Courses

With a tradition that spans over 1000 years, the English Department engages literature in ways that are both innovative and conscious of the influence of the past.

As a department, we offer a variety of courses: surveys that provide a valuable foundation in a historical period or literary tradition; upper-division classes on developments in literary theory or the origins of the novel; small seminars devoted to a single author, including Chaucer, Shakespeare, Blake, Woolf, Melville, Dickinson, and Ellison; special topic courses with themes ranging from the literature of childhood to narratives of immigration; and creative writing workshops.

Our courses might analyze the dynamics of race, class, and gender in the modern British novel; explore the historical relationship between literature and ethical thought; try to trace the influence of Puritan theology on early American texts; or ask you to tackle the confines of the sestina in your own composition.

Whatever the subject or approach, every class encourages critical thinking, critical writing, and the development of an active intellect through close engagement with literary texts.

For more information on courses, see the registrar's website.