New course addition for 2006-2007

ENG 490. Senior Seminars. Advanced study in a literary theme, genre, period, author, or other special topic. Involves a major paper, which will be the final paper for the student’s English portfolio. Required of all senior English majors, beginning with the entering class of 2006.

Full-Time Faculty: Sandra P. Cookson, Chair; Robert J. Butler, Rita A. Capezzi, Hamilton E. Cochrane, Jack P. D’Amico, Jennifer Desiderio, Judith A. Dompkowski, Paul M. Dowling, Jane E. Fisher, Eric L. Gansworth, David J. Greenman, Joseph L. Grossi, Mark Hodin, Robert Oscar López, James M. Pribek, S.J., Thomas C. Reber, Frank P. Riga, Melvin W. Schroeder, Kenneth M. Sroka, E. Roger Stephenson, Amy Wolf.

The Department of English serves all students at Canisius as well as its own English majors. In keeping with the college’s Jesuit mission to educate the whole person, the English Department strives to nurture intellectual and spiritual growth through the study of literature and writing. Through the study of literature and the practice of writing, we join the discussion of what it means to be human.

The Department staffs courses on three levels: English major courses, as well as a variety of literature and writing courses in Area III of the core curriculum, and freshman English Seminars I and II.

Our major courses present an array of literary experiences centered upon the study of literature, in fiction and non-fiction readings, and writing. The English Department offers minors in theater arts, writing and creative writing.

Reading and writing assignments foster both intellectual inquiry and growth of the imagination. Writing about literature fosters depth and precision in expression, close textual analysis, understanding of historical contexts and examination of professional criticism.

Courses in Area III (Art and Literature) for non-majors provide study in the various genres of literature: poetry, fiction, drama, the essay and autobiography. The English Department offers multicultural and interdisciplinary courses such as African American and Native American literature, Literature and Film, Literature and Psychology and The Immigrant Experience in American Literature. It also offers a range of courses in Women’s Studies, including Women Writers, American Women’s Poetry and Images of Women in Literature and Film.

English Seminars I and II are designed to enhance literacy, communication skills, critical acuity, and intellectual development through the study of non-fiction prose and literary texts and emphasis on written expression.

Departmental faculty advisors work closely with students regarding course selection and career opportunities. In addition to the classroom experience, internships in local business, arts, non-profit and social service oriented organizations prepare majors for careers in all areas where effective communication, organization, understanding and empathy are essential.

These include, but are not limited to, teaching, writing, publishing, law, social work, mass media and public relations.

Admission
Students who wish to become English majors should have an interview with the chair of the English Department. The quality of an applicant’s performance in ENG 101 and ENG 102 is important.

English Curriculum

1. ENG 101, ENG 102, PHI 101, RST 101 (4 courses) (12)
2. Area Studies: Two courses from each of these areas I, II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII (14 courses)1 (42)
3. Major course requirements:2 (12 courses)  
ENG 300 Introduction to English Studies (3)
Shakespeare: one 300 level course   (3)
British Literature Distribution3 — one 300/400 level course from three of the following four historical periods:

I. Medieval through Early Seventeenth Century,
II. Restoration through Eighteenth Century,
III. Nineteenth Century, IV. Twentieth Century.
 (9)
American Literature Distribution:3 -- one 300/400 level course from each of the following major historical periods:

I. Pre-Civil War American Literature,
II. Post-Civil War American Literature
 (6)
Writing: one 300/400 level course. (3)
English electives: four 300/400 level courses (12)
Note: All courses used to meet the English major course requirements must be on the 300 or 400 level.  
4. Electives (10 courses) (30)
TOTAL (40 courses) (120)
Portfolio
In addition to the coursework listed above, students will be required to submit a portfolio of their work in the English major, consisting of a selection of papers and a Reflections page, toward the end of their senior year, in order to graduate. Please see our English website, or contact your English major advisor, for more information.

