English

english.northwestern.edu

The Department of English values various kinds of critical inquiry and creativity. While some courses emphasize the formal qualities of literary works, others address such questions as what counts as “literary,” or how to characterize the relationships among literature, culture, and politics. Classes might discuss psychoanalysis, race and gender, or the history of the book. While courses have different approaches, methods, and emphases and the texts examined vary, all courses stress close reading and careful analysis of texts, whether written or visual. Reflecting both range and specificity, the curriculum enables students to pursue their areas of interest within a broader understanding of literary history and the range of literary study. In its creative writing courses the department offers training in verse, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Virtually all courses also include practice in writing clear, concise, and persuasive expository prose.

Rigorous training in thinking and writing is valuable for any career, including law, IT, communications, marketing, consulting, finance, and business as well as writing, publishing, and the teaching of English at all levels. Courses in English and American literature also help students to hone their skills as critical citizens of global communities.

The department takes pride in its diversity of perspectives. In addition to teaching classes in the department, English faculty contribute substantially to the course offerings in theater, drama, and comparative literature, as well as American, African American, Asian American, Latina and Latino, and gender and sexuality studies. Professors have taught courses in conjunction with the Newberry Library and other Chicago institutions.

Majors in English

A complete description of undergraduate English major programs may be obtained from the department office and website. Detailed descriptions of courses to be offered for the year are posted the preceding spring in English Course Listings on the department website.

English majors may ask any member of the department to serve as an academic adviser. A quarterly meeting with the adviser to discuss course selection and progress is strongly recommended.

Minors in English

The department offers a minor in literature and two minor tracks in creative writing; all offer experience in reading literary texts and writing critical analysis.

The Teaching of English

Weinberg College students pursuing a major in English who also wish to be certified for secondary teaching must be admitted to the Secondary Teaching Program in the School of Education and Social Policy and complete all requirements as outlined in the SESP chapter of this catalog. Students are urged to contact the Office of Student Affairs in SESP as early as possible in their academic careers.

Related Programs

Literature courses appear in the curricula of other Weinberg College departments, including African American studies, American studies, Asian American studies, comparative literary studies, drama, and gender and sexuality studies. See also the Writing Program for a list of composition (expository writing) courses.

ENGLISH 100-SW Summer Academic Workshop in Writing (1 Unit)   An introduction to college writing. Students learn how to use a process of planning, drafting, revising, and editing to write papers that are clear, concise, interesting, and persuasive.

ENGLISH 101-7 College Seminar (1 Unit)   Small, writing and discussion-oriented course exploring a specific topic or theme, and introducing skills necessary to thriving at Northwestern. Not eligible to be applied towards a WCAS major or minor except where specifically indicated.

ENGLISH 101-8 First-Year Writing Seminar (1 Unit)   Small, writing and discussion-oriented course exploring a specific topic or theme, and focused on the fundamentals of effective, college-level written communication. Not eligible to be applied towards a WCAS major or minor except where specifically indicated.

ENGLISH 105-0 Expository Writing (1 Unit)   Emphasizes all phases of the composition process, research methods, and critical thinking. Careful review of student papers and reports. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

ENGLISH 105-7 College Seminar (1 Unit)   Small, writing and discussion-oriented course exploring a specific topic or theme, and introducing skills necessary to thriving at Northwestern. Not eligible to be applied towards a WCAS major or minor except where specifically indicated.

ENGLISH 105-8 First-Year Writing Seminar (1 Unit)   Small, writing and discussion-oriented course exploring a specific topic or theme, and focused on the fundamentals of effective, college-level written communication. Not eligible to be applied towards a WCAS major or minor except where specifically indicated.

ENGLISH 106-1 Writing in Special Contexts (0.5 Unit)   Introduction to expository writing similar to ENGLISH 105-0 but paired with a course in another discipline.

ENGLISH 106-2 Writing in Special Contexts (0.5 Unit)   Introduction to expository writing similar to ENGLISH 105-0 but paired with a course in another discipline.

