Academic Programs
Department of English
Dr. Mark L. Parker, Head
Location: Keezell Hall, Room 215
Phone: (540) 568-6170
E-mail: parker3ml@jmu.edu
Web site: www.jmu.edu/english/
Professors
M. Facknitz, A. Federico, J. Frederick, J. Gabbin, R. Hoskins, D. Jeffrey,
B. Johnson, L. Kutchins, A. Morey, M. Parker
Associate Professors
D. Bankert, S. Cote, S. Facknitz, M. Favila, L. Henigman, R. Majors, R. Osotsi
Assistant Professors
E. Bleeg, M. Canivell, K. Castellano, S. Duvivier, R. Gaughran, D. Goode, B. Hefner, D. Mookerjea-Leonard, M. Rankin, M. Rebhorn, M. Smith-Bermiss, M. Thompson, S. White
Mission Statement
Career Opportunities
Co-curricular Activities and Organizations
Degree and Major Requirements
Teaching Licensure
Minor Requirements
Mission Statement
The Department of English offers to all students, wherever their professional and vocational interests lie, skills in critical thinking, analysis and writing along with an appreciation of the great literary heritage of Western civilization, with particular emphasis upon British and American literature. The program also promotes global awareness and the appreciation of cultural diversity through numerous opportunities for world or multicultural studies. Our goal is that, through the humanistic study of a variety of literature, students will obtain a better understanding of themselves, their culture and other cultures with which they must invariably come into contact. A senior requirement ensures that each major will have a final capstone experience through courses designed to integrate earlier training and focus it toward postgraduate needs and opportunities.
Goals
To build upon the skills introduced in the General Education program, the Department of English strives to:
- Provide students advanced instruction in writing styles ranging from expository and creative writing to literary criticism.
- Help students master advanced skills in analytical and critical thinking.
- Develop skills in research and information access.
Career Opportunities
Careers that involve critical thinking, document analysis or oral and written communication
- Consulting
- Editing
- Graduate school in English, creative writing and composition
- Law school
- Public relations
- Publishing
- Research
- Teaching
Co-curricular Activities and Organizations
- Sigma Tau Delta (the National English Honor Society)
- gardy loo! (a literary magazine)
- Sister Speak (JMU's feminist journal)
Degree and Major Requirements
Students majoring in English earn the B.A. degree unless they are completing an English major with an interdisciplinary focus or an additional major in a degree program other than the B.A. The minimum requirement for a major in English is 36 credit hours of courses in the major.
The department recommends that students choose a variety of courses covering contemporary and early literature, as well as period, genre and linguistics courses. In addition to core courses, English majors must take nine credit hours of English electives on or above the 300 level. Courses taken to fulfill General Education Cluster Two requirements may also fulfill requirements in the English major. Students may complete credit requirements by taking additional electives.
The minimum requirement for a major in English with an interdisciplinary focus is 36 credit hours of course work; 24 of these hours must be in English courses, with 15 hours on the 300 level or above. Twelve hours from another discipline or disciplines must be chosen in conference with the student's adviser and approved by the departmental head. For more information about the interdisciplinary focus, contact a departmental adviser.
Degree Requirements
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| General Education1 | 41 |
| Foreign language classes (intermediate level required)2 | 0-14 |
| Philosophy course (in addition to General Education courses) | 3 |
| University electives | 26-40 |
| Major requirements (listed below) | 36 |
120 |
|
1 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.
2 The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student's chosen language (typically 232) or by placing out of that language through the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures' placement test.