Recommended Schedule:

Fall             Spring      
Freshman Year      
ENG 101 3 ENG 102 3
Language4 3 Language 3
AS (History)5 3 AS (History) 3
AS 3 AS 3
AS 3 AS 3
Total 15 Total 15
 
Sophomore Year      
PHI 101 or RST 101 3 RST 101 or PHI 101 3
ENG 300 3 British or American Distribution 3
British or American Distribution 3 Writing or Shakespeare 3
AS 3 AS 3
Elective 3 Elective 3
Total 15 Total 15
 
Junior Year      
Shakespeare or Writing 3 British or American Distribution 3
British or American Distribution 3 English elective 3
AS 3 AS 3
AS 3 AS 3
Elective 3 Elective 3
Total 15 Total 15
 
Senior Year      
British or American Distribution 3 English elective 3
English elective 3 AS 3
Elective 3 Elective 3
Elective 3 Elective 3
Elective 3 Elective 3
Total 15 Total 15
    Total 120
Other Programs

Honors: Students who have completed two English department seminars with distinction and an honors thesis will have earned the English Honors designation.

Dual Majors: Dual majors involving English are available in a large number of areas, including biology, history, modern languages, philosophy, psychology and sociology. Interested students should consult the chairs of both departments. With the permission of both chairs, inter-disciplinary courses may be used for credit toward the major requirements in both departments.

Course clusters combining English and pre-law or business are also available. In addition, three minors are offered. They are:

English Minor: For non-majors only. A six-course sequence that includes many of the basic requirements for English majors.

  • ENG 300 Introduction to English Studies (3)
  • British Literature Distribution: one 300/400 level course from any period (3)
  • American Literature Distribution: one 300/400 level course from either period (3)
  • Shakespeare: ENG 322 or ENG 323 (3)
  • Writing: one 300/400 level course (3)
  • English elective: one 300/400 level course (3)
    Total (6 courses) (18)
Writing Minor: For both majors and non-majors. A five-course program that includes rhetorical theory and practice, writing in various contexts, workshops with practicing writers and an internship in writing.

  • ENG 401 Texts, Contexts, and Subtexts (3)
  • Writing electives: three courses (ENG 385, 389, 394, 411, 494, 495, 496) (9)
  • ENG 498 Internship (3)
    Total (5 courses) (15)
Creative Writing Minor: For both majors and non-majors. A five-course program that provides interested students the opportunity to learn and practice the fundamentals of writing stories, poems, essays and plays. Students may choose among:

  • ENG 394 Introduction to Creative Writing
  • ENG 494 Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction
  • ENG 495 Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry
  • ENG 496 Advanced Creative Writing: Literary
    Non- Fiction
  • ENG 498 Internship
  • ENG 499 Directed Study
  • Additional courses: ENG 312, ENG 388, ENG 411
    Total (5 courses) (15)
Theater Arts Minor: For both majors and non-majors. A five-course sequence that includes course work in acting and production as well as in dramatic literature.

  • ENG 345 Drama (3)
  • ENG 410 Introduction to Theatre (3)
  • ENG 412 Acting I (3)
  • Theater Arts elective: (1 course) (3)
  • ENG 498 Internship (3)
    Total (5 courses) (15)
Students interested in one of these minors should see the department chair.

Additional Department activities, designed to make literature a more integral part of the academic and creative life of English majors and other members of the college community, include the Quadrangle literary magazine, the English Club, Sigma Tau Delta (International English Honors Society) and the Speaker’s and Guest Artist’s Program.

Also available for students are The Griffin college newspaper and the Little Theatre.

COURSES: 2005 - 2007

ENG 101 English Seminar I  3
A course in reading and writing. Intensive practice in various kinds and modes of writing. Stress on writinginstruction, with some practice in research. Readings are primarily discursive prose.

ENG 102 English Seminar II  3
A course in reading and writing. Emphasis on writing, this time of a more complex sort, including a research assignment. Particular attention to summary, analysis and organizational skills. Reading selected primarily from literature. Prerequisite: Passing grade in ENG 101.

ENG 123 English Grammar  3
English grammar for those who wish to improve their understanding of English syntax and structure. Free elective credit only.

