English & Philosophy Summer and Fall 2024 Course Booklet

ENGLISH & PHILOSOPHY COURSES SUMMER/FALL 2024

WHAT'S INSIDE WHO WE ARE............2 SUMMER UPPER-LEVEL COURSES.....................3

FALL LOWER-LEVEL COURSES............................6 FALL UPPER-LEVEL COURSES..............................9 FALL PHILOSOPHY COURSES............................14

WHO WE ARE The Department of English and Philosophy at Auburn University at Montgomery prepares students for thoughtful engagement with diverse, multicultural communities and issues through highimpact, community-engaged teaching and learning and through advances in research in literature, rhetoric and composition, creative writing, professional and technical writing, digital humanities, and philosophy.

We are an interdisciplinary community that values and promotes the study of literature, rhetoric and composition, professional and technical writing, creative writing, digital humanities, and philosophy.

We offer an undergraduate major in English as well as three minors: Creative Writing, Language and Literature, and Philosophy.

We also offer an undergraduate certificate in Professional and Technical Writing, with a distinctive focus on community-engaged projects. We are actively seeking to expand our initiatives in digital humanities and in creative writing.

WHO WE ARE | PAGE 2

SUMMER UPPER-LEVEL COURSES

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ELECTIVES ENGL 4000/6000: POST-APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE DR. SETH RENO Why and how do authors imagine the end of the world? What do literary depictions of apocalypse tell us about the past, present, and potential futures? What roles do politics, philosophy, and science play in postapocalyptic literature? These questions will frame this course as we read several postapocalyptic novels, as well as a few shorter pieces. There is a vast body of postapocalyptic fiction out there, but the pieces we will read share two rough thematic strands: the “Last Man” trope and ecological disaster.

ENGL 3060/6972: BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL WRITING PROF. LIZ BURROWS

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Business and Professional Writing will focus on developing writing skills essential to a work or business environment. In this course, you’ll be crafting messages in a variety of genres such as memos, emails, proposals, and research reports. You will also develop your knowledge of multimodal design as we create deliverables such as flyers and presentations within a field of your choice. The goal of the course is to help prepare you for a variety of writing contexts in your future professional careers.

FALL COURSES

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LOWER-LEVEL COURSES Composition Requirement ENGL 1010: ENGLISH COMPOSITION I VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS ENGL1010 is a first-year writing course focused on introducing students to the concepts and practices of rhetoric and composition. The course prepares students to compose texts in a variety of genres for various purposes, audiences, and contexts, including digital environments The course emphasizes analytical and critical skills: rhetorical analysis, critical thinking, argument, and reflection.

ENGL 1011: WRITING STUDIO VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS This is the Writing Studio extension of your English 1010 course. A writing studio is designed to provide guided practice and support as you learn, write, and revise. Writing is hard work and takes time, especially when learning to write in new ways. In our writing studio, you’ll have time to deepen your understanding of and further develop the strategies introduced as part of your writing projects from 1010. Designed to be a workshop classroom where both conversation and writing happen, English 1011 will provide students with opportunities to engage with reading and writing strategies in conjunction with their ENGL 1010 course.

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ENGL 1020: ENGLISH COMPOSITION II VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS Prerequisite: ENGL 1010, with minimum grade of C ENGL 1020 focuses on developing academic research writing skills that students will utilize in their academic and professional contexts. The course introduces students to the methods, strategies, and skills required to conduct an informed inquiry: critical reading, critical analysis, synthesis, constructing a researchbased argument, and reflection.

LOWER-LEVEL COURSES Humanities/Fine Arts Requirement ENGL 2530: SURVEY OF ENGLISH LIT I VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS Prerequisite: ENGL 1010/1020, with minimum grade of C ENGL 2530 offers students an overview of British literature from the medieval period through the 18th century. Courses may be themed around specific subjects, but all course offerings are introductory courses in which students will learn the basics of literary terminology, close reading practices, broad knowledge of specific literary eras and historical and cultural contexts, and effective writing skills.

ENGL 2540: SURVEY OF ENGLISH LIT II VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS Prerequisite: ENGL 1010, with minimum grade of C ENGL 2540 offers students an overview of British literature from the Romantic period to the present. Courses may be themed around specific subjects, but all course offerings are introductory courses in which students will learn the basics of literary terminology, close reading practices, broad knowledge of specific literary eras and historical and cultural contexts, and effective writing skills.

ENGL 2570: SURVEY OF AMERICAN LIT I VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS Prerequisite: ENGL 1010, with minimum grade of C ENGL 2570 offers students an overview of American literature from its colonial beginnings to 1865. Courses may be themed around specific subjects, but all course offerings are introductory courses in which students will learn the basics of literary terminology, close reading practices, broad knowledge of specific literary eras and historical and cultural contexts, and effective writing skills.

