Plan of Study – English Language Arts

A linguistics course providing an historical sketch of the development of the English language, examining the interplay between theory of language and approaches to the study of grammar. By analyzing English phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, the course shows the changing nature of language and emphasizes how that change is influenced by politics and culture. The effects of dialect and register on communication in English are explored. Applications to teaching grammar in elementary and secondary settings are examined.

A study of how and why people communicate in the ways they do. Habitual talking, listening, and writing behaviors of individuals and groups, as well as the influences of home, community, and culture on the language structures and language uses of individuals. Culture, as it influences linguistic preference, is considered, along with methods of semiotic and discursal analysis.

An introduction to critical writing and literary theory and criticism. Addresses the major frameworks of literary criticism that have emerged in Western critical theory. Prerequisite: WRT 1020. Recommended during second year in major and minor.

An overview of various genres of multicultural contemporary literature written for and marketed to young adults. Addresses major authors, illustrators, research and current controversies in young adult literature. Examines strategies for teaching young adult literature at the middle and secondary school levels.

A study of African American literature including both oral and written traditions. Emphasis is placed on canonical writers and texts in historical context.

Focus on literature from various minority populations in America. Course content includes, but is not limited to, African American, Asian American, Arab American, Latino American, and Native American authors. Emphasis placed on the unique facets of each type of literature, as well as themes and experiences common to all ethnic groups in America.

Capstone course for senior-level students. Students construct portfolios of their academic and professional work in their respective programs of study, reconsider their liberal arts education, and conduct research on topics in their majors as part of an information fluency curriculum. In keeping with the need for technological literacy, students create electronic portfolios. Must be taken in final twenty hours of the degree program.

Theory of behavior in communications in general and the mass media in particular. The design and evaluation of public opinion studies and research topics in communications with emphasis on the effects that the various media have had on consumers.

Principles of communication applied to interpersonal, group, and public speaking situations. Emphasis on verbal and nonverbal communication, listening, persuasive techniques, delivery, and responding to messages. Opportunity to practice speaking skills.

The skills of expressive reading to elicit listener response to the text, using vocal and physical expression. Prose, poetry, and drama analyzed for meaning and mood.

Analysis of communications skills vital to personal and professional success. Examines the role of communication in interpersonal relationships from their inception through termination. Specific areas of focus include: listening, non-verbal behavior, empathy, assertiveness, relationship development, and conflict resolution skills.

Focus on the building of public speaking skills needed in education, personal life, and careers in order to effectively communicate thoughts and feelings. Students evaluate the communication efforts of others and increase their critical listening skills.

An analysis of communication interaction in small groups. Addresses group formation, decision making strategies, roles and norms, leadership, and conflict management. Students participate in classroom groups and evaluate group performance.

A study of the world of children’s literature and the history of children’s literature with a focus on classic and contemporary works. Materials selected with reference to the interest, needs, and abilities of children.

Organization of the modern news organization; news values and news sources; structure of the news story; practical training in gathering and writing news stories for print and digital distribution.

Writing and study of poetry, fiction, and plays at an introductory level. Includes discussion, writers’ workshops, and regular conferences with the instructor. Students contribute to the production of a class electronic publication. Prerequisite: WRT 1020.

The study of argument as a process of inquiry and advocacy and the communicative means to change attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, as well as motivate people to action. Practical experience in: evidence, analysis and reasoning; organization and case-building; refutation and cross-examination; and audience analysis. Students apply theory to a variety of topics and contexts.

Focus on the building of public speaking skills needed in education, personal life, and careers in order to effectively communicate thoughts and feelings. Students evaluate the communication efforts of others and increase their critical listening skills.

The skills of expressive reading to elicit listener response to the text, using vocal and physical expression. Prose, poetry, and drama analyzed for meaning and mood.

An analysis of communication interaction in small groups. Addresses group formation, decision making strategies, roles and norms, leadership, and conflict management. Students participate in classroom groups and evaluate group performance.

A study of American literature from the pre-colonial era to the Civil War, with an overview of relevant forms, genres, and historical contexts. Explores the diverse elements of the American experience during this time period.

A study of American literature from the Post-Civil War to the present, with an overview of relevant forms, genres, and historical contexts. Explores the changing values and concerns of American society as reflected in its literature from the mid-nineteenth century to twenty-first century.

An introduction to representative literary works, both Western and non-Western, reflecting the distinctive ideals, values, and attitudes of various eras and civilizations.

A study of British literature from the early Middle Ages to the late Renaissance. Provides an overview of relevant forms, genres, and historical contexts, including representative works of Old and Middle English as well as Renaissance epic, lyric, and drama. Considers the influences of classical literature, the Reformation, and the English civil war.

Principles of editing, headline writing, page design, use of graphics in print and digital publications. May include an academic service-learning experience. Prerequisite: JRN 1320 or departmental approval.

Writing and study of poetry, fiction, and plays at an introductory level. Includes discussion, writers’ workshops, and regular conferences with the instructor. Students contribute to the production of a class electronic publication. Prerequisite: WRT 1020.