English

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Faculty

Professor John David Scrimgeour, Chairperson

Professors: Lucinda Damon-Bach, Jeannette M. Lindholm, Lisa N. Mulman, Jude V. Nixon, Scott A. Nowka, Alexandria Peary, Nancy Schultz, Ann M. Taylor, Jeffrey S. Theis, Keja L. Valens, Pierre A. Walker, Julie Whitlow, Stephenie Young

Associate Professors: Theresa DeFrancis, Regina Flynn, Michael P. Jaros, Amy Jo Minett, January O’Neil, Arthur Riss, Roopika Risam, Tanya Rodrigue

Assistant Professors: Kevin Carey, Rebecca Martini

Faculty Emeriti

Professors: Paul Beauvais, Eric Branscomb, Patricia L. Buchanan, Francis P. Devlin, Perry Glasser, Patricia A. Gozemba, John M. Green, Rod Kessler, Claire Keyes, Thomas E. Luddy, William E. Mahaney, Patricia Parker, Donnalee Rubin, Joseph Williams, Richard P. Zollo

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.

General Statement:

The English Department at Salem State offers courses and programs that provide a solid liberal arts foundation for positions in such areas as education, law, healthcare, business, publishing, editing, public service, freelance writing, and the arts. The department also offers concentrations in such areas as Literature, Creative Writing, and Professional Writing. Classes are small and led by an enthusiastic faculty in the forefront of their respective fields. The English major at SSU prepares students to participate successfully in a variety of professional environments.

Programs Offered

Combined BA in English, BS Secondary Ed/Master of Education

Combined English, B.A. & Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Combined BA in English/MA English Writing

Bachelor of Arts – English

Concentrations

Creative Writing
Professional Writing

Minors (for non-English majors)

Dramatic Literature
English
Film Studies Minor
Professional Writing Minor
Writing

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 distributed to all faculty advisors and can be found online in Navigator. English majors should maintain regular contact with their assigned advisors to assure fulfillment of all university 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:

All majors must declare a minor by the end of their Sophomore year; Junior transfers by the end of their first semester.
English majors who wish to pursue one of the departmental concentrations should be certain to follow the required and recommended course selections.
To declare a concentration, English majors or prospective majors must meet with the concentration coordinator who will initial the request form, then the Department Chairperson will sign it.

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

All majors, in consultation with their advisors, should track their academic progress through Navigator and should keep updated flow sheets to insure compliance with all major and university requirements. Majors and minors with advising questions should first contact their assigned advisors.

Bachelor of Arts in English

The Program: 42 hours in English including 27 hours of required courses in specified categories and 9 hours of electives. At least 9 hours must be at the 400 level or higher.

First-year English majors are required to take W-I course. They are also required to take ENL 160 Literature I: Reading Broadly and ENL 161 Literature II: Reading Closely .

The required course categories are:

National/Postnational. 9 credit hours, to be divided as follows:

3 credit hours in pre-19th Century British and Anglophone literature
3 credit hours in pre-20th Century United States and the Americas literature
3 credit hours in Postnational 20th and 21st Century literature

Genre, Major/Minor Author, Period, Topic. 6 credit hours.

Approaches to Language, Literacy, and Writing. 6 credit hours.

Approaches to Theory. 3 credit hours.

Capstone Experience. 3 credit hours.

English Courses by Category

Concentrations for English Majors

Creative Writing (18 credits)
Coordinator: Kevin Carey

The Creative Writing Concentration offers students the opportunity for intensive study in creative writing, culminating in a creative writing thesis written under the direction of a faculty mentor. Students must apply to the concentration after having taken ENL 220 , the program’s introductory course.

Required: ENL 310 Introduction to Professional Writing and ENL 220 Introduction to Creative Writing and three courses from the following list: ENL 321 The Craft of Poetry , ENL 322 The Craft of Fiction , ENL 411 Special Topics in Professional Writing , ENL 412 Seminar in Modern Publishing , ENL 420 Creative Writing Workshop: Scriptwriting , ENL 421 Creative Writing Workshop: Non-fiction , ENL 422 Creative Writing Workshop: Fiction , ENL 423 Creative Writing Workshop: Poetry , ENL 424 Special Topics in English: Creative Writing , and in the senior year, either ENL 505 Creative Writing Thesis or ENL 601H Senior Honors Project in English .

Professional Writing (18 credits)
Coordinator: Regina Flynn

Required: ENL 310 Introduction to Professional Writing and ENL 220 Introduction to Creative Writing and ENL 510 Portfolio Seminar that should be taken in the senior year and four courses from the following list: ENL 311 Editing for Publication , ENL 313 Survey of Journalistic Styles , ENL 314 Business Writing , ENL 315 Technical Writing , ENL 316 Travel Writing , ENL 317 Digital Writing , ENL 318 Food Writing , ENL 410 Workshop in Literary Journalism , ENL 411 Special Topics in Professional Writing , ENL 412 Seminar in Modern Publishing , ENL 424 Special Topics in English: Creative Writing , ENL 502 Writing Skills Center Practicum , ENL 508 Internship in English .