ENGL 2580: SURVEY OF AMERICAN LIT II VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS

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Prerequisite: ENGL 1010, with minimum grade of C ENGL 2580 offers students an overview of American literature from 1865 to the present. Courses may be themed around specific subjects, but all course offerings are introductory courses in which students will learn the basics of literary terminology, close reading practices, broad knowledge of specific literary eras and historical and cultural contexts, and effective writing skills.

LOWER-LEVEL COURSES ENGL 2600: SURVEY OF WORLD LIT I VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS Prerequisite: ENGL 1010/1020, with minimum grade of C ENGL 2600 offers students a study of world literature from multiple continents and especially from non-Western literatures from the ancient world to the 17th century. All course offerings are introductory courses in which students will learn the basics of literary terminology, close reading practices, broad knowledge of specific literary eras and historical and cultural contexts, and effective writing skills.

ENGL 2610: SURVEY OF WORLD LIT II VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS Prerequisite: ENGL 1010, with minimum grade of C ENGL 2610 offers students a study of world literature from multiple continents and especially from non-Western literatures from the 17th century to the present. All course offerings are introductory courses in which students will learn the basics of literary terminology, close reading practices, broad knowledge of specific literary eras and historical and cultural contexts, and effective writing skills.

ENGL 2670: SURVEY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIT I VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS Prerequisite: ENGL 1010/1020, with minimum grade of C ENGL 2670 offers students a study of African American Literature from the 18th century to 1910. All course offerings are introductory courses in which students will learn the basics of literary terminology, close reading practices, broad knowledge of specific literary eras and historical and cultural contexts, and effective writing skills.

ENGL 2680: SURVEY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIT II VARIOUS INSTRUCTORS Prerequisite: ENGL 1010, with minimum grade of C ENGL 2680 offers students a study of African American Literature from 1910 to the present. All course offerings are introductory courses in which students will learn the basics of literary terminology, close reading practices, broad knowledge of specific literary eras and historical and cultural contexts, and effective writing skills.

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LOWER-LEVEL COURSES Major Requirement ENGL 2500: ENGLISH AS A FIELD OF STUDY DR. HEATHER WITCHER What can you do with a degree in English? For that matter, what do people in English even do?

Let’s find out together! English as a Field of Study is our cornerstone class for English majors and an introduction to the discipline of English, for anyone interested in working with language or literature. We’ll discuss why our field prepares you to do more than just teaching literature and writing. ENGL 2500 also serves as an introduction to literature course, including readings and writings about the creative literary genres and and introduction to close reading.

UPPER-LEVEL COURSES Major Requirement ENGL 3002/6002: INTRO TO CREATIVE WRITING DR. KENT QUANEY

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In this class you will read currently publishing exemplary writers of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and drama, and explore the effective use of craft elements such as voice, setting, imagery, dialogue, point of view, and narrative structure. You will then apply this knowledge to your own artistic process and create your own original works.

UPPER-LEVEL COURSES Major Requirement ENGL 3010/6610: INTRO TO PROFESSIONAL & TECHNICAL WRITING PROF. LIZ BURROWS Professional and technical writing shapes the communication, design, and impact of organizations and workplaces. In this course, you'll explore the theories, methods, and key scholarship of professional and technical writing, and translate ideas to action through multimodal projects.

ENGL 3300/6300: INTRO TO DIGITAL HUMANITIES DR. HEATHER WITCHER Let's play around with the stories we tell and the data we preserve. Let's bring your interests to life with new digital tools. In this class, you'll learn about DH and engage with a variety of DH tools to give you a starting point for thinking of how technological approaches can enhance your discipline and career. We'll discuss DH projects that analyze digital texts; visualize data; construct video games/apps that study art and literature; resurrect historical or fictional cities through digital and 3D mapping.

Fulfills Public Humanities requirement.

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UPPER-LEVEL Major Requirement COURSES ENGL 3970/6972: RHETORIC, WRITING, & CULTURE DR. KATHERINE HOWARD Help someone change their mind with your words. Learn from others who already have.

This course analyzes specific historical and cultural movements during which communication and rhetoric became high stakes enterprises that shaped various publics. Examples may include but are not limited to the civil rights movement, 9/11, and the Covid-19 response. Students then create arguments in response to current affairs and culture using both primary and secondary sources and advanced research methods. They will also engage in various methods of delivery including print, digital, visual, and film modalities.

Fulfills Advanced Rhetoric/Comp requirement.

ENGL 4080/6080: LITERARY & CULTURAL CRITICISM DR. JORDAN DOMINY

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What does your favorite book mean? How does it make meaning? Can it mean anything other than what its author intended? Does your favorite book provide enjoyment to readers, does it teach a lesson, or both? Is reading your favorite book a purely aesthetic experience—a celebration of the beauty of language and imagery—or does reading it show you ways that you can either reinforce or challenge norms about race, class, gender, and even language itself? In Literary Criticism, we will engage these questions by studying the methods used by scholars of literature and culture to interpret texts and relate them to larger issues in society. Students will learn about various methodologies and theoretical schools of literary criticism and will choose one of the approaches discussed in the course to apply in a research project on a text of their choice. We will also consider how the theories we study can help us understand ongoing debates on topics beyond literature. This course is foundational for advanced study and research in literature.