ENG 200 Science Fiction  3
A survey of science fiction literature; its nature and function as social commentary and art. (AS III)

ENG 203 (WST 203) Identity and Culture  3
How identity is shaped in relation to culture as seen through the formal and thematic elements of literary texts and films. Defining the textual strategies which reveal the representation of valued personal and cultural identities. (AS III) (ICD)

ENG 204 Classic American Literature  3
Develops the non-specialist student’s knowledge and appreciation of some landmark works in our literary heritage. Traces certain thematic trends through American letters. (AS III)

ENG 207 Word and Image  3
Formal and thematic elements of literary texts, films and texts composed of both words and images. Emphasis on how interpretive strategies that are specific to verbal texts might be made useful for understanding visual texts, and vice versa. (AS III)

ENG 222 Shakespeare  3
Introductory survey for non-majors. Typically, 6-8 plays, drawn from the categories of comedy, tragedy and history. (AS III)

ENG 255 Poetry  3
Reviews the basic elements of poetry and then examines the major poetic genres and their respective conventions and motifs. (AS III)

ENG 262 (GRN 262) Images of Aging in Literature  3
Variety of literary types and authors from different cultures and time periods. Theme: aging and how it is used in different waysby various authors. (AS III)

ENG 268 The Classic English and American Novel  3
Focuses on the outstanding novelists of the language, with an overview of the main developments in the novel’s form and themes. (AS III)

ENG 300 Introduction to English Studies  3
Introduction to the essentials of literary analysis and interpretation. Focusing on the rigorous analysis of poetry, prose narrative and drama chosen from different historical periods, the course will stress writing with critical awareness about literature. Required of all English majors. Prerequisites: English 101 - 102

ENG 301 British Literature for Majors I  3
Representative works of British Literature from the middle ages through the 18th century.

ENG 302 British Literature for Majors II  3
Survey of 19th and 20th century British Literature, providing overview of authors, genres and issues for the Romantic, Victorian and Modern periods.

ENG 303 Medieval Literature  3
A survey of the major voices of medieval British literature centering on Chaucer.

ENG 304 Sixteenth Century Literature  3
A survey of the poetry and prose of major 16th century British authors, including some continental works.

ENG 305 Seventeenth Century Literature  3
A survey of the poetry and prose of major British authors from the Renaissance to the Restoration.

ENG 306 Eighteenth Century Literature  3
A survey of the poetry and prose of major British authors in the “long” eighteenth century.

ENG 307 English Romantic Poets 3
The meaning and spirit of English Romanticism studied through a close examination of important poems by Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley and Keats.

ENG 308 Victorian Literature 3
Examines the conflict between religion and science, culture and technology, historical determinism and historical change that characterized literature of the Victorian period.

ENG 309 Modern and Contemporary British Literature 3
A survey of representative figures and genres.

ENG 310 British Youth in Literature 3
Britain’s rock culture traced back to its roots in the “Angry Young Men” writers, “Social Realism” cinema, and 1960s transatlantic “British Invasion” in rock music.

ENG 311 (WST 311) Women Writers 3
Works by women writers from all periods and backgrounds.

ENG 312 (WST 312) American Women’s Poetry: Reading and Writing 3
Practice in reading and writing poetry, as well as critical interpretation. Emphasis on women poets from 1950s to present. (AS III)

ENG 313 (WST 313) Literature and Psychology 3
Focuses on the convergence of the disciplines of literature and psychology, especially the ways in which psychology has drawn on literary genres, techniques and motifs. (AS III)

ENG 315 American Literature I 3
The first half of a two-semester American literature survey. The course begins with the Puritans and ends with the 19th century American Realists.

ENG 316 American Literature II 3
A survey of representative American writers from the end of the Civil War to the present. Emphasis on Twain, Dreiser, Faulkner, O’Neill and Frost.

ENG 317 Heroes and Heroines in American Literature 3
A study of uniquely American heroic types, including the Alger hero, the western hero and the picaresque hero. Representative texts studied in detail, in historical and cultural context.

ENG 318 Modern American Novel 3
A study of representative modern and contemporary American novels.

ENG 319 (WST 319) Special Topics in American Literature 3
The study of a particular theme, mode or period, such as the hero, the American Renaissance, or the Roaring Twenties.

ENG 320 Contemporary Catholic Fiction 3
Study of novels and short stories by Catholic American writers from 1950 to the present: writers such as Flannery O’Connor, Walker Percy, Mary Gordon and Andre Dubus. (AS III).

