English

English

B.A. Degree — English Major

In addition to the general education requirements, majors in English must complete a program of 50 s.h., including the core requirements and either the literature, writing, or cinema studies concentration as prescribed below:

Core Requirements:

Cinema Studies Concentration:

Cinema Studies Electives: select from ENGL2520, ENGL3510, ENGL3530, ENGL3540, ENGL4490, and ENGL3900/ENGL4000 if Cinema Studies-related.

Literature Concentration:

Writing Concentration:

*ENGL2410 Creative Writing: Poetry is not an option for the Cinema Studies concentration.

**A second Humanities II course with a literature emphasis may be applied toward the elective requirement.

***English majors must also study at least one foreign language. The requirement is satisfied by three semesters of college work in one language or demonstration of equivalent competency by examination or two semesters of college work in one language (or equivalent competency) and INTD3300 Language and Culture.

English Minor

A minor in English requires 18 or more semester hours in English including ENGL3380 or ENGL3410 and two of the following: ENGL2310, ENGL2320, ENGL2330, ENGL2340.
The following courses are not acceptable for credit in the minor: ENGL1410, ENGL1440, ENGL1470, ENGL1480, ENGL3200-3280, ENGL3370.

Teacher Certification in English

FOR ENGLISH MAJORS WHO WANT A SECONDARY ENDORSEMENT (5-12): In addition to satisfying major requirements, English majors with either a literature concentration or a writing concentration desiring an English/Language Arts secondary endorsement (5-12) in Iowa must complete the Teacher Education Program (with ENGL3370 Methods of Teaching English as the appropriate methods course). Majors with a writing concentration must also complete ENGL2340 20th Century English and American Literature.
FOR NON-ENGLISH MAJORS WHO WANT A SECONDARY ENGLISH ENDORSEMENT (5-12): Non-English majors desiring a secondary English/ Language Arts endorsement (5-12) in Iowa must complete the Secondary Education Program (with ENGL3370 Methods of Teaching English as the appropriate methods course), a major in a secondary teaching field and the following courses:

ENGL1410 Modern Rhetoric or
ENGL1440 English Honors 3 s.h.
ENGL3200 Advanced Composition: Business and Professional Writing or
ENGL3210 Advanced Composition: Essay Writing or
ENGL3220 Advanced Composition: Technical Report Writing 3 s.h.
COMM1200 Speech Communication: An Introduction 3 s.h.
ENGL2310 English Literature to 1800 or
ENGL2320 English Literature from 1800 to 1919 3 s.h.
ENGL2330 American Literature to 1900 3 s.h.
ENGL3410 Language and Literacy 3 s.h.
Approved English Electives 6 s.h.

Courses in English

ENGL1410 Modern Rhetoric 3 s.h.
Designed to help students improve their writing skills by combining extensive writing practice with a study of the various forms of written discourse (exposition, narration, argumentation, description). Prerequisite for students with Enhanced ACT English score below 15, an SAT English score below 400, or a COMPASS English Placement score below 70: DEVL1250 or two high school English courses, one of which must be or prominently require composition (not creative writing), with a grade of "C" or better in both. (Students whose native language is not English must have the approval of the instructor of English as a Second Language before enrolling in Modern Rhetoric.) Goal 1b, 4c1, 4ab (Goal 1B Catalog 0809+)

ENGL1440 English Honors 3 s.h.
Designed to help exceptional students improve their writing skills and increase their understanding of their linguistic environment by combining extensive writing practice with a study of language, the basic principles of logic, and the various forms of written discourse (exposition, narration, argumentation, description). Admission by selection only. Goal 1b, 4c1, 4ab (Goal 1B Catalog 0809+)

ENGL1500 Introduction to Literature 3 s.h.
Introduction to the major genres of literature: fiction, poetry and drama. Designed for students with little or no background in literature. Recommended as preparation for other literature courses. Goal 2b, 4c1 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL2000 Individual Study 1-3 s.h.

+ENGL2200 Multicultural Theatre (Also HUMN/THTR2200) 3 s.h.
Survey of literature, artists, and performance including, but not limited to, African-American, Asian-American, Kabuki, Hispanic, Native American, Feminist, and Gay & Lesbian Theatre; history of each movement and its contribution to the American Theatre; consideration of historical, sociological, and aesthetic contexts. Examination of sociological issues and challenges faced by minority artists. Prerequisite: ENGL1410 Modern Rhetoric or THTR2100 Script Analysis and Criticism. Goal 2b, 3, 10 (Goal 3A or 3C or 10 Catalog 0809+)

