English


541/531 Main Hall
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
Phone: 610-436-2745
610-436-2822
Dr. Tischio, Chairperson
Dr. Sorisio, Graduate Coordinator
Dr. Bacon, Assistant Chairperson

Professors

Jen Bacon, Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Robert P. Fletcher, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Paul D. Green, Ph.D., Harvard University
Anne F. Herzog, Ph.D., Rutgers University
Jane E. Jeffrey, Ph.D., Iowa University
William Lalicker, Ph.D., University of Washington
Rodney Mader, Ph.D., Temple University
Paul L. Maltby, Ph.D., Sussex University
Garrett Molholt, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
Geetha Ramanathan, Ph.D., University of Illinois
Judith Scheffler, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Carolyn Sorisio, Ph.D., Temple University
Victoria Tischio, Ph.D., University at Albany, State University of New York
Carla Verderame, Ph.D., University of Michigan
Cheryl L. Wanko, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University

Associate Professors

Hannah Ashley, Ph.D., Temple University
Christian K. Awuyah, Ph.D., University of Alberta
Mary Buckelew, Ph.D., University of New Mexico
Juanita R. Comfort, Ph.D., Ohio State University
Margaret Ervin, Ph.D., University at Albany, State University of New York
Karen Fitts, Ph.D., Texas Christian University
Dennis Godfrey, Ph.D., University of Michigan
Deidre A. Johnson, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Seth Kahn, Ph.D., Syracuse University
Graham MacPhee, Ph.D., University of Sussex (England)
Merry Perry, Ph.D., University of South Florida
Cherise Pollard, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
Timothy Ray, Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
Eleanor Shevlin, Ph.D., University of Maryland
Luanne Smith, M.F.A., Pennsylvania State University
Christopher J. Teutsch, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
K. Hyoejin Yoon, Ph.D., University at Albany, State University of New York

Assistant Professor

Charles Bauerlein, M.A., Pennsylvania State University
Lynne Cooke, Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Randall Cream, Ph.D., University of Connecticut
Eric Dodson-Robinson, Ph.D., University of Illinois
Ayan Gangopadhyay, University of California, Los Angeles
Gabrielle Halko, Ph.D., Western Michigan University
John Hanson, Ph.D., Florida State University
Laura Renzi Keener, Ph.D., Ohio State University
Joseph Navitsky, Ph.D., Boston University
William M. Nessly, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Nollen, Ph.D., Indiana University
Patricia A. Pflieger, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Andrew Sargent, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Jeffrey Sommers, Ph.D., New York University
Kuhio Walters, Ph.D., University of New Hampshire

Program of Study [top]

The M.A. in English offers two tracks: one in literature, the other in writing, teaching, and criticism. In each track, students may choose between thesis and non-thesis options. In the thesis option of the literature track, a concentration in creative writing is available.

The master of arts in English helps students attain a number of goals. It offers opportunities for the study of language, literature, rhetoric and composition, pedagogy, creative writing, and literary and cultural critical theory. The diverse and comprehensive selection of courses cultivates scholarly knowledge and enhances cultural literacy in an atmosphere that engages students intellectually and creatively. The program prepares students to enroll in advanced graduate programs (for the Ph.D. in literature or composition and rhetoric, for example), to teach literature or writing in secondary schools or two-year colleges, and to enter a range of other professions in which writing expertise and analytical thinking are valued.

The Department of English also participates in an interdisciplinary program leading to the master of arts in teaching English as a second language. (See the section "Teaching English as a Second Language," pages 103.) In addition, the Department of English welcomes students who wish to take courses for professional growth and provides assistance and advice to postbaccalaureate students wishing to acquire secondary teaching certification in English.

Admission Requirements

The applicant to the M.A. program in English must (1) meet the general requirements for admission to degree study at West Chester University; (2) submit a 5-6 page writing sample on a subject related to the study of English; (3) satisfy other departmental admission requirements established in consultation with the graduate coordinator; (4) take additional graduate and/or undergraduate courses when considered necessary. Normally, applicants who do not have a strong undergraduate record in English literature may be expected to take additional courses for full admission into the M.A. program in English.

The applicant seeking secondary English certification only must apply through the Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Education to the Department of Professional and Secondary Education and must have the transcripts evaluated by both the School of Education and the Department of English. The general requirements for admission include items (1) and (2) listed under "Admission Requirements for Degree Students" found at the beginning of the Graduate Catalog.

