2023-2024 Course Catalog
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
First-Year Experience course that introduces students to primary objects and methods of inquiry and invention in English studies. Introduction to library and archival research, ethical inquiry, social and historical function of reading, role of books in society, technologies of publication and reading, and writing effective summaries and critical reflections.
1105: Introduction to rhetorical analysis, visual rhetoric, critical writing, and critical thinking; intensive reading of works in multiple genres; practice in writing and revision; fundamentals of oral presentations. 1106: Continued study in rhetorical analysis and the conventions of various genres; intensive instruction in writing and revision of work that incorporates research; experience in oral presentations.
1105: Introduction to rhetorical analysis, visual rhetoric, critical writing, and critical thinking; intensive reading of works in multiple genres; practice in writing and revision; fundamentals of oral presentations. 1106: Continued study in rhetorical analysis and the conventions of various genres; intensive instruction in writing and revision of work that incorporates research; experience in oral presentations.
Introduction to analytical, critical, and interpretive writing and reading at an advanced level and accelerated pace for students whose test scores and high school work indicate readiness for the Honors level of complexity, responsibility, and initiative; in a single semester, reviews the work of 1105 and focuses on the work of 1106 at the Honors level. Placement by the English Department required.
Introduction to the sounds of language, processes by which words and sentences are formed, how the meanings of words are established by context, and why languages vary and change over time.
English language variation considered from social, regional, ethnic, gender, and style perspectives. Emphasis on vernacular varieties of American English. Attention paid to the social evolution of different language varieties and sociolinguistic perceptions of language ideologies. Introduction of methods of data analytics.
Examination of what is unique about human language and the evidence that language affects thought. Investigation of how listeners categorize sounds, parse sentences, and access meaning. Examination of what brain damage and speech errors reveal about language in the brain and mind.
Examination of poetry across historical periods, cultural contexts, and geographical areas. Emphasis on poetic forms and conventions, elements of poetic technique, poetic genres, and the vocabulary of poetic craft.
Analysis of short fiction and novellas from different historical periods and cultures. Emphasis on the structural elements of fiction, on its flexibility as a form for exploring human desires, conflicts, and values, and on its employment by writers from different cultures, ethnicities, and genders.
Analysis of classic and modern texts of detective fiction selected from a variety of historical periods and cultural traditions. Emphasis on the structural elements of detective fiction, on its various sub-genres, and on its employment by writers from different cultures, ethnicities, and genders.
Introduction to Shakespeares drama and poetry, including at least one modern adaptation of a Shakespearean play (play, novel, movie, opera, etc.). Emphasis on the structural elements and conventions of the different genres of Shakespearean plays and poetry and on their representations of gender and ethnicity.
World literature in translation. Texts from different time periods, nations, and cultures. Emphasis on close reading, literary elements and conventions, recurring themes, historical and cultural contexts.
Introduction of literary works within the genres of science fiction and fantasy, focusing on the development and principal characteristics of each genre. Emphasis on the social, cultural, and historical contexts in which particular speculative texts have been produced.
Introduction to literature written by women, primarily in English. Focus on literary and cultural questions raised in womens writing throughout history and from different social and cultural backgrounds.
Introduction to a millennial childrens literature phenomenon, J.K. Rowlings seven-volume Harry Potter series, and to various critical and cultural responses to the books. Subgenres of fiction used in the series, such as the boarding-school novel and the sports novel; recurring themes in the series; critical concepts such as the Byronic hero and the anti-hero; the role of media in making the series an economic phenomenon; and the relationships of the novels to film versions and fan-fiction spin-offs.
Introduction to the study, analysis, and production of food writing and food media; applied, iterative writing practices within multiple genres focused on the cultural and humanistic qualities of food.
Examination of the acoustic attributes of vowels and consonants using quantitative techniques. Statistical analysis of acoustical differences between and within speakers, enabling predictions about future language choices and outcomes. Basic introduction to using computational software for data processing and visualization, and to ethical issues that arise in collecting an analyzing data.
