Department of English

ENG 1300. Developmental Writing.

Basic composition skills. For students who have not satisfied TSIP requirements or for those who need developmental work before taking English 1310. Credit earned for this course does not count toward any degree offered by the university.

ENG 1310. College Writing I.

This course provides the foundational oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable the exchange of messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, purpose, and audience. Emphasis is on critical reading and the improvement of essays through reading, drafting, collaborating, reviewing, revising, and editing. This course examines expository writing as a means of exploring and shaping ideas in order to produce rhetorically effective texts that include a thesis, defined as a presentation of a central idea, and competently-organized and well-supported supporting paragraphs.

ENG 1320. College Writing II.

This course is a continuation of English 1310, focusing on expository writing--the kind of objective, audience-directed prose used in college and beyond to explain and defend ideas. Emphasis is on conducting primary and secondary research; quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing sources; and using standard procedures of citation and documentation. All papers in the course are documented, with at least one requiring the use of several secondary sources. This course provides the foundational oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable the exchange of messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, purpose, and audience.

ENG 1321. Writing and Service Learning.

This course is a service-learning writing course that focuses on writing projects situated in local community-based contexts. Writing assignments reflect a variety of genres, including multimodal texts and group-authored projects. Emphasis is on the production of rhetorically effective texts that include a thesis, defined as a presentation of a central idea, and competently organized and well-supported paragraphs. This course provides the foundational oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable the exchange of messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, purpose, and audience. At least one paper incorporates and cites multiple secondary sources.

ENG 2310. British Literature before 1785.

This course examines representative authors and works of British literature from the beginnings through the Neoclassical Period. The course texts include works from a range of British authors and literary traditions prior to 1785. In the course, students read and analyze literary texts; examine literature as an art form; and gain an understanding of the role of literature in its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Individual literary texts are framed as part of broader literary, historical, and cultural movements. (WI).

ENG 2320. British Literature since 1785.

This course examines representative authors and works of British literature from the Romantic era through the present. The course texts include works from a range of British authors and literary traditions from the late eighteenth century onward. In the course, students read and analyze literary texts; examine literature as an art form; and gain an understanding of the role of literature in its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Individual literary texts are framed as part of broader literary, historical, and cultural movements. (WI).

ENG 2330. World Literature before 1600.

This course examines representative authors and works of literature from the ancient world to the early modern world. Readings may come exclusively from the Western tradition or from various literary traditions, including Africa and Asia. The course texts include works from a range of world authors and literary traditions prior to 1785. In the course, students read and analyze literary texts; examine literature as an art form; and develop an understanding of its role in historical, social, and cultural contexts. Individual literary texts are framed as part of broader literary, historical, and cultural movements. (WI).

ENG 2340. World Literature since 1600.

This course examines representative authors and works of literature from the ancient world to the early modern period. Readings may focus exclusively on the Western tradition or include texts from a range of literary traditions, including those from Africa and Asia. Students read and analyze literary texts, examine literature as an art form, and develop an understanding of the role of literature within its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Individual works are situated within broader literary, historical, and cultural movements. (WI).

ENG 2359. US Literature before 1865.

This course surveys representative authors and works of U.S. literature from its beginnings through the Civil War. Course texts include works from a range of American authors and literary traditions prior to 1865. Students read and analyze literary texts, examine literature as an art form, and develop an understanding of its role within historical, social, and cultural contexts. Individual works are situated within broader literary, historical, and cultural movements. (WI).

ENG 2360. US Literature since 1865.

This course surveys representative authors and works of U.S. literature from the Civil War to the present. Course texts include works from a range of American authors and literary traditions since 1865. Students read and analyze literary texts, examine literature as an art form, and develop an understanding of the role of literature within its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Individual works are situated within broader literary, historical, and cultural movements. (WI).

ENG 2371. U.S. Literature: Writing Identities.

This course surveys representative authors and works of U.S. literature from the colonial era to the present. Course texts include works from a range of U.S. authors and literary traditions and may include texts from both before and after the Civil War, with readings organized by region, theme, genre, or other analytical frameworks. Students read and analyze literary texts, examine literature as an art form, and develop an understanding of its role within historical, social, and cultural contexts. Individual works are situated within broader literary, historical, and cultural movements. (WI).

ENG 3301. Critical Approaches for English Majors.

This course introduces students to major critical methods and practices used in rhetorical and literary analysis across English Studies. Students examine how scholars formulate interpretive approaches, apply analytical tools, and engage in research-based inquiry. Emphasis is placed on developing reading, writing, and information literacy skills that support effective academic work in upper-division courses. The course provides structured opportunities to practice analyzing texts, evaluating arguments, and producing evidence-based interpretations within a variety of methodological frameworks. It also introduces students to key vocabulary and terminology within the field.

ENG 3302. Film and Video Theory and Production.

This course introduces students to major approaches in film and narrative theory alongside introductory production practices. Students examine key concepts such as framing, composition, sequencing, sound design, and narrative structure to understand how meaning is constructed in moving-image media. Through hands-on exercises, students apply theoretical concepts and foundational production techniques. The course treats both theory and production as objects of academic study, emphasizing analytical reasoning and technical competence. It highlights the interplay between conceptual frameworks and production choices, preparing students for further work in film studies.