ENGLISH 200-0 Literary Histories (1 Unit)   Content varies, but all versions of this course engage with at least 200 years of literature from a particular tradition, genre, or theme, with an emphasis on literary history and narratives of continuity and change over time. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 202-0 Introduction to Creative Writing (1 Unit)   Forms and techniques of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

ENGLISH 205-0 Intermediate Composition (1 Unit)   Expository writing at an intermediate level. Emphasis on techniques for writing clearly, precisely, and persuasively. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

ENGLISH 206-0 Reading & Writing Poetry (1 Unit)   Forms and techniques of verse. May not be taken earlier than winter quarter of the first year. Seniors may enroll only with department consent.

ENGLISH 207-0 Reading and Writing Fiction (1 Unit)   Forms and techniques of fiction.

ENGLISH 208-0 Reading & Writing Creative Non-Fiction (1 Unit)   Forms and techniques of creative nonfiction.

ENGLISH 209-0 Topics in Genre Writing (1 Unit)   Forms and techniques of genre writing (e.g., screenwriting, young adult fiction, adaptation, memoir). May be repeated for credit with different topic.

ENGLISH 210-1 British Literary Traditions (1 Unit)   Chronological survey of British literature in its cultural contexts from Beowulf to the 18th century. Suitable for majors and nonmajors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 210-2 British Literary Traditions (1 Unit)   Chronological survey of British literature in its cultural contexts from the late 18th century to the present day. Suitable for majors and nonmajors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 211-0 Introduction to Poetry (1 Unit)   Introduction to poetic analysis across a wide range of authors and periods, with emphasis on poetry’s formal elements, genre conventions, and the historical, material, and cultural conditions that shape them. Suitable for majors and nonmajors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 212-0 Introduction to Drama (1 Unit)   Introduction to the fundamental elements of drama as perceived in performance, exploring how dramatic works communicate from text to stage to audience. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 213-0 Introduction to Fiction (1 Unit)   Introduction to the analysis of prose fiction from the 18th century to the present day, with special attention to narrative strategies and their historical and cultural contexts. Suitable for majors and nonmajors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 214-0 Introduction to Film and Its Literatures (1 Unit)   Introduction to the theory and practice of formal film analysis. Students will gain a critical overview of multiple forms of film-related writing, including historical scholarship, film theory, popular reviews, legal documents, manifestos, and movie-inspired fiction. Suitable for majors and nonmajors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 215-0 Topics in Literature, Film, and Media (1 Unit)   In contrast to ENGLISH 214-0, which introduces students to a wider mix of literary, cinematic, and media traditions, this course explores specific topics, forms, periods, or genres in greater depth. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 220-0 The Bible as Literature (1 Unit)   Selected books of the Hebrew bible and New Testament studied from a literary perspective. Students will consider issues of plot, character, genre, narrative strategy, and theories of interpretation. Suitable for majors and nonmajors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Students may not receive credit if they took the same class as the former COMP_LIT 210-0. Ethical and Evaluative Thinking Foundational Disci Ethics Values Distro Area Interdisciplinary Distro - See Rules Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 234-0 Introduction to Shakespeare (1 Unit)   Introduction to representative Shakespearean plays, including comedies, tragedies, and romances. Suitable for majors and nonmajors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 266-0 Introduction to African American Literature (1 Unit)   Literature of Black people in the United States from slavery to freedom. Works of major writers and significant but unsung bards of the past. Taught with AF_AM_ST 210-0; may receive credit for only 1 of these courses. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 267-0 Topics in African American Literature (1 Unit)   Content varies. In contrast to ENGLISH 266-0, which offers a broad survey of the field, this course explores particular topics in African American literature in greater depth. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 270-1 American Literary Traditions (1 Unit)   Representative writers and works of American literature in cultural context. Works discussed range from culture contact to the Civil War. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 270-2 American Literary Traditions (1 Unit)   Representative 19th- and 20th-century works of American literature in cultural context. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 273-0 Introduction to 20th-Century American Literature (1 Unit)   Representative works of American literature since World War I. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 274-0 Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Literatures (1 Unit)   Survey of Native American and Indigenous literatures from pre-contact periods to the present. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 275-0 Introduction to Asian American Literature (1 Unit)   Survey of Asian American literature from the early 20th century to the present, covering a range of genres and ethnicities. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Taught with ASIAN_AM 275-0; may receive credit for only 1 of these courses. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 276-0 Topics in Asian American Literature (1 Unit)   Content varies. In contrast to ENGLISH 275-0, which offers a broad survey of the field, this course explores particular topics in Asian American literature in greater depth. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Taught with ASIAN_AM 276-0. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 277-0 Introduction to Latinx Literature (1 Unit)   Surveys major writers and movements from the Spanish colonial era to the present, covering a range of genres and ethnicities. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Taught with LATINO 277-0 and SPANISH 277-0; may receive credit for only 1 of these courses. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 280-0 Introduction to Postcolonial Literature (1 Unit)   Introduction to the field of postcolonial literary studies, including a critical overview of key terms and major debates. Students will read selected postcolonial literary works, paying particular attention to their formal properties, alongside theoretical and historical texts on colonialism and its aftermath. Suitable for majors and nonmajors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 281-0 Topics in Postcolonial & Comparative Literatures (1 Unit)   Content varies. In contrast to ENGLISH 280-0, which offers a broad survey of the field, this course explores particular topics in postcolonial and comparative literatures in greater depth. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 282-0 Writing and Speaking in Business (1 Unit)   Emphasizes writing and speaking to inform and persuade audiences in business contexts to achieve business goals. Attention to clear, compelling, and well-organized written and oral communication.