Contributions of U.S. Black theatre artists; intersectional identities; performances spaces and society; critical race theory; dramatic storytelling; cultural behaviors; racial discrimination.
Overview of some of the language varieties used by African Americans, including African American English, Black American Sign Language, Gullah, Louisiana Creole, and Afro-Latino varieties of Spanish and English. Focus on historical, contemporary, sociopolitical and linguistic factors impacting language practices at the individual and community level. Examination of African American language styles used in expressive forms of art and politics, but also how language ideologies shape responses to African American language in educational, political, and judicial settings. Uses lens of African American Language to explore key linguistic concepts like phonology, morphosyntax, prosody, language acquisition, language contact, and language change.
Introduction to legends of King Arthur, including stories, novels, and films from a wide historical timespan. Tales of knights, kings, and fair maidens that have entertained generations and irrevocably shaped cultural values surrounding gender relations, justice, violence, and the use and abuse of power. Analysis of individual texts and broader consideration of the Arthurian tradition during key literary-historical periods from the medieval era to the present.
Surveys ancient Greek and Roman mythology. Provides students with an introduction to selected myths from ancient Greek and Roman literature, including appropriate historical background information. Familiarizes students with how theories of myth have been applied to individual stories and how such mythological tales have been received by authors and artists in subsequent cultures. Explores the interaction and interdependence of mythological tales from different cultures and perspectives. In English.
Introduction to American literary traditions, from the Colonial period through Modernism. Emphases on historical, social, and cultural contexts as these are reflected by representative texts.
Introduction to British literary traditions, from the Anglo-Saxon period through Modernism. Emphasis on historical, social, and cultural contexts as these are reflected by representative texts.
A writing intensive introduction to the techniques and theoretical implications of close reading and to the literary genres of poetry, drama, fiction, and, in some sections, non-fiction. The focus is on four primary texts, at least one of which was written before the eighteenth century and one after it, and on criticism of at least one of these. The course emphasizes the analytical skills, basic critical terminology, and conventions of literary criticism essential to advanced English studies. Intended primarily for English majors and minors.
Study of writings about social justice in various local and global contexts. Critical and rhetorical analysis of discourses in social justice through intersectional approaches.
An introduction to the principal themes, genres, and historical contexts of African-American literature. Formal elements of both the vernacular and written traditions. Impact of historical and social contexts. Ethical questions raised in the literature.
Depictions of nature, the inhuman, and the superhuman in literature; literary explorations of empathy, technology, race, gender, language, dis/ability, and labor in human experience. Novels, short stories, and poems that explore issues of the human: how to define what is human (recognizing flexible and perhaps permeable boundaries between human and nonhuman), how to defend the human (humans at war with themselves and others), how humans are exploited (labor and human capital), and how humans change (technological development and future human evolution). Imaginative and ethical issues in different genres. Revolving topics course; may be repeated once for credit.
Examines key concepts, ideas, and technologies in global population displacement, including categorization, distribution and governance of displaced groups. Introduces displacement drivers such as natural disaster, climate change, civil unrest, infectious disease, and forced relocation. Identifies digital infrastructures used for, by, and against displaced populations. Describes experiences of displaced people.
A workshop for beginning writers who will identify and apply formal elements of a variety of genres and employ the skills, tools, methods, and iterative processes used by creative writers to produce fully developed works of art.
This course offers a sampling of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction by the most influential American Indian writers since 1970, authors such as Momaday, Silko, Deloria, Welch, Harjo, and Alexie. Students also learn about those aspects of cosmology and storytelling traditionally shared by all American Indian Nations, as well as about those aspects specific to the individual tribal traditions from which the authors and their characters come.
Analysis of exemplary and diverse podcasts, in both audio and transcribed formats. Application of creative writing and technical skills necessary for the composition of original and diverse audio programs. Implementation of formal podcast elements, such as development, performance, structure, production, and promotion. Exploration of creative projects involving scriptwriting, serialized storytelling, hybridized genres, vocal performance, extemporization.
