Dr. Donna Sewell, Interim Head of Department
Room 207, West Hall
The Department of English offers four programs of study that lead to a B. A. degree in English and two programs that lead to an M. A. degree in English. The Department also offers minors in Literature and Language, Journalism, Creative Writing and Contemporary Literature, and Professional Writing.
The programs in the English Department build upon the basic knowledge, skills, and values provided by the University Core Curriculum while preparing students for a wide range of careers as well as for graduate study in numerous fields. The Literature and Language Track provides a pre-law and pre-theology education as well as prepares students for graduate study in English. The Journalism Track prepares students for careers in print journalism, editing, and in-house news writing. The Creative Writing and Contemporary Literature Track prepares students for graduate study as well as careers in publishing and related fields. The Professional Writing Track also prepares students for graduate study as well as careers in law, business, advertising, and publishing. Students in every track are encouraged to gain work experience related to their major through internships or the VSU Cooperative Education Program. Each of the English Department’s tracks emphasizes the importance of critical thinking skills; encourages an appreciation of diverse cultural perspectives; and develops a greater understanding of the cognitive, emotive, and aesthetic dimensions of language as an avenue of self-knowledge, cultural understanding, and social responsibility.
Selected Educational Outcomes
Each program in the English Department targets various individual outcomes. All English majors develop the following abilities:
- To explain and analyze literary works within their cultural, historical, and literary contexts.
- To write and speak with clarity, precision, and sophistication.
- To conduct appropriate forms of research and to integrate their findings into coherent works of their own composition.
- To identify the critical and/or rhetorical principles that inform writing and to use them to create written works appropriate to their audience and purpose.
Examples of Outcome Assessments
The English Department assesses its students' ability to meet these outcomes in various ways, including the following:
- An original senior capstone project, supported by an oral presentation.
- An assignment analyzing a literary work within its cultural, historical, and literary contexts.
- An Undergraduate English Major Exit Questionnaire.
ENGL 0989. Foundations of ENGL Composition. 3 Hours.
This is the first course in a year-long pathway leading to ENGL 0999 and ENGL 1101 in the second semester.
ENGL 0999. Support for English Composition. 3 Hours.
A course to provide corequisite support for students requiring remediation in English or reading while enrolled in ENGL 1101.
ENGL 1101. Composition I. 3 Hours.
A composition course focusing on skills required for effective writing in a variety of contexts, with emphasis on exposition, analysis, and argumentation, and also including introductory use of a variety of research skills. Students will develop analytical and evaluative skills by reading and writing expository and/or argumentative essays.
ENGL 1101H. Honors Composition I. 3 Hours.
An honors-level composition course focusing on skills required for effective writing in a variety of contexts with emphasis on more advanced forms of critical analysis, exposition, and argumentation/persuasion, and also stressing introductory use of a variety of research skills.
ENGL 1102. Composition II. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in ENGL 1101 or ENGL 1101H. A composition course, focusing on writing skills beyond the levels of proficiency required by ENGL 1101, that emphasizes interpretation and evaluation and that incorporates a variety of more advanced research skills. Students will learn to organize and present ideas and information effectively in research essays.
ENGL 1102H. Honors Composition II. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Grade of "C" or better in ENGL 1101 or ENGL 1101H. An honors-level composition course focusing on writing skills beyond the levels of profeiciency required by ENGL 1102, that emphasized adanced rhetorical strategies and argument/persuasion. The course also stresses, via an array of theme-based studies, more varied forms of interpretation and evaluation and incorporates more advanced reserach skills than those taught in ENGL 1102.
ENGL 2000. Writing for Teachers. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: C or better in ENGL 1101 and 1102. A writing intensive course focusing on the analysis and production of discourse in various genres. Required for Early Childhood Education and Middle Grades Education majors.
ENGL 2010. Writing in the Professions. 2 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 1102 or ENGL 1102H. An advanced examination of the elements and core skills of writing, with an emphasis on disciplinary rhetoric and style, including usage, diction, grammar, structure, tone, brevity, and clarity.
ENGL 2060. Introduction to Literature. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite; Grade of C or better in ENGL 1102 or 1102H. An introduction to literary studies, focusing on skills in critical reading, writing, and researching about the major genres of literature.