ENGLISH 283-0 Introduction to Literature and the Environment (1 Unit)   Studies in literature and other media oriented by ecological thinking. An introduction to the ways in which language, literature, and aesthetic production shape ideas about nature, varying widely across historical and cultural contexts. Suitable for majors and nonmajors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 284-0 Topics in Literature and the Environment (1 Unit)   Content varies. In contrast to ENGLISH 283-0, which offers a broad survey of the field, this course explores particular topics in greater depth. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 285-0 Topics in Literature and Culture (1 Unit)   Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore literary texts in their cultural contexts. Suitable for majors and non-majors. No prior knowledge of the field is expected. Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 300-0 Seminar in Reading and Interpretation (1 Unit)   Close reading of literary works in the light of various critical methodologies in literary study, with an emphasis on developing skills in qualitative analysis and oral and written expression. Required for English literature majors and minors; recommended for Creative Writing majors and minors. Offers good preparation for higher-level literary study. May be taken only once. Advanced Expression Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 302-0 History of the English Language (1 Unit)  

Examines the history of English from its origins to the present day, with particular attention to the relationship between language and social power, including efforts to elevate the status of certain forms of English and the dynamics of self-consciously “low” registers of language such as slang and obscenity. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, History, or Linguistics.

Historical Studies Distro Area Historical Studies Foundational Discipline Interdisciplinary Distro - See Rules Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 304-0 Practical Rhetoric (1 Unit)   The theory of writing and skills that underlie good writing; primarily for teachers in secondary schools and universities.

ENGLISH 305-0 Advanced Composition (1 Unit)   This course is for undergraduate students in their second year or above who want to develop their abilities to write in different styles and for different audiences. Advanced Expression

ENGLISH 306-0 Advanced Poetry Writing (1 Unit)   Content varies. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: ENGLISH 206-0, ENGLISH 207-0, ENGLISH 208-0, or Department consent.

ENGLISH 307-0 Advanced Creative Writing (1 Unit)   Content varies. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: ENGLISH 206-0, ENGLISH 207-0, ENGLISH 208-0, or Department consent.

ENGLISH 308-0 Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing (1 Unit)   Content varies. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: ENGLISH 206-0, ENGLISH 207-0, ENGLISH 208-0, or department consent.

ENGLISH 309-0 Advanced Creative Cross-Genre Writing (1 Unit)   Content varies. May be repeated twice for credit with a different topic. Prerequisite: ENGLISH 206-0, ENGLISH 207-0, ENGLISH 208-0, or department consent.

ENGLISH 310-0 Studies in Literary Genres (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine the history, deployment, and function of literary genres in a range of texts and periods. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 311-0 Studies in Poetry (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore a wide range of authors and periods, with emphasis on poetry’s formal elements, genre conventions, and the historical, material, and cultural conditions that shape them. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 312-0 Studies in Drama (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore elements of drama as perceived in performance, examining how dramatic works communicate from text to stage to audience. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Theatre, Performance Studies, or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 313-0 Studies in Fiction (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine how authors have developed and contested fictional forms across a range of texts and periods, with special attention to narrative strategies and their historical and cultural contexts. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 322-0 Medieval Drama (1 Unit)  

