Contents
Additional Information
Sharon O'Brien, Professor of English and American Studies, James Hope Caldwell Professor of American CulturesThomas L. Reed, Jr., Professor of English Robert P. Winston, Professor of English B. Ashton Nichols, Professor of English Language and Literature, John J. Curley '60 and Ann Conser Curley '63 Faculty Chair in the Liberal ArtsDavid L. Kranz, Professor of English and Film Studies (On leave 2008-09)Robert D. Ness, Associate Professor of EnglishK. Wendy Moffat, Associate Professor of English Sharon M. Stockton, Associate Professor of EnglishCarol Ann Johnston, Associate Professor of English, Martha Porter Sellers Chair in Rhetoric and the English Language (On leave 2008-09)Susan Perabo, Associate Professor of English, Writer-in-Residence, Chair Adrienne Su, Associate Professor of English, Poet-in-Residence Victoria Sams, Assistant Professor of English David M. Ball, Assistant Professor of EnglishLynn Johnson, Assistant Professor of EnglishPaul R. Gleed, Assistant Professor of EnglishSha'an Chilson, Visiting Assistant Professor of English and Director of WritingJudy Gill, Director of the Writing Center, Instructor in English Eleven courses, of which the following are required: 101, 220, six courses at the 300-level (two must be pre-1800 and two post-1800), 403 and 404. In addition, one elective to be selected from 101, 212, 213, 214, 218, or the 300-level. Only one 339 creative writing may count toward the six 300-level courses. At least two 300-level courses must be taken at Dickinson.
Students may declare an English major in the semester in which they are enrolled in 220. When they declare, students and their faculty advisors will jointly design a schedule of advanced courses which, taking into account student interests, offers some breadth in approach and subject matter while enabling an examination of a particular area in some depth.
Transfer students and others who need a special schedule for completing the major must have their programs approved by the chairperson.
Six courses, including the two introductory courses (101, 220) and a minimum of three courses at the advanced literature level (320-399), at least one of which must involve works written before 1800.
Majors who wish to secure certification must take the following courses, preferably before enrolling in the professional semester of teacher certification: 211, 212, or 214; 213 or 313; 403/404. Also, two courses in literature written before 1800 and two courses in literature written after 1800. Students should select courses in American, English, and World literature to fulfill the certification requirements. Interested students should seek advice from both their advisor and the Director of Teacher Education.
For additional information, visit the
Education Department web site.
Independent research is open to junior and senior majors. Independent studies in both literature and writing are open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The department distributes a list of professors and their specialties to assist students in developing suitable projects. Proposals are normally submitted during the semester before the study is to be undertaken.
A student who wishes to be considered for honors in the major must be recommended by the faculty member who is instructing the section of 403/404 in which the student is enrolled. Each candidate must produce a manuscript of truly extraordinary merit (breadth, depth, and sophistication), beyond the normal standards of the grade of "A." A project recommended for honors shall have come about as a result of one's independent research culminating during the workshop semester (404), and shall be awarded only by a vote of the English Department upon the recommendation of a faculty committee appointed by the Chair.
An additional option exists for students who wish to pursue honors in a creative writing project. In this case, the project will be called English 550: Independent Research and shall be undertaken in addition to the regular 403/404 sequence. The student assumes the responsibility to locate appropriate faculty direction for such a project, and at its conclusion the director shall decide whether or not to recommend the student's work for honors.
Students who are interested should gain experience by writing for
The Dickinsonian or
The Dickinson Review, the college's literary journal. English majors have done internships with state and local government agencies, newspapers, public relations firms, and the media.
Majors and prospective majors should investigate opportunities early in their sophomore year. The Dickinson Program in Norwich, England, and other overseas programs can be integrated into an English major's curricular requirements. The department chairperson should be contacted for details.
Belles Lettres Society
Founded in 1786, the Belles Lettres Society is one of the oldest active literary societies in the country. In addition to sponsoring a variety of events for Dickinson writers and readers, Belles Lettres publishes
The Dickinson Review, a national literary magazine.
Introductory CoursesThese courses are designed to introduce students to serious literary study from a variety of perspectives, both intrinsic and extrinsic. They consist of entry-level courses in the major, the first of which is also offered for students who do not intend to major in English.
101 Texts and Contexts Close reading (formal analysis) of texts interpreted in the contexts (e.g., cultural, historical, biographical, economic, political) that shape and are shaped by them. Topics may include the African novel, early American literature, Caribbean literature, Shakespeare on film, the romance, the quest, images of women, 19th century literature, contemporary American fiction, and American Indian literature.
