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ENGLISH
ENGLISH MAJOR – PRE-LAW CONCENTRATION
ENGLISH MINOR
Aspiring to a richer understanding of literature as a humanizing force in culture, the English minor takes courses in literature as follows:
English majors with a concentration in Pre-Law must take:
a. Two 100-level course in addition to the Common Core: Western Classics, World Classics, British Classics, or American Classics b. Three 200-level preseminar courses
a. American Classics and British Classics b. Three preseminars c. Three special topics seminars: At least one must be drawn from literature.
c. Two 300-level seminar special topics seminars
Seeking advanced competency in writing to communicate to correspond with his or her primary degree field, a Writing minor takes courses in advanced writing, theory, and language as follows:
d. Five designated courses as follows: 1. Advanced Composition 2. Professional Writing Seminar 3. Oral Interpretation 4. 20th Century Criticism or History of Criticism 5. Senior English Project
a. Three 200- or 300-level major electives
e. Five Pre-Law courses 1. Introduction to Logic (PHIL 101) 2. Constitutional Law in Criminal Procedure (CRJS 310 or Constitutional Law (POLI 221) or Civil Liberties (POLI 222) 3. Legal Research and Writing (CRJS 322/ POLI 322) 4. Business Law I (BADM 310) 5. Co-op/Internship or approved elective
b. Four 300-level writing seminars, as follows: 1. Advanced Composition 2. Applied Linguistics 3. Professional Writing Seminar 4. History of Criticism or 20th Century Criticism
CREATIVE WRITING MINOR
Seeking to gain experiences and skills in composing fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction, a Creative Writing minor takes courses in fiction and/or poetry writing as follows: a. American Classics and British Classics
ENGLISH MAJOR– CREATIVE WRITING CONCENTRATION
An English Major with a concentration in creative writing must take: a. Two 100-level courses in addition to the Common Core: World Classics, Western Classics, British Classics, or American Classics b. Five 200-level preseminar courses, listed above for the English major c. Three 300-level special topics seminars, one of which must be taken in contemporary literature d. Four designated courses as follows: 1. Shakespeare 2. History of Criticism or Twentieth Century Criticism 3. One 300 level seminar elective 4. Senior English Project e.
WRITING MINOR
Three creative writing courses as follows: 1. Introduction to Creative Writing 2. Creative Writing - Fiction 3. Creative Writing - Poetry
b. Preseminar course in 20th Century Fiction or 20th Century Poetry c. An additional English elective, either a preseminar or special topics seminar d. Three designated courses as follows:
Introduction to Creative Writing Creative Writing – Fiction Creative Writing – Poetry
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Eng 100. CRITICAL AND EVALUATIVE READING This course builds the critical thinking skills necessary for reading expository texts. Students will practice active approaches to reading and note-taking, and develop skills in summarizing, analyzing, and evaluating argumentative writing. Eng 110. Composition Offers a practical introduction to academic writing, including instruction on essential components of the argumentative essay such as thesis statements, transitions, and paragraphing. Emphasis is placed on planning and organizing a persuasive argument, writing for an audience, and revising drafts based on feedback. 3 credits.
ENGLISH Eng 120. Research and Writing Focuses on developing sustained academic arguments supported with research. The class emphasizes skills in reading, thinking critically, identifying research topics, gathering and assessing both print and electronic sources, and composing well-structured, focused arguments. One credit hour of the course is delivered through on-line instruction. 4 credits. Eng 126. ENGLISH SEMINAR An examination of the character and meaning of the liberal arts. Includes extensive reading and writing essays on a weekly basis. For freshman by invitation only. Substitutes for Research and Writing. 4 credits. Eng 140. WESTERN CLASSICS A study of major writers of the Western World from Homer to modern times, with attention given to their individual achievement and to their contribution to Western literary and cultural development. Prerequisites: Eng 120. 3 credits. Eng 144. WORLD CLASSICS An opportunity to read deeply into literary traditions and to make connections and distinctions between different traditions in non-western literatures, including selections from South America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, India, and Asia. Prerequisites: Engl 120. 3 credits. Eng 150. BRITISH CLASSICS A study of major writers in the history of England, with attention given to their individual achievement and to their contribution to English literary and cultural development. Authors include Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, and others. Prerequisite: Eng 140 or 144. 3 credits. Eng 155. AMERICAN CLASSICS A survey of major writers, established within the traditional canon of American literature, with attention given to their individual achievement and to their contribution to American literary and cultural development. Authors include Franklin, Emerson, Dickinson, Hawthorne, Twain, Frost, Hemingway, and others. Prerequisite: Engl 140 or 144. 3 credits. Eng 160. DRAMA OF THE WESTERN WORLD A survey of selected dramatic works in the Western tradition from the ancient to the contemporary eras. Focusing primarily on the literary aspects of dramatic literature, the class includes analysis of drama as a genre and aesthetic expression, as well as a reflection of the values of Western civilization. Prerequisite: Eng140 or 144. 3 credits. Eng 220. MEDIEVAL LITERATURE A study of representative prose and poetry of Old and Middle English from Beowulf to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Included are Old English heroic poems, elegies, gnomic verses and riddles, and works of the Middle Ages such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Langland’s Piers the Ploughman. 3 credits.
2010-2011 Mercyhurst College Course Catalog • www.mercyhurst.edu