Foundations of professional and technical writing and its functions in workplace settings. Practice with problem solving and decision making, audience analysis, document design, usability, and inclusive and ethical documentation, individually and in teams. Practice writing workplace genres such as proposals, reports, and correspondence. Analyze how writing elements such as design, language choices, and diverse data sources affect a document’s usability for different audiences.
Read works from world literature, guided by selected critical readings. Compare/contrast diverse models of religion and literature. Study how modernity has impacted traditions of religion and culture. Interpret literary texts that draw from multiple religions. Analyze religion-literature controversies in a range of social, cultural, political contexts. Synthesize sources of multiple media, formats, and contexts.
Exploration of differences--real and imagined--in the speech of men and women, and the relationship between these differences to culture. Exploration of how language can reflect and reinforce gender inequality. Linguistic phenomena covered: pitch, vocabulary, sound change, language ideologies, and discourse strategies and types.
Exploration of how racial and ethnic identity are expressed through the use of different languages and dialects. Examination of how language is related to issues of equality, social opportunity, and discrimination in the United States.
The representation of health and illness in literature and the cultural aspects of medicine as a practice.
This course presents medieval British literature from ca. 700 to 1500 in its representative modes and defining contexts, including the literary influences of pagan antiquity, the native British (Celtic) tradition, Scandinavian and contemporary continental influences, the Crusades, the Byzantine Empire, and the philosophical traditions of neoplatonism and scholasticism. Specific authors and texts will vary, but will include poetry, prose, and drama.
This course presents Renaissance British literature from 1500-1660 in its representative modes and defining contexts, including the discovery of the Copernican universe and the new world, the rise of Protestantism, the resultant Counter-reformation, the movement from humanism to empiricism, and the institution of Parliamentary democracy. Specific authors and texts will vary, but will include poetry, prose, and drama.
This course presents Romantic literature from the late eighteenth century to 1832 in its representative modes and defining contexts, including the French, American, and Industrial Revolutions, the expansion of the British empire, the rise of the novel, Gothicism, and the intellectual influence of periodical essays. Specific authors and texts will vary, but will include poetry, fictional prose, and non-fictional prose.
This course presents Victorian British Literature from 1832 to 1901 in its representative modes and defining contexts, including the development of modern science and the decline of traditional religion, the emergence of the mass reading public, and the glorification of the writers role as prophet, guide, and culture critic. Specific authors and texts will vary, but will include poems, essays, plays, and novels.
This course presents Modernist British literature from 1918-1945 in its representative modes and defining contexts, including World Wars I and II, the collapse of the British empire, the influence of Darwin, Marx, and Freud, and such literary movements as Modernism, Realism, and Stream of Consciousness. Specific authors and texts will vary, but will include poetry, prose, and drama.
This course presents Modernist American literature from 1918 to 1945 in its representative modes and defining contexts, including World Wars I and II, the Great Depression, and such literary movements as Modernism and Realism. Specific authors and texts will vary, but will include poetry, prose, and drama.
Study of the structures of the native languages of the Americas; their interrelationships; their use in individual speech communities; contact with other languages; the interrelationships of linguistic structure, culture, and thought; their future survival.
A workshop course in the craft and art of playwriting which emphasizes the development of craft and the nurturing of vision and art. 3315: primary focus is on the writing of original scripts with additional attention paid to the work of influential playwrights and critics. 3316: primary focus is on the creative process of developing a play with the collaborative influences of a director, actors, designers, and other theatre professionals. Consent of instructor required for 3316.
Foundational interpretive approaches in literary and rhetorical studies. Emphasis on broad frameworks and their implications for textual analysis.
This rotating topics course examines literature written by women with different national and ethnic identities and from different historical periods. Specific content varies, but the common focus is on the fundamental issues surrounding womens writing, the critical methodologies commonly employed to analyze this writing, and the historical, social, and literary contexts influencing the particular writing being studied. May be repeated once with different content.
