Department of English
201 Guilford House
Phone 368-2340; Fax 368-2216
Gary L. Stonum
The Department of English offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Included within the department's programs of study are all major periods of English and American literature, film, linguistics, rhetoric and composition, and several specialized forms of writing: creative writing, and business and technical writing. In comparison to departments of equivalent scope and stature, the CWRU English Department is relatively small and informal; its programs aim to combine the resources of a major research university with the intimate scale of a liberal arts college. Great stress is put upon classroom dialogue, individual conferences, and other forms of direct exchange among faculty and students. The curriculum is deliberately flexible enough to respond to the student's needs and interests and to encourage close cooperation with the faculty in planning a course of study.
An undergraduate major in English prepares one first and foremost to be a thoughtful, responsible person and a lifelong learner. A major in English also prepares one for various sorts of careers. Three paths are common:
- English leads readily to careers in which writing skills are at a premium and the ability to analyze complex human situations is a necessity. In addition to the fields that have traditionally been of first interest to English majors (the film industry, publishing, journalism, advertising, and public relations), significant opportunities exist in the corporate world, in government, and in non-profit organizations such as those devoted to social service or to the arts.
- The B.A. in English is usually essential to anyone expecting to do graduate work in English or to pursue a career as a teacher or a scholar in the field.
- The B.A. in English has traditionally been an important stepping stone to success in professional school, and many CWRU English majors choose this path. A significant number go on to law school, many to medical or business school, and some to nursing, journalism, social work, or library school.
Gary L. Stonum, Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University)
Professor and Chair
American literature; critical theory; African-American literature
John E. Bassett, Ph.D. (University of Rochester)
Professor and Dean of College of Arts and Sciences
American literature
Thomas G. Bishop, Ph.D. (Yale University)
Assistant Professor
Shakespeare; Renaissance literature
Suzanne Ferguson, Ph.D. (Stanford University)
Professor
Modern literature; literature and the arts
Louis D. Giannetti, Ph.D. (University of Iowa)
Professor
Film
Mary Grimm, M.A. (Cleveland State University)
Assistant Professor
Creative writing (fiction)
Lila Hanft, Ph.D. (Cornell University)
Assistant Professor
Victorian literature; feminist theory; creative writing
William H. Marling, Ph.D. (University of California, Santa Barbara)
Associate Professor
American literature; Modernism
Judith Oster, Ph.D. (Case Western Reserve University)
Associate Professor and Director of Composition Rhetoric
English for international students; American literature; poetry
Prosanta K. Saha, Ph.D. (Western Reserve University)
Associate Professor
Linguistics; Asian and modern English and European literature
Roger B. Salomon, Ph.D. (University of California, Berkeley)
Professor and Director of Graduate Studies
American and modern English literature
Marilyn S. Samuels, Ph.D. (City University of New York)
Associate Professor
Technical communications; 18th Century literature
William R. Siebenschuh, Ph.D. (University of California, Berkeley)
Professor
18th- and 19th-century literature
Robert A. Wallace, M.A. (Cambridge University)
Professor
Creative writing; modern poetry
Martha Woodmansee, Ph.D. (Stanford University)
Associate Professor
Literary theory; 18th- and 19th-century literature; comparative literature
The major in English consists of 30 semester hours in English above the 100 level, including ENGL 255 and 256 and at least 18 hours taken at the 300 or 400 level. Because of the flexibility of departmental requirements and the variety of career paths to which the major may lead, all students should confer frequently and closely with advisers. Students may elect a special area of concentration such as film, writing, or linguistics by taking a minimum of 18 hours in the area chosen.
In cases of special relevance, students may petition to include courses from outside the department as part of the area of concentration. No courses outside the department are required for the major, but the department recommends courses in comparative literature, history, philosophy, history and criticism of the fine arts, and foreign language literature courses. Students planning to go to graduate school are reminded of the importance of foreign language study.
Completion of the University composition requirement is a prerequisite for all English courses at the 200 level and above, except that ENGL 255 and 256 may be taken with concurrent registration in ENGL 150 or taken in the fall if assignment to ENGL 150 has been delayed until spring. Entrance to 300 level courses is by approval of the instructor only for students who have not taken ENGL 150.
