English

The mission of the Department of English is to:

To help students improve the ability to read intelligently and to write with precision, fluency, and grace.
To enable students to evaluate literature of the United States and beyond, with an appreciation of the diversity represented throughout the world of letters.
To provide students with a broad historical view of literature, as well as an intensive knowledge of selected periods, genres, and writers.
To assist students in furthering the knowledge of the structure and history of language, and to acquaint them with the theories of language held by major schools of linguistic thought.
To enable students to evaluate texts not only as readers, but also as writers, and to seek innovative methods for expressing their own observations.

The Department of English is also a member of the only consortial MFA program in the Midwest, the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts in creative writing (NEOMFA). The NEOMFA offers intensive study in creative writing under the direction of esteemed practicing writers.

Visit the Department of English website to learn more.

English (ENGL)

ENGL 500 Anglo Saxon (3 Units)

Studies in Old English language and Old English prose and poetry, including Beowulf. (Formerly 3300:500)

ENGL 503 Development of Arthurian Legend (3 Units)

Traces evolution of Arthurian materials from 540 to 1500 and beyond, with emphasis on characters, themes, events and treatments. (Formerly 3300:503)

ENGL 506 Chaucer (3 Units)

Close study of Chaucer's major works - The Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde in Middle English. (Formerly 3300:506)

ENGL 507 Middle English Literature (3 Units)

Study of genres, topics, styles and writers of the Middle English literary works from 12th to 15th centuries. Readings in Middle English. (Formerly 3300:507)

ENGL 521 Swift & Pope (3 Units)

An intensive study of the major satires of Swift and Pope. Concentration on the rhetorical strategies of each author within the context of the shifting intellectual and cultural milieu at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th Centuries. (Formerly 3300:521)

ENGL 524 Early English Fiction (3 Units)

Development of English novel before 1830. Focus on works of Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, Smollett, Sterne, Austen and Scott. (Formerly 3300:524)

ENGL 530 Victorian Poetry & Prose (3 Units)

Poetry, prose of the late 19th Century, excluding fiction, with attention to Tennyson, Browning, Arnold, Carlyle, Ruskin and other major writers. (Formerly 3300:530)

ENGL 531 Victorian Fiction (3 Units)

Reading major novels of Victorian era, of varying length, by Emily Bronte, Dickens, Eliot, Thackeray and Hardy. Characterization, theme and attitude toward life emphasized. (Formerly 3300:531)

ENGL 535 20th Century British Poetry (3 Units)

Concentrated study of major poems of Yeats, Eliot and Auden, with attention also to Hardy, Housman, Spender, C. Day Lewis, Dylan Thomas and others. (Formerly 3300:535)

ENGL 536 British Fiction: 1900-1925 (3 Units)

Study of Conrad, Joyce, D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf, with attention to their innovations in narrative and style, their psychological realism and symbolism. (Formerly 3300:536)

ENGL 537 British Fiction Since 1925 (3 Units)

Study of important British novelists since 1925, excluding Lawrence, Joyce and Woolf. Attention to development of British short story from 1925 to present. (Formerly 3300:537)

ENGL 548 American Romantic Fiction (3 Units)

Examination of early American fiction, tracing its genesis, romantic period and germinal movements toward realism. Writers discussed include Cooper, Poe, Hawthorne and Melville. (Formerly 3300:548)

ENGL 549 American Fiction: Realism & Naturalism (3 Units)

Examination of American writers of realistic and naturalistic fiction (e.g. Howells, James, Crane, Dreiser), tracing developments in American fiction against background of cultural and historical change. (Formerly 3300:549)

ENGL 550 Modern American Fiction (3 Units)

Study of significant American short and long fiction from World War I to the present. (Formerly 3300:550)

ENGL 553 American Women Poets (3 Units)

Study of modern poets' uses and revisions of tradition, women's relationships, conceptions of art and of the artist-as-woman, and the debate between 'public' and 'private' poetry. (Formerly 3300:553)

ENGL 556 Thoreau, Emerson and Their Circle (3 Units)