Major Requirements
All students must include in their program the following core courses:
| Core Courses | Credit Hours |
| 3 courses from among GENG 235-GENG 260, one | 9 |
| of which must be either GENG 235 or GENG 247 | |
| ENG 299. Writing About Literature1 | 3 |
| Choose one course from each of the four categories listed | |
| below: | |
| Genre and Theory | 3 |
| ENG 302. Special Topics in Literature and Language | |
| (when content is appropriate) | |
| ENG 305. Mythology | |
| ENG 306. The Bible as Literature | |
| ENG 311. Medieval Literature and Culture | |
| ENG 312. Special Topics in Medieval Literature | |
| ENG 314. 17th-Century British Prose | |
| ENG 315. 17th-Century British Poetry | |
| ENG 316. Renaissance and 17th-Century British Drama | |
| ENG 322. Restoration and 18th-Century British Drama | |
| ENG 323. 18th-Century British Novel | |
| ENG 325. Romantic Poetry | |
| ENG 326. Romantic Era Prose | |
| ENG 327. The Gothic: Change and Continuity | |
| ENG 330. The 19th-Century English Novel | |
| ENG 331. Modern Poetry | |
| ENG 332. Contemporary Poetry | |
| ENG 333. Modern Drama | |
| ENG 334. Contemporary Drama | |
| ENG 340. Modern British Novel | |
| ENG 341. Contemporary British Novel | |
| ENG 352. The American Novel to 1914 | |
| ENG 356. Modern American Novel | |
| ENG 357. Contemporary American Fiction | |
| ENG 358. Oral Literature | |
| ENG 361. African American Fiction Writers | |
| ENG 362. African American Poets | |
| ENG 367. Women's Poetry | |
| ENG 368. Women's Fiction | |
| ENG 370. Exploring Gay and Lesbian Literature | |
| ENG 383. Major Film Genres | |
| ENG 425. Survey of Literary Criticism to 1950 | |
| ENG 426. Contemporary Practices in Literary Criticism | |
| ENG 467. Feminist Literary Theory | |
| Author(s) | 3 |
| All majors should take in their senior year a 400-level major author | |
| course as a capstone course | |
| ENG 410. Major Author | |
| ENG 451. Chaucer | |
| ENG 456. Shakespeare's Tragedies and Romances | |
| ENG 457. Shakespeare's Comedies and Histories | |
| ENG 458. Shakespeare on the Page and Stage in London | |
| ENG 461. Milton | |
| Alternative Canons | 3 |
| GENG 239. Studies in World Literature | |
| GENG 260. Survey of African-American Literature | |
| ENG 302. Special Topics in Literature and Language (when | |
| content is appropriate) | |
| ENG 358. Oral Literature | |
| ENG 361. African American Fiction Writers | |
| ENG 362. African American Poets | |
| ENG 367. Women's Poetry | |
| ENG 368. Women's Fiction | |
| ENG 370. Exploring Gay and Lesbian Literature | |
| ENG 412. Special Topic Seminar (when content is appropriate) | |
| ENG 427. Studies in South Asian Literature | |
| ENG 429. Postcolonialism | |
| ENG 430. Studies in Comparative Literature | |
| ENG 431. Studies in Caribbean Literature | |
| ENG 432. Studies in African Literature | |
| ENG 433. Studies in Arabic Literature | |
| ENG/SPAN 434. Latin American Literature in Translation | |
| ENG/FR 435. Studies in French Literature | |
| ENG/GER 436. Studies in German Literature | |
| ENG/ITAL 437. Studies in Italian Literature | |
| ENG/RUS 438. Studies in Russian Literature | |
| ENG/SPAN 439. Major Authors of Literature in Spanish in | |
| Translation | |
| ENG 466. Studies in Women's Literature | |
| Period | 3 |
| ENG 302. Special Topics in Literature and Language (when | |
| content is appropriate) | |
| ENG 311. Medieval Literature and Culture | |
| ENG 312. Special Topics in Medieval Literature | |
| ENG 313. Poetry and Prose of the British Renaissance | |
| ENG 314. 17th-Century British Prose | |
| ENG 315. 17th-Century British Poetry | |
| ENG 316. Renaissance and 17th-Century British Drama | |
| ENG 321. Restoration and 18th Century British Prose and Poetry | |
| ENG 322. Restoration and 18th-Century British Drama | |
| ENG 323. 18th-Century British Novel | |
| ENG 325. Romantic Poetry | |
| ENG 326. Romantic Era Prose | |
| ENG 330. The 19th-Century English Novel | |
| ENG 331. Modern Poetry | |
| ENG 333. Modern Drama | |
| ENG 340. Modern British Novel | |
| ENG 342. Early American Literature | |
| ENG 343. Writers of the American Renaissance | |
| ENG 344. American Realism and Naturalism | |
| ENG 352. The American Novel to 1914 | |
| ENG 355. Southern Literature | |
| ENG 356. Modern American Novel | |
| ENG 361. African American Fiction Writers | |
| ENG 362. African American Poets | |
| ENG 403. Studies in Old English | |
| ENG 412. Special Topic Seminar (when content is appropriate) |
1 This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.
Although a course may be listed under multiple categories, it may be credited to only one category. In addition to the core courses, students must take at least 12 credit hours of electives, 9 hours of which must be at or above the 300 level.
| Minimum English Electives | Credit Hours |
| Course on or above 200 level | 3 |
| Courses on or above 300 level | 9 |
12 |
|
Recommended Schedule for Majors
Prior to declaring a major in English, students should consult with an assigned English adviser to plan a course of study tailored to their interests and goals. Students should contact the department office (Keezell 215) to request an adviser. The following chart shows a typical four-year program.