Variable-content course devoted to the study of Russian literary classics. From general surveys of nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature to more intensive study of the works of a single major author. Aesthetic and rhetorical strategies. Interactions between literary movements and political, historical, and cultural events. May be repeated once with different content for a maximum of 6 credits. Readings and lectures in English. No knowledge of Russian required.
Readings in major works of Vladimir Nabokov from the 1920s through the 1970s. Aesthetic and rhetorical strategies, literary analysis, major themes, immigration and cultural knowledge. Taught in English.
Rhetorical theory and writing in professional, technical, and public contexts. Culture, access, power, and ethics in relation to rhetoric in professional and technical writing. Rhetoric strategies for textual and digital production.
This course examines the historical contexts of and issues surrounding ethnic literature for children. The course considers the literature in terms of aesthetics, cultural representations, and identity. Ethnic literatures considered may include Native American, African American, Asian American, and Latino/a. The course also introduces other ethnic literary traditions, such as world folk tales, that influence or parallel American ethnic childrens books.
General critical and historical survey of traditional and contemporary writing for children: picture books, folk literature, modern fantasy, poetry, drama, modern fiction, historical fiction.
Study of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction that examine environmental issues, sustainability, and the relationship between the human and natural worlds within a local and global context.
Works of literature and the films into which they have been transformed; emphasis on differences between media.
Appalachian literature from the region’s beginnings to the present, including such diverse voices as women, Native American, Affrilachian, LGBTQ, and Latinx populations. Literary perspectives on the relationships between self, family, and community; place and displacement; and humans and the natural world. Analysis of stereotypes that have perpetuated inequity and displacement of power, as well as consideration of regional efforts to reclaim equity, power, place, and identity.
A study of novels examining the historical, social, and cultural contexts before, during, and after colonization. Emphasis on major writers (e.g., Achebe, Coetzee, Roy, Phillips) across continents (Africa, Asia, North America) and the significant themes, tropes, and theories of the genre.
Variable content course which introduces major American ethnic literatures: African-American, Asian-American, Chicano/a, Arab-American, and Native American. Representative texts from one or two of these categories are examined within the cultural, historical, and geographical matrices within which they are written. May be repeated twice for credit if the content is different.
This course introduces students to the representation of the law and lawyers in literature. Emphasis is placed on the cultural and historical contexts that shape our perception of the law and legal practice and on the use of facts, research, interpretation, and rhetoric in legal argument. Junior standing required.
This course introduces students to the representation of the law and lawyers in literature. Emphasis is placed on the cultural and historical contexts that shape our perception of the law and legal practice and on the use of facts, research, interpretation, and rhetoric in legal argument. Junior standing required.
Rotating-topics course in world novels, either translated into, or originally written in, English. Emphasis on critical reading of novels written from different historic, intellectual, and cultural contexts. Formal and aesthetic analysis to identify themes, traditions, and values that cross periods and national boundaries. May be repeated once with different topics.
This course is designed for students who want to focus in some depth on the writing of various forms of fiction such as the short story and novella. Emphasis is on the writing the critiquing of original fiction in a workshop/studio environment, and the analysis of exemplary texts which serve as models. Students produce a body of original fiction in draft and revised forms. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credit hours.
This course is designed for students who want to focus in some depth on the writing of poetry. Emphasis is on the writing and critiquing of original poetry in a workshop/studio environment, and the analysis of exemplary poems which serve as models. Students analyze various poetic forms and produce a revised body of original poetry. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credit hours.
This course is designed for students who want to focus in some depth on the writing of creative non-fiction in its various forms, including memoir, personal experience writing, the lyrical essay, travel narratives, and nature writing. Emphasis is on the writing and critiquing of original creative non-fiction in a workshop/studio, environment and the analysis of exemplary texts which serve as models. Students produce a body of original non-fiction in draft and revised forms. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credit hours.