ENG 3303. Technical Writing.

This course introduces students to the principles and practices of technical communication through clear, purposeful, and audience-driven writing. Students analyze communication situations, adapt information to user needs, and create well-designed documents across common professional genres such as instructions, résumés, and proposals. Emphasis is placed on usability, responsible communication, and the effective integration of textual and visual elements. (WI) Prerequisite: ENG 1310 or ENG 1320 or ENG 1321 any with a grade of "D" or better.

ENG 3304. Document Design.

This course introduces principles of expository writing and document design used in professional environments. Students examine how audience, purpose, and context shape workplace communication, and they apply design strategies to create documents such as reports, proposals, instructions, and professional correspondence. Emphasis is placed on clarity, usability, organization, and visual design conventions that support effective information delivery. Students also compile a portfolio of revised written work that demonstrates their proficiency with workplace genres and can be adapted for professional or graduate school applications.

ENG 3305. Life Writing.

This course examines theories and/or practices of life writing as understood in rhetoric and writing studies. Students study methods such as autoethnography, narrative inquiry, scholarly personal writing, and literacy narratives to understand how lived experience can function as a source of inquiry. The course emphasizes critical reading, methodological reflection, and the application of research techniques to personal narrative, and it foregrounds methodological reasoning and emphasizes student agency in forming interpretations. Readings and activities explore how writers document experience, make meaning from personal and cultural contexts, and apply systematic inquiry to lived events. Specific content and focus vary by section, and the course may be repeated once for credit when its topic varies.

ENG 3306. Writing for Film.

This course introduces students to the principles and practices of writing for film, integrating analysis of published cinematic texts with hands on exercises in screenwriting. Students learn key elements of cinematic storytelling, including structure, characterization, theme, tone, and the interplay between image and dialogue. Script readings introduce a range of styles, narrative strategies, and industry conventions. Writing workshops support students in generating original material and applying the formal techniques observed in professional scripts. The course offers a grounding in screenwriting as a professional and creative discipline while maintaining a focus on analytical and practical skill development.

ENG 3307. Introduction to the Study of Film.

This course provides an introduction to key basic film terms and concepts, to various theoretical approaches to the study of film, and to important debates within film theory. Its focus includes theories of spectatorship, the debate between formalism and realism, psychoanalytic and feminist theories, and cultural approaches to film. Emphasis is placed on understanding the interaction among film form, narrative, and viewer experience. By engaging with representative texts and theories, students develop foundational vocabulary and analytical skills necessary for advanced coursework in film and media studies.

ENG 3308. Advanced Topics in Film.

This course provides an in depth examination of film as a textual, cultural, and aesthetic medium. Students analyze cinematic works using critical, theoretical, historical, and stylistic approaches. Specific content and focus vary by section and may include areas such as classical Hollywood cinema, silent film, world cinemas, national film traditions, documentary modes, or genre based studies. Students engage with primary films and secondary scholarship to develop skills in close visual analysis and contextual interpretation. The course may be repeated once for credit when the topic varies.

ENG 3309. The Southwest in Film.

This course examines films set in and concerned with the Southwestern United States, considering questions of genre, form, and medium as well as how the region’s history and culture are represented on screen. Assigned films may include westerns, border narratives, and other cinematic genres. Course content engages with and considers how the Southwest has figured in the development of moving pictures and the creation of a national mythos. (WI).

ENG 3311. Practices in Writing and Rhetoric.

This course examines and applies advanced expository writing techniques with an emphasis on rhetorical dexterity, clarity, and effective communication. Students study a range of rhetorical situations and practice adapting style and structure to meet the demands of various contexts and audiences. Specific content and focus vary by section and may include topics such as Nature Writing, Travel Writing, Music Writing, or Writing in Online Environments. Through guided analysis and regular writing practice, students develop the ability to assess rhetorical situations and produce effective prose across genres. The course may be repeated once for credit when its emphasis varies.

ENG 3312. Internship in English Studies.

This course provides a supervised work experience that allows students to apply skills from English Studies in professional settings. Students engage in tasks related to writing, research, communication, editing, or other disciplinary competencies while observing workplace practices and expectations. Internship placements vary according to student interest and may include nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, businesses, cultural agencies, publishing environments, or other relevant contexts. Under faculty supervision, students complete reflective and analytical assignments that connect workplace experience to academic learning. The course supports exploration of potential career paths and development of transferable professional skills. Prerequisites: Instructor approval.

ENG 3313. Scientific Writing.

This course introduces students to strategies for effective written communication in scientific and social scientific contexts. Students learn techniques for planning, organizing, drafting, and revising documents for a range of professional and academic audiences. Students examine models of scientific communication and practice crafting documents such as abstracts, brief reports, and analytic summaries. Attention is given to clarity, concision, coherence, and ethical presentation of information. The course emphasizes adaptable writing skills that support students’ future work in research, laboratory, applied, or interdisciplinary environments. Students practice identifying audience needs, using evidence appropriately, and applying editing strategies that strengthen readability and accuracy.

ENG 3315. Introduction to Creative Writing.