ENG 322 Shakespeare I 3
Introductory survey for majors. Plays drawn from the categories of comedy, tragedy and history.

ENG 323 Shakespeare II 3
Works selected with emphasis on specific themes, structures, or styles. Shakespeare I not a prerequisite.

ENG 324 (WST 324) Reading and Writing in Early America 3
This course explores pre-Civil War writers and the audiences of their texts in terms of the social and cultural significance of literacy and literary production.

ENG 330 Literature and the Bible 3
A study of literary forms and styles in the Bible. (AS III)

ENG 331 Studies in Irish Literature 3
An historical survey focused mainly on 20th century Irish writers. An aim of the course is to define Irish literature and identify its distinguishing features.

ENG 343 Comedy and Humor 3
A course for enjoying and thinking critically about a great variety of texts, ranging from single-sentence jokes to stage plays and novels. (AS III)

ENG 344 Children’s Fantasy Literature 3
The main purpose of this course is to give upper-level college students a mature literary experience in the study of children’s writers, among whom are Lewis Carroll, Frances Hodgson Burnett, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Russell Hoban.

ENG 345 Drama 3
Survey of drama from classical to modern. (AS III)

ENG 347 (WST 347) English Novel I 3
Survey of major English novels from Defoe to Austen, including works of Sterne, Goldsmith and others.

ENG 348 (WST 348) English Novel II 3
Major British novels from the nineteenth century. (AS III)

ENG 349 Modern British Novel 3
Survey of major British novels of the twentieth century.

ENG 350 European Novel 3
A study of major European novels, primarily French, Russian, German and Italian.

ENG 351 Modern European Literature 3
Survey of European literature from World War I to the present. Authors include Mann, Singer, Camus, Milosz and Rilke.

ENG 352 Immigrant Experience in Literature 3
The course focuses on literary works, chosen from a variety of periods, that reflect the immigrant experience.

ENG 353 Canadian Literature 3
An examination of the prose and poetry of several regions of Canada including the works of Margaret Atwood and Hugh Maclennan.

ENG 355 Poetry 3
An in-depth survey of poetry.

ENG 356 Modern Poetry 3
Major modern and earlier twentieth-century poetry, to about 1950.

ENG 357 Contemporary Poetry 3
Major trends and currents in twentieth-century poetry, from 1950 to the end of the century.

ENG 361 The Literature of Service 3
Develops connections between literary works and various forms of community service. Requires that students perform community service as part of the course.

ENG 364 Short Fiction 3
Detailed investigation of various modes of short fiction to develop student’s ability to read, comprehend and appreciate short fiction through an understanding of its techniques. (AS III)

ENG 366 Literary London 3
Major literary works studied in the context of the city. Includes a trip to London.

ENG 368 (WST 368) Native American Literature 3
A survey of contemporary Native American literature, covering major and lesser-known authors. The course traces the origins of traditions, both thematic and structural.

ENG 369 (WST 369) Contemporary Fiction 3
Study of recently published novels and short stories, exploring the formal and thematic range of new fiction and focusing on the contemporary issues it reflects. (AS III)

ENG 370 Special Topics in Literary Themes and Modes 3
The study of themes and modes in British or British and American literature that cut across historical periods and genres, such as war and literature, utopian literature, or romance and epic.

ENG 371 Special Topics in Drama 3
Selected plays chosen by the instructor to elucidate the nature of the dramatic genre, or sub-genre, or to study a specific historical period, such as Restoration drama.

ENG 372 Major Figures in British Literature 3
An in-depth examination of the major works, life and times of one important figure, chosen by the instructor, from any period of British literature from the Middle Ages to the present.

ENG 373 Major Figures in American Literature 3
An in-depth examination of the major works, life and times of one important figure, chosen by the instructor, from any period of American literature from the Revolutionary period to the present.

ENG 374 Interdisciplinary Studies 3
Selected works chosen by the instructor to examine the connections between English or American literature and other disciplines.

ENG 375 Special Topics in Literary Criticism 3
Selected works studied in the context of critical theory, aesthetics, or the history of literary criticism.

