EN 099 Foundations of Writing
3 non-degree credits
Students will produce paragraph and short essay pieces while practicing grammar and technical control skills. This course prepares students for EN 100 Fundamentals of College Writing. Placement is based upon an entrance writing test. A minimum of grade of "C" is required to pass this course. The grade for this course will not be factored into the students’ grade point average (GPA); however, students who fail this course will be dismissed from the College. (Offered Pre-Freshmen Summer College Only) Prerequisite: placement exam.
EN 100D Fundamentals of College Writing
3 non-degree credits
Students will write short essays including research and documentation using MLA style. This course prepares students for English 101 by introducing them to the fundamentals of college level academic writing. A minimum grade of "C" is required to pass this course. The grade earned in this course is factored into the students’ grade point average (GPA). However, the course does not count as academic credit toward the degree. Placement is based upon an entrance writing test. Ordinarily, students are expected to complete this course by the end of their first year of college (September to September or January to January). Students who participate in Summer College (August) prior to their first year of school must complete this course by the end of that academic year (May). Students who fail this course twice will be dismissed from the College.
EN 101 Academic Writing I
3 credits (AS)
A required component of the College General Education Program, Academic Writing I focuses on analysis and argument. Students will practice critical thinking and critical reading while developing essays to analyze texts and create an academic argument. Students must earn a C (74%) or higher in order to qualify for EN 201 Academic Writing II.
EN 101H Academic Writing I Honors
3 credits (AS)
Academic Writing I Honors is a course that is open to members of the All-College Honors Program. Students will be introduced to the basic expectations of college writing, with emphasis on writing from reading. It will also allow students to practice and develop their ability to analyze written and other texts from multiple viewpoints; develop clear and convincing thinking in response to topics and questions; communicate thoughts with clarity; and revise your written work to improve its effectiveness.
EN 102 Foundations of Academic Writing
3 credits (AS)
Foundations of Academic Writing introduces students to college level academic writing with an emphasis on writing from critical analysis and critical reading. Students will develop and improve writing skills essential to beginning college level writing tasks. Practicing these skills will involve applying rhetorical elements such as audience, context and purpose as well as organizational strategies and text/source analysis and evaluation to produce MLA style documented essays. By demonstrated need, students will work to expand their vocabularies and refine their control of diction, style, and mechanics in their writing. Some activities will be self-paced, others large group oriented, and still others may be completed collaboratively in small groups. A writing portfolio will be assembled for final evaluation purposes. At the conclusion of EN 102, students must receive a C (74%) or higher to advance to EN 201.
EN 112 Stages
3 credits (AS)
"All the world’s a stage," Shakespeare wrote. Throughout history, thinkers seeking to understand the human condition have drawn on the concept of stages in the sense of interrelated but transforming historical eras, as periods of a human life, and as a metaphor drawn from theater to explain how we act in our daily lives. This interdisciplinary course focuses on issues relevant to literature, theater, art, and film, and their connections to everyday life. It is designed to help link studies of these different art forms to the ways we use the creative process to make sense of the world.
EN 201 Academic Writing II
3 credits (AS)
A required component of the College General Education Program, Academic Writing II emphasizes writing from research. Students will create analytical and short argument essays, research and analyze texts, and craft a variety of focused writings in order to enter an academic conversation through a sustained argument essay. Prerequisite: A "C" or better in EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 201H Academic Writing II Honors
3 credits (AS)
In this course, reading assignments and writing projects will help students develop a mature style and insights into their own writing and the writing of professional writers. Current composition theory will provide students with a framework that invites them to explore the relationships among the writer, the reader, the world, and the message. The course may be focused on a theme such as language, 19th century capitalism, or immigration; and students will be expected to use a variety of approaches and points of view to explore this issue in their research, readings, classroom discussions, and writing assignments. Students will work collaboratively on some writing projects. In this course, a final proficiency exam is a required part of student assessment. Satisfies the All-College graduation requirement. (Offered spring term) Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in EN 101 Academic Writing I, 3.0 grade point average and successful completion of all courses attempted.
