English

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Faculty

Professor: Nancy L. Schultz, Chairperson

Professors: Paul J. Beauvais, Eric Branscomb, Patricia L. Buchanan, Steven Carter, Lucinda Damon-Bach, Richard L. Elia, Perry W. Glasser, John M. Green, Rod Kessler, John W. P. McHale, Donnalee Rubin, John David Scrimgeour, Ann M. Taylor, Pierre A. Walker, Julie Whitlow

Associate Professors: Jeannette M. Lindholm, Lisa N. Mulman, Arthur Riss, Jeffrey S. Theis, Keja L. Valens,

Assistant Professors: Theresa DeFrancis, Regina Flynn, Michael Jaros, Scott Nowka, Stephenie Young

Instructor: Vanessa Ramos

Faculty Emeriti

Professors: Michael Antonakes, Mary Elizabeth Devine, Francis P. Devlin, Patricia A. Gozemba, Claire Keyes, Thomas E. Luddy, William E. Mahaney, Patricia Parker, Carl A. Stecher, George N. Torrey, Joseph Williams, Richard P. Zollo

Associate Professors: Ernest M. Rosenthal, John P. Steele

Department Mission Statement

Profound literacy is the hallmark of a liberal education. To that end, English department courses involve instruction and study in literature and writing, the emphasis varying according to course content. Through intensive reading and analysis, students develop a critical appreciation of literature written in disparate times and places. Through expository writing, students learn techniques for conducting research and for drafting and revising analytic and persuasive essays based on critical reading. In creative writing, students develop an aesthetic through practicing the craft of various genres. The English department prepares students for professional and academic leadership including careers in teaching and writing.

Programs Offered

Bachelor of Arts – English 

Concentrations

Creative Writing  
Dramatic Literature  
Literature 
Professional Writing  
Writing 

Minor

Secondary Education -Licensure in English

Minors (for non-English Majors)

Dramatic Literature  
English (non-specialized)  
Film Studies  
Professional Writing  
Writing  
 

English

The English Department offers courses and programs that provide a solid liberal arts foundation for leadership positions in such areas as law, healthcare, business organizations, and the arts. In addition, the Department offers training in skills which can lead to leadership in many professions, including magazine and literary journalism, professional writing, education, finance, creative writing, writing in organizational settings, travel writing, publishing, freelance and entrepreneurial development, online content production, and other contemporary realms requiring special competence in critical thinking, writing, and the gathering, processing, and distribution of information in diverse modes.

Academic Advising

The Registration Procedure requires close contact between English majors and their Department advisors. All majors, including all approved Change of Majors and Transfers are assigned an advisor in the English Department. Lists are posted outside the Department Office (MH 249) and are distributed to all faculty advisors. English majors should maintain regular contact with their assigned advisors to assure fulfillment of all-college and departmental requirements and to remain aware of any changes in programs and requirements.

When setting up their programs, majors should keep in mind the following guidelines:

1. All majors must declare a minor by the end of their Sophomore year; Junior transfers by the end of their first semester.
2. English majors who wish to pursue one of the departmental concentrations should be certain to follow the required and recommended course selections.

Forms for declaring minors and concentrations are available from the Department office.

All majors, in consultation with their advisors, should keep updated flow sheets to insure compliance with all major and college requirements. Majors and minors with advising questions should first contact their assigned advisors and then the Department.

Bachelor of Arts in English

The Program: Thirty-six hours in English including 21 hours of required courses and 15 hours of electives. The required courses consist of ENG 225 , ENG 226 , ENG 355 , ENG 356 , ENG 321 , or ENG 400 . Freshman English majors are required to take ENG 103 , Composition II for English majors, rather than ENG 102 . Majors are advised to complete ENG 225 , ENG 226 , ENG 296 , ENG 297 , in the sophomore year and ENG 355 , ENG 356 , plus History of Literary Criticism and Advanced Writing in the Junior year.

Note: The English Department requires three Literature Sequence courses as part of its core curriculum - ENG 225 , ENG 226 ; ENG 296 , ENG 297 ; ENG 355 , ENG 356 .

