Course Descriptions

Bachelor of Arts in English

For a full list of all courses offered by the Department of English, visit the course catalogue.

This course is a laboratory-aided reading and writing-intensive course that focuses on a variety of strategies to generate ideas and create well-organized texts that is part of the required Core Curriculum. The course is designed to develop students' abilities in academic reading, writing and oral communication, with the aim of enhancing critical reading skills, expository writing techniques and critical thinking abilities. 

This course is a laboratory-aided reading and writing-intensive course that teaches how to write a research paper on the college level over the course of one semester. This course will provide practice for the development of a critical eye for argument as well as continued practice in developing logical, convincing and persuasive arguments.
Prerequisite: ENGL 1311L OR ENGL 1311 

Part of the UIW Core Curriculum, this course includes close reading and discussion of texts of all kinds from a wide range of periods and societies to reveal the diversity of literature as a means of cultural statement.  
Prerequisite: ENGL 1312

Part of the Literary Studies and Criticism branch of the UIW English program, this introductory survey of British Literature situates the study of literary production within a cultural and historical context. The course will examine the motifs of major authors and works as well as explore the impact of non-canonical authors and works. No time periods mentioned or that this is one of three surveys students need to take; mention this is a non-continuation course
Prerequisite: ENGL 1312 AND ENGL 2310

Part of the Literary Studies and Criticism branch of the UIW English program, this introductory survey of British Literature situates the study of literary production within a cultural and historical context. The course examines the motifs of major authors and works as well as explores the impact of non-canonical authors and works. Time frame and non-continuation course
Prerequisite: ENGL 1312 AND ENGL 2310 use American Lit description as model

This course provides an analytical survey of major and lesser-known writers from the pre-colonial period to the Civil War. It is designed to introduce students to a variety of different writers, including underrepresented populations (Native Americans, African Americans, women and others) as well as philosophical and political texts that have an enduring influence on American culture and government. 
Prerequisite: ENGL 2310 AND ENGL 1312

This course introduces students to a variety of literature written in the United States from 1865 until the present time in an effort to examine what it has meant to be American over these past 150 years. Students will examine how different voices contributed to shaping and reshaping an American identity, and how contemporary literature continues to influence our understanding of America today.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2310 AND ENGL 1312

The capstone course for undergraduate English majors, this course is designed to be taken in the student's senior year and involves the processes and research necessary to prepare a manuscript for successful submission to a scholarly journal and the skills required to articulate these processes and findings; this course includes a colloquium. Advisor signature required for registration.
Prerequisite: (ENGL 1311 OR ENGL 1311L) AND (ENGL 1312 OR ENGL 1312H) AND ( ENGL 2310 OR ENGL 2311) and a specific amount of completed hours in English beyond the core.

Literary Studies and Criticism Emphasis

Part of the Literary Studies and Criticism branch of the UIW English program, this course is a study of critical theory and practice of representative examples from the major literary genres, with an emphasis on one of them (e.g. the novel, drama, short fiction, the epic, graphic novel, etc.). This course may be repeated for credit when the topic varies. May be taken as a CLST elective.
Prerequisites: ENGL 2310.

Part of the university’s Women's and Gender Studies Concentration and the Literary Studies and Criticism Emphasis in English, this course serves as an introduction to the literature and theory which serves as the basis for contemporary scholarship in Women's Studies, Gender Studies, Feminist Theory and Gender Theory. May be taken simultaneously with 2310. May be taken as a CLST elective.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1312

Part of the Literary Studies and Criticism branch of the UIW English program, this study of literary theory engages the student in any of a number of critical approaches to texts. This course will explore four or more particular interpretive perspectives, such as cultural materialism, deconstruction, feminism, Marxism, new historicism, postcolonialism, structuralism, poststructuralism, psychoanalytic criticism and stylistics. This last sentence is not in the catalog entry, but it provides helpful additional information. This course may be taken with Engl 2310.
This course may be taken as CLST elective.
Prerequisite: ENGL 1311 AND ENGL 1312

Part of the Literary Studies and Criticism branch of the UIW English program, this course examines the interplay of literary texts, literary theory and criticism, authors, historical culture, and events within a specific historic time frame. Rather than a broad sweep, or a wide lens, this course will approach the subject through the close-up. This course may be repeated for credit when the topic varies.  
May be taken as a CLST elective.
Prerequisite: ENGL 2310

Part of the Literary Studies and Criticism branch of the UIW English program, this course involves a detailed examination of an important writer. This course may be repeated for credit when the topic varies. When Shakespeare is the author, may be cross-listed with THAR 4385 Shakespeare. 
Prerequisite: ENGL 2310

Part of the Literary Studies and Criticism branch of the UIW English program, this course involves a detailed examination of a major literary movement. This course may be repeated for credit when the topic varies.
May be taken as a CLST elective.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1311or 1311L and 1312 and 2310