Introduction to the theory and practice of managing service- learning writing projects in schools, community centers, retirement communities, and public libraries. Survey of best practices in creative writing pedagogy and in creating sustainable community partnerships.
Introduction to the theory and practice of managing service- learning writing projects in schools, community centers, retirement communities, and public libraries. Survey of best practices in creative writing pedagogy and in creating sustainable community partnerships.
Focus on the theory and practice of teaching writing across the disciplines in the Writing Center setting. Emphasis is on writing center theory applied to one-on-one teaching strategies and on techniques for responding appropriately to student writing. To take this course you must first have the professors consent.
Focus on the theory and practice of teaching writing across the disciplines in the Writing Center setting. Emphasis is on writing center theory applied to one-on-one teaching strategies and on techniques for responding appropriately to student writing. To take this course you must first have the professors contest.
Advanced study in critical reading and writing for diverse academic, professional, civic, and/or personal contexts, culminating in a course portfolio; applied practice with audience-specific texts in multiple genres, modes, and styles; advanced instruction in research strategies and writing processes for complex rhetorical environments; emphasis on the influence of social and cultural identities across writing contexts.
Principles and processes of effective written communication of technical information. Strategies for analyzing various workplace communication situations, adapting to audiences, evaluating online content, understanding ethical dimensions of research, and composing technical discourse, including organizing visual and verbal information. Practice in writing, individually and collaboratively, instructions and procedures, proposals and reports, correspondence, and presentations. Junior standing.
Principles and processes of effective communication required to succeed in business in global and intercultural contexts. Strategies for writing effective messages, analyzing workplace communication situations, adapting information to various audiences, conducting ethical research, giving oral presentations. Practice in writing memos, letters, emails, blog posts, proposals, and reports. Junior standing required.
Technical Editing and Style explores the art of editing from the initial writing task to the final delivery of the document. In addition to learning document management, students study and practice the roles, responsibilities, and tasks that editors perform. The course also covers the rules that govern the fundamentals of style (correctness, clarity, and propriety) and the principles needed to match the tone and formality to the aim, audience, and occasion of the work. Must have pre-requisites or the consent of the Director of Professional Writing.
This course prepares students to produce both print and online user documentation that enables people to accomplish a given set of tasks (e.g., user guides, online help, policy and procedure manuals, tutorials, and how-to books). Readings include rhetorical theory and discussions of professional practice. Students learn the principles of user and task analysis, information design, usability testing, and indexing. In addition, they have opportunities for hands-on experience with clients and end-users. Must have pre-requisites or the consent of the Director of Professional Writing.
Theory and practice of visual rhetoric and document design, including attention to ethical design standards and the sociocultural implications of design. Analysis of rhetorical situations to determine the needs of diverse audiences and make effective and ethical design choices. Application of rhetorical theories and formal design strategies to the production of print and digital artifacts using industry-standard design tools (i.e., Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop). Development of the ability to analyze and critique the work of others and to apply such assessments to improve designs in terms of aesthetics and usability.
Intercultural and global dimensions of professional and technical writing, including theoretical perspectives and practical applications. Theories of culture, context, identity, language, and technology as relevant to technical and professional communication. Issues of social equity and justice in the field of professional and technical writing. Approaches to engaging in intercultural communication in practice, including localization, globalization, translation, and designing information for and with communities.
Fundamental exercises in the production of digital media for internet-capable devices, such as data visualizations, videos, web design, and more. Introduction to ethical reasoning, and its application to contemporary issues about digital media and writing within the context of broader business, organizational, and political practices to collect and use user data.
Application of academic knowledge and skills to in a work-based experience aligned with post-graduation goals using research-based learning processes. Satisfactory completion of work-based experience often in the form of internship, undergraduate research, co-op, or study abroad; self-evaluation; reflection; and showcase of learning. Pre: Departmental approval of 3900 plan.
Introduction to discourse analysis. This course examines spoken and written discourses of English. Further attention will be paid to how discourse functions in political, legal, medical, and educational contexts.
