Dr.
Bankert 2 credits
An introduction to academic and career opportunities in English. Students will research and shape academic and career interests, with particular attention to articulating the relationship between the reading, writing and analytical skills they develop as majors and their long-term career plans.
This class is atypical of English classes in a number of ways. Our goal is not to study literature but to study ourselves as students of literature and as citizens in a social and professional culture. What kind of life do you want to lead? What kind of work will satisfy you intellectually? How does one use the skills one learns in the study of literature in one’s life and work? How does one define and pursue a satisfying career path? And how does one respond to nervous parents and meddlesome, ill-informed friends and relatives who ask, “So how will you find a job with an English major?” or more frequently, “What grade do you plan to teach?” We will firmly dispense with such myths by researching and shaping academic and career interests, with particular attention to articulating the relationship between the reading, writing, and analytical skills you develop as majors and the career options these skills open to you. The course will cover three areas
- The Student of Literature in the Workplace: An in-depth exploration of the relationships between education and work, work and life. We will explore the relationship between the knowledge and skills English majors develop and the larger social world we inhabit.
- Planning Education, Career, and Life: Students will be asked to think very consciously about their futures and to map out plans for their educational, career, and life goals. Ultimately, the course will provide students with the tools to make decisions and to act on those decisions. Students will learn how to use the Occupational and Career Counseling Office library to locate and evaluate relevant internships and/or grant opportunities, as well as professions and careers. Guest speakers, many drawn from English Department alumni, will introduce students to the wide range of career options available to them.
- A Different Kind of Writing: Students will learn how to sell themselves on paper (in application letters, resumes, grant and internship applications, and other job application materials), and how to write out loud, that is how to interview. We will focus on how to articulate the connections between reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, the study of literature, and the careers students wish to pursue.
There are no textbooks for this course, although a packet of materials may be required. If so, this will be available through the university bookstore in the fall. Be advised that attendance is strictly required.
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