Creative Writing Emphasis

In ENGL 2375, students are given the opportunity to explore a variety of poetry and prose genres and the intersections among them. This introductory, multi-genre workshop in the art of writing introduces students to the technical and imaginative concerns of creative writing, including the terms and discipline of writing craft, as well as to the skills needed for reading traditional/canonical and contemporary literature, and the production and performance of original work. This course may not be repeated for credit. 
Prerequisite: ENGL 1311 AND ENGL 1312

Part of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing branch of the UIW English program, this workshop in the art of writing includes sampling contemporary literature, analyzing various genres and the production and performance of original work. This course may be repeated for credit when the genre varies.
Prerequisites: ENGL 2310

In English 4375, students are expected to build upon experience and knowledge gained from past coursework in the chosen genre. This workshop in the art of writing will teach students to consider the methods used by notable authors within the genre and to become adept at implementing specific forms and techniques in their own original creative writing. It will also require students to develop an advanced knowledge of the genre's form that directly contributes to the advancement and refinement of their own work and, by way of critique, to that of others in the class.
Prerequisite: ENGL 1311 AND ENGL 1312 AND (ENGL 2310 OR ENGL 2311) AND ENGL 3375

Rhetoric and Professional Writing Emphasis

Part of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing branch of the UIW English program, this course surveys professional and technical writing with an emphasis on writing to various audiences; types of communication include job applications, reports, instructions, proposals and other communications for business and industry. 
Prerequisite: (ENGL 1311 OR ENGL 1311L) AND (ENGL 1312 OR ENGL 1312H)

N/A
Prerequisite: ENGL 1312

Part of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing branch of the UIW English program, this course is a survey of business communication, with an emphasis on audience-focused writing within a variety of business settings. Type of business communications include job applications, business messages, reports, proposals and other communications for business and industry. This course emphasizes familiarity with communication using electronic media. (Spring) 
Prerequisites: ENGL 1312.

Part of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing branch of the UIW English program, this course is a historical introduction to rhetorical theory with an emphasis on application of rhetoric to socio-cultural issues, persuasion and composition learning. May be taken as a CLST elective. (Fall) 
Prerequisites: ENGL 2310

This course is part of the Rhetoric Branch of the UIW English program. An upper-level course, Visual Rhetoric focuses on the relationship between visual images and culture, examining what visual images mean (interpretation) and what they do (representation). The course is a study in rhetoric, exploring how visuals communicate as signs and symbols and how visuals effect human emotion and behavior. This course introduces students to some of the theories (both rhetorical and literary), explaining how images work to communicate and persuade within a cultural context.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1312

Part of the Rhetorical Studies track of the UIW English program, this study of rhetorical criticism engages the student in a number of critical approaches to rhetorical texts, both written and oral, from diverse genres and venues. 
Prerequisite: ENGL 2310. ENGL 3355 is recommended

Part of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing branch of the UIW English program, this study of the ethical implications of technical communication offers students the opportunity to examine some of the ethical and legal dilemmas faced by technical writers and to apply theories of ethics to workplace writing situations. May not be repeated for credit. 
Prerequisite: ENGL 1311 AND ENGL 1312 AND ENGL 2365

Part of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing branch of the UIW English program, this study of the academic literary periodical involves students in the editing, production and distribution of the University's literary journal, Quirk. 
Prerequisite: ENGL 1312 OR ENGL 1312H

Part of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing branch of the UIW English program, this study of the responsibilities, practices and professional abilities of technical editors provides students with the specialized knowledge, workplace perspectives and practice of technical editing. Additionally, students will undertake the editing, production and distribution of the English Department’s Environmental Sustainability Journal.
Prerequisite: ENGL 1311 AND ENGL 1312

Integration of technology, instruction and proven technical communication strategies for developing effective audience-appropriate websites (infrastructure, structure, content, design and navigation); focus on rhetorical shifts of the Internet medium, as well as ethical, sociocultural and legal issues, including web accessibility. 
Prerequisite: ENGL 1311 AND ENGL 1312 AND ENGL 2365

Part of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing branch of the UIW English program, this course explores the theoretical and practical aspects of real-world scientific and engineering communication. The course will explore a variety of writing genres used in scientific and engineering industry and research, including, reports, proposals, processes, journal articles and presentation posters and papers.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1312. Cross-listed with BIOL 4399.

Part of the Rhetorical Studies track of the UIW English program, this course engages students in the exploration of contemporary rhetorical theory as a way to examine the social, political and cultural contexts and effects of discourse and actions. 
Prerequisite: (ENGL 1311 OR ENGL 1311L) AND (ENGL 1312 OR ENGL 1312H) AND ENGL 2310 OR ENGL 3310H AND ENGL 3355