English

Undergraduate Programs

Description

The Department of English prepares students to study, understand, and use the English language in order to

  1. communicate through written composition.
  2. comprehend and create written texts.
  3. gain a critical and analytical understanding of texts.
  4. prepare for careers in teaching, writing, editing, publishing, and other professions that value such knowledge and skills.

The department's goals are:

  1. offering quality undergraduate education in English education, humanities, linguistics, literature, rhetoric and composition, teaching English to speakers of other languages, and technical communication;
  2. offering general education and service courses that foster effective reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking, that promote an understanding of literature and language, and that promote an appreciation for the variety of cultures within our country and throughout the world;
  3. contributing to students' education in writing and teaching by means of instruction in the effective use of communication technologies.

The department prepares students for a wide variety of careers, including middle and high school English teaching, freelance writing, literary publishing and editing, and technical and professional writing, publishing, and editing. Some English majors choose to go on for master's or doctoral degrees that will qualify them to teach at the college level. Others find careers in a wide range of fields in business, government, and nonprofit organizations. Still others find that their English degrees are ideal gateways into training for professions such as law.

Majors

 Program Locations Major / Total Credits
English Literature BA BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • Mankato
 48 / 120
English Studies BA BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • Mankato
 48 / 120
Technical Communication BS BS - Bachelor of Science
  • Mankato
  • Online
 37 / 120

Certificates

 Program Locations Major / Total Credits
Teaching English as a Foreign Language CERT
  • Mankato
  • Online
 9 / 9
Teaching PK 12 Multilingual Learners CERT
  • Mankato
  • Online
 12 / 12
Technical Communication CERT
  • Online
 24 / 24

Minors

 Program Locations Total Credits
English Literature Minor
  • Mankato
 20
English Writing Studies Minor
  • Mankato
 20
Linguistics Minor
  • Mankato
 16
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Minor
  • Mankato
 16
Technical Communication Minor
  • Mankato
 16

Policies & Faculty

Policies

Grade Policy. Students must earn a "C-" or better for a course to apply to their major or minor.

P/N Grading Policy. Courses leading to a major or minor in English may not be taken on a P/N basis, except where P/N is mandatory.

English Majors and Minors. Students majoring in English may also elect one of the following minors: film studies, linguistics, and technical communication. However, a course used to meet the requirements of an English major, minor, or certificate cannot also be used to meet the requirements of another English major, minor, or certificate. Consequently, because the technical communications programs share so many required courses, students may elect only one of them: BA English Studies Technical Communications Emphasis, BS English Technical Communications Option, the Certificate in Technical Communications, or the Technical Communications Minor.

Residency Requirements. Students pursuing a major and/or minor in the Department of English must complete at least 50% (half) of the required credits for the major and/or minor at Minnesota State Mankato.

Limits to Independent Work. Students pursuing a major or minor in the Department of English may earn no more than 33% (one-third) of the required credits through supervised independent work such as independent studies or internships, not including capstone experiences.

Contact Information

230 Armstrong Hall

Office (507) 389-2117
english.mnsu.edu

Faculty

Chair
  • Sarah Henderson Lee, Ph.D.
Faculty

000 Level

Below 100-level courses are remedial courses and do not apply to a major or minor.

Credits: 2-4

This course offers instruction in and practice with critical reading and writing strategies. Credit does not apply toward graduation. P/N only.

Prerequisites: none

100 Level

Credits: 4

ENG 100 or Academic Reading and Writing focuses on building students¿ literacy skills in connection to their field of study.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Students in this course approach writing as a subject of study by investigating how writing works across a variety of contexts.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-1A

Credits: 4

This course examines structural racism and other forms of intersectional oppression in the United States. Students will study unequal power dynamics and analyze implicit and explicit biases. Students will also identify essential skills necessary for living and working in a diverse society with historic and ongoing exclusion.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-07

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

Study and analysis of elements of prose, poetry and drama in English from earlier periods through contemporary. Emphasizes critical reading of literature. May include such genres as short story, novel, memoir, nonfiction, biography, autobiography, poem, play, screenplay.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06

Credits: 4

Study and analysis of prose, poetry, drama, and film from various genres, time periods, and geographies. Emphasizes critical reading of and writing about literature.