Master of Arts in English [top]

Both a thesis and a nonthesis option are available in both the literature track and the writing, teaching, and criticism track.

Thesis Option Literature Track (33-36 semester hours)

  1. Required (9-12 semester hours)
    ENG 500 and ENG 501 (or ENG 501 and ENG 504 for the creative writing concentration) are to be taken before the completion of 12 semester hours of graduate credit. (6)
    ENG 620 M.A. Essay (about 40 pages) to be completed at the end of course work under the direction of an adviser selected in consultation with the graduate coordinator. An oral defense of this essay also will be required. (3-6)
  2. Course selection (24 semester hours)
    In addition to ENG 500 or 504, 501, and 620, all students will take eight courses selected in consultation with the graduate coordinator according to the following plan:
    1. At least one course in British literature before 1660 (3)
    2. At least one course in British or American literature (including African-American) between 1660 and 1900 (3)
    3. At least one course in British or American literature (including African-American) between 1900 and 2000 (3)
    4. At least one course in noncanonical literatures, including comparative literature, women's literature, African-American literature, Native-American literature, and other literatures representing cultural diversity (3)
    5. Four electives (12)

Nonthesis Option Literature Track (36 semester hours)

  1. Required (6 semester hours)
    ENG 500 and ENG 501 are to be taken before the completion of 12 semester hours of graduate credit. (6)
  2. Course selection (30 semester hours)
    In addition to ENG 500 and 501, all students will select 10 courses in consultation with the graduate coordinator according to the following plan:
    1. At least one course in literature before 1500 (3)
    2. At least one course in literature between 1500 and 1660 (3)
    3. At least one course in literature between 1660 and 1800 (3)
    4. At least one course in British or American literature between 1800 and 1900 (3)
    5. At least one course in British or American literature between 1900 and 2000 (3)
    6. Five electives (15)

Additional Requirements

  1. At least one course must be taken in American literature (including African-American and Native-American).
  2. At least two courses must be in noncanonical topics (that is, material, literature, and culture not traditionally regarded as representing mainstream or "high" culture).

Creative Writing Concentration (33-36 semester hours)

  1. Required (9-12 semester hours)
    ENG 501 and ENG 504 (6)
    ENG 620 M.A. Essay is a portfolio of original fiction or poetry. (3-6)
  2. Course selection (24 semester hours)
    1. Four electives from any course in general topics and theory, American literature, English literature, comparative literature, composition and rhetoric, and research and special topics (12)
    2. Four courses chosen from among poetry and fiction workshops (12)

Writing, Teaching, and Criticism Track (36 semester hours)

  1. Writing: composition and rhetoric (6 semester hours)
    ENG 506 (3)
    One course from the following composition and rhetoric electives (3)
    ENG 506, 508, 594, 596, 600, 617, 618, 619
  2. Teaching: Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project (6 semester hours)
    PWP 502 (3)
    One course from the list of three-credit PAWLP courses at the end of the departmental course listings
  3. Criticism: literature (6 semester hours)
    ENG 501 (3)
    One course from any literature electives from ENG 501 through 573, and 592, 593, and 615
  4. Capstone course (3 semester hours)
    ENG 616
  5. Free electives (15 semester hours)
    These 15 credits may be taken in any of the three main categories, above (I - III), or a student may substitute EDR 505 or EDR 507 (offered by the Department of Literacy) for one of the three-credit elective classes. No more than 12 semester hours (including the six in category II above) may be taken from a list of courses taught by PAWLP master teachers.
  6. Additional requirement
    At least one course in the program must be in noncanonical topics (that is, a course that theorizes issues of race, gender, ethnicity, and/or class).

In each M.A. option/track, one course may be a compatible course taken in another department. For more information concerning graduate work in English, including course listings, see the Handbook for Graduate English Studies and Guidelines for Completing the M.A. Essay, available from the English graduate coordinator.

Secondary English Certification Option

Some students pursue certification for Pennsylvania teaching after they graduate with bachelor’s degrees from West Chester or other universities. The Department of English normally accepts equivalent courses from colleges or universities accredited in the United States or their equivalent from schools in other countries. Students seeking post-baccalaureate certification should consult with the appropriate adviser in the Department of English to see which requirements they have already fulfilled in their undergraduate program and which they need to fulfill to get their teaching certificate. These students should also meet with their adviser in English to plan their academic progress and to ensure they are keeping up with requirements, and they should meet with an adviser in the Department of Professional and Secondary Education for information on required education courses. Students pursuing post-baccalaureate certification must meet all requirements for formal admission and student teaching.