ENGL 2080. Grammar and Style. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: A grade of C or better in ENGL 1102 or 1102H. An intensive review of English usage and syntax, including a study of selected stylistic principles and their rhetorical effects.
ENGL 2111. World Literature I: The Ancient World. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or better in ENGL 1102 or 1102H. A study of selected works of literature from the beginning of writing to the end of the 7th to 8th century, C.E., presented in their historical and cultural contexts. This course presents myths, epics, dramas, and prose works from Gilgamesh and Homer to the great traditions of Hebrew, Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern, Greek, and Roman philosophers who laid the foundation for modern, global thought. The course also examines ancient and classical poetry from around the world.
ENGL 2111H. Honors World Literature I: The Ancient World. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or better in ENGL 1102 or 1102H. An in-depth and writing-intensive study of selected works of literature and their cultural backgrounds from the beginning of writing to the end of the 7th to 8th century, C.E., presented in their historical and cultural contexts. This course, multicultural and comparative in focus, presents myths, epics, dramas, and prose works from Gilgamesh and Homer to the great traditions of Hebrew, Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern, Greek, and Roman philosophers who laid the foundation for modern, global thought. The course also examines ancient and classical poetry from around the world.
ENGL 2112. World Literature II: The Age of Discovery. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or better in ENGL 1102 or 1102H. A study of selected works of world literature from the 8th to the 17th century, C. E., presented in their historical and cultural contexts. This course includes introductions to Medieval and Early Modern worldviews and presents literary works from India, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, China, Japan, and the Americas.
ENGL 2112H. Honors World Literature II: The Age of Discovery. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or better in ENGL 1102 or 1102H. An in-depth and writing-intensive study of selected works of world literature from the 8th to the 17th century, C. E., presented in their historical and cultural contexts. This course, multicultural and comparative in focus, includes introductions to Medieval and Early Modern worldviews and presents literary works from India, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, China, Japan, and the Americas.
ENGL 2113. World Literature III: The Development of Modern Thought. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or better in ENGL 1102 or 1102H. A study of selected works of world literature from the 17th century to the present, presented in their historical and cultural contexts. Emphasis will be placed on major trends in the development of modern thought. This course includes introductions to major literary developments in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
ENGL 2113H. Honor World Literature III: The Development of Modern Thought. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or better in ENGL 1102 or 1102H. An in-depth and writing-intensive study of selected works of literature and their cultural backgrounds from the 17th century to the present, presented in their historical and cultural contexts. Emphasis will be placed on major trends in the development of modern thought. This course, multicultural and comparative in focus, includes introductions to major literary developments in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
ENGL 2131. American Literature I. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 1102. A survey of American literature from the pre-colonial age to the mid-nineteenth century.
ENGL 2132. American Literature II. 3 Hours.
This course will present a broad overview of American literature from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Students will utilize various critical approaches and reading strategies as they examine important authors and themes of this period. The course will pay special attention to multiple cultures and perspectives. Some of the authors that will be included in this course are Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, Mark Twain, Langston Hughes, Kate Chopin, Maxine Hong, Robert Frost, and Raymond Carver.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1102.
For more information on this institution's eCore courses, please see http://www.valdosta.edu/ecore/.
ENGL 3000. Advanced Descriptive English Grammar. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2080. An advanced descriptive study of English grammar, including modern (structural and generative) perspectives on word formation, word classes, phrase structures, clause types, and transformations.
ENGL 3010. Writing for Business. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1102. An advanced writing course focusing on the elements of effective writing, particularly as they apply to business and the professions.
ENGL 3020. Technical Writing and Editing. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 1102 or 1102H. An advanced writing course focusing on the elements of effective writing and editing for technical and instructional documents, including visuals and Web pages.
ENGL 3030. Writing for the Legal and Social Science Professions. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1102 or 1102H. An advanced writing course focusing on the strategies used to write clear and effective legal and social science communications including memos, case reports, proposals, and briefs.
ENGL 3050. Tutoring English Composition. 1 Hour.
Prerequisites: ENGL 2111 or 2111H, 2112 or 2112H, 2113 or 2113H, or 2060. A review of the principles of English composition with focus on the revision of student writing. Includes instruction in the holistic evaluation and careful rhetorical analysis of student writing, discussion of the proper scope and available avenues of revision, and examination of the use of computers in the writing and revision process. Students will have supervised tutoring experience.
