Undergraduate Course Catalog 2006-2007
College of Liberal Arts
» http://www.unh.edu/liberal-arts/
English (ENGL)
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Chairperson: Janet Aikins
Professor: Janet Aikins, Elizabeth Jane Bellamy, Thomas A. Carnicelli, Mary Morris Clark, Walter F. Eggers, Burt H. Feintuch, Michael K. Ferber, Lester A. Fisher, Diane P. Freedman, Elizabeth H. Hageman, Jane T. Harrigan, Rochelle Lieber, John S. Lofty, Lisa Watt MacFarlane, Mekeel McBride, Andrew H. Merton, Thomas R. Newkirk, Charles D. Simic, David H. Watters
Associate Professor: Charlotte M. Bacon, Brigitte Gabcke Bailey, Monica E. Chiu, Margaret-Love G. Denman, Susan Margaret Hertz, James Krasner, Douglas M. Lanier, Lisa C. Miller, Naomi G. Nagy, Petar Ramadanovic, Siobhan Senier, Sarah Way Sherman, Sandhya Shetty, Rachel Trubowitz
Assistant Professor: Jessica Enoch, Robin Hackett, Delia C. Konzett, Aya Matsuda, Paul Kei Matsuda, Martin McKinsey, Sean D. Moore, Alexander M. Parsons
Through studying a wide variety of literary materials, English majors
deepen their understanding of history, culture, language, and human
behavior. They also gain skill in writing, reading, and critical
thinking. Upon graduation, English majors traditionally enter a broad
range of vocational fields and areas of graduate study.
The Department of English offers four majors: the English major, the
English Literature major, the English Teaching major, and the
English/Journalism major. It also offers courses in writing nonfiction,
fiction, and poetry; courses in linguistics; courses in film; courses
in folklore; and courses for honors in English.
The English Major
The English major has two chief objectives: to provide all students
with a common core of literary experience and to provide each student
with the opportunity of shaping a course of study to suit individual
interests.
The flexibility and freedom inherent in the second of these objectives
places a responsibility upon students to devise a program that has an
intelligent rationale. For example, students with a strong interest in
creative writing or linguistics may wish to take only the minimum
number of advanced literature courses required for the major and fill
their upper-division requirements with courses in the writing of
fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, or in the study of the English
language, language formation, and other areas of linguistics. Students
who intend to pursue graduate study in literature written in English
should choose more than the minimum number of advanced literature
courses and should seek a broad historical background. For these
students, the “English Literature major” would perhaps be a more
appropriate choice than the standard “English major.” All students
should secure the assistance and approval of their advisers in
formulating an early plan for the major program.
For the English major, students must complete a minimum of 40 credits
of major coursework with a grade of C- or better, with the exception of
ENGL 519 or 529, which must be completed with a grade of C or better.
Students must complete ENGL 519 or 529, two additional 500-level
courses, and seven courses numbered 600 and above. In selecting these
courses, students must be sure to meet the following distribution
requirements:
1. Two courses in literature written before 1800:
either two advanced courses (numbered 600 or above), or one advanced
course and ENGL 513.
2. Two courses in literature written since 1800:
either two advanced courses, or one advanced course and one course from
the following list: ENGL 514, 515, or 516.
Students interested in majoring in English should
consult Susan Dumais, coordinator of the Department of English, (603)
862-1313.
The English Literature Major
The English Literature major offers students the opportunity for a
focused and comprehensive study of literature written in the English
language. The English Literature major engages students in the range of
approaches to literary study that now characterize the field: the
historical study of national traditions, literary theory, the study of
texts in cultural context, genre studies, and the critical analysis of
representations of identity, especially in terms of race, gender,
ethnicity, and sexuality. It builds onto the existing English major a
series of requirements that ensure students’ greater immersion in
literature, and it foregrounds research. In these ways, the program
will be especially useful to those students who wish to go on to
graduate school in English and other fields, as well as various kinds
of professional training, including law school.
For students planning other career paths, the English Literature major
will help them gain the ability to read critically, write papers that
synthesize research results in a sustained analysis, and develop
familiarity with the historical and cultural contexts that inform
written expression. Beyond these more practical career concerns, this
major is ideal for students who are passionate about reading fiction,
poetry, creative nonfiction, and other kinds of imaginative literature.
For the English Literature major, students must complete a minimum of
40 credits of major coursework with a grade of C- or better, with the
exception of ENGL 519 or 529, which must be completed with a grade of C
or better. Additional requirements include two 500-level courses, one
of which must be a survey course; ENGL 619; and ENGL 697 or 698. Seven
courses must be completed at the 600 level or higher. In selecting
courses, students must be sure to meet the following distribution
requirements. Please note that, in many cases, a single course may
satisfy a requirement in two or more categories.
1. Two courses in literature written prior to 1800.
Either two advanced courses (600 level and above) or one advanced
course and ENGL 513.
2. Two courses in literature written since 1800.
Either two advanced courses or one advanced course and one of the
following: ENGL 514, 515, or 516.
3. One American literature course at the 600/700 level.
4. One British literature course at the 600/700 level.
5. Two courses that investigate and question
representations of identity (ENGL 517, 581, 585, 586, 681, 685, 690,
739, 775); genre, including film, with the exception of ENGL 533 (616,
630, 631, 632); and/or theoretical positions (ENGL 713, 714). Other
courses may count, when relevant and with prior written approval of the
adviser.
Students interested in majoring in English Literature should consult
Susan Dumais, coordinator of the Department of English, or the director
of the English Literature program.
The English Teaching Major
This major is designed for students wishing to teach English in middle
or high schools. Completion of this undergraduate major does not in
itself, however, meet state certification requirements. To meet these
requirements, students should enroll in the undergraduate major and, by
September 15 of their senior year, apply for the fifth-year teaching
internship and master’s degree program. (For a full description of the
program, see Education under Programs of Study.) Undergraduate English
Teaching majors must pass the following English courses with an average
of 2.50 or better: ENGL 514, 516, 519 or 529, 619, 657, 725-726 or 710
and 792, 718 or 791, and two additional literature courses numbered 600
or above. ENGL 513 may be substituted for one of these two courses. A
writing portfolio is also required.
Students who are interested in majoring in English Teaching should
consult Susan Dumais, coordinator of the Department of English, or the
director of the English Teaching program.
The English/Journalism Major
The English/Journalism major is designed for students considering
careers in print journalism or related fields. Students who complete
the program are ready for entry-level writing or editing positions on
newspapers or magazines.
The program allows students to develop their writing, reporting, and
editing skills while developing a strong background in English
literature. English/Journalism majors must complete ENGL 519 or 529
with a grade of C or better and the literature requirements of the
standard English major. In addition, they must complete ENGL 501
(Creative Nonfiction) and ENGL 621 (Newswriting) with a grade of B or
better; ENGL 622 (Advanced Newswriting); at least one other on-campus
journalism course (ENGL 703, 704, 708, 711, 721, 722); and a newspaper
internship (ENGL 720) approved by the director of the journalism
program. Except where otherwise noted, major courses must be completed
with a C- or better. Many journalism students work for the on-campus
student newspaper, The New Hampshire. Many students hold summer jobs in
journalism, and some have part-time journalism jobs during the school
year.
Students interested in the English/Journalism major should see Susan
Dumais, coordinator of the Department of English, or the director of
the English/Journalism program.
Writing Programs
The Department of English offers courses for students interested in
becoming writers. Up to four consecutive creative writing workshops can
be taken in fiction or in poetry, as well as a course in form and
theory of either genre. The instructors for these courses are
professional writers. Interested students should inquire at the
department office.
