COURSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR SPRING 2021 - ENGL Courses - Winthrop ...
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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR SPRING 2021
ENGL Courses
ENGL 203. Major British Authors. Fike. Online.
Major British Authors covers representative British literary works from
the Old English period through postmodernism. We will approach these
works within their historical contexts, creating a deeper understanding
of how literature both shapes and reflects culture. Students will engage
in close reading, become familiar with literary terms and types of
literary criticism, and learn to make evidence-based literary arguments. Requirements include discussion
board postings. Foundations. CR&R.
ENGL 208. Foundations of World Literature. Bickford. Online.
This course considers some of the most important literary works
produced before 1615 A.D. in the Mediterranean world and East
Asia. The most ancient texts we will examine are The Epic of
Gilgamesh and the biblical book of Genesis. We will look at texts
from Homeric and classical Greece, the Roman Empire, the
European Middle Ages, and the European Renaissance. Outside
Europe, we will read influential literary works from the Islamic
world, China, and Japan. Historical and cultural contexts will be
considered, as will historical innovations and continuities. Foundations. CR&R.
ENGL 211. Major American Authors. White. Synchronous Online.
Study of the major periods, literary forms, and issues that
characterize American literature, with a consideration of
representative major works and authors over the course of
American literary history. Foundations. CR&R.
ENGL 291. Introduction to the English Major. Hiner.
ENGL 291 prepares students for university-level English studies by
introducing and reinforcing basic strategies of literary analysis, including
essay composition, research methods, documentation requirements,
literary terms, critical theory, and periodicity. The course also provides
practical instruction in how to navigate the choices available to the English
major, including selecting electives and tracks, applying to graduate school,
applying for internships and scholarships, preparing for careers after
graduation, and tutoring in the Writing Center. Foundations.
ENGL 305. Shakespeare. Boyd. Synchronous Online.
English 305 is an intensive survey of Shakespeare’s plays,
including selected comedies, histories, tragedies, and romances.
Using a variety of critical approaches, we will analyze these plays
from the page to the stage, examining the texts as literary
artifacts and as dynamic scripts for performance. Critical articles
and filmed productions will also be used to help us understand
the plays. Class discussion is a required and vital element of the
course, and students will also write several critical essays of varying lengths and take a mid-term and a
final exam. Students may pursue interdisciplinary topics for the required essays, especially if the students
are not majoring in English. CR&R.
ENGL 308. Literature of the African Diaspora. White. Synchronous Online.
This course will examine different forms of and themes in
Africana literature throughout the diaspora. More specifically,
this course focuses upon literature from Africa, the Caribbean,
and Black America. We will read texts representative of each
geographic space and compare/contrast issues, problems,
traditions, continuities, etc. to determine how, when, and why
Africana people write and what constitutes the Africana
Diaspora. Students in this course will discover “common ground” in the Africana diasporic experience and
write about ways in which literature can help to liberate an oppressed people worldwide. CR&R.
ENGL 310. Introduction to Middle East Studies. Synchronous Online.
Course is cross-listed with PLSC 390-002, HIST 350-002, and PEAC 350-001.
ENGL 324. Twentieth-Century American Novel. Bickford. Online.
This course focuses on the twentieth-century American novel
with particular emphasis on themes of race, gender, and class.
We will also analyze changes in novelistic constructions as well
as consider themes of individual identity and alienation from
social forces. Texts may include Edith Wharton's The House of
Mirth, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Ernest
Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, William Faulkner's The Sound
and The Fury, Thomas Pynchon's Crying of Lot 49, and Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, among others.
Assignments will include three short critical papers, a longer critical paper incorporating research,
midterm and final exams, and reading responses/quizzes. CR&R.
ENGL 333. Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone. Ghent. Online.
Students will develop critical analyses of Rod Serling’s original
screenplays and episodes, and then create their own social
allegories in the sci-fi/horror/fantasy genres The Twilight Zone
was known for. 5 week/1 Credit-Hour On-Line Course.
