English
Courses | Employment
Majors/Minors
All English majors must pass the departmental English examination administered during the senior
year. A minimum of fifteen hours in the major field must be completed at Dominican. The English
department recommends that majors study a foreign language.
Concentration in Literature
The English major with a concentration in literature focuses on the study and analysis of important works of literature in English from the eighth century to the present within a historical context. This concentration serves as an excellent preparation for graduate study in literature, librarianship, law and other careers.
Major Requirements
- English 272, 274, 354, 358 and 412
- One genre course: 210, 230, 240, 250, 260, 261, 262, 270, 284, 285, 286, 290, 291, 292, 293
- One course from the following: 234, 247, 248, 287, 294, 295, 297 or 298
- Two period courses in American literature: 342, 343 or 344
- Three period courses in British literature: at least one from before 1660 (306, 310, 316) and one from after 1660 (317, 322 or 326)
- One additional 400 level seminar: 420-439
- Successful completion of the departmental English examination.
Concentration in Writing
The English major with a concentration in writing offers students instruction in the principles
of good writing, acquaintance with models of good writing, and opportunities to practice their
craft in a variety of genres. This concentration prepares students for graduate study in writing or
literature and for professional positions in publishing, business and not-for-profit organizations.
Major Requirements
- English 272, 274, 211, 358 and 412;
- Four courses in English or American literature beyond the 100 level, at least one of them at the
- 300 level or above;
- Four courses from the following: English 333, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340 or 345, Communication Arts and Sciences 229, 244, 256 or 268, Theatre 340 (at least one of the four must be 337, 338, 339, or 340; at least two of the four must be courses offered by the English Department).
- A writing portfolio
- Successful completion of the departmental English examination.
Concentration in English Education
The English major with a concentration in English education offers students broad study of
important works in literature in English during various periods within a historical context. It is
designed to help prepare students for the teaching profession and also for graduate study in
English or education.
Major Requirements
- English 272, 274, 358 and 412
- Three period courses in British literature: Two from before 1660* (306, 310 or 316) and one from after 1660 (317, 322 or 326); *354 may be substituted for one of these two
- One genre course: 210, 230, 240, 250, 260, 261, 262, 270, 284, 285, 286, 290, 291, 292 or 293
- One course from the following: 234, 247, 248, 287, 294, 295, 297 or 298
- Two period courses in American literature: 342, 343 or 344
- Successful completion of the departmental English examination.
- Secondary Education candidates must take English 402 and Education 401.
Minor Requirements
- Six English courses, of at least three semester hours each, beyond the 100 level courses.
- English 358, three courses in English and/or
- American literature; and
- Two writing courses (English 211, 272, 333, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340 or 345).
A minimum of nine hours in the minor field must be completed at Dominican.
Courses
Writing Courses
090. COLLEGE WRITING (3)
Development of college level reading and writing skills, with emphasis on grammar and syntax, vocabulary, reading comprehension in the context of a liberal arts curriculum, and the writing of short essays based on readings.Prerequisite: Placement through examination
This course is developmental and will not count toward the semester hours required for graduation.
101. COMPOSITION I: WRITING AS DISCOVERY AND ACTION (3)
Writing is a way of discovering and shaping our world, as well as a way of acting in the world. Through a variety of interrelated reading and writing assignments, with an emphasis on essays and other short forms, students in this course will explore how to use writing to learn, to create and to act, particularly in the university but also in the world outside the university.Prerequisite: Placement through examination
102. COMPOSITION II: WRITING AS A WAY OF KNOWING (3)
Students and teachers in the university use a complex set of reading and writing practices to create and share knowledge and to pose and solve both theoretical and practical problems. In this course, students will learn how to use these practices to pose questions, do appropriate reading and research to answer those questions, and present their answers in papers that observe the conventions of academic writing. This course includes the Information Access Workshop required of undergraduates.Prerequisite: English 101 or placement through examination
103. WRITING TUTORIAL (1)
Individualized writing instruction through the university writing center. Writing placement examination results may require some students to take this course in conjunction with English 101 as a prerequisite for English 102. This course is graded on a satisfactory/fail basis and may be taken for credit more than once.Prerequisite: Placement or consent of instructor.
English 102 or the equivalent is a prerequisite for all writing courses beyond 103.
190. INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITION (3)
For students who have completed English 101 and 102 or the equivalents, this course offers further instruction and practice in writing essays and other kinds of academic papers.211. INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING (3)
Study of the fundamentals of good writing in a variety of literary genres—poetry, fiction, drama. Analysis of the work of professionals and students. Short critical and creative pieces in the three genres are required.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
272. WRITING FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (3)
Study of the fundamentals of writing nonfiction prose in a variety of genres with emphasis on the elements of form. Close attention both to the design of the whole piece and to the role of style in communicating its meanings, as well as to such technical matters as sentence structure, grammar, diction, punctuation, and other mechanics. Analysis of professional and student models. Several short papers and writing exercises will be required.Prerequisites: English 102; English majors or
minors only
333. WRITING AND EDITING PROSE (3)
Instruction and practice in writing and editing in a variety of nonfiction prose genres, including personal essays, academic papers, feature articles, and arguments addressed to specific public audiences. Includes close attention to sentence structure, grammar, usage, and mechanics; the elements of a variety of styles; and editing practices in different contexts.Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor
335. WRITING AS SOCIAL ACTION (3)
Study of the theory and practice of writing as a social action. Students will read literary and non-literary texts aimed at social transformation; meet with local social science service organizations to study their mission, activities, and needs; and work in collaboration with students from Graphic Design 335 to develop materials needed to promote and raise funds for one or more of these organizations. This course requires off-campus service hours.Prerequisites: English 102 and sophomore standing
336. WRITING AT WORK (3)
Instruction and practice in a variety of workplace genres, including letters and memos, reports and proposals, technical documents, and a writing project individualized to the student's area of interest or developed as part of a service learning project. Students will produce a portfolio that can be used in job seeking.Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor
337. WRITING LIFE STORIES (3)
Study and practice in the literary genre of autobiography with emphasis on memoir. Students will use autobiographical selections by professional and student writers as models to compose a portfolio of short essays--“fragments” of their own autobiography.Prerequisite: English 211
338. WRITING FICTION (3)
Study and analysis of effective short fiction by professional and student writers. Students will compose a portfolio of original short stories.Prerequisite: English 211
339. WRITING POETRY (3)
Study and analysis of effective poetry by professional and student writers. Students will compose a portfolio of original poems.Prerequisite: English 211
340. WRITING DRAMA (3)
Study and analysis of effective drama by professional and student writers. Students will compose an original script for a one-act play.Prerequisite: English 211
345. ADVANCED ACADEMIC WRITING (3)
Development and polishing of skills in writing and presenting academic papers. This course is open to students in any major and is recommended for students who plan to apply to graduate or professional school and for students who are preparing senior papers or honors projects.Prerequisites: Junior standing and consent of instructor
Literature Courses
English 101 or the equivalent is a prerequisite for all literature courses.
210. AUTOBIOGRAPHY (3)
Study of the literary genre of autobiography with emphasis on both autobiography and memoir. Literary analysis of autobiographical writings by authors such as Frederick Douglass, Virginia Woolf, Richard Wright, Eudora Welty, Joan Didion and Tobias Wolff.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
220-229. EXPLORATIONS (3)
A literature course on varying topics, open to both majors and non-majors.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
226. KING ARTHUR: FROM MYTH TO FICTION (3)
Exploration of the early historical and fictional sources for King Arthur with the goal of making sense of the modern manifestations of Arthuriana. Students will read from Geoffrey of Monmouth (the first historian of Arthur) to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. This course will also focus on the new genre of Arthurian movies.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
227. SONGS OF THE SPIRIT (3)
Exploration of literature that expresses the spirit reaching for the Divine. Reading and discussion of selections from the Psalms of David, Piers Plowman, George Herbert's The Temple, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Gerard Manley Hopkins' poems, African-American spirituals, T. S. Eliot's Four Quartets and contemporary lyrics of various religious traditions.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
230. WORLD LITERATURE: THE WESTERN EPIC (3)
Study of Western epics, including those of Homer, Dante and Milton.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
234. THE BIBLE, MYTHOLOGY AND LITERATURE (3)
In addition to selected books of the Bible and classical myths, students will explore the relation of the Bible and of myths to works of literature.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
240. FORMS OF DRAMA (3)
A survey of the development of significant dramatic forms from the classical period through the modern with a focus on tragedy and comedy. The course includes consideration of representative plays and critical documents from each period.Listed also as Theatre 240.