Concentrations for English Majors

The five additional courses beyond the required courses are departmental English electives, unless the student chooses a concentration within the major (recorded on the official transcript). The following is a list of available concentrations. For further details on recommended courses, students should consult with department advisors or the Department Chairperson.

Dramatic Literature (15 credits). Required: ENG 394 - Drama I , and ENG 395 - Drama II , plus three courses selected from those concentrating on the study of drama as literature.

Literature (15 credits). (in addition to the required courses listed above) Required: ENG 497 , or  ENG 498 , or ENG 600H , plus four English electives focusing specifically on literature.

Creative Writing (15 credits) Required: ENG 300  and three courses selected from the following list: ENG 403A , ENG 404 , ENG 407 , ENG 409 , ENG 410 , ENG 413 , ENG 439 , ENG 422 , ENG 502 , ENG 508 , and, in the senior year, either ENG 500  or ENG 601 

Writing (15 credits). Required: Five courses selected from those devoted primarily to developing writing skills.this concentration is an option for students who wish to select both creative and professional writing courses: ENG 300 , ENG 301 , ENG 303 , ENG 313 , ENG 314 , ENG 325 , ENG 400 , ENG 403A , ENG 404 ,

Professional Writing (21 credits). Required: ENG 301 , ENG 430 , 

 English Major Requirements for Students who Minor in Secondary Education: 36 Credits

Students wishing to achieve an Initial license to teach English at the secondary school level (grades 8-12) in Massachusetts, can apply for the Secondary Education Minor within the B.A. program in English. Candidates for teacher licensure in Massachusetts must also pass three Massachusetts Tests for Educators Licensure (MTEL): Communication, Literacy, and the English Subject Test. Students in this minor should meet with the department’s Secondary Education Coordinator as soon as possible to review requirements for eligibility. For complete information on course requirements that address the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requirements for Initial Licensure, please visit the English Secondary Education  section of the catalog.

Additional Programs and Resources

Interdisciplinary Courses

The English Department participates in several Interdisciplinary programs, offering courses in such areas as American Studies, Women’s Studies, Peace Studies, and Marine Studies. The content and approach of these courses are coordinated with offerings of other participating departments.

Internships

The English Department offers internships in order to bring its majors and minors into contact with professional employment. As experiential learning, internships provide students with on-the-job experience and training in areas directly connected to their concentrations in English. Internships are usually taken in the students’ Senior year after they have completed most, or all, of their major requirements. Students will need an intern advisor and permission of the Department Chairperson to enroll in 

The Writing Center

The English Department’s Writing Center, located in Meier Hall 220, serves English majors in two related ways: First, the Center gives majors the opportunity to receive individualized attention to their writing in one-on-one sessions with a trained, informed tutor; Second, as an experiential learning opportunity, majors become part of the Writing Center staff. With a faculty recommendation, majors may enroll in

Associations and Publications

The English Society

The English Society is an open arts society that offers support and community for students interested in literature and writing. The Society sponsors student readings and other literary events. We are always interested in new members. Please contact the department chair for more information.

Red Skies

Red Skies is the on-line magazine produced by the students of Salem State College. Published under the auspices of the Professional Writing Program, Red Skies features include investigative journalism, interviews, profiles, opinion, travel essays, as well as creative non-fiction, fiction and poetry, art work, and short films. For those interested in working on Red Skies, please contact Professor Regina Robbins Flynn, MH104, 978.542.6886, or send email to the student editorial staff: redskiesmagazine@gmail.com or  Red Skies may be viewed at http://redskies.salemstate.edu.

Soundings East

Students have the opportunity to serve on the staff of Soundings East, the international literary magazine of Salem State College that publishes high quality work from writers throughout the world. Students interested in working on Soundings East should contact the Coordinator of Creative Writing. Students may also submit poetry, short stories, and creative nonfiction. Submissions can be dropped off in the English Department.

Events

The Department sponsors events each year which are of interest to English majors and minors.

The Writers’ Series

In conjunction with the Center for the Arts, the English Department sponsors the Salem State Writers’ Series. The series has several events each semester, bringing accomplished authors to campus to read and speak to students. The events also include annual student and faculty readings. All events are free.

First Year Writing Competition

The Department sponsors a writing contest for first-year students enrolled in composition classes.