This course introduces students to foundational practices in creative writing across genres such as fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Students examine craft elements including structure, imagery, voice, narrative development, and language choice while learning approaches to generating, revising, and refining original work. Workshops and guided discussions emphasize the ability to analyze texts, respond constructively to peer writing, and apply feedback to their own drafts. By exploring a range of techniques and models, students build adaptable writing skills that support continued study in creative composition and related fields.

ENG 3316. Film Adaptation Studies.

This course introduces students to the comparative study of film adaptations derived from a range of other media, including literature, drama, comics and graphic narratives, and more. Students explore how creators interpret, modify, and reimagine source material for the screen and analyze how narrative, style, genre, and audience expectations influence adaptation decisions and outcomes. In addition, students investigate how media strengths and limitations transform stories, characters, and concepts. Content and focus vary by section, allowing examination of different historical periods, media forms, or adaptation strategies. Emphasis is placed on analytical skills, film terminology, and comparative methodologies. This course may be repeated once for credit when the topic varies.

ENG 3318. Approaches to Writing and Rhetoric.

This course introduces students to major approaches in the study and practice of writing and rhetoric, emphasizing analytical, theoretical, and applied perspectives. Specific content and focus vary by section and may include topics such as Composition Theory, Political Rhetoric, or Literacy Studies. The course examines how rhetorical approaches develop, how they are applied, and how writing practices vary across professional, academic, and cultural contexts. Students engage with representative texts, analyze rhetorical methods, and develop skills for studying how writing functions across contexts. The course may be repeated twice for credit when its emphasis varies.

ENG 3319. The Development of English.

This course provides an introduction to the historical development of the English language from its earliest forms to the present. Students examine phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic changes that have shaped English over time. The course explores the evolution of dialects, the history of spelling and dictionaries, and the diverse sources that contribute to English vocabulary. Through readings and analytical activities, students gain an understanding of the processes and social contexts that influence language development.

ENG 3320. Studies in Theory and Criticism.

This course offers an in-depth exploration of one or more major theoretical and critical approaches used in literary, cultural, and/or rhetorical studies, such as ecocriticism, film theory, trauma theory, or disability studies. Students engage foundational texts, analyze contemporary debates, and apply theoretical frameworks to diverse works across national traditions, genres, or media. Specific content and focus vary by section, and emphasis is placed on understanding how these approaches shape interpretation and scholarly conversation. The course may be repeated once for credit when its specific topic or theoretical focus varies.

ENG 3321. The Short Story.

This course examines the international development of the short story as a literary form from the nineteenth century to the present, beginning with writers such as Edgar Allan Poe and Nikolai Gogol and extending across global traditions. Students study representative works to consider how authors use style, structure, theme, and narrative technique to shape short fiction and adapt the form to varied artistic, cultural, and historical contexts. Works from a range of periods and regions may be included to illustrate the diversity of the form. Students learn vocabulary for discussing short fiction and practice applying literary concepts through written analysis.

ENG 3322. The European Novel.

This course examines the European novel from its early modern emergence through contemporary innovations. Focusing on writers from a variety of regions, students consider how social change, artistic experimentation, and literary tradition shape the genre. Works are read in translation, and selections vary by instructor to include a range of national and stylistic influences. Students examine narrative structure, characterization, style, and thematic innovation as they investigate both canonical and influential lesser known works. Students gain practice in close reading, contextual interpretation, and understanding the evolution of narrative forms across European literary history.

ENG 3323. Modern Poetry.

This course introduces students to major developments in modern and contemporary poetry written in English and in English translation. Emphasis is placed on close reading, analysis of poetic technique, and understanding the historical and cultural contexts in and from which modern poetry emerged. Students examine a range of poets and movements to explore how form, voice, imagery, and thematic concerns evolved during the modern and contemporary period. Readings vary by instructor but will reflect the range and innovation characteristic of modern poetic expression.

ENG 3325. Literature in Translation.

This course examines significant works of literature from non-Anglophone regions of the world, read in English translation. Focusing on texts from the eighteenth century to the present, students analyze narrative structure, theme, characterization, and stylistic features while considering relevant cultural and historical contexts. The course may center one national tradition or compare several different literary genealogies and emphasizes interpretative and analytical skills. Students explore a range of genres and styles while examining how historical context, literary movements, and translation choices shape interpretation.

ENG 3326. US Drama on Film.

This course examines significant works of US drama and their film adaptations. Students analyze how plays are transformed when moved from stage to screen, considering narrative structure, performance, visual style, and audience expectations. The course emphasizes analytical tools from both drama and film studies, focusing on structure, characterization, mise en scène, and audience reception. Readings and viewings may include a range of periods and genres within US dramatic traditions. Students read selected plays and view corresponding films in order to analyze how medium, historical context, and production choices shape interpretation.

ENG 3327. Early Global Drama in English.

This course examines major works of global drama from antiquity to the nineteenth century. Students analyze dramatic structure, characterization, performance conventions, and the cultural and historical contexts that have shaped theatrical traditions across time. The course further explores how playwrights across eras and cultures use structure, dialogue, and staging to address artistic and social concerns. Through close reading and discussion, students consider the evolution of genres such as tragedy, comedy, and realism and develop skills in dramatic analysis, evaluating how theatrical forms evolve across different cultures and historical periods.

ENG 3328. Modern Global Drama in English.