A study of work and life of Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and other key figures of the American Renaissance. (Formerly 3300:556)

ENGL 557 Writers on Writing (3 Units)

A close look at what established writers have to say about the process of writing. Students write response essays and take exams on readings. (Formerly 3300:557)

ENGL 560 Film and Literature (3 Units)

Analysis of literary texts and their film adaptations. Emphasis on genre, structure, and visual elements as counterparts to written texts. (Formerly 3300:560)

ENGL 566 Linguistics and Language Arts (3 Units)

Foundation course in linguistics with pedagogical implications for second language learners. Fundamental topics (morphology, syntax, semantics, phonetics, pragmatics) and related topics (sociolinguistics, contrastive analysis) covered. (Formerly 3300:566)

ENGL 567 Modern European Fiction (3 Units)

Representative European writers from about 1850 to present, in translation. Focus on fiction of such writers as Zola, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Mann, Proust, Kafka and Solzhenitsyn. (Formerly 3300:567)

ENGL 568 International Poetry (3 Units)

This survey of world poetry focuses on the stylistic concerns and social consequences of literature from Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and beyond. (Formerly 3300:568)

ENGL 569 Eros & Love in Early Western Literature (3 Units)

An analysis of sex and love in the western literature from Greco-Roman times to 1800. Emphasis allegorical, satiric, fantastic or realistic uses of sexuality and 'romantic' love. (Formerly 3300:569)

ENGL 570 History of English Language (3 Units)

Development of English language, from its beginnings: sources of its vocabulary, its sounds, its rules; semantic change; political and social influences on changes; dialect origins; correctness. (Formerly 3300:570)

ENGL 571 U.S. Dialects: Black & White (3 Units)

Study of differences in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar among U.S. language varieties. Origins, regional and social dimensions are explored. Correctness, focusing on black English and Appalachian speech, explored. (Formerly 3300:571)

ENGL 572 Syntax (3 Units)

Principles of syntactic description. Sentence structures are investigated from a variety of languages, with emphasis on English. (Formerly 3300:572)

ENGL 573 Theoretical Foundations and Principles of ESL (3 Units)

Prerequisites: ENGL 371 or ENGL 466/566. Corequisites: ENGL 371 or ENGL 466/566. Second language acquisition theories and teaching methodologies surveyed. Second language teaching principles from research in linguistics, psycholinguistics, and second language pedagogy explored. (Formerly 3300:573)

ENGL 574 African American English (3 Units)

African American English grammatical structure, pronunciations, origins, and cultural role. Comparisons with academic English. Discussion of language correctness, legal status, and role in education. (Formerly 3300:574)

ENGL 575 Theory of Rhetoric (3 Units)

Ancient and modern theories of rhetoric, with attention to classical oration, 'topics' of rhetoric and their application to teaching of English. (Formerly 3300:575)

ENGL 577 Sociolinguistics (3 Units)

Major sociolinguistic concepts and methodology examined, as well as relationships between language, socio-cultural factors, and education. Issues of Standard English, power, and gender also examined. (Formerly 3300:577)

ENGL 578 Grammatical Structures of Modern English (3 Units)

Contemporary understanding of Modern English sentence structure: parts of speech, sentence types, phrase types, modification, coordination and subordination, parentheticals. Traditional grammar and sentence rhetoric discussed. (Formerly 3300:578)

ENGL 579 Management Reports (3 Units)

Study of principles and writing practice in effective business style, specialized structure, and purpose for business reports. (Formerly 3300:579)

ENGL 585 Science Fiction (3 Units)

A study of twentieth-century British and American science fiction, featuring primary forms of the science fiction story and the work of major authors. (Formerly 3300:585)

ENGL 586 Learner English (3 Units)

Introduction to tools for and practice in analyzing second language learners' production of English. Theory and practice of teaching oral and written English also covered. (Formerly 3300:586)

ENGL 587 Field Experience: Teaching Second Language Learners (3 Units)

