Catalog Course Descriptions
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.
English Courses
Undergraduate
Provides student writers with the skills and mindsets needed to effectively respond to a range of academic and public writing situations, with additional language support for building English fluency. Multilingual students with developing proficiency in English learn rhetorical reading and writing strategies that attend to the linguistic structures and moves enacted in non-fiction genres. Students learn to: engage in a process of discovery and consider diverse perspectives before making a judgment, taking a stance, or proposing a solution; locate, evaluate, and synthesize source material to discover and answer complex questions; and reflect on linguistic choices and research and writing processes. Students develop linguistic proficiency in English through context-specific instruction and practice in the interplay of grammatical structures and rhetorical aims and receive individualized feedback on language usage/writing development. Min. grade of C required to meet degree requirement. Equivalent to ENGH 101.
Provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the development of technological systems,
including scientific, creative, and social perspectives. Identifies ethical issues through
analysis of abstract AI/ML technology. Teaches students how to communicate those
issues to various stakeholders using the correct vocabulary. Uses rhetorical theory
and practical frameworks to evaluate projects and develop guidelines that encourage
more fair and equitable outcomes. Limited to three attempts.
Introduces students to core questions and methods in screen studies. Looks at the dynamic relationship between screen-based media and their cultural and historical contexts. Teaches analysis of a variety of aesthetic objects including film, TV, video games, animation, social media, and photography while considering how aesthetic practices shape and are shaped by questions of identity, formations of power, and issues of social justice. Limited to three attempts.
Topics include folktales, personal narratives, legends, proverbs, jokes, folk songs, folk art and craft, and folk architecture. Considers ethnicity, community, family, festival, folklore in literature, and oral history. Discusses traditions in students' own lives. Limited to three attempts.
Studies how traditional mythologies are reflected in English and American literature and other texts as themes, motifs, and patterns. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Familiarizes students with an essential subfield of film and media studies—the relationship of urban space to screen cultures. Addresses the construction of the global city on screen in relation to questions of wealth and poverty; crime and criminality; surveillance, occupation, and the state of emergency; gender and sexuality; space, place, and shooting on location; among other things. Explores the central role the “global city” plays in the generation and global circulation of wealth while also attending to the marginal spaces of such cities. Limited to three attempts.
Exploration of various aspects of folklore and folklife such as folklore and literature, folk arts, folk song, and material culture. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different with permission of department. May be repeated within the term.
Examines the role of supernatural phenomena in individuals’ everyday lives. Introduces folkloristic approaches to the study of belief, paranormal experiences, and popular spirituality. Topics may include ghosts, spirit possession, superstitions, visions, near death experiences, dream interpretation, magic, the commodification of belief, and the supernatural and new media. Limited to three attempts.
Examines the traditional arts of everyday life, such as festive foods, mementos and other objects of memory, textile arts, pottery, carving in wood and stone, roadside shrines, and more. Explores the folk aesthetics of group-based creativity through the lenses of biography, history, literature, and folklore studies. Considers traditional objects as narratives in material form. Examples drawn from multiple cultures as well as traditions in students' own lives. Limited to three attempts.
Explores migration trends and concepts of identity and migration in folklore scholarship, literature, film, and popular media. Limited to three attempts.
Topic-based course in research methods. Students conduct advanced research in folklore studies using traditional and digital research tools and approaches. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
A community-engaged research course. Students volunteer 15 hours with a community partner organization, study best community-partnership practices (particularly when working in historically marginalized communities), research a social issue of special interest to this organization, and compose “public” texts that draw on their research and experiences. Limited to three attempts.
Study and practice of ethnographic writing. Students conduct ethnographic investigations and practice journal keeping, field note recording, interviewing, transcription, and interpretation. Includes introduction to current issues in ethnographic writing. Limited to three attempts.
Prepares students for the Society for Technical Communication Certification in Technical Writing, focusing on proficiencies in project planning, project analysis, content development, content management, and organizational design. May be offered with a focus on global and international users. This course serves as the capstone for the Professional and Technical Writing Minor. Limited to three attempts.
Graduate
Explores types of folk narratives such as mythology, folktale, fairy tale, legend, family narrative, personal narrative. Focuses on tales from around the world. Considers aspects of storytelling such as storytelling as performance, storytelling as therapeutic modality, and storytelling during crises and conflicts. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 9 credits.
Explores folklore and folklife topics such as folk narrative and story telling, folklore and literature, folksong, and folk arts. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
Provides students with hands-on experience in and knowledge of the worlds of paper and digital publishing through involvement in in real-world publishing projects. Course focuses on career-applicable publishing skills and knowledge, including editorial work, art and design, media and marketing, web content development and management, and/or business operations. May not be repeated for credit.
Involves students in real-world literary publishing as it occurs at Poetry Daily, the long-established organization, website, and app dedicated to the dissemination and discussion of contemporary poetry, providing them with hands-on experience in and knowledge of the worlds of on-line publishing and website management. The course will focus on career-applicable publishing skills and knowledge, including editorial work, art and design, media and marketing, web content development and management, and/or business operations. In addition, the course will provide students with a broad view of the world of contemporary poetry, providing them with a greater understanding of the professional and literary issues involved. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores advanced folklore and folklife topics such as bodylore, sense of place, festival, folk drama, and folk narrative studies. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 12 credits.
Explores advanced folklore and folklife topics such as bodylore, sense of place, festival, folk drama, and folk narrative studies. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 12 credits.