genre (such as novel, lyric or drama) or mode (such as tragedy or
comedy). May be repeated under different subtitle. Prerequisite: ENG 211 and the three required 300-level
British and American literary history courses; or permission of the instructor.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
T 6-9:20p.m., 265 SFH
ENGLISH 410: Advanced Workshop in Fiction………………………………………………………………….A. Gilson
CRN 10848
In this course we will focus on writing fiction (stories and exercises) and reading about and discussing questions of
craft. In the first few weeks we will workshop, as a group, one story written by each student (this can be a new
story or a story written before the class began), and discuss a number of published stories and essays on craft by
selected writers. During this time students will be working on new stories, which will be work shopped in the
following weeks. Each student will also revise a story, which will also be read by the class and discussed. Inclass and take-home exercises will be discussed in class as time allows. Prerequisites: ENG 383 and permission
of instructor.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TR 3-4:47p.m., 268 SFH
ENGLISH 410: Advanced Workshop in Fiction……………………………………………………………J. Chapman
CRN 13715
Creative writing workshop in fiction. Prerequisite: ENG 383 and permission of instructor.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
T 6:30-9:50p.m., 271 SFH
ENGLISH 491: Internship…………………………………………………………………………………………A. Gilson
CRN 10692
Field experience in appropriate work position at an approved site correlated with directed study assignments. In
the semester prior to enrollment, the student will plan the internship, in conjunction with the instructor and with
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the approval of the department chair. The students must send the Department Internship Coordinator weekly email
updates detailing their progress during their internship, and submit a final analytical paper at the semester's
conclusion. May be repeated for credit as an elective, but the course counts toward the English degree only once.
Interested students should consult the internship memo and submit to the Internship Coordinator a copy of their
unofficial transcripts, as well as the names of two English professors whose classes they have taken while at
Oakland. Prerequisite: WRT 160 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or higher; four courses in ENG, two of
which must be at the 300-400 level; and instructor permission.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TBA
ENGLISH 533: Critical Theory/Practice………………………………………………………………………….. J. Insko
CRN 11660
English 533 comprises the second course of the required introductory sequence of the literary studies core for the
Master of Art Degree in English. How does literature mean? What, for that matter, is meaning? What does it
mean to mean? (If you know what I mean). This course is an introduction to the exciting, difficult, perplexing
world of critical theory where such pesky questions are the order of the day. The course will introduce you to
some of the major thinkers, texts, and concepts in modern critical theory. We will explore the various ways that
professional literary critics—formalists, Marxists, deconstructionists, feminists, queer theorists, psychoanalysts,
and new historicists, to name a few—do things with literature and culture. Along the way, you’ll learn to call
works texts, people subjects, beliefs ideologies, and words signifiers. “Literary” works (you will also learn to put
common terms in scare quotes!) will not be the main focus of the course; rather we will read difficult, demanding
theoretical writings and critical essays by such figures as Ferdinand de Saussure, Jacques Lacan, Jacques Derrida,
Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, Louis Athusser, and more. We will also, however, attempt to put these theories to
work on one or more works of literature (yet to be determined). Requirements: several short papers, a substantial
final essay, and vigorous participation in class discussion. Required of all students. Prerequisites: Graduate
standing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
W 6-9:20 p.m., 171 SFH
ENGLISH 546: LH: Literature and Species………………………………………………………………….R. Anderson
CRN 13717
Linnaeus’s system of taxonomic classification had influence far beyond the biological sciences: it shaped poets’
novelists’ and philosophers’ attempts to define what is human. We will examine the impulse to make and blur
distinctions in kind (or species) in Shelley’s Frankenstein, Poe’s “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and Hale’s The
Evolution of Bruno Littlemore (and others). Our work will include research in history and theory. Prerequisites:
Graduate standing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
T 6:30-9:50p.m., 313 WH
ENGLISH 566: ST: Narrative Strategies……………………………………………………………………C. Donoghue
CRN 13160
This course introduces and explores narrative structures, styles, and modes of production for film and television.
Students will examine both practical and theoretical aspects of storytelling, including industrial and historical
production contexts and techniques from classical Hollywood cinema and European art film to serial drama and
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sitcoms. The goal of the course is for students to become familiar with contemporary historical, theoretical and
critical approaches grounded in dominant narrative structures and alternative modes of storytelling.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
M 6-9:50p.m., 93 SEB
ENGLISH 600: Postcolonial Drama and Theory…………………………………………………………….B. McDaniel
CRN 11817
Completion of the literary studies core. Employing a lens informed by key voices in postcolonial theory, this
course explores contemporary drama from Northern Ireland, Southeast Asia, the West Indies, Africa, and Latin
America. All plays are in English; no experience with dramatic criticism is necessary. Prerequisites: Graduate
standing.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
W 6:30-9:50 p.m., 301 WH
ENGLISH 690: The Master’s Project……………………………………………………………………………K. Grimm
CRN 10964
Completion of a project of a scholarly or pedagogical nature proposed by the degree candidate. The student needs
to consult with a faculty member in order to draw up a proposal for study which must be submitted to the Graduate
Program Committee before the end of the fall semester. Prerequisite: Permission of the Graduate Program
Committee. Texts and meeting time to be arranged.
TEXTS:
TBA
MEETS:
TBA
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