This course examines major works of global drama from the nineteenth century to the present, either written in or translated into English. Students analyze dramatic techniques, thematic developments, and stylistic innovations, exploring questions of form and performance while examining how theatrical movements, historical contexts, and performance conventions shape dramatic works. Through close reading, comparative analysis, and discussion of performance contexts, students develop a broad understanding of modern dramatic forms. Readings vary by instructor to highlight the variety of global modern drama.

ENG 3329. Studies in Mythology.

This course examines mythological narratives from a range of cultures and time periods, including ancient traditions, contemporary retellings, and myths expressed through modern literature and popular culture. Students analyze how myths function within societies, how they evolve across history, and how they shape and reflect cultural values. Specific content and focus vary by section and may include mythic archetypes, heroic narratives, creation stories, and modern reinterpretations of traditional myths. This course may be repeated once for credit when the topic varies.

ENG 3330. The Story of Film.

This course introduces students to the development of narrative film from the medium’s inception to contemporary digital filmmaking. Students examine early cinematic experiments, the transition from an emphasis on spectacle to one on storytelling, and how cinematic elements such as editing, mise-en-scène, sound, and cinematography create and transform narrative traditions and conventions. Finally, it investigates how the ongoing impact of emergent technologies influences storytelling practices and cinematic form. Films and readings vary by section but focus on major developments in narrative cinema.

ENG 3331. Black Literature.

This course examines selected works of Black literature, including poetry, drama, fiction, and additional cultural texts from various historical periods and traditions. Students examine how writers use language, form, and narrative structure to develop themes and ideas, and they analyze how these works participate in broader literary movements. Texts may represent multiple regions or African diasporic communities, and selections vary by instructor. Students practice close reading and analytical writing in order to understand the contributions of Black literature to the wider literary landscape, and through reading, discussion, and analytical writing, students develop tools for interpreting Black literary traditions in diverse contexts.

ENG 3333. Early US Literature.

This course examines selected works of early US literature from the colonial period through the Civil War. Students analyze how authors respond to the cultural, political, intellectual, and artistic conditions of their historical moments. Readings may include sermons, autobiographies, political writings, captivity and exploration narratives as well as poetry, fiction, and early American prose. Students study how literary forms reflect the social and historical contexts of early America while learning methods of textual and contextual analysis. Text selections vary by instructor. Through reading, discussion, and analytical writing, students develop skills in literary analysis, historical contextualization, and argumentation.

ENG 3335. US Literature, 1865–1945.

This course examines selected works of US literature from the end of the Civil War through World War II. Students explore a range of genres, including fiction, poetry, drama, and essays, and analyze how authors responded to the cultural, social, and artistic changes of the period. Through close reading, contextual analysis, and discussion, students learn to evaluate how literary movements such as realism, naturalism, modernism, and regionalism shaped US literary expression. Text selections vary by instructor and may include authors from a variety of regions and traditions.

ENG 3336. US Literature, 1945 to the Present.

This course examines selected works of US literature from World War II to the present. Students explore a range of genres and movements, including postwar realism, postmodernism, and contemporary narrative experimentation, and analyze how authors use form, language, and narrative strategies to explore shifting historical and cultural contexts. The course emphasizes analytical reading, historical context, and interpretation of literary texts. Through close reading, discussion, and written analysis, students evaluate how authors respond to cultural, artistic, and technological developments that shape late twentieth and twenty first century literature. Text selections vary by instructor and may include authors from a variety of regions and traditions.

ENG 3338. The American Novel.

This course examines selected major American novels alongside pertinent literary criticism that addresses their form, themes, and cultural contexts. Students analyze how authors use narrative structure, character, and theme to address artistic and historical concerns and trace how novelistic traditions emerge, change, and influence later American writing. Text selections vary by instructor and may include representative works from different regions, movements, and cultural contexts. Coursework emphasizes close reading, contextual interpretation, and engagement with major critical debates.

ENG 3340. Special Topics in Language and Literature.

This course covers a variety of topics that reflect faculty expertise. Students pursue an in-depth examination of a given topic to develop their close reading, literary analysis, and scholarly writing skills. Specific content and focus vary by section. Emphases can include studies in genre, such as science fiction, horror, or chivalric romance; medium, such as comics, games, or illuminated manuscripts; or form, such as modernism, metafiction, or memoir. This course may be repeated twice for credit when its emphasis varies. (WI).

ENG 3341. Studies in Global Literature.

This course examines selected works of global literature from ancient, classical, and/or modern periods. Students analyze how texts from different regions and eras engage with narrative form, language, and cultural context and explore how authors across cultures use language and narrative to convey meaning and shape literary forms. Through close reading, comparative analysis, and discussion, students explore how literary traditions reflect and respond to their historical moments. Specific content and focus vary by section and may be organized around regional literatures, thematic groupings, or genre-focused approaches. The course may be repeated once for credit when its content varies.

ENG 3342. Editing.

This course provides an introduction to professional editing practices used in print and digital publication environments. Students learn to make editorial changes, prepare manuscripts for typesetting, and mark galley and page proofs accurately. The course covers fundamentals of layout and design, including typefaces, paper choices, headlines, and other elements that contribute to clear communication. Students also examine challenges and opportunities in desktop publishing and consider the current landscape of electronic publication. Instruction emphasizes accuracy, clarity, and professional standards while encouraging students to apply editing principles across a variety of texts.