Examines the 15th-century English mystery cycles, miracle plays, and morality plays in their cultural contexts. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Theater, Performance Studies, or a related discipline.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 323-1 Medieval Poetry (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine medieval narrative and lyric poetry in their cultural contexts. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 324-0 Studies in Medieval Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine literature composed during the Middle Ages (c. 500 – c. 1500) across a range of potential themes, forms, and genres. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 331-0 Renaissance Poetry (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine narrative and/or lyric poetry from the early modern period (c. 1500 – 1660) in its cultural context. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 332-0 Renaissance Drama (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine dramatic works from the early modern period (c. 1500 – 1660) in their cultural contexts. Authors studied may include Shakespeare, Marlowe, Jonson, Webster. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Theater, Performance Studies, or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 334-2 Shakespeare (1 Unit)  

Principal plays after 1600.

Literature Fine Arts Distro Area

ENGLISH 338-0 Studies in Renaissance Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine works from the early modern period (c. 1500 – 1660), exploring both literary forms and cultural contexts. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 339-0 Studies in Shakespeare (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine the works of Shakespeare in their cultural contexts. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Theater, Performance Studies, or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 340-0 Studies in 18th-Century Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore works composed in the 18th century in their intellectual and cultural contexts. Potential genres include poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 344-0 18th-Century Fiction (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine 18th century prose fiction, with attention to the development of the novel as literary form. Authors may include Austen, Burney, Defoe, Equiano, Fielding, Radcliffe, Richardson, Sterne. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 351-0 Romantic Poetry (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine poetry composed during the Romantic era (c. 1790-1850) in its cultural context. Authors may include Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, Keats. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 353-0 Studies in Romantic Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine literature composed during the Romantic period (c. 1790-1850) in its cultural context. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 357-0 19th-Century British Fiction (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine 19th century prose fiction in its cultural context, with attention to the development of the novel as a literary form. Authors may include Shelley, the Brontë sisters, Collins, Dickens, Eliot, Gaskell, Hardy, James, Thackeray, Trollope, Wilde. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 359-0 Studies in 19th-Century Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine literature written in English between 1800 and 1900. Students will consider how genre, narrative form, style, and cultural context shaped this era of literature. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 365-0 Studies in Postcolonial Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine postcolonial literary works produced outside of Britain and the United States. Students will read selected works, examine their formal properties, and consider theoretical and historical texts on colonialism and its aftermath. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 366-0 Studies in African American Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine African American literature in its cultural contexts. Students will read selected primary texts alongside theoretical works. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Black Studies, or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 368-0 Studies in 20th- and 21st-Century Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine literature of the 20th and 21st centuries in its cultural contexts. Students will consider how writers use genre, form, and style to explore identity and grapple with aspects of modernity and postmodernity. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 369-0 Studies in African Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore literature written by African authors, with an emphasis on 20th and 21st century Anglophone texts. Students will read selected primary texts alongside essential theoretical works. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, African Studies, or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 371-0 American Novel (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course situate American novels within their cultural contexts. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 372-0 American Poetry (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine American poetry in its cultural contexts. Students will consider poetry’s formal elements, genre conventions, and the historical, material, and cultural conditions that shape them. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 374-0 Studies in Native American and Indigenous Literatures (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore Native American and Indigenous literatures in their cultural contexts. Texts may be drawn from any era from the pre-contact period to the present. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Native American and Indigenous Studies, or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 375-0 Studies in Asian American Literature (1 Unit)   Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore Asian American literature in its cultural contexts. Selected texts range from the early 20th century to the present and engage with a range of genres and ethnicities. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Asian American Studies, or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 377-0 Topics in Latinx Literature (1 Unit)   Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine Latinx literature in its cultural contexts. Selected texts range from the Spanish colonial era to the present and engage with a range of genres and ethnicities. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Latinx Studies, or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

ENGLISH 378-0 Studies in American Literature (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore American literature from the contact period to the present day. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 381-0 Literature & Medicine (1 Unit)   Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore medicine through a variety of literary media. Potential subjects of study include illness, ageing, medical treatment, wellness culture, and doctor-patient relationships. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, pre-health fields, or related disciplines. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 383-0 Special Topics in Theory (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course examine literature and culture through the lens of key topics and debates in literary theory. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 385-0 Studies in Literature and Culture (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore the intersection between literature and culture. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English or a related discipline. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 386-0 Studies in Literature and Film (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore literature and film as complementary modes of narrative communication. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Radio/Television/Film, or related disciplines. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.