Combined Bachelor of Arts English with Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education/Master of Education
Coordinator: Roopika Risam

The English department offers an integrated bachelors/master’s degree program in Secondary Education English with an application process occurring in the second year. Students seeking initial licensure to teach in the public schools must apply to the licensure program in the spring of their second year and will begin the licensure program in their third year. Students who successfully complete the undergraduate portion will continue to a fifth year and will graduate with a Master of Education with eligibility for initial licensure at the conclusion of the fifth year of study, assuming all academic and licensure standards are met.

Admissions requirements to the licensure program include, but are not limited to:

A passing score on the Communication and Literacy portions of the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL);
3.0 minimum GPA in prior college course work;
Demonstrated work with children;
Interview;
Recommendation form from EDC115 Exploring Education instructor (if class was taken at SSU);
In-person writing sample from a prompt.

Exceptions may be made to the above-referenced requirements at the discretion of the admissions committee. Retention in the program is based on satisfactory academic progress (maintenance of a 3.0 GPA) and the passing of specific MTEL tests required for licensure in the chosen field. Students who do not meet these retention guidelines must exit the program and complete a degree without licensure.

Combined Bachelor of Arts English/Master or Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Coordinator: Melanie Gonzalez

The MAT in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages or TESOL prepares teachers to educate English learners in K -12 schools, adult immigrants, international students preparing for academic study, and those studying in a wide-range of language schools both in the U.S. and overseas.

This combined BA English/MAT program allows the English major who is interested in teaching English to speakers of other languages to earn two degrees in five years.

Students can pursue either:

the Licensure Track of the MAT which will prepare students to teach in an English as a Second Language setting in a Massachusetts classroom. Completion of the initial licensure track incorporates pre-practicum hours and a practicum in a K-12 setting for those seeking licensure in Massachusetts as outlined by the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or
the Non-Licensure track which will not lead to K-12 licensure but will prepare students to work in an adult, overseas, or community program. In addition to coursework, those not seeking licensure would have a supervised Field Experience course in lieu of the supervised practicum and the opportunity to partner with a community agency offering adult ESOL classes to gain valuable service learning experience.

Admissions requirements to the program include:

Completion of 45 credits;
3.0 minimum GPA for both admission and retention;
Application before having completed 90 credits. Exceptions may be made for students who are seniors but who still have at least 30 credits of required courses remaining to graduate;
A passing score on the Communication and Literacy portions of the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) for those interested in the MAT Licensure Track.

Combined Bachelor of Arts English/Master of Arts English
Coordinator: Keja Valens

English majors bring highly-valued critical thinking and communication skills to the workplace. The MA degree is increasingly significant in demonstrating advanced mastery and ability in critical analysis and creative thinking. In MA courses, students work in small group settings with distinguished professors who are experts in their fields and a diverse student body, many of whom are licensed teachers and work professionally in U.S. schools. All MA students have the opportunity to complete a Capstone project working one-on-one with a faculty member to compose a Masters’ Thesis, Manuscript, or Portfolio.

The program can combine the standard English major, the Professional Writing concentration, or the Creative Writing concentration with either of the two MA options, Literature or Writing. In all combinations, students will develop and hone skills in critical analysis, communication, and creative thinking.

Interested English majors can apply in their Junior year. During their Senior year, accepted students will take a selection of MA level courses that count toward both the BA and the MA degrees. Then, in their fifth year students will complete the MA degree. Students can also combine the MA portion of the degree with a Graduate Certificate in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Digital Studies, or Writing and Rhetoric.

To apply, students submit a statement of interest and a transcript to the Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Keja Valens (kvalens@salemstate.edu) in the first semester of their Junior year. Upon acceptance in the program, students complete a plan of study for the graduate component of the program.

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 ENL 508 Internship in English . For more information, contact Professor Regina Flynn, Internship Coordinator rflynn@salemstate.edu. All majors may apply for internships, not just those concentrating in Professional Writing.

The Writing Center

The English Department’s Writing Center, located in the Berry Library and Learning Commons, 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 ENL 502 Writing Skills Center Practicum , the training course for students who would like to tutor in the Center. After successfully completing the course, majors can work in the Center as paid tutors. For more information, contact the Writing Center Coordinator.

Associations and Publications

Honor Society

Sigma Tau Delta is the international English honor society, with over 900 active chapters located in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. Sigma Tau Delta’s central purpose is to confer distinction upon students of the English language and literature.

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 University. 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 Flynn, at rflynn@salemstate.edu, MH107, 978.542.6886, or send email to the student editorial staff: redskies@salemstate.edu. Red Skies may be viewed at: https://redskiesmagazinessu.wordpress.com/.