Prerequisite: WRIT 101 with a C- or better. Notes: Students can
concurrently enroll in ENGL 333 and WRIT 101. CR&R.
ENGL 491. Departmental Seminar. Koster. Online.
This course assesses student mastery of English coursework. Students complete several assessment
measures--including content knowledge tests, an essay test, and the Senior Opinionaire. Although the
tests are individually graded, students receive an S or U for the course. The results are then summarized
anonymously and used to improve instruction in the English Department. Prerequisite: Should be taken
in the first semester of the senior year (after the student has completed 90 hours). If you are confused as
to whether you should take ENGL 491 or ENGL 494, please check with Ms. Weeks. Meets the Capstone
requirement for students in the Teacher Ed track and for students in older catalogs.
ENGL 494. Capstone Seminar. Koster. Online.
This capstone course is required of all English majors in catalogs beginning with 2017-18 (except those
seeking secondary certification as a secondary school teacher), preferably in the senior year. Students will
complete assessment exercises; develop a capstone Project ready for presentation; research career
options and prepare and revise job application documents; and present the results of their research orally,
much as professional scholars do at a conference or writers do as they promote their published work. In
sum, students will utilize the research, critical inquiry, and communication skills they have learned as
English majors and Winthrop undergraduates. If you are confused as to whether you should take ENGL
491 or ENGL 494, please check with Dr. Nail and/or Ms. Weeks. Meets the Capstone requirement for
students in the BA-ENGL track.
ENGL 501. Modern British Poetry. Brownson.
On January 1, 1900, modernist poet Thomas Hardy said
goodbye to the 19th century in his poem, “Darkling Thrush”
by observing that the bird sang of “Some blessed Hope
whereof he knew / And I was unaware.” In 2005, British Poet
Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, grappling with the age-old
question, how do I say “I love you,” wrote in “Syntax,” “Love
language stops, starts, stops / the right words flowing or
clotting in the heart.” Within roughly 120 years, British poets
continued to write about the human condition as had their Elizabethan, Romantic, and Victorian
forebears, but in exciting new ways, exploring the power of language with new shapes and styles. In this
course we will study poetry of England and Ireland from the 20th and 21st centuries, including—but not
limited to—the poetry of G. M. Hopkins, W. B. Yeats, D.H. Lawrence, T.S. Eliot, Katherine Mansfield,
Seamus Heaney, Eavan Boland, and Carol Ann Duffy. In lively and energetic discussion, we will spend
significant time analyzing poems as well as exploring their contexts (For example, the British perspective
on the Great War [WWI] is quite different from the American perspective). Requirements include class
participation, several short (1-2 page) essays, a longer (10-12 page) critical essay, and midterm and final
exams. Graduate students will write longer papers and have one or two additional assignments, one of
which will involve presenting new material in an oral report. For an opportunity to deeply study the genre
of poetry as expressed by English-speaking creative artists from a slightly different viewpoint, register for
this thought-provoking course! Prerequisite: English 203 or graduate status. CR&R.
ENGL 505. American Romanticism. Richardson. Online.
This course will look at the key period of 1820-1865 in American
literature, focusing on the development of Romanticism. Key to
understanding this period is the concept of the American Renaissance,
a term applied in 1941 by critic F.O. Matthiessen to the 1850s. He
focused on just five writers: Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville,
and Whitman. Since Matthiessen’s landmark study, critics have
expanded this list to include other writers such as Poe and Dickinson as
well as to call for more attention to the historical and cultural contexts
of the day, contexts that produced a significant amount of writing by
African American writers, women writers, and Native American writers.