English Minors for Non-English Majors

Students who minor in English are welcome to participate in all department activities. Minor programs may be selected from the following choices; further information on minors is available at the Department office.

English (non-specialized) (18 credits). The English minor allows students to explore all aspects of the discipline. Students may focus on a variety of literature courses or combine literature and writing.
Required: Six courses (one literature sequence and four free English electives).

Writing (15 credits). The minor in Writing offers students the opportunity to explore creative and professional writing.
Required: Five ENG courses in writing.

Dramatic Literature (18 credits). The minor in Dramatic Literature allows students interested in theatre to student the major works and genres in the field.
Required: ENG 394 - Drama I , ENG 395 - Drama II  plus four courses selected from ENG 331 , ENG 332 , ENG 379 , ENG 380 , ENG 432 , ENG 438 , ENG 459 , ENG 490 , ENG 491 .

Professional Writing (18 credits). The minor in Professional Writing introduces students to the temperament and skills required for leadership in collaborative and creative environments where information is prepared in diverse forms.
Required: Six courses: one literature sequence (6 credits),  ENG 301 - Introduction to Professional Writing  (3 credits), ENG 430 - Special Topics in Professional Writing  (3 credits), ENG 509 - Portfolio Seminar  (3 credits) and one elective course (3 credits) selected from: ENG 300 , ENG 313 , ENG 314 , ENG 325 , ENG 400 , ENG 405 , ENG 408 , ENG 409 , ENG 422 , ENG 470   ENG 502 , ENG 508 .

Film Studies (18 Credits) The minor in Film Studies allows students to study in a sustained and in-depth manner our rapidly increasing visual culture. Students will explore film as an aesthetic, cultural, and historical form, consider the particularities of the medium and the vocabulary of film, engage debates in film theory, and learn about a variety of particular filmic genres and issues. The minor in Film Studies consists of 18 credits of courses designed to provide a balanced program of experiences in theoretical and practical aspects of film studies. Six courses, Required:

All-College Requirements 

Composition Requirement.  Students in all majors except English and Education satisfy the composition requirement by successfully completing

Students Whose First Language Is Not English Including International Students

Students whose first language is not English including international students, may be placed on the basis of a writing sample in ENG 100ESL3 - Writing in English As a Second Language , or in ENG 101ESL - Composition I for ESL . The course sequence for non-native speakers of English is ENG 100ESL3 , ENG 101ESL , and ENG 102E - Composition II for ESL . ENG 101ESL  satisfies the all-college requirement for ENG 101 - Composition I . ENG 102E  satisfies the all-college requirement for ENG 102 - Composition II .

Literature Sequence Requirement: (Division I, Distribution) Any full-year literature sequence in the English Department may be used to fulfill the literature sequence requirement in Division I. World Literature I and World Literature II (ENG 294 /ENG 295 ) are recommended for non-English majors. Students may choose any other literature sequence such as English Literary Studies I-II (ENG 225 /ENG 226 ), Studies in Literature I-II (Honors) (ENG 284H /ENG 285H ), Short Story I-II (ENG 292 /ENG 298A ), Classics of World Literature I-II (ENG 296 /ENG 297 ), Literature and Film I-II (ENG 317 /ENG 318 ), Novel I-II (ENG 327 -ENG 328 ) Shakespeare I-II (ENG 331 -ENG 332 ), American Literary Studies I-II (ENG 355 /ENG 356 ), African-American Literature I-II (ENG 266 /ENG 267 ), Poetry I-II (ENG 390 /ENG 391 ), Drama I-II (ENG 394 /ENG 395 ), Women in Literature and Film I-II (ENG 417 /ENG 418 ), and Modern Drama I-II (ENG 490 /ENG 491 ) to fulfill this requirement. Full-year literature sequences in the Foreign Language Department also satisfy the Distribution Requirement (Continental European Literature I-II (FLT 251 /FLT 252 ), Introduction to French Literature I-II (FRE 401 /FRE 402 ), Introduction to Spanish Literature I-II (SPN 401 /SPN 402 ), or Hispano American Literature I-II (SPN 417 /SPN 418 ). English majors take Classics of World Literature I-II (ENG 296 /ENG 297 ) to fulfill their Division I Literature Sequence Requirement.