Course Descriptions
ENGL 101 - Composition
3 credits
An introduction to college level writing with an emphasis on analyzing source materials, understanding rhetorical strategies, and crafting well-organized, well-argued, grammatically correct papers. This course is required for selected students as a prerequisite for English 111.
ENGL 101i - Composition for International Students
3 credits
An introduction to college level writing in the American system for international students only. This course emphasizes the skills needed to draft academic papers, including analyzing source materials, understanding rhetorical strategies, developing arguments, and mastering writing conventions.
ENGL 111 - Critical Reading and Writing
3 credits
Practice in the writing and revision of college level prose through the intensive study of interesting subject matter. Topics from recent sections of this course include Immigrant Narratives, Economics and Business themes in Literature, and the Vietnam War in Literature. Because English 111 is a foundational course for college-level writing, a prerequisite for all other English courses, and a requirement for graduation, it should be taken during the first year of enrollment.
ENGL 114 - Honors Critical Reading and Writing
4 credits
Designed for prospective English majors and students with exceptionally strong language skills, this colloquia provides advanced practice in the writing and revision of college level prose through the intensive study of interesting topics in literature, language, and rhetoric. This course fulfills the English 111 requirement. Enrollment is by invitation or petition only.
ENGL 115 - Humanities Tutorial
4 credits
The year-long Humanities Tutorial begins with an in-depth, one-semester study of the origins of Western culture in Greek literature and philosophy. The second semester continues with a study of contemporary themes and concerns both in Western and Non-Western thought. In addition to providing practice in the skills of analysis, argument, and critical and reflective interpretation, the course aims to familiarize students with the intellectual ideal of illuminating the new by understanding the old (cross-listed with Philosophy 115 and Honors 115).
ENGL 211 - Classical Literature
4 credits
This course may include works from ancient Greek and Roman literatures and other literatures that draw heavily from classical traditions (Maximum class size 20). Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 213 - Literature of the Americas
4 credits
The course focuses on works from one or more of the many literatures of the North American hemisphere: Canadian, Caribbean, Native American, Central American, or any of the many immigrant literatures of the United States. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 214 - Contemporary American Authors
4 credits
An introduction to selected U.S. writers whose works help us understand ourselves culturally, socially, and intellectually in relation to our contemporary world. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 216 - Environmental Literature
4 credits
This course explores environmental writing across a range of genres: the essay, memoir, fiction, drama, and poetry. The course may focus on literature in relation to one or more environmental movements or issues such as deep ecology, wildlife management, or environmental justice. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 260 - Topics in World Literature
4 credits
An introduction to the literary traditions of one or more world cultures. Examples of course topics include Contemporary Chinese Literature, India in Fiction and Film, and the Literatures of the Pacific Rim. Prerequisite: English 111 (cross-listed with Philosophy 260)
ENGL 282 - Selected Topics
1 credit
ENGL 285 - Literature in New England
2-4 credits
This travel course examines some of the most influential and engaging works of American literature and includes travel to the states in which they were written. Different semesters may feature different readings and itineraries. Examples include Boston in Literature; and Thoreau, Emerson, and Hawthorne in Massachusetts. The course meets regularly during the semester and concludes with travel during winter break or late May. The travel portion of this course entails additional costs. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 301 - Academic Research and Writing
4 credits
This academic research and writing workshop in literary studies is a prerequisite for ENGL 480, the Major Capstone Colloquium. ENGL 301 focuses on research techniques, text analysis, and the synthesizing of literary scholarship and effective argumentative writing in the discipline. May include field trips to UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, and the Huntington Library. Recommended for sophomore English majors, this course must be taken by majors before the first semester of their senior year. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 302 - Creative Writing: Fiction
2-4 credits
Fiction writing workshop with an emphasis on skills: crafting plot, developing character, and evoking setting. Students will complete one or more short stories. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 303 - Creative Writing: Poetry
2-4 credits
Poetry writing workshop with an emphasis on understanding and developing skills: syntax, diction, rhythm, rhyme, and meter. Students will complete a portfolio of poems. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 304 - Creative Nonfiction Writing
2-4 credits
This nonfiction writing workshop emphasizes the combining of skills traditionally learned in fiction writing with those of nonfiction genres. Students will complete well researched special topic essays, memoirs, and autobiographical reflections. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 305 - Playwriting
4 credits
This workshop course focuses on basic playwriting skills, with an emphasis on mastering plot, character, and dialogue development. Students will write and revise an original piece (cross-listed with Theatre Arts 305).