In this class, we’ll review some of these critical conversations as we read
works from the writers noted above as well as Frederick Douglass,
Harriet Jacobs, Margaret Fuller, William Wells Brown, John Rollin Ridge, and Fanny Fern. (This is a
tentative list.) A tentative list of course requirements includes the following: students will be expected to
read critically, write weekly discussion posts, write two short papers and a longer paper with research,
and complete midterm and final exams. In addition to these assignments graduate students will also need
to facilitate at least one discussion board, write a longer paper, and present on an additional text. Current
modality: asynchronous online. CR&R.
ENGL 530. Grammar in Theory and Practice. Richardson. Online.
This course reviews traditional grammar with an
emphasis on descriptive methodology (how our
language functions) and introduces
transformational and structuralist grammars.
Students will complete quizzes, three tests, several
discussion boards, a style exercise, and a usage
project. Graduate students will be expected also to facilitate at least one discussion board and write a
problem paper that they present online. Primarily intended for students planning to teach. S/C/C Comm
ENGL 622. Seminar in British Literature Before 1784: Malory and More. Koster. Synchronous Online.
One of Netflix’s biggest hits in 2020 was the series
Cursed, which explores the character Nimue as she
interacts with other figures and tropes of the
Arthurian legend. In 2017 there was Guy Ritchie’s
(truly woeful) King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.
Where do these stories come from? And why do they
survive and keep expanding today? How do critical
theoretical questions of gender, race, and politics
figure into (and drive) these legends? We will explore
these questions, focusing on the trope codifier Sir Thomas Malory in the 15th century. We will look at the
sources, both British and continental, of his writings, and at their many interpretations and refashionings
over the centuries. Synchronous online seminar, with a series of presentations and short projects leading
to a seminar-length paper that is ready to be presented in a professional venue.
ENGL 670. Graduate Research in English. Hoffman.
For students writing master’s theses. Permission of instructor required.
ENGE Courses
ENGE 390. English Methods I. Beasley.
Students in this class will gain knowledge about and
experience the underlying theories that guide Secondary
English Language Arts (ELA) education. Special focus will be
placed on developing effective lesson plans and
assessments for secondary ELA classrooms in preparation
for Internships I and II. Course designed for those interested
in teaching careers. Should be taken the spring prior to the
full-year internship experience in conjunction with EDCO
350. Prerequisite: Admission to the Educator Preparation
Program (EPP). Notes: Specifically designed for students planning to pursue secondary English certification
through an undergraduate program or Winthrop’s MAT programs. This is the first in a series of two
teaching methods courses.
ENGE 393/593. Seminar in English Education. Nail.
Teacher candidates will explore current issues in education and complete the required exit assessment.
Co-requisite: EDUC 402 (undergraduate) or EDUC 690 (graduate).
ENGE 519. Adolescent Literature. Prickett. Online.
Adolescent Literature focuses on the selection and
evaluation of suitable reading material from all literary
genres for the young adult, with specific attention to the
development and needs of adolescents. Students will
complete a number of hands-on individual or group-based
projects, which may consist of lesson plans, performances,
and responses to issues related to young adult literature.
Special attention will be given to gender dynamics in the
classroom, working with non-print media, special needs
issues, multiculturalism and the canon, censorship, and student-centered curriculum in the teaching of
literature. Although Adolescent Literature is designed primarily for students in the English Education track,
the course is also suitable for other majors who may be interested in exploring how literature is used in
social work, psychology, and other areas that involve working with young adults. Prerequisites: WRIT 101
and HMXP 102; minimum of sophomore status. CR&R.
WRIT Courses
WRIT 200.01. Intro to Creative Writing (Flash Forms). Sommers. Online.
In this introduction to creative writing course, we'll be focusing on
how we can use compression and precision to write more compelling
work in shorter forms across many genres. We'll be writing our own
flash fiction, flash non-fiction, prose poetry, and flash drama. And
we'll even look to modernize a few older forms of poetry like the
sonnet, pantoum, and sestina. We will workshop these flash pieces as
a community of writers, challenging each other to be sure every single
word counts. How can we trim the fat in our creative writing? How
can we kill our darlings? How can we learn to do more with less? In WRIT 200, we'll figure out how to do
all of these things together, as a community. Elective. Counts in the Writing Minor (Creative String).