220 Critical Approaches and Literary Methods An introduction to the basic questions that one may ask about a literary text, its author, and its audience. The foundation course for the English major, English 220 covers several critical approaches from a growing list of theories that includes: formalism, feminism, Marxism, race and ethnicity studies, historicism, deconstruction, psychoanalytic theory, queer theory, and reader-response theory. Mastering a few of these critical approaches will supply the fundamental theoretical tools that students will use to read prose, dramatic work, and poetry. The course also offers instruction in the fundamental elements of critical writing.
Prerequisite: 101. Does not fulfill the Division I. B. distribution requirement. Must be taken in residence at Carlisle campus.Rhetoric, Language, and Writing CoursesThese courses, open to majors and non-majors alike, explore the nature of language and the rhetorical practices of expository and/or creative writing. These courses do not fulfill the Division I. b distribution requirement.
211 Expository Writing A course in expository prose which focuses on the writing process itself, emphasizing the organization of ideas and development of style. Seminars, group tutorials, or individual instruction.
212 Writing: Special Topics A course in analytical thinking and writing which develops expository skills through the exploration of such topics as literature, popular culture, sport in American life, and journalism. Seminars, workshops, group tutorials, or individual instruction.
213 Structure of English The origin and growth of British and American English, along with a survey of grammatical notions and methodologies from the traditional to the transformational. NOTE: The topic in the fall semester is "The Structure of English Grammar." The topic in the spring semester is "The History of the English Language."
214 Teaching Writing: Theory and Practice Instruction in rhetorical theory and the teaching of writing. Intended primarily for training student consultants in the Dickinson College Writing Program.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.218 Creative Writing A workshop on the writing of fiction, poetry, drama, or the personal essay.
312 Advanced Expository Writing Recommended for students with demonstrated competence in writing skills, this course pays special attention to sophisticated critical analysis, development of ideas, and style.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor on the basis of a writing sample.313 Linguistics, the Scientific Study of Natural Human Language This course is concerned with the nature of language and communication, how it is structured and how it functions. In the first part of the course, we will deal with the structural components of language, of its sounds and words and syntax; in the second section we will discuss the properties of linguistic meaning and the ways speakers and groups of speakers differ from each other in the forms they use. Finally, we will examine how languages change over time and how languages are related.
Prerequisite: 220, or the appropriate intermediate language course or permission of the instructor. This course will fulfill the QR requirement.318 Advanced Creative Writing Writing and discussion of fiction, poetry, and drama.
Prerequisite: 218 or permission of the instructor.Advanced Courses in Literature, Theory, and FilmThese courses deepen the discussions of the essential questions that one asks of literary texts, their authors, and their readers. As organized below, 300-level courses may emphasize one or more particular critical perspectives or reading methods, strengthening students' sense of themselves as readers. Courses at this level will ask students to evaluate and to make arguments based upon literary evidence and secondary sources while mastering various research techniques.
NOTE: for all 300-level American literature courses, prerequisites are 220 or AMST 202 (American Studies majors only) or permission of the instructor.Studies in Literature and Theory (320-329) Courses that highlight one or two critical perspectives in considering a body of literature or explore one or more literary theories.
320 History of Literary Theory A historical survey of Western conceptions of the use and meaning of literature, from Aristotle to the present.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor. Does not fulfill the Division I. b distribution requirement.327 Feminist Theory Explores the connections between gender and literary expression by considering a variety of feminist theories (e.g., literary, cultural, psychoanalytic, deconstructionist) and primary texts.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor. Does not fulfill the Division I. b distribution requirement.329 Special Topics in Literature and Theory May include Shakespeare and psychology, word and image, the dark side of human nature, new historicism and the romantics, or Marxist approaches to the detective novel.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.Studies in Form and Genre (330-339) Courses that focus upon the formal properties of various works, or study genres as they develop within or across historical periods and/or cultures.
334 The Lyric The lyric poem as English and American poets developed it from the 17th through the 20th century.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.335 Film Studies Study of classic and other films grouped in a variety of ways. Topics may include Shakespeare and the cinema, world film, and the European cinema.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.339 Special Topics in Form and Genre May include Renaissance tragedy, the romance, development of the novel, 17th-18th century satire and its classical models, or autobiography and memoir.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.Studies in Literature and Culture (340-349) Courses that emphasize the interplay of texts and their cultural or multicultural contexts.