Prerequisites: ENG 101

Goal Areas: GE-06

Credits: 4

The course purpose is to increase students' knowledge of international children's literature that is written in English or translated into English. Students will be introduced to individual books, authors, and methods of responding to literature. This course studies children's literature set in countries such as Afghanistan, WWII Germany,and the Dominican Republic.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-08

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

This course will introduce students to Shakespeare's plays (histories, tragedies, and comedies) and sonnets. Students will read, analyze, and develop interpretations of these works, learning about Shakespeare's language, historical situations, and world views.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-08

200 Level

Credits: 4

Work on developing mastery of the rhetorical principles of planning, executing, and revising written texts. Emphasis on strengthening analytical writing, both expository and argumentative; valuable for writing on the job.

Prerequisites: ENG 101

Goal Areas: GE-02

Credits: 1-4

Study of written and/or oral communication specific to international student needs in disciplinary or professional fields. Course may be repeated.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Courses will explore literary representations of, and literary contributions made by, under-represented peoples. Students will develop critical thinking, reading, and writing skills, and increased appreciation of the diversity of human experience. Potential topics include: Multi-Ethnic Literature, Literature and Disability. May be repeated as topics change.

Prerequisites: ENG 101

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-07

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

Courses will introduce students to works of literature from a variety of world cultures. Designed to increase knowledge of world cultures and appreciation and understanding of cultural differences in representation, and in seeing, believing, and being. Emphasizes critical thinking, reading, and writing. May be repeated with different topics.

Prerequisites: ENG 101

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-08

Credits: 4

Courses will focus on some characteristic ways in which literature addresses and explores the ethical dimensions of human society and the relationships between works and their cultural contexts. Emphasizes critical thinking, reading and writing. May be repeated as topics change.

Prerequisites: ENG 101

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-09

Credits: 4

The arts and humanities play an important role in our shared challenge of forging an environmentally better future. Poets, filmmakers, photographers, and artists make important environmental interventions. This course explores the emergence of environmental thinking and its development in art, literature, history, philosophy, theology, music, theater, film, and many other areas of the arts and humanities. Topics may include urbanization, land use, environmental politics, human/nonhuman relations, disaster capitalism, environmental fiction, the anthropocene, global environmental justice, energy, and climate change.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-09, GE-10

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 2-4

Course will explore specialized topics in literature; may be repeated under a different topic.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06

Credits: 1

This course operates as an independent study of those writers visiting campus for the Good Thunder Reading Series.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

An introduction to writing poetry and short prose. This course does not assume previous creative writing experience on the part of the student.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-11

Credits: 4

This class explores the history of story-focused games from ancient board games through contemporary mobile games and introduces visual, narrative, and audio techniques that create the story. Through software like Twine, class members will also have the opportunity to create a story game.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduction to learning the written and oral communication of technical information. Assignments include writing and presenting proposals, reports, and documentation. Emphasis on use of rhetorical analysis, computer applications, collaborative writing, and usability testing to complete technical communication tasks in the workplace.

Prerequisites: ENG 101

Goal Areas: GE-02, GE-13

Credits: 4

Introduction to business communication. Assignments include writing and presenting proposals, reports, and documentation typical to a business/industry setting. Emphasis on use of rhetorical analysis, software applications, collaboration, and usability testing to complete business communication tasks. Fall, Spring

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-02, GE-13

Credits: 4

Introduction to written and visual communication of technical information in agricultural contexts. Through rhetorical analysis, collaborative and independent writing, and usability testing, students will learn strategies to produce clear, concise, accurate, and effective documents and presentations.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

An introduction to literary genres and to the techniques of writing about literature.

Prerequisites: ENG 101

Credits: 2

A review of traditional grammar designed to prepare students for advanced work in language and grammar. This course will run for a half-semester.

Prerequisites: none

300 Level

Credits: 4

Expressive expository and argumentative writing. For anyone interested in developing advanced rhetorical skills such as invention, arrangement, and style in discourse. Especially recommended for students who plan to write as part of their careers or pursue graduate study.

