English
Mission
Studies
in writing and literature introduce students to the full range of human
activity – intellectual, social, aesthetic, and spiritual. Rooted in the
liberal arts, the English department prepares students for leadership and
service; for graduate studies in English, law, library science, and other
fields; and for careers in teaching, journalism, advertising, public relations,
writing, and editing.
The
English department also offers core curriculum courses in writing and
literature that emphasize critical thinking, clear communication, aesthetics,
and ethical engagement.
Goals
- The department will help
students to think creatively and critically, to write and speak
effectively, and to develop aesthetic awareness.
- The department will
produce graduates who are competent, insightful readers of a wide range of
texts, conversant in the history and development of British and American
literature.
- The department will help
students connect to a community of readers and writers in and beyond the
university.
Student
Learning Outcomes
English
majors will learn to:
- Read
critically – Critically read and analyze a variety of texts.
- Write
effectively – Invent, draft, revise, and edit effectively for various audiences
and purposes.
- Research
and document proficiently – Demonstrate proficiency in the use of bibliographic
resources and other research tools to find, incorporate, and properly cite
sources, according to MLA style.
- Understand
literary classifications – Demonstrate familiarity with classification of
literature written in English, including historical development, genres, and
theories.
- Understand
development of English - Demonstrate familiarity with the basic history of the
development of the English language.
- Transfer
skills to work - Connect academic training to potential professional experience.
Sophomore and Graduation Portfolios
At the
end of the spring semester, as part of English 227, Symposium, all sophomore
English majors must submit a portfolio of five–six papers that show the
development of the six student learning outcomes of the English major. In some cases, as with transfer students,
students may substitute papers written in other courses.
The
complete sophomore portfolio must include a reflective essay of 8-10
double-spaced pages. In that essay, the students must explain how the papers of
the portfolio show the student’s development of the learning outcomes of the
major. Although all English majors are working towards common learning
outcomes, the department will not expect the same level of development from
sophomores that it will from seniors. The sophomore portfolio is submitted
electronically to iWebfolio.
The
English faculty will review each major’s sophomore portfolio twice. The first
time, in June, the faculty will decide whether the major is ready to take 455,
Junior Colloquium, in the fall of the junior year. If the faculty decides that
the major is not ready for 455, the department will require the student to
leave the major or ask that the student defer Junior Colloquium until the first
semester of his or her senior year. (The faculty may decide the major is not
ready because of the quality of the sophomore portfolio or because the
portfolio is incomplete.) If the major must defer entry into ENGL 455, then at the end of junior year, the
student must provide additional support for the development of the departmental
learning outcomes.
The
second review of the sophomore portfolio comes in the fall semester, when
department faculty evaluate all portfolios based on the department’s portfolio
rubric. Faculty will also provide a narrative response to each portfolio,
pointing out strengths and suggesting areas for improvement for the coming
semesters. The review process also allows the department to evaluate its own
offerings and curricula.
The
portfolio process culminates in the graduation portfolio. Senior English majors
develop the first draft of the graduation portfolio in the spring of their
junior year in Symposium, ENGL
327. As seniors, majors submit a revised graduation portfolio in the fall at
the end of ENGL 426, Thesis Proposal.
In preparing the graduation portfolio, majors again write a reflective essay of
8-10 pages. In the reflective essay seniors address how well their skill levels
in the learning outcomes have advanced or progressed since the sophomore portfolio
feedback from the first semester of junior year. The department provides
feedback on the graduation portfolio, which students use in completing the
final version of the graduation portfolio, submitted via iWebfolio at the end
of ENGL 481.
Senior Theses
All English
majors write senior theses related to their concentration in writing, teaching,
or literature. Senior English majors propose and gain approval for their
planned theses the fall of the senior year in ENGL
426. Seniors complete the senior thesis in the spring in ENGL 481, Senior Seminar, and defend the thesis in
Symposium, ENGL 427.
The
senior thesis is the last piece of the graduation portfolio. Because no single
thesis will address all six English student learning outcomes, in the graduation
portfolio, students will need to include other papers and evidence that argue
for the development of learning outcomes the thesis does not show.
Policy
Students
majoring in English and English secondary education must maintain an overall
grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in English courses in order to continue in the
English program. Any student whose English GPA falls below 2.0 will be placed
on probation for one semester. If the English GPA is not raised to at least 2.0
by the end of this one-semester grace period, the student may not enroll in
additional English courses as an English major. No student will be allowed to
graduate as an English major if his/her GPA in English courses is below 2.0.