ENG 376 Film as Literature 3
An exploration of the relationship between two distinct aesthetic forms: film and literature. The course relies heavily on the original written text and then explores the film director’s interpretation of the literary work. (AS III)

ENG 377 (WST 377) Images of Women in Literature and Film 3
Representations of women as major characters in film and literature.

ENG 378 The City in American Literature 3
The city as the focus for literary representation in the American tradition.

ENG 382 African American Literature 3
A survey of major writers and historical trends in African American literature from the time of slavery to the present. (AS III)

ENG 384 The City in Literature 3
The city as a focus for literary representation in British, American and world literature. (AS III)

ENG 385 Persuasive Writing 3
Analysis and construction of arguments. Readings on issues in law, politics and education.

ENG 386 The Art of the Essay 3
The essay as a literary form studied in a variety of rhetorical and historical contexts.

ENG 388 Literary Publishing 3
A practicum combining the study of the history of the literary magazine in America with the practical work of editing The Quadrangle, the Canisius Collegeliterary magazine.

ENG 389 Business Communication 3
Practice in writing letters, memos, reports, with models and strategies offered for each form.

ENG 390 History and Structure of the English Language 3
Chronological overview of the history of the English language, with some attention to basic linguistic theory.

ENG 393 C.S. Lewis and Fantasy Literature 3
Survey of C.S. Lewis and related authors: E.T.A. Hoffman, George MacDonald, J.R.R. Tolkien, H.G. Wells, Charles Williams.

ENG 394 Creative Writing 3
Workshop in the fundamentals of poetry and fiction writing, focusing on the close study and discussion of both student manuscripts and professional texts. (AS III)

ENG 395 The Journey in Literature 3
Explores the concept of the journey in international literature from a number of cultural and intellectual perspectives. The journey theme provides unity and continuity through a diversity of texts. (AS III) (ICD)

ENG 396 English Honors Seminar 3
Any student may take one or more of the seminars. Seminar topics vary each semester.

ENG 400 English Honors Seminar: Thesis 3

ENG 401 (WST 401) Texts, Contexts, and Subtexts 3
The dynamic of rhetorical situations. Observations/ practical writing in rhetorical theory, writing process theory, writing and thinking, socio-cognitive theory. Writing is both creative and analytical.

ENG 410 Introduction to Theater 3
The collaborative efforts of theater, play, and audience to create the theater experience.

ENG 411 Playwriting 3
The playwriting process. Brief review of dramatic technique and theory, followed by working through the process from germinal idea to finished playscript.

ENG 412 Acting I 3
Introduction to the art of acting. Through lecture and participation in acting assignments, performed in class, students gain understanding of the actor’s role in theater.

ENG 413 Acting II 3
Continuation of Acting I.

ENG 414 Technical Production 3
A hands-on course on the technical and artistic aspects of theatrical production. Research, experimentation and practical application of skills for each facet of production.

ENG 415 Special Topics in Theater Performance 3
Aspects of theatrical production, performance and direction.

ENG 494 Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction 3
Workshop for experienced writers in fiction. Prerequisite: ENG 394 or permission of instructor.

ENG 495 Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry 3
Workshop for experienced writers in poetry. Prerequisite: ENG 394 or permission of instructor.

ENG 496 Advanced Creative Writing: Literary Non-Fiction 3
Workshop for experienced writers in literary non-fiction, the artful telling of true stories. Prerequisite: ENG 394 or permission of instructor.

ENG 498 Internship 3

ENG 499 Independent Study 3
Tutorial arrangement for the investigation of an approved special area of work by a student reading under the close supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite: Permission of the chair.

1  Area III is automatically fulfilled because this program is in the art and literature area.

2  Ordinarily, English majors may fulfill their English requirements with as many as two independent study courses (ENG 499).

3  Courses representative of the historical period must include at least three major authors and a representative genre, topic or issue.

4  Language: It is best for students to do the year of foreign language as early as possible — especially for the benefits that come from course work that includes a good deal of the study of language “as language.” Students should seek help from the Modern Languages Department in deciding at which college level they can begin with a language for which they have high school background.

5  While other AS choices can be left free, it is recommended that students take their AS IV courses in the freshman year.