EN 210 Approaches to Literature: Analysis and Interpretation
3 credits (AS)
This course provides an introduction to the field of literacy and cultural studies. The goal is to develop and practice the methods and tools of critical analysis using a variety of viewpoints (historical and theoretical) in order to interpret literary texts. The course focuses on a deep and thorough examination of multiple works from one author, period, or genre (you may contact the instructor for information pertaining to the course's focus for the upcoming term). The course will also emphasize the practice of clear and correct analytical writing. This course fulfills the General Education Cultural Literacy requirement. (Offered spring term) Prerequisite: Must have completed or be concurrently enrolled in EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 213 Creative Writing-Fiction
3 credits (AS)
Students read short stories by authors of different time periods and cultures to increase their knowledge of the forms and techniques of fiction. In-class workshops, peer critiquing, and short writing exercises help students develop their individual writing styles. Students produce several short stories or a novel excerpt. (Offered alternate spring terms) Prerequisite: EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 214 Creative Writing-Poetry
3 credits (AS)
Students read poetry of different ages and nations in order to learn about the genre, its forms and techniques. They apply their knowledge in the many poems they write to increase their versatility and develop their own style. (Offered alternate spring terms) Prerequisite: EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 216 Shakespeare and His Rivals
3 credits (AS)
In this class students read plays by Shakespeare, as well as selected plays by his contemporaries, imitators, heirs, descendants and adapters. Plays are studied in their dramatic, literary and cultural contexts. Particular attention is given to examining the works as performance texts. By examining both the similarities and the differences between Shakespeare and his rivals, students will gain a wider perspective on the playwrights and their periods. (Offered fall term) Prerequisite: Must have completed or be concurrently enrolled in EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 221 Ethnic American Literature
3 credits (AS)
Students read and discuss important works by writers from different ethnic groups, such as African-American, Chicano, Jewish-American, and Native American. Writers are examined as individuals, as members of ethnic groups, and as participants in world culture. The course fulfills the General Education Cultural Diversity requirement. (Offered alternate spring terms) Prerequisite: Must have completed or be concurrently enrolled in EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 228 Women in Literature
3 credits (AS)
Students will explore different images of women presented in literary works written by female authors and apply feminist theories to textual analysis. Class discussions will focus on gender construction that takes place at the intersection of sex, social class and race/ethnicity, as well as on the restrictive social roles of women within patriarchal societies. Since literary images do not exist in a vacuum but are firmly situated within social/political/cultural realities, this course will reflect a multidisciplinary approach in its examination of literary texts as well as films and other visual material.
EN 241 Children's Literature
3 credits (AS)
This is an introductory-level literature course that explores works written for, or read primarily by, children. The course readings focus on classic and recent texts that exemplify the basic modes, styles, and themes of children’s literature (excluding the picture-book): traditional folk and fairy tales; nonsense; fantasies; and realistic stories. The course also addresses the cultural history of Children’s Literature and presents a variety of theoretical approaches to reading and analysis.
EN 243 Topics in Literature
3 Credits (AS)
This introductory level course will explore areas in the study of Literature, focusing on a particular genre, theme, or issue, and enables comparison and analysis of multiple texts. The topic varies from year to year, and the course may be repeated for credit when the topic is different.
EN 312 Advanced Composition
3 credits (AS)
Students read and write essays, building on and extending skills developed in lower-division courses. Emphasis is on reading analytically, interpreting texts, and drawing on new ideas. Through frequent workshops, the course fosters self-confidence and encourages writers to become proficient editors of their own work. (Offered spring term) Prerequisite: EN 201 Academic Writing II.