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor required to enroll. Practical experience in which second language teachers-in-training observe, participate in, and practice teaching under the supervision of the instructor and/or an experienced, certified teacher. (Formerly 3300:587)

ENGL 589 Seminar in English (2-3 Units)

(May be repeated with different topics.) Special studies, and methods of literary research, in selected areas of English and American literature and language. (Formerly 3300:589)

ENGL 589-1 Harlem Renaissance (2-3 Units)

This seminar takes for examination a period in the U.S. defined as the Harlem Renaissance. With attention to the socio-political rumblings of the time, we will interrogate the ways in which literary texts selected for study reveal shifting consciousness among people of African descent as it pertains to race, class, and issues of belonging both within and outside of the “black” community, and both within and outside of the nation. Along with these questions are ones we will consider relative to the “Renaissance” aspect of the title. What kinds of challenges, for instance, did certain Negro artists of the burgeoning, cultural scene of the North face, particularly as it relates to audience, freedom of expression, and securing sponsorship? Finally, what might be said about any distinguishing features that identify a piece as belonging to the Harlem Renaissance period? Is it “periodization,” alone, or something else?

ENGL 590 Workshop in English (1-3 Units)

(May be repeated with different topics.) Group studies of special topics in English. Cannot be used to meet undergraduate or graduate major requirements in English; for elective credit only. (Formerly 3300:590)

ENGL 592 Internship in English (1-3 Units)

Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Graduate internship, including analytical reading and writing focused on liberal arts and career applications of the study of English. May count up to three credit. (Formerly 3300:592)

ENGL 600 Teaching College Composition Practicum (3 Units)

Prerequisite: teaching assistantship. Orientation and weekly analysis of teaching rationale and practice, limited to teaching assistants in the Department of English. (Credits may not be used to meet M.A. in English degree requirements.) (Formerly 3300:600)

ENGL 610 New Directions in the Teaching of Writing (3 Units)

This course introduces recent approaches to teaching writing through modes of digital composition, as well as considering composing for audiences with varying access needs. (Formerly 3300:610)

ENGL 611 Argument and Research Writing (3 Units)

This course introduces students to major theories of argumentation and research writing, with an emphasis on pedagogy. (Formerly 3300:611)

ENGL 615 Shakespearean Drama (3 Units)

Concentrated study of several Shakespearean plays with emphasis on historical, critical and dramatic documents pertinent to development of Shakespeare's art. (Formerly 3300:615)

ENGL 616 Shakespeare's Contemporaries in English Drama (3 Units)

Readings in such playwrights as Lyly, Greene, Marlowe, Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher, Webster, Middleton and Ford and in contemporary writings relevant to theory and practice of drama. (Formerly 3300:616)

ENGL 618 Milton (3 Units)

Emphasis on Milton's major poems and prose works: Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, Areopagitica. Student becomes acquainted with Milton the man and Milton the artist. (Formerly 3300:618)

ENGL 619 Seventeenth-Century English Literature (3 Units)

An examination of seventeenth-century British authors, including Donne, Jonson, Marvell, Milton, Bacon, and Bunyan, their canonical positions, their craft, and their literary criticism. (Formerly 3300:619)

ENGL 620 Autobiography as Literature (3 Units)

This course examines the genre of autobiography and memoir. A wide representation of autobiographies will be the focus of discussion and analysis. (Formerly 3300:620)

ENGL 625 Autobiographical Writing (3 Units)

Using a workshop format, this course examines autobiographical essays written by class members. Attention will also be given to the art and craft of writing autobiography. (Formerly 3300:625)

ENGL 627 Keats & Contemporaries (3 Units)

Writings of John Keats, studied against background of romantic poetic theory and poetry of Keats' contemporaries. (Formerly 3300:627)

ENGL 629 Twentieth Century Literature (3 Units)

This course introduces students to recent approaches to Twentieth Century Literature. The class is based on three thematic units and includes poetry, fiction, and drama. (Formerly 3300:629)

ENGL 630 Literature of the 1930s (3 Units)

A study of 1930s American literature in its social context, using recent critical theory to examine relationships between history and literature. (Formerly 3300:630)