The State Board of Education adopted changes that affect all of Pennsylvania's teacher certification programs by adding nine credits or 270 hours or equivalent combination for adaptations and accommodations for diverse students in an inclusive setting, and three credits or 90 hours or equivalent combination to meet the instructional needs of English language learners. Although these regulatory changes became effective on September 22, 2007, the Pennsylvania Department of Education has not yet developed final requirements for colleges/universities to follow. Therefore, additional program requirements will be developed and incorporated into the certification programs to comply with new regulations that became effective January 1, 2011.

Certification Curriculum

  1. Required

    2. Two linguistics courses:
    ENG 230 (or ENG 230, LIN/LEN 501, 503, 512)
    ENG 331 (or ENG 575, LIN/LEN 504, 505)

    Two advanced method courses:
    ENG 390
    ENG 392

  2. Nine advanced English courses

    3. ("Advanced" means courses determined to be upper-level undergraduate or graduate courses. At West Chester, the courses that qualify are numbered in the 300s, 400s, 500s, or 600s.)
    A course in literary theory (e.g., ENG 296 or ENG 501)
    A course in British literature
    A course in American literature
    A course in world literature
    A course in literature for young adults (e.g., LIT 398 or ENG 593; prereq: literary theory)
    A course that theorizes teaching (e.g., ENG 506, 595, 596, 600, or 671)
    A course in reading texts rhetorically ("The Rhetoric[s] of. ..)"
    A composition and rhetoric elective chosen from among those listed in #6 and #7.
    An English elective

Notes:

  • Students must attain a GPA of 3.0 to student teach and have a GPA of 3.0 at the conclusion of their program.
  • Students should be formally admitted to the teacher certification program and should have taken ENG 230, ENG 331, EDM 300, EDP 351, and EDS 306 before taking the advanced methods courses (ENG 390, ENG 392). "Formal admission" means that students have met the requirements to do advanced study in a teacher education program. To be formally admitted, students must pass all their Praxis I (PPST) tests, earned at least 48 college credits (including three in writing, three in literature, and six in math), attained the required GPA (usually 2.8), and passed the Department of English's test of writing competency. Then they need to apply for formal admission at the College of Education.
  • The Department of English's test of writing competency is offered once in the fall and once in the spring. It is the student's responsibility to find out when the test is given and to make arrangements for attendance.
  • Students must submit a successful writing portfolio before student teaching.
  • Many of these classes are offered during the day and during the fall and spring semesters only, especially the advanced methods courses.
  • Students should contact the Department of Professional and Secondary Education to be properly advised about education courses.

For more information concerning secondary English certification for post-baccalaureate students, contact the Department of English graduate coordinator.

Course Descriptions [top]

English
Symbol: ENG

General Topics and Theory

500 Introduction to the Profession (3) An introduction to the methods and materials of research used by scholars of English and American literature. An introduction to current issues and debates in the profession and to the history of the profession.

501 Literary Theory (3) Study of various methods of literary theory and analysis; the application of these methods to specific works of literature.

502 History of Criticism (3) A historical study of literary criticism and aesthetic theory from Plato and Aristotle to the present.

504 Methods and Materials of Publishing (3) This course is designed to familiarize graduate students with the history of the book and to provide them with the opportunity to gain practical experience in book production.

505 Queer Theory (3) Participants in this course will read some of the major texts in the emergent fields of cultural criticism known as Queer Theory, which draws from various strains of post-structuralism, such as feminism, deconstruction, race studies, and post-colonial and psychoanalytic theory, in order to examine ideas about gender and sexuality as they are represented in many types of cultural products.

507 Literature Seminar (3) Variable topics announced each time the course is offered.

English Literature

517 Beowulf (3) An analysis of the full poem in Old English. Emphasis on the artistic, linguistic, and historic values. PREREQ: ENG 584 or equivalent.

518 Chaucer (3) A study of the Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde.

519 16th-Century Poetry and Prose (3) A survey of the major poetry and prose written in England during the Tudor period from Skelton to Shakespeare.

520 Spenser and Milton (3) The major works of Spenser and Milton studied in relation to the intellectual climate of the Renaissance. Emphasis on The Faerie Queene and Paradise Lost.