Prerequisites: ENG 101 and permission of instructor

Credits: 1-4

Topic-oriented course in literature. May be repeated with change of topic.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course examines how literary texts engage with and represent the natural world and humanity's place in it. It studies literature from various time periods, genres, and geographical locations to explore topics such as climate change, sustainability, environmental ethics, human/nonhuman relations, and ecology. Possible course topics might include Latinx Environmentalisms, Eco-Disaster Fiction, Global Environmental Justice, and Victorian Environments.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 2-4

Specific topics in multicultural literature with detailed study of a particular period, region, or group in the United States and their contributions to a diverse literature. Topics include African American Literature, American Indian Literature, Southern Writers of Color, and others. May be repeated as topics change.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

Animals and Literature is a required class for the Human-Animal Studies minor. The course examines literature focusing on animals from various time periods, genres, and geographical locations. By analyzing the role of animals in various literary texts, students will develop a greater understanding of human-animal interactions and relationships, will be exposed to ethical issues surrounding human-animal relationships, and will understand and engage in theoretical issues central to Human-Animal Studies. Topics may vary and the course can be repeated with change in content.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

Representative works from British literature encompassing Beowulf through the Eighteenth Century. Prereq: ENG 275

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Representative works from British Literature, the Romantic Period to the present. Prereq: ENG 275

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Topics in British literature covering various periods, literary movements, and themes. The course will study works of fiction, poetry, and drama, and their historical and cultural contexts. Potential topics include Victorian Literature & Art, Gothic Literature, British Colonial & Post-Colonial Literature, Performing Identity in Early Drama, Monsters and Magic, and others. This course may be repeated with change of topic.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This topics course examines some of the major developments in US literature. In reading a variety of canonical and noncanonical works, students will develop a greater understanding of US literature within specific sociocultural transformations and attendant literary movements. The course may be taught thematically, with possible topics including postcolonialism, environmental studies, immigration, and popular culture. May be repeated with change of topic.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 3

Introduction to authors, genres, illustrations, and works of literature published for elementary age children. Current and classic works.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

A survey of American Literature from its beginnings to the end of the Civil War. Prereq: ENG 275

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

A survey of American Literature from the end of the Civil War to the present. Prereq: ENG 275

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Study of the technical underpinnings of fiction and creative nonfiction genres.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Study of the technical underpinnings of poetry.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduction to writing personal essays and literary journalism.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduction to writing short stories.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduction to writing poems.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Theory, practice, and materials for teaching English language arts in middle school and high school, with particular attention to literature.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Theory, practice, and materials for teaching English language arts in middle school and high school, with particular attention to language and writing.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

The English language considered structurally (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics) and sociolinguistically (geographical and social dialects, gender issues, acquisition of first and second language, standard and nonstandard forms).

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course introduces students to sociolinguistics with some specific focus on the role of culture and language in education. Topics of study focus on diverse student populations in American schools, particularly language learners. The course examines the interaction between language(s) and culture and helps students explore how individuals are members of many communities and are influenced by a host of different cultural markers, such as language, race, ethnicity, regionalism, social class, gender, and other differences.

Prerequisites: none

400 Level

Credits: 4

Selected topics course on literature about gender and gendered experiences

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

Studies in selected authors. Specific authors change. May be repeated with content changes.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course examines Shakespeare's poetry and dramatic works within their social and historical context. The plays will be considered as both literary texts and dramatic performances.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Study of literature from the 21st century, with an emphasis on how these works reflect contemporary concerns.

Prerequisites: ENG 275W

Credits: 4

This course critically examines a wide array of literature, non-fiction essays and articles, film and art to explore the historical experiences of diverse Arab American communities. The course will begin by discussing major issues in the field, the history of immigration and citizenship, and developments in Arab American writing. Students will learn about waves of immigration from the 1880s onward, the literary communities that formed, and their contemporary legacy. The course will enable the students to better comprehend the historical and cultural contexts in which Arab American literature has evolved and the diverse perspectives of individual writers and artists.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 2-4

Topics have included genres such as fantasy or historical fiction and thematic topics such as survival or journeys. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 2-4

Selected periods of literary study.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Extensive reading in an area for which the student has had basic preparation.