ENG 3343. The Interdisciplinary Approach to Literature.

This course examines a selected literary topic using analytical tools drawn from multiple academic disciplines. Depending on the section, students may engage methodologies from history, sociology, psychology, visual studies, legal studies, or related fields. Students explore how various disciplinary lenses contribute to understanding literary texts and how multiple perspectives from outside the traditional boundaries of literary studies can enhance textual interpretation. Students practice close reading, contextual analysis, and comparative inquiry as they consider how different disciplines illuminate literary texts. Specific content and focus vary by section, and the course may be repeated once for credit when its emphasis varies.

ENG 3344. Chicana/o/x Narrative and Social History.

This course examines narratives created by people of Mexican descent living in the United States, focusing on how writers represent social, historical, and cultural experiences. Students analyze texts as literary and historical artifacts, considering the ways narrative form, genre, and context shape meaning, and study how writers use narrative techniques to depict community histories, social environments, and cultural identities. Instruction emphasizes close reading and evidence based interpretation. Works may span multiple genres and periods, reflecting the range of storytelling traditions and lived experiences of US communities of Mexican descent.

ENG 3345. Southwestern Studies I: Defining the Region.

This course is the first of two in a broad interdisciplinary survey of the geophysical, cultural, social, literary, and political history of the Southwestern United States. It investigates the foundational attributes of the Southwest, emphasizing how the region is defined through regional and ethnic expressions of culture in architecture, art, economics, law, literature, philosophy, and politics. As the first course in the sequence, this course establishes foundational vocabulary, skills, and historical frameworks relevant to Southwestern Studies.

ENG 3346. Southwestern Studies II: Consequences of Region.

This course is the second of a two-course sequence in a broad interdisciplinary survey of the geophysical, cultural, social, literary, and political history of the Southwestern United States. It explores the impact on the continuing representation of the region of regional and ethnic expressions of culture in architecture, art, economics, law, literature, philosophy, politics, popular culture, religion, social science, and technology. As the second course in a two-course sequence, it builds on foundational concepts while expanding the scope and complexity of interdisciplinary inquiry and evaluating how regional factors influence cultural and historical developments.

ENG 3347. American Poetry.

This course examines selected American poetry. Students analyze how poets use language, form, imagery, and sound to create meaning while exploring the historical, social, and artistic contexts that shape poetic expression. Readings may include works from a variety of movements and traditions across multiple time periods from the genre’s earliest forms to contemporary practice. Instruction engages with poetic language, structure, and technique and considers a variety of poetic traditions. Readings and themes vary by instructor to highlight the diversity of American poetic expression.

ENG 3348. Creative Writing: Fiction.

This course provides an intermediate-level seminar for writers of fiction. Students explore narrative techniques such as characterization, plot, setting, point of view, and dialogue while practicing strategies for generating ideas and developing creative work. Workshops and peer feedback support the development of critical reading and writing skills. The course emphasizes revision as an essential part of the writing process and encourages students to experiment with literary techniques. Instruction centers on skill development and analytic engagement with fiction, allowing students to refine their own writing practices. Prerequisite: ENG 3315 with a grade of "D" or better.

ENG 3349. Creative Writing: Poetry.

This course provides an intermediate-level seminar for writers of poetry. Students explore poetic techniques such as imagery, lineation, rhythm, sound, and figurative language while practicing strategies for generating ideas and developing creative work. Workshops and peer feedback support the development of critical reading and writing skills. The course emphasizes revision as an essential part of the writing process and encourages students to experiment with poetic techniques. Instruction centers on skill development and analytic engagement with poetry, allowing students to refine their own writing practices. Prerequisite: ENG 3315 with a grade of "D" or better.

ENG 3350. Global Medieval Literature.

This course examines medieval literature across Europe and beyond, exploring representative texts, genres, and cultural contexts. Students analyze how medieval authors use narrative, poetic, and dramatic forms to address social, philosophical, and artistic concerns. Readings may include epics, romances, devotional works, courtly narratives, and lyric poetry from a range of cultural traditions, and course texts vary by instructor. Students practice close reading, contextual research, and comparative interpretation to understand similarities and differences across medieval literary cultures and the influences that shaped medieval literary production.

ENG 3351. Early Medieval Literature of the British Isles.

This course introduces students to the literature and cultural contexts of the early medieval British Isles, with a focus on Old English texts presented in modern translation. Students examine representative works from early poetic traditions through Beowulf to understand their historical, linguistic, and cultural significance, analyzing how these works express themes such as community, heroism, spirituality, and cultural memory. The course then considers the influence of medieval literature on later traditions. Readings may include poetry, prose, monastic writings, and heroic narratives and vary by instructor.

ENG 3352. Medieval English Literature.

This course introduces students to medieval English literature beyond Chaucer, with selected texts provided in modern translation. Students analyze a diverse array of genres, including poetry, prose, and religious writings, to explore how writers from the Middle Ages addressed social, philosophical, and artistic concerns and engaged with themes such as heroism, community, spirituality, and cultural identity. The course investigates how medieval English literature reflects the linguistic, and artistic conditions of its period and prepares students to understand the complexity of medieval English literary traditions and their influence on later English literature.

ENG 3353. British Poetry and Prose of the Sixteenth Century.