ENGL 306 - Visual and Non-Linear Storytelling
2-4 credits
This workshop course focuses on writing for visual and new media, including the screen, television, and video, with an emphasis on understanding the unique problems and challenges of these genres from the writer's perspective. Students write and revise one or more works. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 307 - Professional Writing
3 credits
This workshop course focuses on mastering editing and technical skills for professional writing in fields such as print publishing, medical and science writing, and Web content development. Students will develop a portfolio of one or more original works that may serve as writing samples for the professional writing job market. Writing Intensive (Maximum class size 20). Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 312 - The Teaching of Writing
3 credits
This course explores the cultural context of the teaching of writing in grades K-12. By working on collaborative class projects, students investigate major theories in composition and creatively apply them to different classroom scenarios. This course is required for all liberal studies majors and recommended for those who plan to teach at any level.
ENGL 314 - English Language and Linguistics
4 credits
An introduction to the linguistic theories of the English language, including studies in phonology, morphology, and syntax, with particular emphasis on syntactic analyses. Prerequisite: English 111 and junior standing
ENGL 316 - First and Second Language Acquisition
4 credits
An introduction to the processes by which children acquire language and adults learn second languages. Special attention is given to the practical application of linguistic theories of language acquisition to teaching and tutoring. This class is recommended for students who plan to be teachers or to tutor in the CLU Writing Center. Prerequisite: English 111 and junior standing
ENGL 317 - Language Development in Early Childhood
3 credits
The study of language acquisition through sounds, words, and grammar. Includes the importance of and opportunities for language learning in both planned and unplanned situations. This course involves field work. Employed teachers may use their work experience.
ENGL 318 - Methods of Teaching English as Second Language
3 credits
Students observe and participate in multilingual classrooms, study current scholarship about ESL, and prepare lesson plans for the classroom.
ENGL 323 - English Literature I
4 credits
This course explores the major themes and social contexts of English literature from its emergence through the early modern period.
ENGL 324 - English Literature II
4 credits
This course explores the major themes and social contexts of English literature from the eighteenth century through the Victorian era to the present day.
ENGL 325 - American Literature I
4 credits
This course traces the intellectual and social influences upon the literature of what will become the United States of America, from the birth of a colonial new world, through its growth into an independent country, up to the eve of the Civil War.
ENGL 326 - Amercan Literature II
4 credits
This course focuses on the intellectual and social influences on the literature of the United States from the Civil War through the 20th century, with an emphasis on the impact of realism and modernism on the literary imagination.
ENGL 330 - Cinema
4 credits
This course focuses on understanding and interpreting film. Each semester offers a different emphasis based on genre or theme. Examples include International Film, Hollywood Classics, Understanding Comedy, or The Development of American Cinema. The course does not satisfy the literature requirement. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 335 - Children's Literature
3 credits
A cultural approach to children's literature through its history, major writers, genres, and themes. This course does not satisfy the Core requirement in literature, but it is required for the Liberal Studies major and recommended for students who have a strong interest in working with children.
ENGL 341 - Studies in the Novel
4 credits
This course may take various approaches to the genre: a thematic approach (Politics and the Novel, Desire and Sexuality in the Novel); a subgenre approach (The Epistolary Novel, The Detective Novel); or an historical approach that includes relevant theoretical aspects of its development (History of the Novel, The Post-modern Novel).
ENGL 342 - History of Drama
4 credits
A survey of dramatic literature from the beginnings of Greek tragedy to the rise of realism in the 19th century. Among the theatres represented are Classical Greece, the Spanish Golden Age, the English Renaissance, 17th-century France and the Romantic Period (cross-listed with Theatre Arts 342).
ENGL 343 - Studies in Drama
4 credits
This course explores a movement, historical period or theme in drama such as Theatre of the Absurd, Contemporary Theater, or The American Family (cross-listed with Theatre Arts 343).
ENGL 345 - History of English Poetry
4 credits
A study of the development and theory of poetry, exemplified especially in English works and those influencing English and American poetry.
ENGL 346 - Studies in Poetry
4 credits
This course explores a theme, genre, or movement in poetry such as the sonnet, political poetry, or post World War II poetry.
ENGL 350 - Studies in African-American Literature
4 credits
With an emphasis on literary works by African-American writers, this course explores race in the American context. Each semester offers a different focus based on culture, genre, or theme. For example: Race and Ethnicity in the 19th Century, Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance, or Representations of Race in African-American Literature. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 352 - Gender and Literature
4 credits
This course explores gender in literature. Each semester offers a different focus based on culture, genre, or theme. For example: Gender across Global Cultures; Gender and American Culture; Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation; or Gender and War. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 355 - Post-colonial Studies in Literature
4 credits
This course examines themes and perspectives in modern world literatures in the contexts of their cultural identities after a nation has gained independence from its former colonizers. These vibrant, sometimes revolutionary voices from African, Indian, and South Pacific roots, among others, represent the complex intersections of literature and culture in the post modern world.