Soundings East

Students have the opportunity to serve on the staff of Soundings East, the international literary magazine of Salem State University that publishes high quality work from writers throughout the world. Students interested in working on Soundings East should contact the Coordinator of Creative Writing, Kevin Carey (kcarey@salemstate.edu). 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. One valuable way for students to learn of all such events is to be included in the English Majors listserv.

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 conduct workshops and give readings for students. The events also include annual student and faculty readings. All events are free and open to the public.

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 (15 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: Five courses; at least two courses must be at the 300 level or above.

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

Dramatic Literature (15 credits). The minor in Dramatic Literature allows students interested in theatre to study the major works and genres in the field.
Required: Five courses selected from the following: ENL 280 ENL 282 ENL 340 ENL 341 ENL 380 ENL 381 ENL 480 ENL 481 ENL 482 ENL 485

Professional Writing (15 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: ENL 310 , and the remaining 12 credits must be selected from the following: ENL 300 ENL 306 ENL 311 ENL 313 ENL 314 ENL 315 ENL 316 ENL 317 ENL 318 ENL 410 ENL 411 ENL 412 ENL 421 ENL 502 ENL 508 ENL 510 .

Film Studies (15 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 15 credits of courses designed to provide a balanced program of experiences in theoretical and practical aspects of film studies. Required: Five courses selected from the following: ART 303 ART 381 MCO 301 MCO 302 ENL 270 ENL 271 ENL 272 ENL 276 ENL 370 ENL 373 ENL 374 ENL 375 ENL 376 ENL 420 ENL 508 .

All-University Requirements

First-Year Writing Requirement: Students satisfy the first-year writing requirement by successfully completing ENL 110 or another designated W-I course. Students in the Honors Program satisfy the first-year writing requirement by successfully completing ENL 110H . Students whose first language is not English have the option of satisfying the first-year writing requirement by successfully completing ENL 109 (instead of ENL110).

To determine the correct first-year writing course to take, students with weighted high school g.p.a.s under 2.7 must participate in a writing placement.

Writing Placement: Incoming students with high school g.p.a.s under 2.7 select their first-year writing courses through online directed self-placement.. Students select from ENL 105 Introduction to College Writing , ENL 108 Academic Writing for Multilingual Writers , ENL 109 Foundations of Writing (ESL) , and ENL 110 Foundations of Writing . All four courses provide three credits which count toward graduation. However, ENL 105 and ENL 108 do NOT satisfy the W-I requirement. When selecting courses, students need to take courses that will help in their overall academic advancement.

Exemption Policies:

Advanced Placement Examination. Exemption from ENL 110 (W-I) will be granted to students who achieve a score of 4 or higher on the College Entrance Board Advanced Placement Examination for Language and Composition. Students who achieve a score of 3 on the Examination for Language and Composition may be granted exemption from ENL 110 (W-I) upon submitting a writing portfolio which is deemed to meet review criteria; portfolios are submitted to the First-Year Writing Coordinator, Dr. Amy Minett. Exemption carries three credits.

Scholastic Aptitude Test. Exemption from ENL 110 (W-I) will be granted to students who achieve either an SAT Writing score of 620 or higher or an SAT Essay sub-score of 10 or higher. (Effective in 2016, the SAT Essay, an optional component of the redesigned SAT, will be required for exemption: the score for exemption to be determined.) Exemption carries three credits.

A maximum award of three credits for ENL 110 (W-I) will be granted for students who meet any of the exemption criteria above.

Honors Program:
All students in the Honors Program must take ENL 110H to satisfy the Written Communication I requirement or, if this has already been satisfied at the high school level, they must take ENL 225H to satisfy the Written Communication II requirement. Students transferring into the Honors Program from another college who have satisfied the W-I requirement are not required to take ENL 110H or ENL 225H , and students who completed ENL 110 at Salem State prior to acceptance into the Honors Program are also exempted from ENL 110H and ENL 225H .

AP Credit Policy for English Literature and Composition:
Students who achieve a score of 4 or higher on the College Entrance Board Advanced Placement Examination for Literature and Composition will earn three English elective credits.

Students Whose First Language Is Not English Including International Students:
Students whose first language is not English including international students complete online directed self-placement and select between ENL 108 Academic Writing for Multilingual Writers and ENL 109 Foundations of Writing (ESL) . ENL 109 satisfies the all-college W-I requirement.

Courses for the Core: Many English Department courses fulfill category requirements in the current general education and pre-2014 core curricula (Please consult current lists of available courses).

English

View Programs and courses

Faculty

Faculty Emeriti

Department Mission Statement

General Statement:

Programs Offered

Bachelor of Arts – English

Academic Advising

Bachelor of Arts in English

English Courses by Category

British and Anglophone Pre-19th Century

United States and the Americas Pre-20th Century

Postnational 20th and 21st Century Literature

Genre

Period

Topic

Approaches to Language, Literacy, and Writing