This course examines selected poetry and prose from the sixteenth century in Britain, focusing on writers from Thomas More through Edmund Spenser. Students analyze how literary forms, genres, and themes reflect the linguistic, cultural, and political contexts of the Tudor period. Readings may include essays, dialogues, narrative prose, religious writings, and lyric or epic poetry, and the course explores diverse genres to analyze how authors use form, language, and literary technique in historical context. Texts are approached as literary artifacts, allowing students to investigate how writers respond to shifting cultural, intellectual, and political developments in the period.

ENG 3354. Early Shakespeare.

This course examines selected plays from Shakespeare’s early career through Hamlet, emphasizing close reading, dramatic form, and historical context. Students analyze how Shakespeare uses language, structure, and stagecraft to develop character, theme, and narrative, and consider how the plays reflect early modern social, cultural, and theatrical conditions. The course investigates dramatic techniques, thematic development, and the historical influences that shaped these plays, and analyzes how staging, language, and character function within early modern theater. Play selection varies by instructor.

ENG 3356. British Poetry and Prose of the Seventeenth Century.

This course surveys selected British poetry and prose of the seventeenth century, including works by authors such as Donne, Bacon, Milton, and Dryden. Students study literary forms, stylistic innovations, and the historical contexts that shaped this period, analyzing how writers use language, genre, and rhetorical strategies to address artistic, historical, philosophical, and religious questions of the time. Texts are approached as literary artifacts, allowing students to investigate how writers respond to shifting cultural, intellectual, and political developments. Readings vary by instructor.

ENG 3357. British Literature, 1688–1750.

This course examines British literature from the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, with particular attention to the development of literary genres. It investigates how authors use literary technique and structure to address artistic, social, and intellectual concerns. Students explore how writers responded artistically to cultural, intellectual, and political contexts of the period with new kinds of writing, including shifts in satire, periodical writing, and the rise of the novel. Through close reading, contextual analysis, and critical writing, students develop tools for analyzing stylistic features, genre conventions, and the broader evolution of British literature during this period. Readings vary by instructor.

ENG 3359. British Literature, 1750-1800.

This course examines British poetry and prose from the second half of the eighteenth century. Students analyze works associated with late Enlightenment thought as well as early expressions of the Romantic movement and reactions to the American and French Revolutions. Students study representative works to understand how changing philosophical and cultural contexts influenced literary experimentation and how literary techniques, thematic concerns, and historical contexts contribute to shifts in genre and style. Readings may include essays, poetry, satire, periodical literature, and proto Romantic texts and vary by instructor.

ENG 3362. The British Romantics.

This course examines selected British poetry and prose of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, focusing on how writers of the Romantic Age used form, language, and imagery to engage with questions of imagination, nature, emotion, politics, and artistic expression. Students investigate how Romantic authors responded to cultural and intellectual developments of the period, such as revolutions, industrialization, and changing aesthetic theories, through varying engagements with the sublime. Students analyze selected works as literary and historical artifacts, considering how cultural, philosophical, and social contexts shaped Romantic era writing. Readings vary by instructor and may include a variety of genres.

ENG 3365. Victorian Literature and Culture.

This course explores British literature from 1837 to 1901, situating texts in relation to broader social contexts, including industrialization, imperialism, debates about women’s rights, environmentalism, and developments in print culture. Assigned readings may span genres (poetry, fiction, and non-fiction prose) and features the work of a variety of Victorian writers. Student analyze how influential literary, artistic, and intellectual movements, authors, and ideas that have informed and inspired subsequent literature in Britain and across the globe. (WI).

ENG 3368. The British Novel.

This course explores British prose fiction in the specific literary genre of the novel. Students analyze how authors use narrative structure, characterization, voice, and theme to shape their fictions, the course explores how historical, cultural, and artistic contexts have informed the evolution of the genre. Through close reading, contextual inquiry, and analytical writing, students develop foundational tools for understanding narrative traditions in a British context. Readings vary depending on instructor emphasis and may be organized by narrative technique, thematic development, and/or genre evolution.

ENG 3370. Twentieth- and Twenty-First Century British Literature.

This course examines selected British poetry, fiction, and drama from 1900 to the present, analyzing how writers engage with artistic, cultural, and historical developments of the modern and contemporary periods and respond to dramatic technological, political, and social change. The course engages with narrative techniques, poetic strategies, dramatic structure, and thematic innovation across diverse literary movements, potentially including Georgian poetry, Modernism, the Bloomsbury Group, the Angry Young Men, the Theatre of the Absurd, and varieties of postmodernism and contemporary experimental forms. Readings vary with instructor emphasis.

ENG 3372. Race and Ethnicity in Texts.

This course examines how race and ethnicity are depicted, represented, and engaged in a variety of literary and cultural texts. Students analyze narrative strategies, rhetorical choices, and contextual elements that shape portrayals of identity and community and examine the narrative, structural, and stylistic techniques authors and creators use to portray cultural experiences. Specific content and focus vary by section, and readings may include fiction, poetry, essays, or digital media. Students develop interpretive, analytical, and contextual reasoning skills by evaluating how different texts represent social and cultural experiences. The course may be repeated once for credit when its topic varies.

ENG 3373. Gender and Sexualities in Texts.