ENGL 360 - The Holocaust in Literature and Film
4 credits
A study of the legislated and systematic extermination of Europe's Jews and other targeted groups by the Nazis. Through representative literature, the course addresses some of the complex religious, philosophical, and psychological issues this event raises. The course uses film and guest speakers to further reveal the genesis and consequences of human intolerance in its extremes. Prerequisite: English 111 and sophomore standing.
ENGL 361 - Contemporary Chicano Literature
4 credits
Intended as a basic exploration of the literature of the Chicano people. This representative synthesis covers the principal genres of poetry, theatre, the novel, the short story, and the essay. An historical framework establishes the different periods of Chicano creativity from its origins in the pre-1960s prior to the Chicano movement, through the Civil Rights movement of the early 1960s and to contemporary times. Note: This class is offered in English and is not for Spanish credit (cross-listed with Spanish 361).
ENGL 402 - Post-Modernism: Politics and Philosophy of Art
4 credits
Postmodernism explores the relationship between art, science, and politics in contemporary philosophy. The course begins with a consideration of the legacies of Freud, Nietzsche, and Marx and continues with an analysis of such authors as Breton, Heidegger, Benjamin, Cortazar, Borges, Derrida, Foucault, Heisenberg, and Rorty. Uses film (including students' own short surrealist films), literature, and philosophical texts. Open to all students, it also fulfills the Honors Capstone requirement (cross-listed with Honors, Philosophy, and Political Science 402).
ENGL 451 - Studies in Chaucer
4 credits
A study of Chaucer's major works, with attention to the cultural and literary background and language of the period. (Maximum class size 20).
ENGL 452 - Shakespeare
4 credits
A study of selected plays and the sonnets of Shakespeare, with attention to theatrical, cultural and literary background (cross-listed with Theatre Arts 452).
ENGL 453 - Studies in Milton
4 credits
A study of major works of Milton, with attention to his life and his significance in English literature.
ENGL 455 - Major American Auhors
4 credits
A study of works of one or more major American writers, with attention to the intellectual and cultural background and the literary contributions of each writer. Examples include Julia Alvarez and Toni Morrison, Ernest Hemingway and Edith Wharton, and David Mamet and August Wilson.
ENGL 456 - Major British Authors
4 credits
A study of the works of one or more major authors from Great Britain, with attention to the intellectual and cultural background and the literary contributions of each writer. Examples include the poetry of John Donne and George Herbert, Jane Austen's England, and the politics of Thomas Hardy and D.H. Lawrence.
ENGL 457 - Major European Authors
4 credits
This course focuses on the works of one or more European authors with attention to the cultural environment in which they wrote and the influence of their writing on later artists. Examples of authors who may be chosen for this class include Dante, Flaubert, Lorca, Tolstoy, and Strindberg. (Maximum class size 20). Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 458 - Major Anglophone Authors
4 credits
A study of the works of one or more major writers from outside the United States, Great Britain, and Europe with attention to the intellectual and cultural background and literary contributions of each. Examples of authors who may be studied in this course include Nadine Gordimer, Chinua Achebe, and Anita Desai.
ENGL 470 - Literary Criticism and Theory
4 credits
Exploring the development of theories in Western literary criticism from Plato to the present, this course examines the major influences that have contributed to our collective understanding of what it means to read and write literature.
ENGL 472 - Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature
4 credits
This course approaches literature in relation to another field such as history, fine art or religion and may be cross-listed in that department. Examples include Celtic Fine Arts and Literature, American Print Culture, and the Bible as Literature.
ENGL 480 - English Major Capstone Colloquium
1 credit
This course is required for majors and should be taken in the fall of senior year. Students will research and write an original work of literary scholarship or complete a polished creative writing project. Students who wish to pursue a creative project should have taken a creative writing course in the genre they wish to write before enrolling in the Capstone. The Capstone represents the culmination of the major, and as such the Capstone projects are presented to the public every spring. Prerequisites: English 111 and 301.
ENGL 485 - Literature in England or Ireland
2-4 credits
This travel course explores the literature of England, Scotland or Ireland. Different semesters may feature different readings and itineraries. Examples include the following: Shakespeare in London & Stratford; Magical England: Preliterate Cultures, Arthurian Legends, and the Rise of Fantasy Fiction; and Jane Austen's England. The course meets regularly during the semester and then concludes with travel during winter break or late May. The travel portion of this course entails additional costs. Prerequisite: English 111.
ENGL 490 - Independent Study
1 credit
ENGL 492 - Internship
1 credit
(graded P/NC only)