521 Major Renaissance Writers (3) An in-depth study of major figures in the Renaissance. Intellectual background and literary influences. Variable topics.

522 English Drama to 1642 (3) A survey of English drama (exclusive of Shakespeare) from its medieval beginnings to the closing of the theatres in 1642.

523 Shakespeare's Sisters (3) Poetry, prose, and drama by Renaissance women writers. Includes Elizabeth I, Mary Wroth, Elizabeth Cary, Amelia Lanier, Katherine Philips, Bathsua Makin, and others. Topics addressed include women's education, attacks on and defenses of womankind, love poetry by men and women, heroic women, and "a woman's place."

525 Shakespeare's Tragedies and Histories (3) Histories and tragedies read with analysis of dramatic and poetic effects.

526 Shakespeare's Comedies and Poems (3) The comedies analyzed. The poems read in relation to Shakespeare's developing dramatic and poetic power.

527 17th-Century Poetry and Prose (3) An in-depth study of the major poets and prose writers from Donne to Milton.

529 18th-Century Poetry and Prose (3) A study of the literature of the era, with emphasis on the cultural context, aesthetic theory, and the evolution of poetic techniques.

530 Restoration and 18th-Century Drama (3) Critical history of the British drama from the re-opening of the theatres to Sheridan. Major playwrights and study of theatre history.

531 18th-Century British Novel (3) A study of the rise of the novel and its development in the 18th century. Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, Smollett, and Sterne.

533 Romantic Poetry and Prose (3) The poetry and prose of the early 19th century with emphasis on the five major poets (Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats) and three major essayists (Lamb, Hazlitt, and De Quincey).

534 Victorian Poetry (3) A study of Tennyson, Browning, Arnold, Hopkins, Swinburne, and Hardy.

535 Culture and Society in the 19th Century (3) A study of Victorian literature against its social and intellectual background.

536 19th-Century British Novel (3) The British novel from Scott to Hardy.

537 20th-Century British Novel (3) A study of the British novel from 1914 to the present.

538 20th-Century British Poetry (3) A comprehensive study of the major British poets from 1890 to the present.

539 Major 20th-Century Irish Writers (3) A comprehensive study of significant Irish writers of the 20th century: Yeats, Joyce, O'Casey, Synge, O'Connor, O'Faolain, Beckett, and Shaw.

540 Joyce and Beckett (3) Detailed critical analysis of Joyce's Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Exiles, and Ulysses; Beckett's drama and novels.

541 20th-Century Drama (3) Principal British and American playwrights.

544 Seminar in English Literature (3) Topic announced when offered. This course may be taken again for credit.

545 Medieval Women's Culture (3) This course studies writings by medieval women and their contribution to the development of medieval culture.

American Literature

547 American Literary Movements (3) Major movements in the development of American literature. Influence of leading writers on literary concepts, trends, and critical dicta. Topics announced when offered. This course may be taken again for credit.

548 Early American Literature (3) Studies in early American literature and culture. For example, "contact zones," spiritual narratives, belle-lettrism, the revolutionary public sphere.

549 19th-Century American Literature (3) An investigation of 19th-century literature and its cultural context. For example, Romantic writers and reform movements, realism and reconstruction.

551 Literature and Culture in 20th-Century America (3) Variable topics. For example, Naturalism, Realism, Modernism, Post-Modernism, Subaltern Writing.

552 Twentieth Century Native American Literature (3) This course investigates the Native American novel and the struggle of Native Americans for self-representation.

557 Major 20th-Century American Poets (3) A close study of several major, modern American poets.

558 20th-Century American Writers (3) One or more major prose writers and literary movements from 1900 to the present.

562 Modern African-American Literature (3) An intensive study in themes and trends in modern African-American literature.

563 African-American Women Writers in America (3) Writings from the Colonial period to the present. A survey of the forms of expression used by these writers and the themes of gender, race, and class that challenge and redefine the image of women in an American and African-American context.

564 Seminar in American Literature (3) Variable topics announced when offered. This course may be taken again for credit.

Comparative Literature

565 Comparative Literature Seminar (3) Studies in international, literary, and/or cultural relations; the characteristics and relationships of literary themes, types, and genres. Topics announced when offered. This course may be taken again for credit.