The literature major is supervised jointly by the English Department and the Department of Modern Languages and Literature. It focuses more intensively on the literary study than the general English major, and it includes modern European literature as well as English and American literature.
The literature major requires at least 33 hours of course work (11 courses normally), including courses in the following categories.
- Foundations (6 hours): one of the following sequences - ENGL 255 and 256, LITR 290 and 291, or CMPL 211 and 212.
- Language (at least 3 hours): FRCH 202, GERM 202, SPAN 202 or equivalent in another modern foreign language. In other words, the student must attain a proficiency in one language equal to the completion of the second year of college level study.
- Electives in literature (24 hours, of which at least 21 must be at the 300 level or above): Courses in literature (including film and creative writing) selected with the approval of an adviser from ENGL, CMPL, MLIT, FRCH, GERM, and SPAN offerings. The choices must also fill the following distribution requirements.
- Historical coverage: as approved by the adviser, at least 6 hours of elective courses should be in course work concerned with literature before 1800.
- Methods and approaches: as approved by the student's adviser, at least 3 hours of elective courses should be in course work concerned with the methods and concepts of literary study (e.g. MLIT 340 [Literary Theory], ENGL 377 [Stylistics], or ENGL 365G [Women's Voices]) or with the nature of a genre (e.g., ENGL 257 [Studies in a Genre], CMPL 321 [Tragedy], or ENGL 368 A [Intro to Film]).
The Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature is for students who desire work in English that strongly incorporates other modern literatures. Students interested in this program should consult the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.
Students may now graduate with a B.A. in English and secondary teacher certification to teach English in grades 7-12. The credential is valid in Ohio and is honored in many other states. This program requires a special version of the normal English major and a series of education courses to be taken both at CWRU and John Carroll University. Planning, therefore, is vital. Professor Judith Oster is the English adviser for this program.
The minor in English consists of at least 15 hours above the 100 level. Students who wish to minor in English must arrange a coherent sequence of courses in consultation with the departmental minor adviser, P. K. Saha. With the adviser's permission, they may concentrate in drama, in the novel, or in poetry; or they may focus on American literature, English literature, or on a particular period of literary history; or they may elect a minor in writing, film, or linguistics. Students should choose courses on the basis of their backgrounds, their major programs, and-above all-their interests. Students should keep in mind also that the flexibility of the department's requirements often makes it possible to take English as a second major.
ENGL 255 and 256 may be used to satisfy the Western Reserve Core requirement in literature and arts.
Sequences in English provide students with an examination of major literary texts, close study of a cultural period or genre (including film), increased facility in writing, and a better understanding of the nature and functioning of language. Any four-course (12-semester-hour) sequence that meets at least two of these goals will normally be acceptable; listed below are typical patterns.
At least one of the following: ENGL 255 or 256; and at least two of the following: ENGL 312, 324, 325, 341, 353, or 354.
Four of the following: ENGL 363A, 363C, 363D, 363E, 363F 363M, 365B, or, 365C.
At least one of the following: ENGL 202, 203, 204, 213, 255, or 256; and at least two of the following: ENGL 303, 304, or 317. (ENGL 303 and 304 may be repeated for credit.)
ENGL 301 and 310; and at least two of the following: ENGL 377, 312, or 362A.
ENGL 368A and three other film courses from the ENGL 368 series.
The Departmental Honors Program is for specially talented and dedicated majors. Requirements for Honors in English are as follows: (a) a grade point average of at least 3.5 in the major; (b) an honors thesis (6 semester hours of ENGL 390 beyond the regular 30 hours) given over to a coherent creative or critical project. This project must be read by two readers and will be accepted for honors only if it achieves a grade of B- or better. Those who qualify receive the degree "with Departmental Honors in English." A registration form for students electing honors in English is available from the departmental office.
The Department of English participates in the Integrated Graduate Studies Program, which makes it possible to complete both a B.A. and an M.A. in English within about five years of full-time study. The department particularly recommends the program to qualified students who are interested in seeking admission to highly competitive professional schools or Ph.D. programs. Interested students should note the general requirements and the admission procedures in this publication.