345 Women Writers Explores the connections between gender and literary expression by examining the social, cultural, and literary patterns linking the lives of women writers with their works.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.348 Native American Novel Explores the American Indian experience in the novels of such authors as Momaday, Silko, Welch, McNickle, and Allen.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.349 Special Topics in Literature and Culture May include new literatures in English, African writing, twice-told tales, the emergence of the novel, Irish literature, and popular literature.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.Studies in Literature and History (350-389) Courses that focus upon the intersections and mutual influences of history and literature.
A. Studies in Literature written before 1800 (350-359) Courses, variously configured, involving works written by a number of authors within or across a number of literary periods up to 1800.
350 Studies in Medieval Literature Explores texts written from the 9th to the 15th century in England and on the continent. Topics may include the medieval romance, 14th century literature, and the literature of courtly love.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.352 Studies in Renaissance Literature Examines texts written in England from the late 15th to the late 17th century. Topics may include Renaissance drama, the Elizabethan sonnet, and 17th century poetry.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.354 Studies in Restoration and 18th Century Literature Study of texts written in England from the late 17th to the end of the 18th century. Topics may include the poetry, drama, or prose fiction of the period.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.358 Studies in Early American Literature Concentrates on texts produced before 1830 in America. Topics may include witchcraft at Salem, early American poetry, fiction in early America, and the origins of the American literary tradition.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.359 Special Topics in Literature before 1800 Focuses on texts and historical contexts that span the periods noted above. Topics may include medieval and Renaissance drama, images of women in medieval and Renaissance literature, Shakespeare's Chaucer, or culture and anarchy in the 18th century.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.B Studies in 19th and 20th Century Literature (360-379) Courses, variously configured, which involve, for the most part, works written from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century in Britain (including its empire) and the United States.
360 Studies in 19th Century British Literature Examines works written by a number of authors in the Romantic and Victorian eras. Topics may include Romantic and Victorian poetry and the 19th century novel.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.364 Studies in Modern Fiction and Poetry Examines works by a number of authors in the modernist tradition. Topics may include the modern novel or modern Anglo-American poetry.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.366 Studies in Drama Examines the dramatic literature of the Western world from the formative period of the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, with emphasis on performance values and close reading of scripts. Topics may include modern drama and American drama.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.370 Studies in American Literature Explores texts written in America after 1830, for the most part. Topics may include the American renaissance, American autobiography, and American poetry.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.374 The American Novel Examines novels by a number of authors in the context of American history.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.376 The American Short Story Explores short stories by selected authors considered in the context of American history.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.379 Special Topics in 19th and 20th Century Literature May include romantic postmodernism, the Irish renaissance, post-colonial literature, the Edwardians, and political literature between the world wars.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.C. Studies in Contemporary Literature (380-389) Courses, variously configured, involving works written by a number of authors from the mid-20th century to the present.
383 Contemporary American Fiction Study of novels, short stories, and (fictive elements in) autobiographies by contemporary Americans, with special attention to interconnections between literature and the era.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.387 Contemporary Drama Drama in the contemporary Western world with emphasis upon performance values and close reading of scripts. Plays by O'Neill, Sartre, Beckett, Ionesco, Pinter, Williams, Miller, Mamet, Stoppard, Fugard, and others.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.389 Special Topics in Contemporary Literature May include contemporary American poetry, post-modern British and American fiction, Anglo-Irish poetry, and contemporary women writers.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.Authorial Studies (390-399)Courses devoted to the literary corpus of one or two authors, with special emphasis on the interaction between the authors' lives and their art, and on the question of their canonical status.
390 Chaucer The poet and his century, with emphasis on The Canterbury Tales.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.392 Shakespeare A selection of plays and poems, seen from various critical perspectives, which emphasizes the development and distinctiveness of the author.
Prerequisite dependent upon topic.394 Milton Detailed study of the poetry and prose with emphasis on the development of Milton as a poet.
Prerequisite: 220 or the permission of the instructor.399 Topics in Authorial Studies May include Donne and Herbert, Pope, Austen in her time, Wordsworth, Willa Cather, Woolf, Hemingway and Faulkner, or Toni Morrison.
Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor.The Senior ExperienceThis final two-semester sequence of courses in the major seeks to draw upon the student's critical and creative independence by offering seminars and workshops whose topics are shaped partly by student interest.
*403, 404 Senior Literature Seminar and Workshop Demonstration, under close supervision, of a command of the critical reading and writing expected of a student major in English. Various topics and approaches. Each workshop requires students to share discoveries and problems as they produce a lengthy manuscript based on a topic of their own choosing, subject to the approval of the instructor.
Prerequisite: Open to senior English majors and others by permission of the department chair.