ENGL2310 English Literature to 1800 3 s.h.
An introduction to major English writers and literary movements from the Old English period through the 18th century with emphasis on Chaucer, Shakespeare and Milton. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL2320 English Literature from 1800 to 1919 3 s.h.
An introduction to major English writers and literary movements from the Romantic Period through the First World War. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL2330 American Literature to 1900 3 s.h.
Survey of American writers beginning with the Colonial period and continuing throughout the 19th century. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL2340 Twentieth-Century English and American Literature 3 s.h.
Survey of the major English and American writers of the 20th century. Emphasis on poetry and fiction. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL2410 Creative Writing: Poetry 3 s.h.
Designed to increase students’ understanding and appreciation of poetry through extensive poetry writing and class discussion. Emphasis on poetry as a means of self-discovery as well as an art form. Goal 4ab (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL2420 Creative Writing: Fiction 3 s.h.
Designed to increase students’ understanding and appreciation of fiction through extensive fiction writing and class discussion. Emphasis on fiction as a means of self-discovery as well as an art form. Goal 4ab (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL2470 Modern and Contemporary Drama (Also THTR2470) 3 s.h.
Study of representative modern plays, focusing both on literary merit and the playwright's use of distinctively theatrical elements. Texts will be examined in terms of dramatic structure, style, and genre, and as a reflection of their time and culture. Emphasis placed on thematic analysis as revealed through plot, character, language, and spectacle. Prerequisite: ENGL1500 Introduction to Literature or THTR2100 Script Analysis and Dramatic Criticism. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3A or 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL2500 Introduction to Mass Media (Also COMM2500) 3 s.h.
Introduction to the various forms of media — newspapers, journals, radio, and television — to gain an understanding of the ways in which they operate. Theory as well as practical experience in writing for the media will be included. Goal 4ab

ENGL2510 Principles of Cinema Studies 3 s.h.
Study of cinema as an artistic endeavor, form of rhetoric, cultural mirror, and purveyor of ideology. Introduces the fundamentals of the discipline, to include vocabulary, concepts of film production, film reception, film analysis, film interpretation, and film criticism. The stylistic elements of film, as well as the defining role of the director as artist and storyteller, are examined. Exploration of the artistic, commercial, entertainment, and ideological relationships between cinema and American culture, along with practice in the film literacy skills needed to qualitatively assess and communicate cinema's artistic and cultural contributions. Goal 2b, 3. (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL2520 Film Adaptations of Literature 3 s.h.
A representative sampling of literary adaptations to film. Designed to increase understanding of the relationship between and interdependence among cinema and literature. Goal 2b (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL2900 Topics in English 3 s.h.
Special studies in English designed primarily for the non-English major. Content may vary and will be announced at time of offering. When content changes, course may be repeated for credit.

ENGL3000 Individual Study 1-3 s.h.

+ ENGL3110 Critical Theory 3 s.h.
Advanced study of literary, cultural, and moving image theory, and the application to written and filmic texts. For literature and cinema studies concentration majors. Goal 2b, 4b

+ ENGL3140 Playwriting (Also THTR3140) 3 s.h.
A study of the techniques of playwriting, with special emphasis on plot and character development, dialogue, and the role of “spectacle” in dramatic writing. The course will culminate in a staged reading of the one-act plays written by the students in the course. Goal 2b (Goal 3A or 3C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL3150 Film, Theatre, and the American Dream 3 s.h.
Explores a fundamental component of American mythology referred to as "The American Dream." Examines some of the ways in which the American Dream has been defined, promulgated, and evaluated in films and plays. Implications of gender, ethnicity, income, geography, and historical period on perceptions of the American Dream also will be investigated. (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL3200 Advanced Composition: Business and Professional Writing 3 s.h.
Designed to increase the writing skill of upper-division students. Strong emphasis on writing for professional purposes. Techniques of writing for specified audiences. Practice in planning and writing, in self-criticism, and in editing. Prerequisites: ENGL1410 and Junior standing. Goal 1b, 4c1, 4ab (Goal 1C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL3210 Advanced Composition: Essay Writing 3 s.h.
Designed to increase the writing skill of upper-division students. Emphasis on critical thinking, reading and writing and on applying complex principles of style. Prerequisites: ENGL1410 and Junior standing. Goal 1b, 4c1, 4ab (Goal 1C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL3220 Advanced Composition: Technical Report Writing 3 s.h.
Designed to increase the writing skill of upper-division students. Practice in writing the expository essay with emphasis on technical report writing in students’ majors. Prerequisites: ENGL1410 and Junior standing. Goal 1b, 4c1 (Goal 1C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL3250 Advanced Composition: Honors 3 s.h.
Designed to increase the writing skill of upper-division Honors students. Emphasis on the interconnections of critical thinking, reading, writing and the sustained scholarly research process. Prerequisites: ENGL1410 or ENGL1440 and Junior standing. Admission for Honors students or by instructor consent. Goal 1b, 4c1, 4ab (Goal 1C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL3270 Advanced Composition: Media Writing 3 s.h.
An introduction to writing for broadcast and print media. Emphasis is on writing clear, concise, and concrete prose appropriate to most mass media audiences. Course also includes an introduction to the principles of advertising and public relations writing. Prerequisites: ENGL1410 and junior standing. Goal 1b, 4ab (Goal 1C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL3280 Advanced Composition: Newswriting 3 s.h.
Designed to increase students’ knowledge of newswriting and to help them develop skills in writing news stories. Includes study and practice of the principles of clear and forceful newspaper writing. Also includes practice in news gathering, story planning, copy editing and proofreading. Prerequisites: ENGL1410 and junior standing. Goal 1b, 4c1, 4ab (Goal 1C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL3350 Shakespeare (Also THTR3350) 3 s.h.
A study of a representative group of Shakespearean plays and sonnets. Primary emphasis is placed on the dramatic and poetic elements in the plays with some study of various aspects of the Renaissance. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL3370 The Methods of Teaching English 3 s.h.
Presents an overview of the secondary school curriculum in English and methods of teaching English including language, composition, and literature. Special emphasis on a review of teaching grammar and the development of a unit lesson plan. Required of prospective English teachers.