| First Year | Credit Hours |
| Foreign language courses | 6-8 |
| General Education courses | 23 |
29-31 |
|
| Second Year | Credit Hours |
| Two of 3 required courses from among GENG 235-GENG 260 | 6 |
| ENG 299. Writing About Literature | 3 |
| General Education courses | 15 |
| Foreign language courses | 6 |
30 |
|
| Third Year | Credit Hours |
| Remaining requirement from General Education | 3 |
| English requirements/electives | 12-15 |
| Other electives | 15 |
30 |
|
| Fourth Year | Credit Hours |
| English requirements/electives | 12-15 |
| Other electives | 15-18 |
30 |
|
Concentrations
Majors may use their electives to concentrate in British, American, or world literature or creative writing.
British or American Literatures
In consultation with their advisers, students may choose nine credit hours of courses beyond the core offerings that lead to a coherent view of the scope and development of British or American literature.
World Literature
In consultation with their advisers, students may choose nine credit hours of courses beyond the core offerings that acquaint them with the scope of world literature. Students should include any three of the following courses.
ENG 305. Mythology
ENG 306. The Bible as Literature
ENG 430. Studies in Comparative Literature
ENG 431. Studies in Caribbean Literature
ENG 432. Studies in African Literature
ENG 433. Studies in Arabic Literature
ENG/FR 435. Studies in French Literature
ENG/GER 436. Studies in German Literature
ENG/ITAL 437. Studies in Italian Literature
ENG/RUS 438. Studies in Russian Literature.
ENG 302, ENG 365 and ENG 412 may also satisfy these requirements when
the content of the courses is appropriate.
Creative Writing
Students with a strong interest in developing various writing skills should include in their program nine credit hours of electives from the following courses:
ENG/THEA 347. Playwriting
ENG 392. Introduction to Creative Writing: Poetry
ENG 393. Introduction to Creative Writing: Fiction
ENG 483. Narrative Theory
ENG 484. Poetic Craft and Creativity
ENG 493. Creative Non-Fiction
ENG 494. Advanced Poetry Writing
ENG 495. Advanced Fiction Writing
Teaching Licensure
Students interested in becoming teachers must meet specific curriculum requirements in their major as part of the undergraduate academic degree. English majors desiring secondary teacher licensure must complete READ 254, include among their core courses the surveys of both English and American literature
(GENG 235, 236, 247 and 248), and include among their electives the following:
ENG 396. Advanced Composition
Choose one of the following:
ENG 421. Traditional English Grammar
ENG 422. Modern English Grammar
Choose one of the following:
ENG 456. Shakespeare's Tragedies and Romances
ENG 457. Shakespeare's Comedies and Histories
ENG 458. Shakespeare on the Page and Stage in London
At least one course at any level in American literature
At least one course at any level in British literature
At least one course at any level in world literature
It is recommended that students seeking licensure take GENG 239 to satisfy the Alternative Canons core requirement for the English major.
In addition to the general education and academic major requirements, English majors desiring secondary teacher licensure must be admitted to teacher education, complete the pre-professional program in secondary education at the undergraduate level and complete the graduate level Master of Arts in Teaching degree.
It is critical that students seeking licensure consult regularly with both their education adviser and their major adviser to support their progression through the programs. For a full description of the program in secondary teaching, refer to the Department of Middle, Secondary and Mathematics Education, in addition to the College of Education section of the catalog.
Minor Requirements
The minimum requirement for a minor in English is 18 credit hours. At least nine hours must be taken in courses at the 300 level or above. A General Education required course cannot double count as a minor requirement. A minor in English does not meet requirements for the Secondary Teaching License.
American Studies Minor
American Studies is an interdisciplinary program of study that promotes an enhanced understanding of the whole of American civilization, past and present through examination of the diverse aspects of our culture and changing patterns of ideas and values. Courses come from the departments within the College of Arts and Letters and students will take courses from within three groupings: Multicultural Studies, Ideas and the Arts, and History and Politics. For more information on the minor in american studies, refer to the section on Cross Disciplinary Programs.
Creative Writing Minor
The interdisciplinary minor in creative writing is designed to give students an opportunity to develop their writing talents across a number of literary forms and communication contexts. For more detailed information on the minor in creative writing, refer to the section on Cross Disciplinary Programs.
Film Studies Minor
The interdisciplinary minor in film studies is designed for students who wish to extend their critical understanding of visual communication and narrative form by studying how movies tell stories, convey information and influence audiences. For more detailed information on the minor in film studies, refer to the section on Cross Disciplinary Programs.