Prerequisites: Consent

Credits: 2-4

Content changes. May be repeated.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Topics on themes, issues, and developments in genres of the literatures of the world. Content changes. May be repeated.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

Topics on themes, issues, and developments in genres of the literatures of the world. Content changes. May be repeated.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 2-4

A study of selected novels from a variety of time periods and cultures, including Eastern and Western Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This writing-intensive course surveys the earliest Native American literary works, from oral tradition and songs to contemporary works and authors, with a particular emphasis on tribal and cultural contexts that identify these works as Native American.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 2-4

This course surveys the origins and development of Chicana/o and Latina/o literature, from oral narratives, early poetry, and narrative fiction and memoirs, through the Chicano Movement and the emergence of Chicana/o literature and drama. The course also examines contemporary Chicana/o and Latina/o narrative fiction, including issues related to im/migration, the urban experience, Chicana/o and Latina/o subjectivity, and the reappropriation and reinterpretation of myths, legends, and cultural figures in transnational context.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

This writing-intensive course surveys the earliest African American literary works, including slave narratives, poetry, folklore, and oration, through 20th century movements such as the Jazz Age, Harlem Renaissance, and Black Arts Movement of the 1960s, to contemporary works and authors.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

Theories of literature and its production and use. Prereq: 6 semester credits in literature.

Prerequisites: 6 semester credits in literature

Credits: 4

Advanced workshop in writing personal essays and literary journalism. May be repeated.

Prerequisites: ENG 340 or ENG 342

Credits: 4

An advanced course in writing short stories and novels. May be repeated.

Prerequisites: ENG 340 or ENG 343

Credits: 4

An advanced course in writing poems. May be repeated.

Prerequisites: ENG 341 or ENG 344

Credits: 4

An advanced course in writing critical essays. May be repeated. Prereq: Writing course or consent

Prerequisites: Writing course or consent

Credits: 4

Introduction to writing for the screen. May be repeated with new content.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course enables BA and BFA Creative Writing students to bring their previous critical and creative study to bear in a final program project. It is generally the last course they take in their program.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

This course approaches works of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction from the past 30 years with a special focus on the craft issues that are central components of each work's success. English 448 is a required course for BA and BFA majors in creative writing.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 2-4

Topics in Creative Writing Form and Technique is a variable-title course that explores special topics relating to the technical mastery of one or more creative genres, or the technical achievement of one or more practitioners. May be repeated with different topics, some of which could fulfill either a major author or a workshop requirement.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Advanced writing course emphasizing major contemporary public issues. Practice in and study of: the logic by which writers construct arguments; the various means that writers use to persuade an audience; the conventions of evidence, claims, and arguments in persuasive discourses.

Prerequisites: ENG 201W, ENG 301W

Credits: 4

Advanced interdisciplinary writing emphasizes critical reading and thinking, argumentative writing, library research, and documentation of sources in an academic setting. Practice and study of selected rhetorics of inquiry employed in academic disciplines preparing students for different systems of writing.

Prerequisites: ENG 201W, ENG 301W

Credits: 2-4

Selected works of literature for students in grades 5-12 from a variety of countries and cultures.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 3

A survey of literature for students in grades 5-12, fiction, and non-fiction, and methods of teaching this literature.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 3

Survey of books suitable for the Middle School classroom, covering a variety of topics and genres.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduces students to theories of usability and teaches students various methods to evaluate design for usability including heuristic evaluations, card-sorting, task-based evaluations, and fieldwork.