WRIT 200.02. Social Media Rhetoric. Chen. Online.
This course will provide a survey of social media rhetoric
with the creation and analysis of social media discourse.
We will become aware of our social media presence and
online identities and how we communicate across
different social media sites, and how our
communications are shaped by social, cultural, political
contexts, and algorithms of the platforms. We will
explore issues such as ethics, privacy, surveillance and
control in these communicative practices through discussing past and current events. To that end, we will
write about the roles social media play in our lives, with social media tools, to build interesting
assignments using texts, images, hashtags, memes, gifs, etc. Elective. Counts in the Writing Minor
(Professional String).
WRIT 307. Fiction Writing. Hoffman. Synchronous Online.
Students will study the craft of fiction writing. They will read a
variety of short fiction, and learn to read like writers. Students
will learn the foundational skills of story writing:
characterization, plot, point of view, writing strong prose,
dialogue, and much more. Students will write many exercises
and experiments, which will culminate in drafting at least two
complete stories. They will share these stories with the class in
workshop. In workshops, students will receive serious editorial feedback that they will use to extensively
revise and edit their work. They will also practice editorial skills as they edit their peers’ work.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 101 with a grade of C- or better. S/C/C Comm
WRIT 350. Introduction to Composition and Writing Pedagogy. Nail. Online.
The Proletariat's Guide to Teaching Writing: There are many
myths surrounding writing generally, and some that stem from
the adage about "those who can" and “teaching." The most
dangerous myth is that writing “just comes to you,” that some
people can do it, and some people can’t. Implicit in this notion
is the idea that writing can’t be taught, that any instruction in
writing is really just editing and proof-reading. In fact, this is
the opposite of writing instruction. But what of proletariats? Proletariats, as they are traditionally defined,
have their work to offer, and writing is an activity that demands work. Yes, there is art involved, and
perhaps that ability to capture art is something that is innate (to the level that it exists) in the individual.
But it is also craft—learning to write better requires hard, dedicated work, and teaching others to write
better requires hard, dedicated work. Edison famously said that “genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-
nine percent perspiration,” and that applies to writing as well. Much of the focus of this class will be on
the 99%, or on the unromantic, sweaty work of writing. Frameworks. S/C/C Comm
WRIT 366. Technical Communication. Chen. Online.
This course introduces students to the field and profession of
technical communication. Technical communication refers to
activities of preparing and delivering written and oral documents
that present specialized information in a way that allows non-
specialists to understand the information and use it to perform
tasks. For example, a software company needs technical writers to
develop documentation for their software packages; a non-profit
organization needs technical writers to develop and maintain
content for their websites. Technical writers provide a bridge between technical experts and non-
specialists. Students will learn the theories of technical communication; how to conduct research to solve
workplace communication problems; and how to retrieve, evaluate, and present information for different
types of audiences in different genres in ethical and legal ways. In turn, students will explore what it means
to be a technical writer. This course is especially useful for students who are interested in becoming a
technical writer/professional writer or pursuing graduate studies in technical and professional
communication. Notes: Intensive Writing course. Offered in spring of even years. Prerequisite(s): WRIT
101 with a grade of C- or better. SCC
WRIT 431, 432, 433. Internship in Writing. Chen.
Students will participate in writing internships and receive
course credits (50 hours for 1 credit, 100 hours for 2
credits, 150 hours for 3 credits). Students will fulfill the
responsibilities of the internship laid out in a 3-way
learning agreement with the internship supervisor,
student intern, and the course instructor. The goal of the
course is to support and enrich student’s internship
experience, to help them develop ideas about their professional plans, build job materials, and to become
a better professional writer. Please contact Dr. Chen at chenc@winthrop.edu if you have other internship
plans (whether you’d like to receive academic credit for it or not).