566 Comparative Literature: The Greek Myths (3) The role of Greek myths and their treatment in Western literature.

568 20th-Century Women Poets (3) The study of a significant number of modern women poets from Amy Lowell to Diane Wakoski. Discussion of commentary by women poets about the experience of writing poetry. Although the emphasis is on English and American poets, representatives from other cultures will be included.

571 Colonialism and the 20th-Century Novel (3) An examination of the relationship of the colonialist theme and modernist techniques in the novel.

573 Literature of the Holocaust (3) The central goals of this course are to help students understand, in some small way, the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust, and by focusing on a limited number of Holocaust and post-Holocaust texts for critical discussion, to provide a voice for the millions silenced by the Nazis.

Language

575 Structure of Modern English (3) A detailed analysis of the modern descriptive approach to the study of English grammar and how it compares with the traditional approach.

576 Curriculum and Materials for TESL (3) Application of second language learning principles for the analysis, development, and implementation of ESL materials, learner assessment instruments, and curriculum.

577 History of the English Language (3) Review of the major influences on the development of the English language. PREREQ: LIN 501 or LIN 503.

578 Modern English (3) A study of the development of the English language from 1450 to the present (exclusive of American English).

579 Studies in American English (3) Historical processes in the development of American and British English. Regional and social dialects of American English. Usage and sociolinguistics.

580 English Language Workshop (1-4) Workshop to survey recent developments and newer concepts in English linguistics for teachers. Variable structure and credit by arrangement with individual school districts.

582 Sociolinguistic Issues in ESL/Second Language Education (3) Introduction to social, historical, legal, and cultural issues influencing minority communities, schools, and homes. Introduction to issues in bilingual education and language programs for immigrants around the world. Crosslisted as LAN 582. PREREQ: LIN 501.

583 Second Language Acquisition (SLA) (3) Introduction to key issues in SLA research and theory. Analysis of SLA studies in connection to second language teaching. Design of original mini-study of second language learning. Crosslisted as LAN 583. PREREQ: LAN 501.

584 Old English Language and Literature (3) An introductory study of the language through a reading of selected religious and secular poetry and prose.

585 Middle English Language and Literature (3) An introductory study of the language (1150-1450) through a reading of selected texts (exclusive of Chaucer).

589 Language Seminar (3) Studies in English language and linguistics. Topics announced when offered. PREREQ: LIN 501 or the equivalent. This course may be taken again for credit.

590 Independent Study (1-3) Research projects, reports, and specialized readings. PREREQ: Approval of instructor and coordinator of English graduate studies. This course may be taken again for credit.

612 Assessment of ESL/Second Language Students (3) Selection, evaluation, adaptation, and creation of assessment instruments for ESL/second language students. Practice administering tests and interpreting results. Overview of issues in assessing second language students. Crosslisted as LAN 612. PREREQ: LIN 501.

622 The Rhetorics of Masculinities and Men’s Studies (3) This course introduces students to the literature, both theoretical and popular, that examines how males are represented in and socialized by contemporary language and culture. Students read, discuss, and write about a variety of written and visual texts concerning men’s experiences and masculine identities, as they relate to both men and women.

626 Reading and Writing Asian American Women (3) This course is a study of Asian American women in media and culture. Participants will explore the rhetorics and ideologies of race, gender, sexuality, and class – particularly their discursive nature and social bases – and the inscriptions of Asian American women within and against dominant stereotypes – including those of the geisha, dragon lady, martial arts mistress, and the model minority – along with the meanings, accommodations, and resistances of the rhetorical figure of the Asian American woman.

Teaching Skills

506 Critical Pedagogies and Literacies (3) This course introduces students to two complementary bodies of literature: critical literacy and critical pedagogy. Students will analyze the educational system's role in maintaining or challenging diverse values, policies, and interests. To do so, students will ask questions about what we teach, how we teach, who we teach, and who we are as teachers: questions designed to frame the educational system socially, politically, and institutionally.

591 Modern Techniques for the Teaching of English (3) Techniques of teaching language arts, composition, and literature in the secondary school. Practice in planning and designing units and courses of study. Exploration into the latest research in teaching English.

592 Literature for the Elementary School (3) The content and approach of the literature program in the elementary school.

593 Literature for the Secondary School (3) An examination of the literary interests of the secondary school student. A discussion of the works of major writers who appeal to the teenage student.

Composition and Rhetoric

508 Writing Seminar (3) Experience in nonfiction prose writing; discussion and development of major projects. This course may be taken again for credit.