This course examines themes of gender and sexuality across various genres and media in the context of narrative technique, formal structure, and character development. The course utilizes a variety of interpretative models to examine representations of gender and sexuality. Assignments include close reading and analytical writing that encourage the practice of interpretation and argumentation. Emphasis varies by section and may include studies in prose, poetry, film, or digital media. This course may be repeated once for credit when its topic varies. (WI).

ENG 3385. Children's Literature.

This course introduces students to literature written for children, from traditional tales to modern publications, examining a range of genres including picture books, poetry, novels, and folklore. It considers literary history, narrative strategies, aesthetic features, and the development of children’s literary traditions. Students examine narrative techniques, thematic concerns, and aesthetic features while learning how to analyze and interpret texts intended for young readers, considering how authors use structure, style, and illustration to communicate ideas specifically to children. Readings vary by instructor.

ENG 3386. Adolescent Literature.

This course examines a selection of classic and contemporary literature written for adolescent readers across a range of genres, including the bildungsroman, young adult/YA, graphic narratives, and/or memoirs and other nonfiction, and considers how authors modify literary forms and traditions to address themes relevant to adolescent audiences. Students examine narrative techniques, thematic elements, and historical and cultural contexts that shape adolescent literature and consider how texts intended for adolescent and young adult audiences engage with cultural, social, and literary traditions. Readings vary by instructor.

ENG 3388. Women's Writing.

This course examines selected writing by women from a range of historical periods and genres. Students analyze how women authors use language, form, and narrative strategies to address artistic, social, and intellectual concerns in their particular contexts and how they contribute to and interact with broader literary traditions. Simultaneously, they consider how women writers have created literary traditions of their own. Readings vary by instructor and may include poetry, fiction, drama, essays, and other forms, organized by historical period, theme, or genre.

ENG 3389. Teaching English Language Arts in the Secondary Classroom.

This course familiarizes future secondary teachers with the discipline of English as a formal academic field and the practice of teaching English Language Arts. It covers curriculum design, instructional planning, assessment strategies, and approaches to teaching reading, writing, language, and literature. Through analysis, practice, and reflection, students develop foundational competencies necessary for effective and ethically grounded secondary ELA instruction. The course is a required part of the student teaching sequence and prepares students for the English TExES (Texas Examination of Educator Standards).

ENG 3390. Independent Study in Language and Literature.

This course provides an opportunity for individualized study of a special problem in language and/or literature. Students work with a supervising instructor to develop an approved reading list, a focused research question, and a plan for regular tutorial meetings. The course emphasizes evidence based analysis, independent inquiry, and clearly articulated research methods appropriate to advanced study. Projects may involve historical, theoretical, linguistic, or literary analysis depending on student interests and faculty expertise. The final product typically includes a research paper or equivalent project demonstrating mastery of the selected topic. Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

ENG 3392. Women Writers of the Middle Ages.

This course examines religious and secular writings by women from the early Church through the fifteenth century, with texts presented in modern translation where necessary. Students investigate how women writers used language, form, and narrative strategies to address spiritual, intellectual, and cultural concerns, and how those authors engaged with the literary forms, devotional expression, historical context, and cultural conditions of the medieval period. Readings vary by instructor and may include letters, visionary texts, spiritual treatises, historical accounts, poetry, and early prose.

ENG 3393. Postcolonial Literatures.

This course offers a study of postcolonial literatures from a range of global regions, including Canada, the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia, Ireland, and Australia. Students analyze how authors use literary form, style, and technique to explore questions of history, identity, and cultural expression in the context of the colonial, decolonial, and postcolonial experience. Emphasis is placed on close reading and comparative analysis of aesthetic, formal, and thematic analysis, with attention to narrative structure, language, and genre. Texts are read in English. (WI).

ENG 4310. Modern English Syntax.

This course examines English syntax as described by traditional, structural, and transformational grammarians. Students learn how different grammatical models describe the structure of English phrases, clauses, and sentences and how models of syntactic structures can be applied to analyze authentic language data. The course treats grammatical theories as tools for linguistic inquiry rather than prescriptive models of correct usage. Students practice identifying syntactic patterns, constructing analyses, and evaluating theoretical explanations. Assignments include problem sets, analytic exercises, and written explanations of syntactic phenomena.

ENG 4323. Studies in Autobiography and Biography.

This course explores selected works of autobiography and biography from a range of historical periods and cultural contexts, focusing on narrative technique, structure, and the representation of lived experience. Coursework considers how writers construct life narratives, use evidence, shape character, and organize events to create meaning, and how biographies and autobiographies shape life stories through literary strategies such as selection, emphasis, point of view, and rhetorical framing. Readings vary by instructor and may be organized by theme, genre, or national tradition.

ENG 4325. Literature of the Southwest.

This course examines literature from Texas and the broader Southwestern United States, including selected works of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction prose. Coursework considers how the unique features of the Southwest influence narrative and stylistic choices across various genres of writing, and students analyze how authors engage with themes such as place, community, identity, and environment while grounding interpretations in historical and cultural contexts. The course further considers how Southwestern writing has shaped broader media representations of the region.

ENG 4334. US Romanticism.

