College of Arts and Humanities

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English (ENG)
The department of English offers programs and courses in language, literature and writing, all of which are considered indispensable in liberal arts education. The program includes majors and minors in secondary education, creative writing, journalism and English. Graduates in secondary education and journalism are ready to embark upon careers in their respective field. Majors and minors in creative writing and English often go on to graduate school, though many find employment in a wide range of fields. The department also teaches a large number of courses in General Education, helping students meet requirements in cultural and global awareness, literature and written communication. Majors and minors acquire greater proficiency, but all students in English courses study the expression of thoughts and the interpretation of texts, while developing an appreciation of language and its infinite variety.

For students who wish to pursue a customized English degree program, see American Studies.

Basic Writing Assessment
Students demonstrate proficiency in written communication with a grade of C or above in ENG 111 and by passing the Basic English Proficiency exam.

All new students intending to pursue a degree at DWU will be required to take a writing placement assessment at the time they are admitted.  Transfer students, however, with a grade of C or above in a basic freshman composition course from a regionally accredited institution, or any writing course meeting the General Education writing requirement, will be exempt from the placement test.

Placement in a writing course will be based on the student’s ability to write an essay by developing a thesis statement and providing specific support as proof.

On the basis of the placement assessment, a student will enroll in either ENG 102 or ENG 111.

Basic English Proficiency Exam
Bachelor degree-seeking students enrolled in ENG 111 are required to pass the Basic English Proficiency exam.  Students who do not succeed on the exam in ENG 111 may retake it during the spring semester of their sophomore year.  If they do not succeed then, they must register for an upper-level writing review course and pass the course.  Students with success in an AP high school course must take the exam (consult with adviser for details).

Major
A student needs to complete 36 hours of courses selected in consultation with the department for a major in English.

Concentration in Creative Writing

Course Descriptions
101 College Reading Skills 3 hours F,S
This course assists students in learning and applying the essential reading and study skills necessary for academic success at the postsecondary level.
Developmental

102 Introduction to Writing 3 hours F,S
Stressing the ability to write coherent and accurate short essays, this class prepares students for ENG 111 and aids written work across the curriculum. Grammar review is an emphasis of the class. Students who receive a C- or below must retake the class the following semester. This course does not count toward an English major or minor and cannot be used to meet certification requirements in education. A student may be enrolled until attaining a sufficient writing level.
Developmental

107 College Reading and Writing 3 hours S
This course is a continuation and reinforces the skills learned in ENG 101 and ENG 102. Students may take this course in conjunction with ENG 111.
Developmental

111 Expository Writing 3 hours F,S
For this course, students will write at least two drafts each of four three to five page papers, preparing for the more extensive research assignment. For this assignment students will learn research methods, practice Modern Language Association (MLA) documentation protocols and execute a seven to 10 page argumentative research paper. Students will also engage in peer editing on all writing. Students who receive a C- or below must retake the class the following semester.
Prerequisite: Placement by examination or successful completion of ENG 102.
General Education: Effective Expression – Written

201 Introduction to Literature 3 hours F
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of literary study, including critical terms, and focusing on contemporary world literature with equal proportions of Western and non-Western work. Students will discuss fiction, poetry and drama by internationally known authors.
General Education: Cultural and Global Awareness

202 Creative Writing 3 hours F11
This course provides a workshop environment that combines creative writing and criticism. Students work in the three major genres: poetry, fiction and drama. Selections of students’ work are offered to our literary journal, “Prairie Winds”, and to the Agnes Hyde Writing Contest.
General Education: Effective Expression – Artistic Appreciation

205 British Literature I 3 hours F12
The first of two surveys concentrating on poetry, drama and fiction from the British Isles, this course begins with poetry written in Old English and extends through the 18th century.
General Education: Effective Expression – Literary Analysis

206 British Literature II 3 hours S13
The second of two surveys concentrating on poetry, drama and fiction from the British Isles, this course begins with the Romantics and extends through the contemporary period.
General Education: Effective Expression – Literary Analysis

211/311 Journalism 3 hours F
This course is an introduction to the basics of journalism, including reporting, writing, editing, interviewing, researching and media ethics.

221 American Literature I 3 hours F11
This historical survey of prose and poetry of America covers the Puritan era to the American Renaissance, concentrating on major movements and authors.
General Education: Effective Expression – Literary Analysis

222 American Literature II 3 hours S12
This historical survey of prose and poetry of America extends from Whitman to modern authors, concentrating on major movements and authors.
General Education: Effective Expression – Literary Analysis

225 American Cinema 3 hours F12
As a historical survey of the American movie industry, this course begins with the great studios of early Hollywood, the films they produced and the filmmakers who directed them. It concludes with the filmmakers and films of the present generation.