Development of English including both its internal history (sounds, vocabulary, inflections, syntax) and its external history (political, social, and intellectual forces). Indo-European origins through the present, with special emphasis on the English Language in America.
Examination of the systemic organization of sentence patterns in human languages. Formulation of problems and evaluation of competing syntatic analyses at the phrase and sentence levels. Analysis of the architecture of phases and of movement processes for grammatical and pragmatic informational coding.
Research methodology for the study of linguistic structure, sociolinguistic variation, and cross-field approaches. Ethical research methods, data collection, data processing and analysis, presentation of research.
Critical analysis of themes, styles, and structures in works of Geoffrey Chaucer. Ethical issues, historical context, and cultural traditions. Structure and vocabulary of Middle English. Influence in literary and critical traditions historically and today.
Introduction to Old English grammar and reading of Old English poetry and prose. Senior standing required.
Survey of theories, mechanisms, and processes in human language development. Empirical overview of phonology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics. Developmental trajectories of mono-and multilingual children. Cultural constraints on language. Perception of language and production of language, in typical and atypical subpopulations (e.g., hearing impairment). Junior/Senior Standing.
Examination of the systematic organization of sounds in human languages based upon problem-based learning. Analysis of syllables and morae, articulatory features, timing of articulatory gestures, and phonological processes that lead to sound change. Assessment of various theoretical and computational approaches to phonology including Articulatory Phonology, Prosodic Phonology, and Optimality Theory.
Revolving topics in Shakespeares drama and poetry, with emphases on poetic and dramatic genres, historical and cultural contexts, significant themes, and popular reception. Additional attention paid to the critical discourse surrounding Shakespeares work. May be repeated twice with different content for a maximum of nine credit hours.
Advanced writing workshop. Focus on the fusion of genres, such as prose poetry and multimedia writing, with special emphasis on anomalous and/or experimental forms, like cronicas/chronicles, manifesto/artist’s statement, microfiction, erasure, collage, third person nonfiction, flash nonfiction, and the lyric essay. Skills, tools, methods, and iterative processes essential to the production of works of literary art.
Miltons poetry from the early works, including COMUS, LYCIDAS, and the sonnets, to his major late works PARADISE LOST, PARADISE REGAINED, and SAMSON AGONISTES; with some attention to the important prose and to the historical context in which he wrote.
Introduction to the field of narrative medicine, with attention to narrative competence, the use of narrative in medical education, and the function of narratives in the experience of healing. Includes narrative approaches to biomedical ethics.
Introduction to the field of narrative medicine, with attention to narrative competence, the use of narrative in medical education, and the function of narratives in the experience of healing. Includes narrative approaches to biomedical ethics.
Development of the American novel from its beginnings in the late 18th century to 20th century postmodernism. Emphasis on works representative of major authors (e.g., Twain and Morrison), important types (e.g., the romantic novel, the historical novel), and significant American themes (e.g., religion, nature, slavery, the frontier).
Development of the British Novel from the mid- eighteenth century to World War II, including works by such novelists as Defoe and Austen (origins through romantic era), Dickens, Hardy, and Stevenson (Victorian and Edwardian era), Joyce, Woolf, and Waugh (modern period). Emphasis on evolution of generic styles and conventions against a changing landscape of historical and cultural change.
Advanced, variable-content course that explores a significant or emergent professional & technical writing issue. Examines relevant theories and historical contexts to analyze relationships among rhetoric, culture, access, and power. Identifies common themes and approaches and applies these themes and approaches, shaped by current theories, to professional and technical writing projects. Individual sections focus on differing areas of professional and technical writing (to be specified in the subtitle of the course). May be repeated twice with different content for a maximum of nine credit hours. Pre: Junior Standing.
British and American poetry from 1900 to World War II with emphasis on such figures as Pound, Williams, Stevens, Yeats, Plath, Smith, and Eliot.
