Department Chair: Judith Petterson Clark, Ph.D.
English/Creative Writing Faculty:
Tina Parke-Sutherland, Ph.D.
Kristine Somerville, M.A.
Terry Song, M.A.
Scott A. Kaukonen, M.F.A. Visiting Writer (Fiction)
Kate Berneking
Kogut, M.A. Writer-in-Residence (Performance)
Written language is a principal repository of the values of human
civilization and a continually evolving tool by which we construct
our lives. The English/Creative Writing curriculum articulates and
embodies our understanding of the knowledge students need in order
to achieve the literacy essential to engaged citizenship. The curriculum
offers students the opportunity to gain a historical perspective
on literature as an institution and to develop a sense of the uses
of literary criticism and theory. In addition, the curriculum provides
excellent preparation in courses that teach and encourage fluent
writing, a skill which students in all areas of study will find
valuable. This curriculum also emphasizes the contributions of women
and minority voices to literature, criticism, and language, and
encourages students to continue to augment those contributions.
The English and Creative Writing Majors
Students
may earn a Bachelor of Arts in English or a Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Creative Writing. The English and Creative Writing majors prepare
students for graduate study and careers in a range of fields including
but not limited to literature, law, humanities, art history, political
or social sciences, philosophy, religion, women's studies, history,
writing, professional editing and production, and public relations.
Because the faculty represents a broad array of the specialities,
majors in English and Creative Writing allow students to complete
the requirements by combining studies in literatures, writing, language
and women's creative writing.
All English and Creative Writing majors will participate in the
College assessment of programs offering disciplinary majors.
Requirements for the B.A. Major in English
The bachelor of arts major in English requires completion
of the liberal arts requirements and at least 36 hours in ENG, including
the following: 6 hours in early American literatures, 6 hours in
English literary traditions to build perspective; 3 hours focusing
on women's literatures in English to address issues of cultural
difference; 3 hours to understand modes of criticism, 3 hours to
address ethical issues and a 3 hour senior capstone course sin the
form of an independent research essay. In addition, the student
chooses 9 to 15 hours from other ENG offerings up to a total of
45 hours. At least 15 hours in the major must be at or above
the 300 level.
English majors must earn a C or better in the required courses,
and must maintain a C average over all courses in the major. If
a student earns less than a C in a required course, she must repeat
it in order to improve her grade. English majors are also required
to attend readings and presentations by departmental students, faculty
and guests.
Each of the following:
ENG 110: Conversations: Authors and Audiences (3 hrs.)
ENG 269: American Literatures I (3 hrs.)
ENG 270: American Literatures II (3 hrs.)
ENG 271: English Literary Traditions I (3 hrs.)
ENG 272: English Literary Traditions II (3 hrs.)
ENG 308: Women Writers (3 hrs.)
ENG 340: Language: Uses and Abuses (3 hrs.)ENG 372: Criticism and Culture (3 hrs.)
ENG 490: Senior Essay (3 hrs.) (not Senior Project)
Plus 9 hours, including at least 3 hours at or above the 300 level, chosen from literatures, creative writing, and writing and language
Requirements for the B.F.A. Major in Creative Writing
The bachelor of fine arts in creative writing requires completion of the liberal arts requirements, and at least 60 semester hours and no more than 75 hours in the major including a minimum of 18 hours of writing courses, 3 hours in WST, 24 hours in English, at least 6 hours in English literature electives, 1-7 hours of internship and a 3 hour senior capstone course. At least 15 hours in the major must be at or above the 300 level. Creative writing majors must maintain a C average overall in courses in the major, and must earn a C or better in ENG 490: Senior Project. Creative writing majors are also required to attend readings and presentations by departmental students, faculty and guests.
Required
Writing Courses (minimum 18 hrs.)
(B.F.A. students must be continuously enrolled in at least 3 semester hours in any of the following genres for each semester after they declare the major. Students must take ENG 210, ENG 212 and a minimum of 3 genres.)
ENG 210: Introduction to Creative Writing (3 hrs.)ENG 212: Introduction to Writing for Performance (3 hrs.)
ENG 240: Writing Creative Non-Fiction (3 hrs.)
ENG 242: Intermediate Creative Writing (3 hrs.)
ENG 311: Fiction Workshop (3-6 hrs.)
ENG 312: Playwriting Workshop (3-6 hrs.)
ENG 313: Poetry Workshop (3-6 hrs.)
ENG 314: Autobiography Workshop (3-6 hrs.)
Required English Courses (24 hrs.)
ENG 110: Conversations: Authors and Audiences (3 hrs.)
ENG 269: American Literatures I (3 hrs.)
ENG 270: American Literatures II (3 hrs.)