594 Directed Studies in Composition and Rhetoric (3) Offers students systematic guidance and instruction in a specially formulated project involving scholarly or empirical research in composition.

595 Teaching Composition (3) A survey of developments and research in composition. Focus on the writing process, grading and evaluation, case approaches to writing assignments, writing across the curriculum, and remedial and developmental writing.

596 Composition and Rhetoric (3) Survey of rhetoric and composition theory. Frequent practice in writing.

600 Tutoring Composition (3) Theory and practice of teaching basic writing in the tutoring environment.

617 Writing Diverse Discourses in the Classroom (3) This course will take up theories and practices of cultural diversities in written classroom discourses. Reading assignments cover theories of representation and examples of classroom pedagogies and research, all of which offer various ways to think about diversity in the classroom and the rich, varied discourses that develop from it. Individual research and writing projects will utilize ethnographic and teacher research methods to look at issues of diversity in the written discourses of the classroom in which we participate as either teachers or students. Other writing assignments will include memoir and journal writing.

618 The Autobiographical Presence: Discussing the Writer and the Genre (3) This course examines the genre of autobiography and its role as contemporary literature. It locates autobiographies and their uses in the writer's own times and lives.

619 Cultural Studies: Pedagogy and Politics in English (3) Cultural studies considers carefully the relationships among people interpreting and producing texts, and the cultural contexts within them. This course will introduce students to cultural studies as a framework for the critical interpretation of cultural texts, as a philosophical basis for teaching, and as an object of study in its own right.

Creative Writing

509 Writing Seminar in the Novel I (3) A course in the writing and preparing of book-length manuscripts (novels, novellas, and "nonfictional" novels) with the intention of submission for publication. Also includes coverage of fictional aspects and techniques used in writing memoirs, biography, and current history. This course may be taken again for credit.

510 Writing Seminar in the Novel II (3) A continuation of ENG 509. This course may be taken again for credit.

601 Creative Writing Seminar (3) A specialized writing seminar. Topics announced when offered. Longer prose works, short story, fantasy/science fiction, narrative verse, lyric/meditative verse, etc. A portfolio is required at the end of the course. This course may be taken again for credit.

602 Creative Writing: Directed Studies (3) A course of individual study for students who have completed two workshops in a single genre. Concentrated work in a special poetry or prose topic. This course may be taken again for credit.

605 Poetry Workshop I (3) Experience in writing various types of poetry: traditional forms, narrative, lyric/meditative, etc. Readings in traditional and contemporary poetry and poetics. A final portfolio required. This course may be taken again for credit.

606 Poetry Workshop II (3) Extended work in poetic forms with additional emphasis on contemporary poetry in translation. A critical paper on contemporary poetry and poetics and a completed portfolio are required. This course may be taken again for credit.

608 Short Story Workshop I (3) Techniques of composing the short story with emphasis on its elements of form: point of view, diction, characterization, and dialogue. Readings in traditional and contemporary criticism and short stories. Completed portfolio of revised works is required. This course may be taken again for credit.

609 Short Story Workshop II (3) Extended work in the short story form with opportunities for exploring more experimental forms of short fiction. Additional readings in short fiction and criticism. A critical paper on a contemporary short story writer is required. This course may be taken again for credit.

Research and Special Topics

615 Special Topics (3) Variable topics, usually interdisciplinary, incorporating issues related to literary fields, genres, historical periods, and theoretical approaches. This course may be taken again for credit.

616 Capstone Research Seminar (3) Research class in which students design independent research projects derived from their prior interests, expertise, and course work in areas of writing, teaching, and criticism. Class includes instruction in research methodologies and collaborative critiquing and workshopping.

M.A. Essay

620 M.A. Essay (3) Required final extended paper (about 40 pages) written under the direction of an adviser. Further details available in the Graduate English Studies Handbook. Oral defense required. This course may be taken again for credit.

Special Program
Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project (A National Writing Project Site)

Symbol: PWP

The courses described below are intended to be taken by teaching professionals who seek to enhance their writing and literature instruction while earning graduate credit. They are part of the English master's degree in writing, teaching, and criticism. They may also be taken by elementary-grade teachers working toward recognition as an English language arts specialist, by middle school teachers working toward their Praxis test in English language arts to meet the requirements of "No Child Left Behind" legislation, and by secondary teachers or elementary teachers who want to earn a certificate in teaching writing and literature.