ENGL 3060. Literary Research and Writing. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2060. A advanced writing and research course, focusing on the interpretation and evaluation of literature as well as on the role and function of criticism in the study of literature.
ENGL 3110. British Literature I. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2060. A survey of the historical and formal development of British literature through the mid-18th century. Emphasis on major writers and movements as well as on terms relevant to the study of British literature.
ENGL 3120. British Literature II. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2060. A survey of the historical and formal development of British and post-Colonial literature from the late 18th century to the present. Emphasis on major writers and movements as well as on terms relevant to the study of British literature.
ENGL 3210. American Literature I. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2060. A survey of the historical and formal development of pre-1865 American literature, with an emphasis on major writers and movements as well as on terms and concepts relevant to the study of American literature before the Civil War.
ENGL 3215. American Literature II. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2060. A survey of the historical and formal development of American literature from 1865 to the present, with emphasis on major writers and movements as well as on terms and concepts relevant to the study of American literature after the Civil War.
ENGL 3220. Studies in African American Literature. 3 Hours.
Also offered as AFAM 3220. Prerequisite: ENGL 2111 or 2111H, 2112 or 2112H, 2113or 2113H, 2060. A study of selected topics in African-American literature. May be repeated, but only 3 hours may be counted toward distribution requirements for the English major.
ENGL 3225. Introduction to African American Literary Criticism. 3 Hours.
Also offered as AFAM 3225. Prerequisites: ENGL 2111 or 2111H, ENGL 2112 or 2112H, ENGL 2113 or 2113H, ENGL 2060, or permission of the instructor. A study of major voices in African American literary theory. This course emphasizes the development of interpretive frameworks for examining the literature from an African American cultural perspective.
ENGL 3230. Special Topics in African American Literature. 3 Hours.
Also offered as AFAM 3230. Prerequisites: ENGL 2111 or 2111H, ENGL 2112 or 2112H, ENGL 2113 or 2113H, ENGL 2060, or permission of the instructor. Studies in African American literature, focusing on selected topics.
ENGL 3300. Special Studies in Literature. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2111 or 2111H, 2112 or 2112H, 2113 or 2113H, or 2060. Studies of selected topics in literature.
ENGL 3320. Studies in African Literature. 3 Hours.
Also offered as AFAM 3320. Prerequisite: ENGL 2111 or 2111H, 2112 or 2112H, 2113 or 2113H, or 2060. A study of selected topics in African literature. May be repeated, but only 3 hours may be counted towards distribution requirements for the English major.
ENGL 3330. Studies in Women and Literature. 3 Hours.
Also offered as WGST 3330. Prerequisite: ENGL 2111 or 2111H, 2112 or 2112H, 2113 or 2113H, or 2060. An examination of selected topics in literature by or about women.
ENGL 3400. Introduction Creative Writing. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: ENGL 2110 or 2110H or 2120 or 2120H or 2130 or 2130H or 2140 or 2060. An introduction to the stylistic conventions and techniques of poetry and prose. The course also emphasizes techniques of literary invention and offers a brief exposure to the analysis critique of peer texts.
ENGL 3420. Intro to Creative Non-Fiction. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 3400. An introduction to non-fiction writing which employs a variety of literary techniques common in literary journalism and fiction writing. Students will read model texts and further develop workshop and revision techniques in order to produce a carefully revised piece of their own non-fiction.
ENGL 3440. Poetry Writing. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 3400. A study of poetic technique beyond the fundamentals introduced in ENGL 3400. The course emphasizes prosody and poetic forms, both prescribed and organic. Students receive further training in workshop techniques via the analysis of poems produced by members of the class.
ENGL 3460. Fiction Writing. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: ENGL 3400. A craft-oriented course devoted to the genre of the modern short story. Students will study classic stories by writers such as Chekhov, Maupassant, O'Connor, and more recent award-winning writers as well as undertaking exercises in technique and producing at least two stories of their own.
ENGL 4110. Studies in British Literature to 1500. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of medieval literature, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and/or themes.
ENGL 4120. Studies in British Literature 1500-1660. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of British literature of the Renaissance period, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and/or themes.