ENG 271: English Literary Traditions I (3 hrs.)
ENG 272: English Literary Traditions II (3 hrs.)
ENG 308: Women Writers (3 hrs.)
ENG 340: Language: Uses and Abuses (3 hrs.)ENG 372: Criticism and Culture (3 hrs.)
Required Women's Studies Course
WST 210: Introduction to Women's Studies (3 hrs.)
English Literature Electives
At least 6 hours required
Program Internships
Internship (1 hour required; 6 hours more may be elected)
ENG 396: Harbinger Editing Internships
Register other internships by independent study.
Required Capstone
ENG 490: Senior Project (3 hrs.) (not Senior Essay)
Requirements for a Minor in English
(Not open to Creative Writing majors.)
A minor in English requires completion of a minimum of 15 hours with a maximum of 24 hours.
- One must be chosen from the following:
ENG 269: American Literatures I (3 hrs.)
ENG 270: American Literatures II (3 hrs.)
ENG 271: English Literary Traditions I (3 hrs.)
ENG 272: English Literary Traditions II (3 hrs.)
- and ENG 308: Women Writers (3 hrs.)
- plus 9 hrs of ENG electives including 3 hrs at or above 300 level.
Requirements for a Minor in Creative Writing
(Not open to English majors.)
A minor in English requires completion of a minimum of 15 hours with a maximum of 24 hours.
- One must be chosen from the following:
ENG 269: American Literatures I (3 hrs.)
ENG 270: American Literatures II (3 hrs.)
ENG 271: English Literary Traditions I (3 hrs.)
ENG 272: English Literary Traditions II (3 hrs.)
- and ENG 308: Women Writers (3 hrs.)
- plus
9 hrs of ENG electives chosen from creative writing
courses,
including 3 hrs at or above 300 level.
English and the Liberal Studies Major
In the residential program, the Department of English/Creative Writing offers two concentrations, English and Women's Studies, and Writing and Language, and two minors, English, and Creative Writing, that are available for the liberal studies major. Only one of these concentrations or minors may be included in a liberal studies major. See the liberal studies section of the catalog for complete information about these concentrations and the major. Students including English or Creative Writing in a liberal studies major also participate in the departmental assessment of majors.
English/Creative Writing Courses
ENG 110: Conversations: Authors and Audiences
(3 hrs.)
(Open to
all students; required of ENG/CRW majors;
recommended for ENG/CRW minors.)
This course helps students discover and sharpen their own skills
as authors and audiences through writing workshops and conversations
with visiting writers. Students will also contract to participate
as authors and/or audiences in a number of literary events at the
college and in the Columbia community.
ENG 210: Introduction to Creative Writing
(3 hrs.)
(Open to all students; required of Creative
Writing majors.)
This course helps students discover and sharpen their skills as
creative writers, readers and editors. Concentrating on at least
three of the genres of nonfiction, poetry, fiction and drama, the
class establishes a creative writing community with each class member
presenting her work to the whole class, as well as to the instructor,
for responses and revision suggestions. Students whose skills and
experience in creative writing make a beginning-level course inappropriate
may be advanced upon recommendation of the English/Creative Writing
faculty.
ENG
212: Introduction to Writing for Performance
(3 hrs.)
(Open to all students; required of Creative
Writing majors.)
This course is designed as an introduction to Writing for Performance
in which students will explore a variety of ways to creatively express
themselves in dramatic form. The emphasis of this course is
on both the creative craft of the writing process, culminating in
written projects as well as learning the basic, traditional structure
of story and character.
ENG 240: Writing Non-Fiction
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108; or department recommendation)
(offered
alternate years)
The powerful expressive and persuasive impact of the essay has been
recognized and celebrated by many of the greatest writers of the
past and present. Women, especially, now publish substantial volumes
of influential and moving essays. This course studies contemporary
essays and provides practice (in a workshop setting) in the form
and style of writing nonfiction prose.
ENG 242: Intermediate Creative Writing
(3 hrs.)
(May be repeated, up to 9 semester hours in different genres)
(Prerequisite: ENG 210 or department recommendation)
This course provides an intermediate-level creative writing course,
focusing on craft and technique and helping prepare students with
some creative writing experience for the advanced, creative writing
workshops. Students sharpen their writing, reading and revision
skills as well as explore the structural and content possibilities
of the studied genre.
ENG 255: Literary Studies
(3 hrs.)
(May be repeated for credit with different topic up to 6 semester
hours)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108)
This course presents a variety of topics that cut across national
boundaries and time limits with varying emphasis on themes, motifs,
movements and comparisons. Topics have included "World's Great Novels,"
"Chinese Literature," "Reading Poetry," "Biography and Autobiography,"
"Latin American Drama," and "World Drama."