UPPER-LEVEL COURSES

Creative Writing Concentration

ENGL 4002/6002: INTRO TO CREATIVE WRITING DR. KENT QUANEY In this class you will read current exemplary writers of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and drama, and explore the effective use of craft elements such as voice, setting, imagery, dialogue, point of view, and narrative structure. You will then apply this knowledge to your own artistic process and create your own original works.

ENGL 4010/6010: POETRY WRITING WORKSHOP DR. JOYCE KELLEY In this class, we will study different forms of poetry, with variations in subject, poetic form, rhyme, and meter. Students will learn to become more proficient writers and readers of poetry through class discussion and peer workshops. At the semester’s end, all students will prepare a final portfolio of their drafted and revised poems.​

ENGL 4935/6935: ADVANCED FICTION (DIRECTED CREATIVE WRITING) DR. KENT QUANEY Prerequisite: ENGL4010, 4020, 4040, or department approval A continuation of the study of the craft of fiction from the beginning fiction workshop. This course will help students to further enhance their skills as readers and writers, while also teaching them how to be productive members of a literary community.

Students will create original short stories and share them with their peers and instructor with the goal of creating publishable work. ​

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UPPER-LEVEL ELECTIVES ENGL4220/6220: DRAMATIC LITERATURE & THEATRE HISTORY 1 DR. VAL WINKELMAN A study of theatrical movements, people, productions, and literature from ancient civilizations through the 19th century.

ENGL4270/6270: POLITICAL SHAKESPEARE DR. ERIC STERLING This course will focus on William Shakespeare’s use of Medieval and Renaissance History to create political theatre. We will cover the following plays: Hamlet, King Lear, Richard II, 1 Henry IV, King John, and Richard III. These are among Shakespeare’s most fascinating plays and provide insight into Shakespeare’s view of the monarchy, a female monarch, England’s political governance in his lifetime, and the ways in which theatre and historical sources can be used to shape public opinion. No prior knowledge of Medieval or Renaissance History is required; I will provide all the historical information you need in my lectures.

ENGL 4972/6972: PUBLISHING DR. STEPHANIE DUGGER

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Publishing our creative work is the dream of most writers, but navigating the Creative Writing publishing industry can be difficult. Because understanding the world of literary journals, agents, copyediting, queries, and cover letters can leave us overwhelmed, this course helps writers sort out what goals best suite their publishing needs and how to achieve those goals. The course covers many areas, including how to find and publish in magazines, journals, and online outlets, culminating in the world of book publishing. We will focus on skills such as assessing publications and presses, submitting pitches, targeting audiences, writing cover letters and queries, promoting work, and communicating within the publishing marketplace.

PHILOSOPHY COURSE OFFERINGS

Humanities Requirement 2

PHIL 2000: REASONING & CRITICAL THINKING DR. AARON COBB PHIL 2100: APPLIED ETHICS-MEDICAL ETHICS PHIL 2000 studies the intellectual skills crucial to DR. LUKE MANNING evaluating arguments and to addressing both cognitive This is a course in ethical decision-making, focused on biases and informal fallacies. topics most relevant to healthcare professions. Ethical decision-making requires us to consider and weigh different considerations and perspectives, and each situation presents new complications. In this class, you will learn several major perspectives and principles for evaluating right and wrong, as well as philosophical tools for reasoning carefully about complex issues. You will also learn how ethical principles play out in common PHIL 2100: APPLIED ETHICS professional issues, such as informed consent, and DR. JASON GRAY confidentiality, and human research. In addition, you PHIL 2100 provides a study of controversial social and will learn how to think through complex topics such as moral problems such as abortion, euthanasia, capital abortion and euthanasia, as well as issues of justice in punishment, and sexual morality. Specific studies and healthcare relating to sex, gender, race, and disability. themes determined by the instructor.

PHIL 2010: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY DR. JASON GRAY PHIL 2010 offers an introduction to the methods of philosophical inquiry and a study of major topics in philosophy. Specific major topics are identified and explored by the instructor.

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PHILOSOPHY COURSE OFFERINGS Humanities Requirement 3

PHIL 2030: LOGIC DR. LUKE MANNING PHIL 2030 offers an introduction to formal methods for evaluating both deductive and inductive reasoning. **Note: students can take PHIL 2030 in place of Math requirements.

PHIL 4970/6970: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION DR. JASON GRAY

Elective

In this course we will focus on three different topics within Philosophy of Religion. First, there is are several important arguments that (without reference to any religious text or assumptions) attempt to prove God exists. We will examine several of these, along with arguments that challenge the existence of a God. We will also consider, if God exists, whether God is the source of all moral goodness, and, if so, does God create moral reason, or is God bound by it?

Finally, we will consider the possibility of immortality. Would an immortal life be recognizably human?

Would immortality be truly desirable? 10 billion years is a long time (twice as old as Earth), would you at some point because existentially bored with life as things become repetitive redundant?

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