The Department of English offers programs in American and English literature and language leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Candidates for graduate work in English should present an undergraduate major in English or a minimum of 18 semester hours of English (or its equivalent) beyond the freshman level. In some cases, students will be required to make up deficiencies without graduate credit. The department requires all candidates for admission to submit their scores on both the Aptitude and Advanced Literature (English) sections of the Graduate Record Examination. Candidates are also required to submit a writing sample. Students whose native language is not English are normally admitted only as provisional students. After 12 semester hours of satisfactory work they are granted regular status.
A maximum of six semester hours of transfer credit will be accepted from another institution provided it was earned in graduate-level courses and has the approval of the department and the dean of graduate studies. Such courses must have been taken within five years of matriculation at Case Western Reserve University and passed with grades of B or better. The department welcomes part-time students.
Although not formally a requirement for the Ph.D., teaching is viewed as part of the education of every doctoral student. The department provides opportunities for graduate assistants to gain teaching experience in a variety of courses offered by the department. Other teaching opportunities exist elsewhere in the university and in the Greater Cleveland area.
New and continuing graduate students may apply for graduate student assistantships, which are awarded by the dean on recommendation of the department. Applicants with previous teaching experience are preferred. Graduate assistants without previous teaching experience will be required to take ENGL 500, Seminar in Rhetoric and the Teaching of Writing, before or during the first semester in which they teach. A few tuition fellowships are available annually from the School of Graduate Studies on a competitive basis.
- Master of Arts with concentration in rhetoric
- Master of Arts in comparative literature (English and French or German)
A more detailed description of all graduate programs in English is available from the departmental office or the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Faculty and graduate student offices are in Guilford House, as is the faculty/ student lounge and reading room. The department offers the use of various word processing programs, instructional software, IBM and Macintosh personal computers, and dot-matrix and laser printers. With the help of the undergraduate Film Society and the Department of Modern Languages and Literature, the English Department maintains a library of classic movies on film or videotape. Camera, recorders, and monitors are available in Guilford for making and viewing video tapes. The Film Society maintains a state-of-the-art film projection facility in Strosacker Auditorium. Freiberger Library, a part of the University Libraries, houses the collections of printed material. In addition to manuscript and rare-book holdings in the Special Collections Division, the library has strengths in Renaissance literature, 18th- and 19th-century English literature, and American literature.
Topics of faculty research include Emily Dickinson's poetics, biography, autobiography, film, the concept of authorship, popular culture, Robert Frost, American gothic literature, the philosophical foundations of technical communications, the social contexts of the idea of the fine arts, cultural and historical studies, feminist approaches to literature, and literary theory.
English (ENGL)
ENGL 148. Introduction to Composition (3).
Practice and training in various modes of writing. Includes regular individual conferences as well as classes. Texts and readings vary from section to section. May be repeated in special instances, but a maximum of three semester hours of credit will count toward a Bachelor's degree. Students placing into ENGL 148 must complete the course with a grade of C or higher in order to enroll in ENGL 150.
ENGL 150. Expository Writing (3).
Practice and training in expository writing. Although a common quantity of writing is assigned, methods and texts may vary from section to section. A grade of C or better in ENGL 150 fulfills the university composition requirement. Prerequisite: Placement, or completion of ENGL 148 with a grade of A, B, or C.
ENGL 180. Writing Tutorial (1).
Students who pass ENGL 150 with a grade of D and transfer students who are placed in ENGL 180 on the basis of the English placement test must pass ENGL 180 with a grade of C or higher to meet the English composition requirement of the College. Others desiring substantial scheduled tutorial work in composition may report to the Writing Center during the first week of classes to arrange a tutorial appointment. The course may be repeated in special instances, but no more than three semester hours of ENGL 180 credit will count toward the degree.
ENGL 181. Reading Tutorial (1).
Scheduled tutorial in reading for those who need work beyond ENGL 148 or who come to the Writing Center seeking substantial help. May be repeated in special instance, but only one semester hour will count toward the degree.
ENGL 202. Expository Writing (3).
For students who have passed or been exempted from ENGL 150 and wish further practice and criticism.
ENGL 203. Introduction to Creative Writing (3).
Theory and practice of writing fiction and verse. Prerequisite: Completion of ENGL 150 with a grade of C or better.