ENGL 643 Seminar in James (3 Units)

A study of Henry James' life and works. Primary emphasis will be on James' fiction, both long and short, early and late; but some attention will also be given to his literary criticism, travel pieces and plays. (Formerly 3300:643)

ENGL 645 Poe and Hawthorne (3 Units)

Substantial readings from each author: tales, novels, essays, letters, poetry. Also, representative literary criticism about each author. (Formerly 3300:645)

ENGL 646 Whitman & Dickinson (3 Units)

Students study the work of Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and the appropriate recent scholarship. Students conduct, write about, and present their own scholarly research. (Formerly 3300:646)

ENGL 650 The New Rhetorics (3 Units)

This seminar examines the impact of rhetorical theory on the study and teaching of writing. We will study works from classical, modern, and postmodern rhetoricians. (Formerly 3300:650)

ENGL 651 The Pragmatists (3 Units)

This seminar examines the pragmatic roots of composition studies--the 'tacit tradition,' including classical expressivism, and criticisms of that movement. (Formerly 3300:651)

ENGL 660 Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice (3 Units)

This course explores the relationship between Cultural Studies and English Studies, examining the impact of Cultural Studies on the practice of textual analysis. (Formerly 3300:660)

ENGL 665 Literary Criticism (3 Units)

Inquiry into nature and value of literature and problems of practical criticism as represented in major statements of ancient and modern critics. (Formerly 3300:665)

ENGL 670 Modern Linguistics (3 Units)

Introductory examination of methods and results of modern grammatical research in syntax, semantics, phonology and dialects. Goals include understanding of language variation and background preparation for linguistic studies of literature. (Formerly 3300:670)

ENGL 673 Theories of Composition (3 Units)

Study of composition theories and research, with attention to their implications for writing and writing instruction. Particular focus on such topics as composing processes, invention, form, style, modes of writing, language varieties and evaluation of writing. Class sessions include discussion of readings and presentations. (Formerly 3300:673)

ENGL 674 Research Methodologies in Composition (3 Units)

Research methodologies in composition and their application. Students will define research areas, summarize and evaluate work already done, and propose and complete semester research projects. (Formerly 3300:674)

ENGL 675 Writing for MBAs (3 Units)

Emphasizes managerial writing. Writing tasks are presented as decision-making tools, and students develop strategies for messages to subordinates, analytical reports and messages to outside audiences. (Formerly 3300:675)

ENGL 676 Theory & Teaching of Basic Composition (3 Units)

Review of current research and exploration of specific instructional methods for teaching basic composition. (Formerly 3300:676)

ENGL 677 Science Writing (3 Units)

Study of principles and writing practice for effective communication in the physical or social sciences, including purpose, audience, specialized document structure, and oral presentations. (Formerly 3300:677)

ENGL 679 Scholarly Writing (3 Units)

Study of composing, analyzing and evaluating academic arguments. Practice in specific forms of academic writing such as reviews of research, articles and book reviews. (Formerly 3300:679)

ENGL 683 Seminar in Satire (3 Units)

A study of satire from the Middle Ages through the late 20th Century, with particular attention to techniques of satiric attack, modes of comedy and irony and literary criticism. (Formerly 3300:683)

ENGL 689 Seminar in English (2-3 Units)

(May be repeated with change of topics) Special topics within the general field of literature and language, usually focusing on major figures or themes. (Formerly 3300:689)

ENGL 690 Critical Approaches to Literature (3 Units)

Critical Approaches to Literature is a graduate-level course designed to familiarize high school teachers with strategies for introducing analysis, theory, and research to their students. (Formerly 3300:690)

ENGL 698 Individual Reading in English (1-3 Units)

Individual study under guidance of professor who directs and coordinates student's reading and research. (Formerly 3300:698)

ENGL 699 Master's Thesis/Capstone (3 Units)

Prerequisites: 18 credit hours completed in the program and permission of the department. Original work in the field of literature and language, culminating in the completion of either a thesis or a capstone. (Formerly 3300:699)