+ ENGL3380 Communication Studies (Also COMM3380) 3 s.h.
Study of the nature of communication in the broadest sense. Examines principles that underlie all communication systems, from written language to film, art, and music. Emphasis on interdependence of communication systems and culture.

+ ENGL3400 Literary Genre 3 s.h.
Designed to focus on a single genre: prose fiction, poetry, drama, or nonfiction. Topic announced at time of offering. May be repeated for credit when category changes. (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL3410 Language and Literacy 3 s.h.
Study of language with special attention to both the pragmatic and aesthetic uses of English. Topics include the structure of English, theories of literature and composition, and literacy issues in the United States. Offered every other year. Required of all Communications majors. Goal 2b, 4c1, 4ab

+ ENGL3440 Major English Author 3 s.h.
An intensive study of the work of a single English author, with attention given to his or her literary, historical, and social milieu. May be repeated for credit when subject changes. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL3450 Major American Author 3 s.h.
An intensive study of the work of a single American author, with attention given to his or her literary, historical, and social milieu. May be repeated for credit when subject changes. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL3460 Periods in Literary History 3 s.h.
A detailed study of a single literary age. Work will focus on the literature of the period, but attention will also be given to the historical, intellectual, and artistic background. Subjects will vary, chosen from the following: Chaucer and His Contemporaries; Literature of the English Renaissance; Restoration and 18th Century Literature; Romantic and Victorian Literature and Contemporary English Literature; Contemporary American Literature. May be repeated for credit when subject changes. (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL3510 Major Film Genre 3 s.h.
A focused exploration of an individuals film genre, with emphasis on the common themes and features, as well as the innovative artistic and technical elements, of films that make up the category. Similarities and differences between literary and film interpretations will receive special attention. The genre's contribution to America's cultural identity, as well as changing gender, racial, and ethnic roles, will be highlighted. Subjects will vary, but may include the following: Western, horror, science fiction, war film, romantic comedy, film noir, musical, international films, Shakespearean film, crime drama, courtroom drama, prison films, independent films, and the documentary. May be repeated for credit when subject changes. Prerequisite: ENGL2510. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

ENGL3520 American Cinema History 3 s.h.
A detailed study of the following film eras: Silent and Early Sound Eras, Hollywood's Classical or "Golden Age," and the Post-Classical era. Work will focus on the films of the period, along with production values and methods, but attention will also be given to the historical, intellectual, and artistic background. Recurring themes and innovative technical and artistic approaches will be highlighted. Changing gender, racial, and ethnic roles will be analyzed. Goal 2b (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL3530 Digital Filmmaking 3 s.h.
A hands-on introduction to digital film production and editing. Introduces the technical knowledge need to investigate the creative possibilities of composition, light, motion, color and sound in shooting digital film. Examines the fundamentals of nonlinear editing, including continuity development, logging clips, audio tracks, and transitions. Prerequisites: ENGL2510 or instructor consent. Goal 2b, 3, 8 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ ENGL3540 Screenwriting 3 s.h.
Intensive exploration of and hands-on practice in screenwriting, with emphasis on format, plot, character development, and dialogue. Prerequisite: ENGL2510 or instructor consent. Goal 2b

ENGL3900 Topics in English 1-3 s.h.
Study of selected topics of interest in English, to be announced prior to the semester when the course is offered. May be repeated for credit as topics change.

ENGL4000 Individual Study 1-3 s.h.

ENGL4150 Senior Project 3 s.h.
Planning, preparing, and presenting a senior project in the student's area of concentration.

ENGL4300 Internship in English 1-3 s.h.
Off-campus practical experience in a communication related professional setting. Offers an opportunity for application of communication skills and knowledge in monitored individual learning setting related to student’s academic and career interests. Pass/Fail only. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of six hours.

ENGL4400 Practicum in Information Services (Also COMM4400) 1-3 s.h.
On-campus practical experience in college relations office, admissions office, media center or alumni relations office. Offers an opportunity for study in a monitored individual learning setting. Pass/Fail only. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor and permission of the appropriate college official. Repeatable to a maximum of six hours.

+ ENGL4490 Major Film Director 3 s.h.
An intensive study of the body of work of a single film director, with attention given to his or her artistic, literary, historical, or social milieu. Critical analysis will focus on visual style and narrative structure of some of the director's most famous scenes. Subjects will vary, but may include the following: Griffith, Welles, Riefenstahl, Capra, Hitchcock, Ford, Kubrick, Scorcese, Stone, Coppola, Marshall, and Lee. May be repeated for credit when subject changes. Prerequisite: ENGL2510. Goal 2b, 3 (Goal 3B or 3C Catalog 0809+)

+ Denotes an alternate year course.