ENGL 213. Fiction Writing (3).
Workshop in writing prose fiction. Prerequisite: ENGL 150.
ENGL 255. Major British Writers (3).
Introduction to literary studies and survey of selected English authors from medieval period to present. ENGL 255 and 256 may be used to satisfy the Western Reserve Core requirement in literature and arts. Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 150 (ENGL 256 may be taken in the fall if registration in ENGL 150 has been delayed until spring).
ENGL 256. Major American Writers (3).
Introduction to literary studies and survey of literature of United States from colonial times to present. ENGL 255 and 256 may be used to satisfy the Western Reserve Core requirement in literature and arts. Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 150 (ENGL 256 may be taken in the fall if registration in ENGL 150 has been delayed until spring).
ENGL 257. Readings in a Literary Genre (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite or corequisite: ENGL 150 (ENGL 257 may be taken in the fall if registration in ENGL 150 has been delayed until spring).
Sample: ENGL 257K Continental Masterpieces.
ENGL 290. Special Tutorial in Composition (1).
Tutorial supplement for rostered Case Western Reserve University courses; available only by prior arrangement with instructor. Individual students wishing tutorial instruction in composition should register for ENGL 180. Prerequisite: Completion of ENGL 150 with a grade of C or better.
ENGL 301. Linguistic Analysis of Modern English (3).
Descriptive study of language and language families; analysis of modern English from structural and transformational generative points of view. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 303. Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction (3).
Practice in prose narrative writing: personal narrative, short stories, novellas. Class presentation and discussion of student papers. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 304. Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry (3).
Practice in writing poetry. Class presentation and discussion of student papers. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 305. Playwriting. (See THTR 312/412.)
ENGL 310. History of the English Language (3).
Practice in phonetic transcription. Analysis of Old and Middle English grammar. Modern theories oflanguage. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 312. Chaucer (3).
Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 317. Advanced Technical and Business Writing (3).
Industrial communication in theory and practice, including audience analysis, logic and strategy applied to the writing of technical reports, proposals, manuals, program and feasibility studies, memoranda, and letters. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 324. Shakespeare I (3).
Tragedies. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 325. Shakespeare II (3).
Comedies and histories. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 341. Milton (3).
Poetry and selected prose, including a careful study of Paradise Lost. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 353. Major Writer I (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Sample:
ENGL 353A. Joyce (3).
ENGL 354. Major Writers II (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Samples:
ENGL 354A. Donne and Johnson (3).
ENGL 354G. D. H. Lawrence and E. M. Forster (3).
ENGL 354K. Melville and Faulkner (3).
ENGL 361. Literary Period I (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Samples:
ENGL 361A. Renaissance Poetry (3).
ENGL 361B. British Romanticism (3).
ENGL 361K. Eighteenth-Century Culture (3).
ENGL 362. Literary Period II (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Samples:
ENGL 362B. Major Victorians (3).
ENGL 362C. The Modernists: Williams, Pound, Eliot, Stevens, and Frost (3).
ENGL 362E. American Renaissance (3).
ENGL 362K. Age of Wit and Satire (3).
ENGL 363. Literary Genre I (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Sample:
ENGL 363D. Modern American Novel: James to Faulkner (3).
ENGL 363E. Contemporary American Fiction (3).
ENGL 363F. Modern British Fiction (3).
ENGL 363M. Poetry (3).
ENGL 363P. Comedy (3).
Also listed as CMPL 312.
ENGL 364. Literary Genre II (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Sample:
ENGL 364F. Victorian Novel (3).
ENGL 365. Literary Topic I (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Sample:
ENGL 365B. Women Novelists of the 19th and 20th Centuries (3).
ENGL 365C. Individual and Society in Modern Fiction (3).
ENGL 365D. Philosophy and Literature (3).
Also listed as PHIL 370 and CMPL 371.
ENGL 365G. Women's Voices (3).
ENGL 365H. Patterns in Asian and Western Literature (3).
ENGL 365W. Introduction to Gender Studies (3).
(See HSTY 365.)
ENGL 366. Literary Topic II (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor Samples:
ENGL 366C. Literary Theory (3).
ENGL 366W. Women's Fiction: Sexual and Contextual Politics (3).
