Department of English

Linda Holt (Chair), Kimberly Balding, Sarah Blomeley (Director of Writing Center), Wyeth Burgess, Cynthia Cox, David Curtis, Victoria Doner, Susan Finch, Charmion Gustke, Amy Hodges Hamilton, Caresse John, Jason Lavvorn, Marcia McDonald, Gary McDowell, Margaret P. Monteverde, Douglas Murray, Joel Overall, John Paine, Robbie C. Pinter, Annette Sisson (Director of Graduate Studies), Andrea Stover, Susan Hayes Trout, Bonnie Smith Whitehouse, Jayme Yeo.

Vision:

Reading and writing are acts of love and of survival - pursued for the sheer pleasure of creativity and imagination and for the human need to communicate. The English Department calls the student to explore the written word: the means by which we know our past, understand our present, and envision our future. Our courses on all levels foster the skills of critical, historical, and empathetic reading, focusing on texts from British, American, and World traditions. In our courses, students engage in and reflect on all facets of the English language and the writing process, discovering how language and writing shape identity and inform culture. Whether creating texts of their own or reading texts composed by others, students are encouraged to examine their lives and to appreciate the variety of human experience .

Purpose:

The Department offers the major and minor in English and the interdisciplinary minor in Writing. The department’s faculty is committed to stimulating the intellectual curiosity and fostering the individual growth of its students - both in the classroom and beyond. Classes develop vital language, reading, and rhetorical skills, as well as an enhanced sense of aesthetic appreciation and a deeper understanding of literary traditions. Enrichment programs include study abroad, visiting writers and speakers, student research, literary journal, service learning, internships, student clubs, and independent study. Departmental awards and a research symposium celebrate excellence in student achievement. The English faculty prepares students for graduate and professional programs, and for careers in such fields as writing, publishing, teaching, business, law, marketing, and entertainment.

Goals:

The Department of English:

promotes effective, creative, and reflective reading, writing, and critical thinking;
presents literature and language within historical and cultural contexts;
introduces students to diverse strategies for interpreting literature;
explores with students the structures, complexities, and development of language;
assists students interested in developing as creative writers;
integrates local and global learning experiences into the curriculum;
requires students to develop web, technology, and research skills – and to think critically about these tools and resources.

Requirements for Teacher Licensure with a major in English

Department majors seeking teacher licensure on either the elementary or secondary level must complete the Enhanced B.A. Core to fulfill licensure requirements outlined under Department of Education listings. Students seeking elementary licensure must have a major and the specified Professional Education hours. Students seeking secondary licensure must have a major, a minor, and the specified Professional Education hours. In addition, students must be formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program and to Student Teaching by a process outlined under Department of Education listings. To ensure these requirements are met, students must notify their departmental advisor of their intent to seek licensure and must work closely with a major advisor as well as one from the Department of Education. Specific courses which fulfill requirements in the Enhanced B.A. Core and in the major program for English are listed as follows.

English majors in the Literature Concentration seeking licensure must complete the 12-hour English core (see major requirements) by taking ENL 2000, ENL 2110 , ENL 2210 , and either ENL 2120 or ENL 2220 . English majors in the Writing Concentration seeking licensure must choose from ENL 2110 , ENL 2210 , ENL 2120 , and ENL 2220 to fulfill their requirement for two 2000-level literature surveys as part of their 12-hour English core (see major requirements).
All English majors seeking licensure must take as part of the 18 hours of upper-level ENG electives (see major requirements) ENL 3500 /ENW 3500 and either ENW 3050 or ENW 3510 .
English majors seeking secondary licensure must also take ENL 3620 as part of the required 18 hours of upper-level ENL/ENW courses (see major requirements).