British and American poetry from World War II to the present, with emphasis on such figures as Bishop, Lowell, Ashbery, Heaney, and Hughes.
This course examines the life, work, and critical reception of a single major British author (or pair of closely associated authors) writing after 1800. May be taken up to 3 times with different content. Junior standing required.
This course examines the life, work, and critical reception of a single major American author (or a pair of closely associated authors) writing before 1900. May be taken up to three times with different content. Junior standing is required.
This course examines the life, work, and critical reception of a single major American author (or pair of closely associated authors) writing after 1900. May be taken up to three times with different content. Junior standing is required.
Fiction since 1945 with emphasis upon the most recent two decades: the late modernist narratives of Bellow, Updike, and Percy; the new fiction of Barth, Hawkes, Barthelme; the postmodern fiction of Federman, Carter, Fowles, Katz, Sukenick.
An advanced, variable-content course which explores a significant or emergent literary issue or approach, or a body of literature. May be taken twice with different content.
Designed for senior English majors who have selected the Creative Writing option, this is an intensive, advanced workshop. This capstone course builds on skills students have acquired in creative writing workshops. Primary focus is on the writing and critiquing of original fiction, while paying close attention to the work of established writers who are acknowledged masters of their genres. Students hone their skills as peer reviewers and constructive critics. In the process, they produce a portfolio of their own fiction.
Designed for senior English majors who have selected the Creative Writing option, this is an intensive, advanced workshop. This capstone course builds on the skills acquired in previous creative writing workshops. Primary focus is on the writing and critiquing of original poems, while paying close attention to the work of established poets who are acknowledged masters of their genres. Students hone their skills as peer reviewers and constructive critics. In the process, they produce a portfolio of their own poetry.
This course is conducted in a workshop setting in which students compose original stories for young people. Elementary techniques of fiction are emphasized, such as plot structure, point of view, setting, characterization, and audience. Must have prerequisites or permission of the instructor.
Designed for senior English majors, this is a variable topics, in-depth study of a particular issue or theme in language or literature. This capstone course aims to integrate and synthesize previous work in the discipline, focusing especially on close reading, research, and writing skills.
This course prepares students to write effective proposals, reports, and informational articles. Students learn to define and write problem statements, program objectives, plans of action, evaluation plans, budget presentations, and summaries. In addition, they sharpen their teamwork, editing, writing, audience awareness, and design skills as they engage in collaborative projects with campus and/or non-profit organizations in the community. Prerequisite or consent of the instructor is required.
Covers the process of creating documents for online environments. Builds on knowledge and skills acquired in foundational Professional Writing courses. Involves production of websites from scratch, starting with low-fidelity mockups and advancing to formatting layouts adaptable to the diverse screen sizes of computers and mobile devices. Focuses on a balance of structure (code), content (information), and format (presentation and design).
Writing in and about the natural and social sciences. Students will write documents such as abstracts, research proposals, and ethnographies, analyze the development of disciplinary writing practices, and study non-fiction science writing for general audiences. Senior standing or instructor approval required.
Application of academic abroad experience to students disciplinary studies on campus. Conducted after international education abroad experience. Collaborative writing and research projects as well as individual, independent research. Approval of course instructor required. Open to all majors. Pre-requisite: A formal study abroad educational experience; department approval.
In this course designed for English majors in the Professional Writing Option, students will focus on the ways in which scientific, technical, and professional communication influence, and are influenced by, public discourse. Drawing on strategies of rhetorical criticism, students will gain an understanding of the persuasive value of style, arrangement, and delivery by investigating their professional roles in helping to structure public debate. Pre: Completion of at least 9 credit hours from the following courses: 3104, 3804, 3814, 3824, 3834, 4804, 4814, 4824.
An advanced, variable-content and multi-disciplinary course that explores global themes and literature(s) during a month-long, faculty-led summer study abroad experience. Pre-requisite: Junior Standing required. Variable credit course, repeatable up to 6 credits.
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