A
student who fails ENGL-255 twice will be dismissed from the English major.
English Major (Bachelor of Arts or Science)
- core curriculum and mission seminars – see
the core curriculum section of this catalog
- emphasis –
select one
- literature
emphasis (BA only) – ENGL 220, 221, 231, 232 or 233, 253,
255, 336, 396, 426, 440, 442, 444, 446, 480, 481, three credits from 201, 211,
307, 310, 311, 312, 313, 319, MGMT 300, three credits from 328, 364, 365, 385
- writing
emphasis (BA or BS) – ENGL 201, 210, 211, 220 or 221, 231 or
232 or 233, 253, 255, 307, 336, 396, 426, 440, 442, 444, 446, 480, 481, three
courses from 310, 311, 312, 313, 319, MGMT 300
- final degree requirements – see
the degree requirements section of this catalog for specific requirements of
the Bachelor of Arts degree as well as final graduation requirements
The total credits of the
core and major requirements are 48-55. The core curriculum and mission seminars
require 38-52 credits. A total of 128 credits, 43 of which need to be at the
300/400 level, are required to graduate. Transfer course and waivers and/or substitutions
could modify these credit totals.
The total credits of the
core and major requirements are 56-58. The core curriculum and mission seminars
require 38-52 credits. A total of 128 credits, 43 of which need to be at the
300/400 level, are required to graduate. Transfer course and waivers and/or
substitutions could modify these credit totals.
English Language Arts, Early Adolescence
through Adolescence, Education Major (Bachelor of Arts or Science)
- core curriculum and mission seminars – see
the core curriculum section of this catalog
Education majors are required to take specific core
curriculum courses to satisfy DPI licensure requirements.
- English requirements – ENGL
220 or 221, 231, 232 or 233, 253, 255, 307, 322 or 325 or 442, 336, 347, 394, 395,
396, 426, 440, 444, 446, 480, 481, 201 or 211 or 310
- Education requirements – EDUC
150, 215, 255, 306, 316, 330, 332, 390, 459, 482
- final degree requirements – see
the degree requirements section of this catalog for specific requirements of
the Bachelor of Arts or Science degree as well as final graduation requirements
The total credits of the
core and major requirements are 83-90. The core curriculum and mission seminars
require 38-52 credits. A total of 128 credits, 43 of which need to be at the
300/400 level, are required to graduate. Transfer course and waivers and/or
substitutions could modify these credit totals.
See
School of Education for teacher education policy. Student teaching is completed
in the final semester.
English Literature Minor
- ENGL 103 and 104 or 105 or 195, two
courses chosen from 220, 221, 231, 232 six credits of 300-level literature, three
credits ENGL elective
It
is recommended literature minors complete 220 and 221 or 231 and 232.
The total credits of the
minor requirements are 21. Transfer course and waivers and/or substitutions
could modify these credit totals.
English Writing Minor
- ENGL 103 and 104 or 105 or 195, fifteen
credits of 201, 210, 211, 307, 310, 311, 312, 313, 319, 395, 396, 401, 471,
MGMT 300
The total credits of the
minor requirements are 21. Transfer course and waivers and/or substitutions
could modify these credit totals.
English, Middle Childhood through
Adolescence, Education Minor
- ENGL 103 and 104 or 105 or 195, 211,
220 or 221; 231 or 232, 307 or 310, 394, 395, one course chosen from 305, 309,
341, 345, 354, 360, 371
The total credits of the
minor requirements are 27. Transfer course and waivers and/or substitutions
could modify these credit totals.
English Language Arts, Middle Childhood
through Early Adolescence Minor
- ENGL 103 and 104
or 105 or 195, 201 or 319, 211 or 307 or 310, 220 or 221, 394, 395, one course
chosen from 305, 309, 341, 345, 354, 360, 371, two credits of ENGL 487
The total credits of the
minor requirements are 26. Transfer course and waivers and/or substitutions
could modify these credit totals.
English Language Arts, Early Adolescence
through Adolescence Education Minor
- ENGL 103 and 104
or 105 or 195, 220 or 221, 228 or 346 or 347, 394, 395, one course chosen
from 305, 309, 341, 345, 354, 360, 371
The total credits of the
minor requirements are 24. Transfer course and waivers and/or substitutions
could modify these credit totals.
See
the School of Education section for teacher education policy and additional
requirements. Student teaching is completed in the final semester.