ENG 256: Southwestern Border Literature
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108) (offered alternate years)
An introduction to contemporary literature emerging from minorities
and women along the Mexico/U.S. border, with a focus on Chicano/a
fiction, poetry and memoir. The course will examine the historical
and cultural context of these works and will explore the important
themes of La Casa/El Barrio/La Lucha: Home/Neighborhood/The Struggle.
ENG 257: Fairy Tales and Folklore
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108) (offered alternate years)
Fairy tales, urban legends, jokes and folksongs reveal the hearts
and minds of the people of the world. Folklore study introduces
the student to the tales, arts and traditions of the peoples and
cultures of Asia, Africa and South and Central America, as well
as Europe and the United States—complex materials to be classified
and interpreted from a folklorist's perspective. Students gain understanding
of the methods and meaning of folklore research and performance.
ENG 269: American Literatures I
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108; required
of English and Creative Writing majors.)
(offered
alternating Fall semesters)
This course, in a variety of ways, questions and explores the geopolitical
category "American" and the cultural category "literature" as they
intersect to locate a constantly changing set of texts called "American
Literature." The course introduces students to a range of primary
texts in many genres, both contemporary and historical, and challenges
them to ask what kinds of circumstances in the writing and the reading
processes, as well as in the culture at large, come together to
make an "American Literature."
ENG 270: American Literatures II
(3 hrs.)
(May be repeated for credit with a different topic up to 6 semester
hours)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108; required
of English and Creative Writing majors.)
(offered
alternating Spring semesters)
Usually more narrowly focused than ENG 269, this course intensively
studies a particular American literature. Depending on the individual
instructor, the course will use an organizing principle such as
a specific time, place, cultural movement, or event to bring together
a set of related texts, often from a number of literary genres.
ENG 271: English Literary Traditions I
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108; required
of English and Creative Writing majors.)
(offered
alternating Fall semesters)
A study of early and early modern English literatures and language
with emphasis on three historical and cultural contexts selected
in part for their interest in light of new readings about women
and popular culture, such as those on the representation of the
warrior woman or the outsider.
ENG 272: English Literary Traditions II
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108; required
of English and Creative Writing majors.)
(offered
alternating Spring semesters)
A study of Restoration and Post-Restoration English and Colonial
literatures, arranged to consider the cultural politics of canons.
Readings include both canonical and popular literature.
ENG 280: Topics in Writing, Language and Literatures
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108 and permission of instructor)
Topics courses are devoted to special subjects that may not be covered
in depth in other courses.
ENG 308: Women Writers
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108 and one 3 hour 200-level
ENG or WST course; or permission of instructor; crosslisted as WST
308; required of English and Creative
Writing majors.)
(offered
alternating Spring semesters)
This course analyzes women's literatures in English of various cultures
and periods considering the history of critical attention given
to them. In addition to standard genres of poetry, fiction and drama,
this course includes reading in nontraditional genres: essays, diaries
and letters, and performance art.
ENG 311: Creative Writing Workshop: Fiction
(3 hrs.)
(May be repeated up to 6 semester hours)
(Prerequisite: ENG 210 and ENG 212, ENG 240 or ENG 242
and permission of instructor)
(offered
alternate years)
This course advances the experienced creative writer to more sophisticated
fictional projects. Reading published short fiction as well as each
other's work, students explore issues of form, craft and subject
matter from the perspective of the fiction writer's position in
contemporary culture.
ENG 312: Creative Writing Workshop: Playwriting
(3 hrs.)
(May be repeated up to 6 semester hours)
(Prerequisite: ENG 210, ENG 212 or permission of instructor)
(offered
alternate years)
This course advances the experienced creative writer to more sophisticated
dramatic projects. Reading works by professionals as well as by
classmates, students explore issues of form, craft, subject matter
and performance from the perspective of the playwright in contemporary
culture.
ENG 313: Creative Writing Workshop: Poetry
(3 hrs.)
(May be repeated up to 6 semester hours)
(Prerequisite: ENG 210 and ENG 212, ENG 240 or ENG 242
and permission of instructor)
(offered
alternate years)
This course advances the experienced creative writer to more sophisticated
poetic projects. Reading published poetry as well as each other's
work, students explore issues of form, craft, subject matter and
audience from the perspective of the poet's position in contemporary
culture.
ENG 314: Creative Writing Workshop: Autobiography
(3 hrs.)
(May be repeated up to 6 semester hours)
(Prerequisite: ENG 210 and ENG 212, ENG 240 or ENG 242
and permission of instructor)
(offered
alternate years)
This course advances the experienced creative writer to more sophisticated
projects focused on autobiographical subjects. Emphasis is on both
theoretical and craft issues surrounding the constitution of the
gendered self through autobiographical writing such as sketches,
journals, memoirs, dream cycles and autobiographical narratives.