NOTE: All PWP courses require advisement and permission of the project director or associate director, and the instructor.

501 The Writing Process (1) A practical introduction to the writing process approach to teaching writing. This course may be taken again for credit.

502 Strategies for Teaching Writing: Teachers as Writers (3) The best teachers of writing are writers themselves. This basic course helps participants understand the writing process from the inside, providing experience with all phases of the writing process and all teaching strategies that support best-practice instruction. It also encourages practitioners to publish professionally. This course may be taken again for credit.

503 Strategies for Teaching Writing II: Writing in the Domains (3) This course explores the domains of the Pennsylvania PSSA Writing Scoring Guide and provides practical strategies for linking writing process and writing workshop instruction to the PSSA domains and the Pennsylvania standards. This course may be taken again for credit.

504 Holistic Assessment of Writing (1) Theory and practice of rapid and reliable assessment of large numbers of writing samples as used in schools and colleges. This course may be taken again for credit.

505 Writing in the Content Areas (1) Participants will explore ways of motivating students to write about academic areas, design effective assignments, and use writing process methods to improve learning in all subjects. Topics include learning-centered writing, evaluation, and classroom management of writing. This course may be taken again for credit.

506 Computers and Writing (Beginning) (1) Computer applications at all stages of the writing process. Basic awareness, demonstrations, and hands-on experience will be emphasized. This course may be taken again for credit.

508 Computers and Writing (3) This course explores all the technological approaches to writing instruction, including a combination of classroom instruction and online hours. Participants actually take parts of this course online so they can experience this mode of learning themselves. This course may be taken again for credit.

510 Writing, Reading, and Talking Across the Curriculum: The Pennsylvania Literacy Framework (3) This course explores the theory and practical application of Pennsylvania's new language arts curriculum document to improve learning at all levels in all content areas through writing, reading, and speaking.

511 Writing Assessment (3) This course explores large- and small-scale writing assessment strategies, both summative and formative. Topics covered include the Pennsylvania PSSA writing domain approach, holistic assessment, portfolio assessment, responding to writing, and developing writing assessment systems. This course may be taken again for credit.

512 Teacher Research Seminar (3) Participants in this course explore self-selected topics related to literacy learning through a variety of practitioner research strategies, including qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. Special topics sections of this course may also be available. This course may be taken again for credit.

513 Pennsylvania Literacy Framework Seminar (3) Topics of this advanced course in writing, reading, and thinking across the curriculum vary. They may include visualizing words and worlds; reading in the secondary content areas; creativity and literacy or other PLF-related topics. This course may be taken again for credit.

515 Workshop in Administering Writing Programs (1) Creating and maintaining successful writing and language arts programs. This course may be taken again for credit.

517 Workshop in Writing Assessment (1) Different assessment models and their relation to instruction, with information from the Pennsylvania Writing Assessment. This course may be taken again for credit.

520 Strategies for Teaching Literature (3) This course focuses on instructional practices that reflect current theories and approaches to teaching and using all kinds of literature in the classroom, K-12. A special section of this course, strategies for teaching reading in the literature classroom, is available for secondary English teachers only. This course may be taken again for credit.

521 Seminar in Teaching Literature (3) Topics of this course announced as offered. This course may be taken again for credit.

522 Seminar in Literature and Curriculum Development (3) The general section of this seminar focuses on literature available for curriculum development, K-12, and approaches for integrating and teaching that literature. Emphasis on issues of race, gender, ethnicity, class, and censorship. Special topics section of this course available as announced. This course may be taken again for credit.

597 Seminar for Master Teachers (6) Offered only during the summer. Requires special application and interview for admission. Participants develop advanced skills in the teaching of writing, receive training as in-service teacher consultants for the National Writing Project, and become part of the NWP network in Pennsylvania. This course may be taken again for credit.

599 Workshop in English (1-6) Topic varies. Each workshop will focus on specific issues and problems in the teaching of writing or literature and will introduce appropriate instructional materials and techniques. This course may be taken again for credit.

520-521 Seminar for Master Teachers of Literature (6) Requires special application and interview for admission. Participants develop advanced skills in the teaching of literature, receive training as in-service teacher consultants for the National Writing Project, and become part of the NWP network in Pennsylvania. Offered only during the summer. This course may be taken again for credit.