227 Literature of European Civilization I 3 hours F12
This is the first of two courses that provides a historical survey of the prose and poetry of Western Europe, from biblical texts and the literature of the ancient Greeks and Romans to the present day, concentrating on major works and authors.
General Education: Effective Expression – Literary Analysis

228 Literature of European Civilization II 3 hours S13
This is the second of two courses that provides a historical survey of the prose and poetry of Western Europe, from biblical texts and the literature of the ancient Greeks and Romans to the present day, concentrating on major works and authors.
General Education: Effective Expression – Literary Analysis

275 Field Experience 1-3 hours S

299 Selected Topics – Basic 1-3 hours TBA

307 Advanced Writing 3 hours F
The course is a continuation and reinforces the skills learned in ENG 111. It covers the basics of informative research writing, including unifying and organizing varied types of writing, formatting and documenting researched writing, and revising and polishing of writing skills. It should be taken to satisfy the Basic English Proficiency requirement for graduation. This course will be assigned if students are unsuccessful in the BEP three times.

312 Advanced Expository Writing 3 hours S
This course concentrates on the conception and execution of an extended research project. This course prepares students for upper-level college writing and professional writing outside the college environment.
Prerequisite: ENG 111.

313 Great Plains Literature 3 hours F11
Students will discover a variety of literature about the Great Plains, including the Dakotas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa, with an emphasis on how this literature is both regional and universal in scope. This literature includes fiction and nonfiction works by regional writers.

314 American Multiethnic Literature 3 hours S12
Focusing on the cultural diversity in American literature, students will experience readings in African American, Asian American, Hispanic American and American Indian literature, among others.
General Education: Effective Expression – Literary Analysis

315 Women Writers 3 hours S
This course examines the development of 20th century women’s novels and stories by exploring the various roles that women assign their characters. The focus of this course is how women writers represent individual identity in balance with defining women’s identities as mothers, daughters, orphans, wives and lovers. This course includes a variety of works in English (British, Irish, American and Canadian) by women writers and introduces critical approaches to interpreting their works.
General Education: Cultural and Global Awareness

323 Shakespeare 3 hours S12
Introducing the life and works of Shakespeare, this course concentrates on the plays, emphasizing the development of central themes, the use of different genres, the decisions involved in production and the cultural background of the Renaissance.

327 English Methods 3 hours TBA
This course prepares students intending to teach English in secondary schools. Students will develop ideas for lessons, practice presentations and units in language, literature and composition.
Prerequisites: EDU 201 and SPD 206.
Corequisites: EDU 300 and EDU 330.

341 The English Language 3 hours S11
Students will study the development of the language through history, including varieties of English throughout the world. The course includes contemporary American dialects, current linguistic theory and implications for teaching.

342 English Grammar 3 hours S
This course reviews grammatical principles used in writing. It is useful for students intending to teach or improve their language skills.

390 Seventeenth-Century British Literature 3 hours TBA
Students will study the Jacobean period, including poetry by Shakespeare, Jonson, Donne, Herbert and Herrick, and the Restoration, including poetry by Dryden, Milton and Marvell. Both periods are also represented by drama; the instructor will select other works. This course is for English majors only and will be offered as needed.

395 Victorian Literature 3 hours F11
Students will study the period’s exceptionally rich and varied literature, with readings to include essays by Mill, Ruskin, Pater, Arnold and Huxley; poetry by Tennyson, Browning and Hopkins; and fiction by Carroll, Eliot and Trollope. The instructor will select readings by other authors.

413 Mass Media Law 3 hours S12
This course provides an overview of the moral and legal responsibilities of the journalist, concentrating on issues of freedom of the press, confidentiality, invasion of privacy, copyright and libel. This course is for journalism and graphic design majors only.
Prerequisites: Major or minor in journalism and consent of instructor.

422 The British Novel 3 hours S12
Students will study major works written between the beginning of the 18th century and the end of the 20th century. This course includes novels by women, Irish authors and others.

424 The American Novel 3 hours S13
This course includes readings in selected American novels from the early 19th century to the present, emphasizing important and influential works and authors.

450 Practicum in Journalism 1-3 hours S
Students can complete this supervised course in journalism either as an activity or as an individual study program. Individualized assignments will be drawn up at the beginning of each semester. Possible studies include writing for or editing the Phreno Cosmian, the student newspaper. A student may take up to six hours of the sequence toward a journalism major or minor. Only six hours will apply toward a traditional English major or minor.

460 Independent Study 1-3 hours F,S
This course offers an opportunity to read extensively, to write critical essays, to develop a journalism portfolio, or to concentrate on creative writing.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

499 Selected Topics – Advanced 1-3 hours TBA
Students will focus on a theme, genre, historical period, author, group of authors or some other specialized topic chosen by the instructor. Topics vary from year to year; students may select the course more than once for credit.