ENG 319: Twentieth Century Poetry
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108 and one 3 hour 200-level
ENG course, junior standing; or permission of the instructor.)
Poets writing in the twentieth century make available to contemporary
readers the special sets of circumstances, assumptions, terrors,
delights, dreams and obsessions that came together during this century
to shape the poetic representation of what they thought it meant
to be human.
ENG 340: Language: Uses and Abuses
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108, junior standing or permission
of instructor; required of English and
Creative Writing majors.) (offered alternate years)
Language and literacy have the power to inspire or to debase, to
communicate or to deceive, to liberate or to enslave. This course
explores the ethical implications of language use, especially in
the realms of advertising, politics, the arts and the professions,
as well as private life, and considers the impact of changing technologies
on the role of language in the present and the future.
ENG 342: World Mythologies
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108, junior standing or permission
of instructor)
(offered
alternate years)
The role of mythological thinking in contemporary life has forced
reconsideration of the great texts and bodies of belief associated
with the myths of past civilizations. This course explores selected
mythological texts and theories of mythic (as opposed to scientific
or historical) thought.
ENG 345: Shakespeare
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108; and one 3 hour 200-level
ENG course, junior standing or permission of instructor)
A study of the plays of Shakespeare in their historical context
and in light of new readings of the representations of gender, race,
class and nationality. The class explores the ways in which Shakespearean
plays have been recreated through performance as well as in other
geopolitical and historical contexts.
ENG 360: Western World Literatures
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites:
ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108, and one 3 hour 200-level ENG course, junior
standing or permission of instructor)
European women and men experienced and generated massive political,
philosophical and scientific revolutions that were, in effect, the
forces that invented the modern world. This course reads works of
literature from England and the continent with special reference
to the changing roles of women.
ENG 367: Development of the Novel
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108 and one 3 hour 200-level
ENG course, junior standing or permission of instructor)
A study of the novel from its early forms in England. Historically
arranged, the texts are explored with special attention to the representations
of gender, class, race and nationality, and to a variety of critical
approaches to the genre.
ENG 369: American Novels
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108 and one 3 hour 200-level
ENG course, junior standing or permission of instructor)
The compelling power of American novels comes from the ability to
give speech to the many and varied voices of American life and thus
to provide a space for the literary representation of cultural conflict.
Organized historically or thematically, this course explores the
possibilities and problems of the genre, both for writers and for
readers, inside an American cultural context. Readings may include
works from North, Central, and South America when thematically appropriate.
ENG 372: Criticism and Culture
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108, and junior standing or
permission of instructor; required of
English and Creative Writing majors.) (offered alternate years)
This course studies contemporary critical trends as they apply to
literature, film, fashion or other cultural patterns, and considers
specifically the numerous trends that have coalesced into "Cultural
Criticism."
ENG 376: Contemporary Literature
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisites: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108 and one 3 hour 200-level
ENG course, junior standing or permission of instructor)
This course identifies and examines emerging trends in recent literature.
ENG 380: Topics in Writing, Language and Literatures
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108 and permission of instructor)
Topics courses are devoted to special subjects that may not be covered
in depth in other courses.
ENG 383: Major Author
(3 hrs.)
(May be repeated for credit with a different topic up to 6 semester
hours)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108 and one 3 hour 200-level
ENG course, junior standing or permission of instructor)
An intensive introduction to the range and depth of one or more
writers such as George Eliot, Emily Dickinson, Toni Morrison, James
Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Gertrude Stein and her circle, Margaret Atwood,
or Adrienne Rich.
ENG 396: Harbinger Editing Internships
(1 hr. fall term; 3 hrs. spring term)
(May be repeated up to 7 semester hrs.)
(Prerequisite: ENG 102, 206 or LBA 108 and successful application)
Students learn to edit, design, produce and promote Harbinger, a magazine that includes the creative accomplishments of Stephens'
artists, designers and writers. This course includes a study of
the "little magazine" as a genre.
ENG 490: Senior Essay or Project
(3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: permission of department chair)
The BA student designs a major literary research project and the
BFA student designs a creative writing project in consultation with
an evaluation committee, workshops and completes the project, defends
it during an oral examination conducted by the committee, gives
a solo reading or presentation, and participates in capstone discussions
of life after graduation. Students aspiring to produce a chapbook
in addition to a creative writing project must register for ENG
490 in the fall semester.
Independent Study
Independent studies (special studies, tutorials, readings and projects)
may be proposed by students who need to meet a degree requirement.
Information about independent study may be obtained in the Department
of English/Creative Writing or in the Office of the Registrar.