EN 314 British Literature: To 1800
3 credits (AS)
Students read selected works by major British authors through the 18th century. Cultural and historical contexts are emphasized. Prerequisite: EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 315 British Literature: 1800-present
3 credits (AS)
Students read selected works by major British authors of the 19th and 20th centuries. Cultural and historical contexts are emphasized. EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 316 Advanced Creative Writing
3 credits (AS)
Having taken a 200-level creative writing course prior to this class, students continue to read literature of different eras in order to learn about poetry and fiction, and their forms and techniques. Particular attention will be paid to contemporary trends in the context of the literary tradition. Students will apply the knowledge gained to their own writing to increase their versatility and develop their style. Students will further learn to critique their own work and the work of others by participating in the workshop process. They will learn to revise manuscripts based on the critical evaluations they receive in the workshop and from the instructor. Advanced students will use the tools acquired in the introductory course to further refine their critical capacity and to produce sophisticated products that show familiarity with literary techniques or trends. All sections of EN 316 are offered concurrently (“stacked”) with sections of EN 213, Fiction, or EN 214, Poetry. Prerequisite: EN 213 or EN 214. Offered fall and spring semesters; may be taken twice for credit.
EN 321 Literature of the United States: 1800-1914
3 credits (AS)
Students read selected works by major U.S. writers of the period. Cultural and historical contexts are emphasized. Prerequisite: EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 322 Literature of the United States: 1914-Present
3 credits (AS)
Students read selected works by major U.S. writers of the period. Cultural and historical contexts are emphasized. Prerequisite: EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 341 Myth and the Modern Mind
3 credits (AS)
This course undertakes a general consideration of the concept of myth and its relationship to the modern world through a study of important works of both classic and recent science fiction and fantasy. Students explore the landscape of mythic questions and themes which express our culture’s relationship with history and the world in general. (Offered alternate spring terms)
EN 342 Studies in Children's Literature
3 credits (AS)
Students explore the many genres of children's literature, examining each through its history and how it reflects societal values. Students will acquire a broad knowledge of the field through assigned textbooks and supplemental readings, research assignments and discussions. One creative project, a research paper and several workshop-style activities will be required to demonstrate mastery of course objectives. Prerequisite: EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 351 Introduction to Postcolonial Literature
3 credits (AS)
This course focuses on a study of postcolonial literature within a global framework, emphasizing the political, historical, and cultural dimensions of selected texts. The course will begin with a study of late nineteenth-century imperial texts by such writers as Conrad and Kipling and move to recent literature by Soyinka, Achebe, Desai, Rushdie and others. Topics of discussion may include nationalism, race and gender. (Offered on a rotating basis)
EN 401 Narrative Structure
3 credits (AS)
This course covers essential aspects of the theory and practice of narratology: what stories are, how they are made, what they do, and how we talk about them. The course will focus on theoretical concepts and their application to specific narratives, using examples from popular culture, literature, film, theater, visual arts, and human communication forms (e.g., storytelling). Some course projects will give students the opportunity to do creative as well as critical work.
EN 441 Seminar: Genres and Movements
3 credits (AS)
Focusing on a genre or subgenre of literature, or on a literary period or movement, students participate in an advanced study of literary texts with an emphasis on cultural contexts. Through the study and application of secondary theoretical and critical works, the course considers a variety of interpretive and analytic positions.
EN 451 Seminar: Major Authors
3 credits (AS)
Focusing on a single author or several closely-related writers, students participate in an advanced study of literary texts with an emphasis on biographical and cultural contexts. Through the study and application of secondary theoretical and critical works, the course considers a variety of interpretive and analytic positions. May be retaken with permission of the program director.
EN 463 Studies in Literature and Culture: 1900-Present
3 credits (AS)
Focusing on the concepts of modernism and postmodernism, students read selected works of the 20th Century with an eye toward what those works reveal about changing artistic visions of the human condition. The course will also cover important theoretical approaches to definition and interpretation of literary texts. Prerequisite: EN 101 Academic Writing I.
EN 475 Theoretical Approaches to Literature and Culture
3 credits (AS)
This course devotes itself to the broad range of philosophical theories of meaning, interpretation, and criticism shaping current work in the humanities and the impact of these theories upon both institutional and individual scholarly practices. Students will explore such topics as formalism, semiotics, structuralism, deconstruction, as well as political, psychological, race and gender-based approaches to literature and culture. Prerequisite: EN 101 Academic Writing I.