This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
247. LITERARY LONDON AND BEYOND (3)
Study of literature about London and its environs. A prose survey of selected texts—poetry, prose, fiction, nonfiction, and drama—from the 14th century to the present. See Study Abroad 247 for an optional additional credit hour.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
248. MODERN IRISH LITERATURE (3)
Study of a variety of genres in Modern Irish literature, including poetry, prose fiction, drama and nonfiction prose. Exploration and analysis of writings by authors such as Joyce, Yeats, Beckett, O'Casey, Heaney, Boland, O'Brien and Friel.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
250. POETRY: FORM, FEELING, MEANING (3)
An introduction to the study of poetry, with particular attention to the ways in which poets use formal structure to express feeling and make meaning.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
260. THE ENGLISH DRAMA (3)
Survey of the development of the English drama, medieval through modern.Listed also as Theatre 260.
This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
261. SHAKESPEARE'S ROMANTIC COUPLES (3)
Study of several of Shakespeare's romantic comedies, “dark” comedies, and romances, emphasizing his handling of the genre: comedy.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
262. SHAKESPEARE'S TRAGIC FAMILIES (3)
Study of several of Shakespeare's tragedies and at least one of his history plays, emphasizing his handling of the genre: tragedy.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
270. THE ENGLISH ESSAY (3)
Analysis of the genre, its structure and the techniques used in development of the form from its beginnings to the present; application of various critical theories to individual essays.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
274. INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH STUDIES (4)
An introduction to the formal study of written texts, principally but not exclusively literary, with emphasis on critical concepts, theories and methods; instruction in close reading, research and writing for English majors.Prerequisites: English 102 and sophomore standing
277. WRITING WOMEN AND GENDER (3)
Exploration of the development of women's writing and writings about women and gender through study and analysis of literary (narrative, poetry, drama) and non-literary texts.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
284. THE ENGLISH NOVEL (3)
The development of the English novel from Defoe to the present.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
285. THE AMERICAN NOVEL (3)
Survey of the most important developments in the American novel from its beginnings to the present.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
286. THE AMERICAN SHORT STORY (3)
The rise and development of the American short story from its beginnings in the early 19th century to the present.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
287. CONTEMPORARY MULTI-ETHNIC AMERICAN LITERATURE (3)
Study of multi-ethnic American literature with a particular emphasis on modern and contemporary American writers. By examining a variety of texts by writers from diverse backgrounds, students will trace ways in which American writers have represented intersections of race, gender, ethnicity, nation, and class in literature.This course will satisfy both the literature and multicultural core area requirements.
290. MODERN BRITISH FICTION (3)
Study of major trends and developments in British fiction since World War I.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
291. MODERN AMERICAN FICTION (3)
Study of major trends and developments in American fiction since World War I.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
292. MODERN DRAMA (3)
Study of major trends and developments in drama, principally English and American.Listed also as Theatre 292.
This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement
293. MODERN POETRY (3)
Study of major trends and developments in poetry, principally English and American.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
294. SOUTHERN LITERATURE (3)
Examination of modern Southern literature and what is often referred to as the Southern Renaissance (1920-1950), emphasizing authors such as William Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor and Tennessee Williams.This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
295. THE CHICAGO SCENE IN LITERATURE (3)
Fiction and poetry written by Chicago writers or by writers who have used the city as a background for their works. The course covers the period from the Columbian Exposition of 1893 to the present.Listed also as American Studies 305.
This course will satisfy the literature core area requirement.
297. POST-COLONIAL LITERATURE (3)
Study of a selection of writings by authors whose works reflect post-colonial conditions. These writers may inhabit a formerly colonized nation or describe cultural changes after the end of empires. Selected writers from the African, Caribbean, Indian, Irish, and American diasporas.This course will satisfy the literature core area and the multicultural core requirements.
298. AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE (3)
Study of major African-American writers and the literary and historical movement to which these writers contributed.Listed also as African/African-American Studies 225.
This course will satisfy the literature core area and the multicultural core requirements.
English 274 or instructor consent is a Prerequisite for all literature courses beyond 300 (274 may be taken concurrently).
306. MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (3)
Romances, lyrics, visions, and plays from the early and high Middle Ages. Students will read from Beowulf to Malory in translation. Excludes the Canterbury Tales.310. 16TH-CENTURY ENGLISH LITERATURE (3)
Study of a variety of genres written during the Renaissance in England. Special attention to works of Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, Christopher Marlowe, and the “new poetry” of humanism.316. 17TH-CENTURY ENGLISH LITERATURE, 1600-1660 (3)
Study of selected works of the pre-Restoration period with emphasis on works of Jonson, John Donne, George Herbert and John Milton.317. RESTORATION AND 18TH-CENTURY BRITISH LITERATURE, 1660-1798 (3)
Study of selected works of the period with emphasis on the works of John Dryden, Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift and Samuel Johnson.322. 19TH-CENTURY BRITISH LITERATURE (3)
Major writers of the Romantic and Victorian periods, including the Romantic poets and the Victorian poets, novelists and prose writers.326. 20TH-CENTURY BRITISH LITERATURE (3)
Study of modernity's distinguishing features in poetry, prose fiction, drama, and nonfiction prose written by authors such as Yeats, Joyce, Lawrence, Woolf, Beckett, Auden, Orwell, and Heaney.342. AMERICAN NATIVE/COLONIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY LITERATURE (3)
Study of American literature from its origins to 1830, highlighting the European encounter with native cultures, the colonial experience and the beginnings of a national literature.343. AMERICAN ROMANTIC AND REALIST LITERATURE (3)
Study of American literature from 1830 to 1914, highlighting the transcendentalists and the realists, including naturalists and regionalists.344. AMERICAN MODERN/POST MODERN LITERATURE (3)
Study of American literature from 1914 to the present, highlighting the major movements of the 20th century, including modernism, the Harlem Renaissance, and postmodernism.354. CHAUCER (3)
Detailed study of the Canterbury Tales.Prerequisite: junior or senior standing
358. SHAKESPEARE (3)
Study of Shakespeare's ideas and craftsmanship ina variety of his plays and of the critical response to
his work.
Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing
Listed also as Theatre 358.
General Courses
402. TEACHING WRITING (4)
Preparation for teaching writing in secondary or middle school. Students study theories and practices related to the teaching of writing and serve as teaching assistants in English 101 or 102, preparing and teaching lessons, evaluating papers and assisting composition students with their writing. This course is a prerequisite for Education 401.Prerequisite: English 333
412. COORDINATING SEMINAR (3)
A culminating seminar for English majors emphasizing literary history, theories, and genres, as well as research and oral presentations, and leading to a personal exit interview.Prerequisite: English majors with senior standing
420-439. TOPICS IN LITERARY HISTORY AND THEORY (3)
A seminar for senior English majors offering advanced study, discussion, research and writing focused on a literary period, genre, theory, theme, movement or author. Topics and instructors vary from year to year.Prerequisite: English majors with senior standing
450. INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-8)
With the consent of the cooperating professor and the department head, an advanced student may undertake a program of independent reading in a particular genre or period or writing of a particular type, if a comparable course is not offered in the same year. The work may extend beyond a semester if the cooperating professor approves.455. INTERNSHIP (3-6)
Employment in an approved workplace for a designated number of hours a week under the guidance of a faculty member and a workplace supervisor. The student will be given training and practice in writing tasks as agreed upon by the student, workplace supervisor, faculty member and director of internships.Prerequisites: English 333 or 336, junior standing, and consent of instructor
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH OR CREATIVE INVESTIGATION (1-3)
Introductory, Intermediate, Advanced, Senior Thesis Independent Research or Creative Investigation is a course in which students collaborate with facultymentors on an ongoing faculty research project or conduct an independent project under the guidance of a faculty member. This directed undergraduate research or creative investigation culminates in a conference presentation, journal article or other creative/scholarly project.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor
Employment
Deepen your knowledge and appreciation of English literature and of the cultures, beliefs and experiences expressed in this literature. Gain expertise in criticism and analysis as well as English expression.
Choose from concentrations in:
- Literature
- Writing
- English education
- Writing and editing
- Marketing
- Education
- Teaching
- Publishing
- Media
- Educational institutions
- Businesses
- Health-care
- Not-for-profits
- Museums
- Cultural institutions
- Government agencies
- Law