This course examines selected works associated with the Romantic movement of the nineteenth century in the United States, focusing on how writers engaged with literary, philosophical, and cultural questions of the era. Students analyze prose, poetry, and related texts to understand how Romantic ideas developed within the US and the literary relationships by which authors influenced one another. Coursework explores how authors use language, imagery, and narrative structures to engage with Romantic concerns such as imagination, nature, and individual experience.

ENG 4343. Approaches to a British Author.

This course studies the works of a single British author, such as Charles Dickens, Mary Wollstonecraft, Virginia Woolf, or Zadie Smith, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Coursework offers the opportunity for detailed study of the author’s literary output in its historical and cultural context. Students analyze how the author’s literary techniques, stylistic features, and thematic concerns shape selected works and how those works interact with larger literary movements and historical environments. Specific content and focus vary by section, and the course may be repeated once for credit when its emphasis varies.

ENG 4344. Approaches to a US Author.

This course studies the works of a single US author, such as Gloria Anzaldúa, Cormac McCarthy, bell hooks, or Toni Morrison, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Coursework offers the opportunity for detailed study of the author’s literary output in its historical and cultural context. Students analyze how the author’s literary techniques, stylistic features, and thematic concerns shape selected works and how those works interact with larger literary movements and historical environments. Specific content and focus vary by section, and the course may be repeated once for credit when its emphasis varies.

ENG 4345. Approaches to a Global Author.

This course studies the works of a single global author, such as Dante Alighieri, Anita Desai, Paolo Friere, or Chinua Achebe, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Coursework offers the opportunity for detailed study of the author’s literary output in its historical and cultural context. Students analyze how the author’s literary techniques, stylistic features, and thematic concerns shape selected works and how those works interact with larger literary movements and historical environments. Specific content and focus vary by section, and the course may be repeated once for credit when its emphasis varies.

ENG 4348. Senior Seminar in Fiction Writing.

This course provides an advanced and intensive workshop in fiction writing, emphasizing craft, analytical reading, and revision practices appropriate to a senior level seminar. Students study narrative techniques such as characterization, point of view, structure, style, and pacing while offering and receiving evidence based feedback on works in progress. Coursework includes structured workshops designed to promote constructive, evidence based critique of peer writing. Through these workshops, independent drafting, and sustained revision, students develop a final portfolio of creative work demonstrating growth in fiction writing skills. Prerequisite: ENG 3348 with a grade of "D" or better.

ENG 4349. Senior Seminar in Poetry Writing.

This course provides an advanced and intensive workshop in poetry writing, emphasizing craft, analytical reading, and revision practices appropriate to a senior level seminar. Students study poetic techniques such as imagery, lineation, rhythm, sound, and figurative language while offering and receiving evidence based feedback on works in progress. Coursework includes structured workshops designed to promote constructive, evidence based critique of peer writing. Through these workshops, independent drafting, and sustained revision, students develop a final portfolio of creative work demonstrating growth in poetry writing skills. Prerequisite: ENG 3349 with a grade of "D" or better.

ENG 4350. Senior Seminar in Film.

This course integrates the varying approaches to film and media studies, including film criticism, history, theory, screenwriting, and practical video skills. Coursework is organized around the study of a specific director, studio, genre, or movement, providing the opportunity for sustained, in-depth analysis. Students select an area of focus and complete work that may include analytical writing, screenplay development, or video projects. Specific content and focus vary by section, and this course may be repeated once for credit when its emphasis varies.

ENG 4351. Chaucer and His Time.

This course examines the works of Geoffrey Chaucer within the historical, cultural, linguistic, and literary contexts of late medieval England. Students analyze selections from The Canterbury Tales and other Chaucerian texts using close reading, genre analysis, and contextual interpretation to analyze narrative technique, language, and historical influences. Coursework explores how Chaucer engages with social, religious, and political conditions of his time while considering texts as historical and literary artifacts. Readings, topics, and analytical emphases vary by instructor.

ENG 4355. The Later Shakespeare.

This course explores Shakespeare’s later works including the problem comedies, the tragedies, and the plays of his final years. It emphasizes reading in depth, and course texts include the plays, significant critical materials, and selected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries. Coursework explores characterization, language, dramatic structure, and theatrical context. Students study the historical, literary, and cultural context for the plays while engaging critically with major scholarly interpretations. Specific texts, emphases, and critical materials vary by instructor.

ENG 4358. Milton.

This course examines selected longer poems and prose works by John Milton, situating them within their historical, religious, political, and literary contexts. Students analyze Milton’s language, themes, and rhetorical strategies and explore how Milton employs epic form, lyric strategies, and political or theological argumentation in his works. Readings may include Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, Samson Agonistes, and selected prose works. The course emphasizes close reading, contextual analysis, and engagement with scholarly perspectives. Students develop skills in literary analysis, argumentation, and historical reasoning through written assignments and discussion.

ENG 4385. Advanced Studies in Children's or Adolescent Literature.

This course offers an advanced study in children’s or adolescent literature. Specific content and focus vary by section, and the course may be organized around a historical period, geographic region, genre, theme, single author, or theoretical approach. Coursework emphasizes the development of critical and research skills appropriate to upper-level literary study and scholarly questions particular to the fields of children’s and adolescent literature. Students practice advanced literary analysis, research methods, and evidence based interpretation. The course may be repeated once for credit when emphasis varies.