ENGL 368. The Film (3 each).
Content and approach vary. Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Samples:
ENGL 368A. Introduction to the Film (3).
ENGL 368C. American Cinema since 1940.
ENGL 368H. International Cinema since 1940 (3).
ENGL 368M. History of Cinema to 1940 (3).
ENGL 368N. German Film (3).
ENGL 375. Internship in Technical Writing (3-15).
Training program in a major business firm for juniors considering a career in technical communication, or whose profession will involve oral and written technical presentations. No more than six semester hours of ENGL 375 may serve toward satisfaction of requirements for the English major. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
ENGL 379. Stylistic Analysis of English Texts (3).
Different theories of style. Linguistic analysis of the styles of numerous texts. Discussion of papers written by students. Prerequisite: ENGL 301 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 390. Independent Study and Creative Projects (3-6).
Up to six semester hours of independent study may be taken in a single semester, normally in the senior year. Projects may be critical or creative in nature. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
ENGL 392. Classroom Teaching (3).
For students who assist in the teaching of ENGL 150, 180, 181, or 368. Students interested in such assisting should check with the director of composition (for ENGL 150, 180 or 181) or Professor Giannetti (for 368) before the beginning of the semester in which they wish to participate. May be repeated only once; not more than three semester hours in ENGL 392 may be counted toward the major. May also include up to three semester hours of supervised peer tutoring at the University Writing Center. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
*ENGL 401. Linguistic Analysis of Modern English (3).
(See ENGL 301.)
*ENGL 410. History of the English Language (3).
(See ENGL 310.)
*ENGL 424. Shakespeare I (3).
(See ENGL 324.)
*ENGL 425. Shakespeare II (3).
(See ENGL 325.)
*ENGL 441. Milton (3).
(See ENGL 341.)
*ENGL 453. Major Writers I (3).
(See ENGL 353.)
*ENGL 454. Major Writers II (3).
(See ENGL 354.)
*ENGL 461. Literary Period I (3).
(See ENGL 361.)
*ENGL 462. Literary Period II (3).
(See ENGL 362.)
*ENGL 463. Literary Genre I (3).
(See ENGL 363.)
*ENGL 464. Literary Genre II (3).
(See ENGL 364.)
*ENGL 465. Literary Topic I (3).
(See ENGL 365.)
*ENGL 466. Literary Topic II (3).
(See ENGL 366.)
*ENGL 466W. Women's Fiction: Sexual and Contextual Politics (3).
*ENGL 468. The Film (3).
(See ENGL 368.)
*ENGL 479. Stylistic Analysis of English Texts (3).
(See ENGL 379.) Prerequisite: ENGL 401 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 480. Teaching Writing to Students of English as a Second Language (3).
ENGL 490. Teaching Practicum (3).
Supervised practice in teaching writing and literature. Prerequisite: graduate standing in English and consent of instructor.
ENGL 500. Seminar: Rhetoric and the Teaching of Writing (3).
Classical and modern theories of rhetoric; their application in the classroom. Complete course plans for students of both high and low ability. Required of graduate assistants and tutors in the department who have had no prior experience in the teaching of composition.
ENGL 508. Seminar: English Literature, 1550-1660 (3).
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
ENGL 519. Seminar: English Literature, 1800-1900 (3).
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
ENGL 520. Seminar: 20th-Century Literature (3).
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
ENGL 521. Seminar: The Novel (3).
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
ENGL 522. Seminar: Poetry (3).
Prerequisite:v Graduate standing.
ENGL 524. Seminar: Criticism and Other Special Topics (3).
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
ENGL 550. External Seminar (3).
Course work offered in cooperation with participating English Departments in the region; content and approach vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of the instructor.
ENGL 601. Special Reading or Research (credits arranged).
Independent study as arranged with individual instructors.
ENGL 651. Thesis (M.A.) (credit as arranged).
ENGL 701. Dissertation (Ph.D.) (credit as arranged).
*Graduate Students registered for these 400-level courses share class with undergraduates registered for the corresponding 300-level course. Students registered at the 400 level may be expected to attend an additional seminar and/or meet additional requirements beyond those demanded of students registered at the 300 level.
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