Advanced Expression Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 388-0 Studies in Literature and Ethics (1 Unit)   Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course explore literary texts that emerge from, and speak back to, ethical and/or religious traditions. Recommended for students with prior coursework in English, Religious Studies, Philosophy, or related disciplines. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Advanced Expression Ethical and Evaluative Thinking Foundational Disci Ethics Values Distro Area Interdisciplinary Distro - See Rules Literature Fine Arts Distro Area Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 392-0 The Situation of Writing (1 Unit)   The sociology of writers, writing, publication, dissemination of literature, and reading. Prerequisite: admission to writing major.

ENGLISH 393-1 Theory and Practice of Poetry (1 Unit)   Tenets of poetry in English, including prosody, form, metaphor, voice, experimentation; involves intensive writing practice and culminates in the production of a long poem. Prerequisite: admission to creative writing sequence.

ENGLISH 393-2 Theory and Practice of Poetry (1 Unit)   Tenets of poetry in English, including prosody, form, metaphor, voice, experimentation; involves intensive writing practice and culminates in the production of a long poem. Prerequisite: admission to creative writing sequence.

ENGLISH 393-3 Theory and Practice of Poetry (1 Unit)   Tenets of poetry in English, including prosody, form, metaphor, voice, experimentation; involves intensive writing practice and culminates in the production of a long poem. Prerequisite: admission to creative writing sequence.

ENGLISH 394-1 Theory & Practice of Fiction (1 Unit)   Tenets of fictional realism and its substitutes; practice in different applications of plot, narrative technique, point of view; culminates in the writing of a novella. Prerequisite: admission to creative writing sequence.

ENGLISH 394-2 Theory & Practice of Fiction (1 Unit)   Tenets of fictional realism and its substitutes; practice in different applications of plot, narrative technique, point of view; culminates in the writing of a novella. Prerequisite: admission to creative writing sequence.

ENGLISH 394-3 Theory & Practice of Fiction (1 Unit)   Tenets of fictional realism and its substitutes; practice in different applications of plot, narrative technique, point of view; culminates in the writing of a novella. Prerequisite: admission to creative writing sequence.

ENGLISH 395-1 Theory and Practice of Creative Nonfiction (1 Unit)   Tenets of creative nonfiction; practice in different styles, form, and modes; culminates in the writing of a long creative nonfiction project. Prerequisite: admission to creative writing sequence.

ENGLISH 395-2 Theory and Practice of Creative Nonfiction (1 Unit)   Tenets of creative nonfiction; practice in different styles, form, and modes; culminates in the writing of a long creative nonfiction project. Prerequisite: admission to creative writing sequence.

ENGLISH 395-3 Theory and Practice of Creative Nonfiction (1 Unit)   Tenets of creative nonfiction; practice in different styles, form, and modes; culminates in the writing of a long creative nonfiction project. Prerequisite: admission to creative writing sequence.

ENGLISH 397-0 Research Seminar for Literature Majors (1 Unit)  

Although content varies depending on the course topic, all versions of this course teach the advanced research skills needed to write an extended essay on a literary topic. Students will learn how to develop an original argument and situate it within appropriate theoretical and literary critical frameworks. Recommended for junior and senior English literature majors and senior English literature minors. Students intending to pursue honors in English literature must take this course no later than spring quarter of the junior year.

Advanced Expression Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

ENGLISH 398-1 Honors Sequence (1 Unit)   The first course in a two-course sequence for seniors preparing an honors essay in the literature major. Students pursue individual research topics under the direction of the departmental honors coordinator and a faculty advisor. Admission by application only. Students will receive a K grade pending completion of the honors thesis.

ENGLISH 398-2 Honors Sequence (1 Unit)   The second course in a two-course sequence for seniors preparing an honors essay in the literature major. Students pursue individual research topics under the direction of the departmental honors coordinator and a faculty advisor. Admission by application only. Students will receive a K grade pending completion of the honors thesis.

ENGLISH 399-0 Independent Study (1 Unit)   Individual projects with faculty guidance. Open to majors with junior or senior standing and to senior minors. May be elected two times, but only 1 unit at a time. Prerequisite: consent of department.