Possible internship opportunities: Social media intern for the English department;
Editorial assistant for the academic journal on writing center scholarship, Southern
Discourse; Program assistant coordinator for the English Master’s program (to promote
the program); Program assistant for creative writing (planning and promoting events);
CAS social media intern.
Notes: Open to majors only. WRIT 366, or 465 are highly recommended. Offered in fall and spring. Can be
repeated 3 times for a total of 9 credits. Only 8 hrs of internship credit may be used towards completion
of the major. Prerequisites: Completion of CRTW201 with a grade of C- or higher and 9 hours of ENGL
and/or WRIT courses above 199 and a 2.75 GPA and permission of the Department Chair. S/C/C Comm
WRIT 502. Digital English Studies. Ralston. Hybrid.
From Wikipedia to texting, Facebook to Pinterest, digital media
has dramatically changed how we read, write, and
communicate in the 21st century. As our notions of text and
materiality evolve, the study of texts grows ever more
interwoven with technology. This class is designed to make you
aware of the myriad relationships that exist among texts—
both in the reading and creative processes. Drawing on our
vast knowledge of preexisting (cultural, social, literary,
extraliterary) texts, the course looks back even as it looks forward, considering how printed texts and
reading practices are transformed by the digital, in addition to examining digital media forms such as
podcasts, wikis, and mapping technologies. Throughout the course, we will ask the following sorts of
questions: How is literature and our reading of it being changed by technology? What influence does the
container for a text have on its content? To what degree does immersion in a text depend upon the
physicality of its interface? How are evolving technologies helping to enliven (or disengage us from) the
materiality of literary texts? We will engage our subjects through discussion of primary and secondary
texts but also through our own experiments in building digital artifacts. We will work in unfamiliar media,
coming to an understanding of varied interfaces by creating with and for them. Notes: Meets Technology
Requirement for ENGL Majors. Frameworks. S/C/C Comm.
WRIT 507. Advanced Fiction Writing. Hoffman. Synchronous Online.
Students will write and workshop at least two complete
works of fiction. Students will be required to drastically
revise and re-envision their workshop drafts,
challenging them to create polished, well-crafted works
of literary merit. Along with workshops, students will
study advanced-level fiction craft, which they will apply
to the drafting and revising of their fiction. The entire
class will spend the semester focusing on one specific
element of fiction-writing craft and theory, which we will analyze in every work of fiction we read.
Students will then each choose additional elements of craft to study and analyze, in order to make
themselves expert specialists. Students will read and discuss in class a variety of published contemporary
fiction written by diverse authors. Prerequisite: HMXP 102 with a grade of C- or better and WRIT 307, or
graduate status. S/C/C Comm
WRIT 510. Writing for Grants and Non-Profits. Ralston. Online.
This course will provide students with a theoretical
framework for nonprofit writing. Students will consider
the role of government support, earned revenue, and
private philanthropy in nonprofit management and
fundraising. Students will learn about different styles of
philanthropy and effective nonprofit management; how
to think about and evaluate impact as a philanthropist; how to read nonprofit financials and assess
nonprofit organizational health and potential; and how to analyze trends in philanthropy and nonprofit
management. Through interactions with area nonprofits, students will gain practical knowledge about
how support systems are accessed, how funding is requested, and the genres of writing involved in non-
profit work. Additionally, students will hone their skills as public presenters, deepen their critical reading
abilities, and engage with a variety of guest speakers. S/C/C Comm
WRIT 516. Poetry Writing II. Sommers. Online.
How is a poem made? What does every poem need in order to be
compelling? Where does a poem's energy come from? How do we
write poems about difficult subject matter? How do we make an
emotion into a concrete thing? How can a poem sing or laugh or
whisper or shout in anger? How do we find a poetic voice that is
uniquely our own? In WRIT 516, we will answer these questions
together as a community of poets. We will explore poetry's vast wonders, its various mysteries. Then, we
will write poems that matter. S/C/C Comm
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