English

Faculty

Jacqueline Padgett, Associate Professor of English (Program Chair)
William Beverly, Assistant Professor of English
Elizabeth Child, Associate Professor of English
Schuyler Esprit, Assistant Professor of English
Wendy Bilen Thorbjornsen, Assistant Professor of English

Description

The English Program provides all students with the opportunity to become familiar with English as an effective tool in speaking and writing, to explore the range of literature in English from the earliest periods to the present, and to develop facility in original writing in various genres. Embracing the interdisciplinarity of Trinity’s curriculum and its focus on gender, race, and ethnicity, the courses offered by the English Program invite students to study the rich traditions of and the current challenges to the standard canon of literary works. Thus, the Program encourages students to focus on: texts, whether printed, filmed, electronically published, or performed; gender issues in literature; and literary treatments of social concerns. The Program proposes to students the study of literary traditions, of literature by and about women, and of literature written in English by members of diverse cultures in the United States and internationally.

Requirements for the major are carefully selected to ensure that each student is able to construct a dynamic program of study built on a core of courses that provide an understanding of literary genres, of themes and movements, and of major figures. Consistent with the mission of Trinity, the English Program stresses the development of the ability to analyze, criticize, and synthesize the structures and ideas encountered in texts; the viewing of literature as the reflection of diverse cultures; and the understanding of literature as a sociological and political event and as a commentary on human values, particularly values related to justice, gender, and race.

Through research projects and participation in seminars and class discussions, students develop the ability to reason, write, and speak persuasively. In their capstone experience in the senior year, the Program’s faculty members encourage English majors to view themselves as independent researchers. The English Program supports both a major and a minor in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Major Requirements

To fulfill the requirements of the B.A. in English, students must complete 39 hours of required coursework in the following areas:

Writing about Literature 3 credits
Major British or U.S. Authors Requirement 6 credits
Major Figures Requirement 6 credits
Major Genres and Movements Study 3 credits
Global Literature in English Study 3 credits
Literary and Critical Theory 3 credits
English Electives 12 credits
Senior Colloquium 3 credits

Writing about Literature (3 credits)

ENGL 150 Writing about Literature

Major British or U.S. Authors Requirement (6 credits)

TWO of the following courses, which examine the work of writers whose ideas and achievements have shaped and are shaping literature in English. The program recommends that students pursue one of the two sequences, either ENGL 211/212 or ENGL 214/215:

ENGL 211 Major British Writers I

ENGL 212 Major British Writers II

ENGL 214 Major United States Writers I

ENGL 215 Major United States Writers II

Major Figures Study (6 credits)

TWO courses at the 300-level or above specifically devoted to the work of one author or a limited set of authors. Please note that ENGL 389 is a pre-requisite for course at the 300-level and above.  Sample courses include:

ENGL 325 Works of Shakespeare

ENGL 374 The Films of Spike Lee

ENGL 434 Novels of Jane Austen

ENGL 435 The Bronte Sisters

ENGL 451 Writers of the American South

ENGL 470 Wright, Ellison, and Baldwin

ENGL 476 Seminar on Toni Morrison

Major Genres and Movements Study (3 credits)

ONE course that uses genre or literary period as a category of analysis. Please note that ENGL 389 is a pre-requisite for courses at the 300-level and above.   Sample courses include:

ENGL 273 African American Poetry

ENGL 275 21st Century Texts

ENGL 283 Stories and Their Writers

ENGL 285 Plays and Playwrights

ENGL 287 Tales of Terror: Gothic Fiction and Film

ENGL 363 American Short Fiction

ENGL 365 Contemporary United States Fiction

Global Literature in English Study (3 credits)

ONE course that addresses literature written in English by writers of diverse cultures in the US and globally. Please note that ENGL 389 is a pre-requisite for courses at the 300-level and above. Sample courses include:

ENGL 220 African American Literature

ENGL 267 Multicultural United States Literature

ENGL 271 Literature of the African Diaspora

ENGL 370 Ethics and Social Change in Global Literature

Literary and Critical Theory (3 credits)

ENGL 389

Students must take this course before progressing to 300- and 400-level courses in English.

English Electives (12 credits)

FOUR additional English courses at the 200-level or higher, two of which must be at the 300-level or higher.

Senior Colloquium (3 credits)

ENGL 499 Senior Colloquium

In the Senior Colloquium, English majors write the senior comprehensive paper.  Pre-requisite:  senior status.

Minor Requirements

Writing about Literature (3 credits)

ENGL 150 Writing about Literature

Major British or U.S. Authors Requirement (6 credits)

TWO of the following courses that examine the work of writers whose ideas and achievements have shaped and are shaping literature in English.  The program recommends that students pursue one of the two sequences, either ENGL 211/212 or ENGL 214/215.

ENGL 211 Major British Writers I

ENGL 212 Major British Writers II

ENGL 215 Major United States Writers II

ENGL 215 Major United States Writers II

Major Figures Requirement (3 credits)

ONE course at the 300-level or above specifically devoted to the work of one author or a limited set of authors (see above).

Electives (6 credits)

TWO additional courses in the English Program at the 200-level or above.

Program Policies

Advanced Placement:
The English Program accepts AP credit for major and minor requirements and in lieu of certain English courses.

CLEP Policy:
Students interested in receiving credit for CLEP examinations should contact the Program Chair.

Grades in Major and Minor Courses:
Students are required to earn a grade of “C” (2.0) or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major or minor in English.

Pass/No Pass:
The pass/no pass grading option is not accepted in courses to be applied for the major or minor in English.

Senior Assessment:
All majors are required to take ENGL 499 for which students write an independent supervised comprehensive and scholarly research paper.

Study Abroad:
Students are encouraged to plan their studies to allow for the possibility of study abroad.

TELL Policy:
Students with substantial experiential learning are encouraged to apply for TELL credit in English.

Transfer Credits:
Students may apply transfer credit in English toward the major and minor in English if the transferred courses parallel courses required for the major or minor. Transfer students who elect an English major must complete a minimum of 12 credits in English major courses at Trinity, of which three must be in ENGL 499. Similarly, transfer students who elect an English minor must complete a minimum of 6 credits in English courses at Trinity.

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