ENGL 4130. Studies in British Literature 1660-1800. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of British literature of the Restoration and 18th century, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and/or themes.
ENGL 4140. Studies in British Literature: The Romantics. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of British literature of the Romantic period, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and /or themes.
ENGL 4145. Studies in British Literature: The Victorians. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of British literature of the Victorian period, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and /or themes.
ENGL 4150. Studies in British Literature 1910-1968. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of British literature from 1910-1968, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and/or themes.
ENGL 4160. Studies in British Literature since 1968. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of British literature since 1968, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and or themes.
ENGL 4210. Studies in American Literature to 1800. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of the literature of America from its beginning to 1800, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and/or themes.
ENGL 4220. Studies in American Literature 1800-1865. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of the literature of America from 1800 to 1865, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and/or themes.
ENGL 4230. Studies in American Literature 1865-1914. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of literature of America from 1865 to 1914, focusing major works, figures (three or more), and/or themes.
ENGL 4240. Studies in American Literature 1914-1945. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of literature of the Americas from 1914 to 1945, focusing on major works, figures (three or more), and/or themes.
ENGL 4250. Studies in American Literature since 1945. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of literature of the Americas after World War II, focusing on major contemporary works, figures (three or more), and/or themes.
ENGL 4300. Special Topics in Literature. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. Studies of literature focusing on selected topics.
ENGL 4310. Studies in Major Writers. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of the interrelationship of the life and works of one or at most two major figures in literature.
ENGL 4320. Studies in Poetry. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 3060. A focused study of selected poetic works, with special emphasis on employing the tools of literary and critical analysis.
ENGL 4330. Studies in Narrative. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 3060. A focused study of selected works of narrative (fiction and/or non-fiction), with special emphasis on employing the tools of literary and critical analysis.
ENGL 4340. Studies in Drama. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 3060. A focused study of drama, with special emphasis on employing the tools of literary and critical analysis.
ENGL 4350. Studies in Criticism/Theory. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of literary theory and criticism since Plato, with special emphasis on contemporary theories.
ENGL 4360. Special Topics in Language and Writing. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2080. Studies of language or writing focusing on selected topics.
ENGL 4410. Poetics: Form and Theory. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of key formal and theoretical elements of 20th and 21st century Anglophone poetry and poetry in translation. The course will emphasize poetry as genre, with a reflection on craft and issues in prosody.
ENGL 4420. Narrative: Form and Theory. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of key formal and theoretical elements in 20th and 21st century Anglophone fiction and fiction in translation. The course will emphasize the novel as genre, with a reflection on craft and narrative history and analysis.
ENGL 4600. Rhetorical Issues in Professional Writing. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: ENGL 3010 or 3020 or permission of the instructor. An advanced writing course examining rhetorical issues that arise from the professional writing process of planning, information gathering, drafting, revision, production, and distribution.
ENGL 4610. History of the English Language. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of the origins and development of the English language.
ENGL 4620. Survey of the History of Rhetoric. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. A study of rhetorical theory and its major figures from the classical period to the present.
ENGL 4630. Writing Technologies and Applications. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3010 or 3020 or permission of the instructor. A study of the principles and applications of technologies used to produce materials for the workplace, including advanced word processing applications, presentation software, desktop publishing programs, and Web authoring tools.
ENGL 4640. Studies in Composition Theory. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 2080. A study of the theory and practice of composition pedagogy, including crafting assignments; planning, drafting, and revising texts; and evaluating student writing.
ENGL 4700. Directed Study. 1-3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. Individualized studies in selected areas of language and literature, the amount of credit depending upon the requirements. Permission to enroll must be secured from the instructor.
ENGL 4800. Internship in English. 3-12 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 3060. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Supervised work involving writing, for example, in a law office, an agency, a publishing company, or a business. The amount of credit depends upon the requirements. Permission to enroll must be secured from the adviser and the Department Head.
ENGL 4900. Senior Seminar. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: senior standing and ENGL 3060. A capstone course, focused on selected topics and projects appropriate to the students’ track, designed to help students synthesize their knowledge and reinforce the skills they have acquired as English majors.
For additional offerings in the Department of English, see English as a Second Language (ENSL), Creative Writing and Contemporary Literature (CWCL), Journalism (JOUR), and Linguistics (LING).