Prerequisites: ENG 271W or ENG 272W

Credits: 1-4

Students learn how to research and write technical information for multiple cultures, both locally and internationally.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course is designed to introduce students to technical project management. This introduction is achieved through participation in a simulated project management experience. Assignments include standard documentation associated with project management and reflective writing. Fall, Spring

Prerequisites: ENG 271W

Credits: 1-4

Writing in an area and of a type for which the student has demonstrated ability. May be repeated. Pre: Consent

Prerequisites: Consent

Credits: 4

This course provides analysis and training focused on concepts and practices of visual design as they relate to technical and professional communication.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Overview of technical communication theory with emphasis on contemporary approaches. Hands-on workshop which implements the theories discussed.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Brief history of publishing and typography, conventions of desktop publishing, and hardware and software application tools for desktop publishing. Students need not have prior experience with DTP, but some word processing and microcomputer experience will be helpful.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Practice in writing various types of reports for a variety of purposes and audiences. Includes primary and secondary research methods, and data analysis of information to be used in reports.

Prerequisites: ENG 271W or ENG 272W

Credits: 4

Editing the content, organization, format, style, and mechanics of documents; managing the production cycle of documents; and discovering and learning computer and software applications for technical editing tasks.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Creating both online and print documentation for products, with emphasis on computer software and hardware documentation for users. Attention also to policies and procedures as written for a range of uses (e.g., employee handbooks, manufacturing processes, usability testing).

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Reading and analysis of stories, novels, poems, essays, and nonfiction accounts that deal with scientific and technological topics. Focus on the role of technology in communication forms and tools.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Overview of prominent rhetorical theories, from classical to contemporary, which are applicable to technical communication. Practical application and implications of the theories emphasized. Additional attention given to current issues such as risk communication and ethics.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Practice in the development and production of proposals, focusing on the researching, writing, and management of proposals by technical communicators.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

The development of English from its origins as a dialect of Proto-Indo-European to its current form, with consideration of its social history as well as its formal development.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduction to theory and best practices of teaching second language listening and speaking to a variety of English learners in multiple contexts.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course addresses the skills required for technical communication within the context of health and medicine. Students will discuss typical audiences, purposes, and genres of health and medical communication. Students will adapt complex health and medical information for audiences with varying levels of knowledge, demonstrating awareness of audience analysis, visual design, plain language, and ethics.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduction to theory and best practices of teaching second language grammar and vocabulary to a variety of English learners in multiple contexts - specifically focusing on content based teaching practices.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduction to theories and classroom practices that have shaped second language teaching and learning. Topics of study focus on prominent second language learning/acquisition theories, individual and sociocultural factors in language learning, technology-based resources that enhance language learning, as well as practical issues and applications of theory in a wide range of instructional contexts.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduction to theory and best practices of teaching second language reading and writing to a variety of English learners in multiple contexts.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course explores state and federal legislation affecting EL programs, current models of EL program delivery, and Minnesota State Standards and standardized testing. Additionally, the course develops the ability to understand the needs of and communicate with students, families, and program members within the context of their environments such as school, family, and community.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Topics in learning and teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language. May be repeated for credit.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

In this course, teacher candidates will deepen their knowledge of both the English language and the instructional and assessment strategies effective for meeting the linguistic needs of multilingual/multidialectal learners, while enhancing the learning of all students. Teacher candidates will investigate the functions of phonology, lexis, grammar, and discourse used for listening, speaking, reading, and writing within K-6 classrooms. Teacher candidates will analyze classroom and academic content-area language, identify those linguistic structures needed to access and utilize subject-area content, employ effective strategies for teaching to the varying academic-language needs of their learners, and develop lessons integrating language and content across disciplines.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 2-4

Various topic-oriented courses in literature.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-6

Specialized workshops in topics such as computer-assisted writing, teaching the writing of poetry in the secondary school, or discipline-specific writing. May be repeated with change in topic. When offered as a creative writing workshop, the course may fulfill a workshop requirement.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Specialized, in-depth study of topics such as Holocaust literature, environmental literature, or regional literature. May be repeated with change in topic. WHEN OFFERED AS A CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP, this course may fulfill a workshop requirement.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Course in which English Studies majors will synthesize, evaluate, and reflect upon coursework and prepare portfolios connecting their work to program outcomes. Must be taken during the last year in the major.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-6

On-site field experience, the nature of which is determined by the specific needs of the student's program option. May be repeated with change in topic.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Extensive reading and writing in an area for which the student has had basic preparation. May be repeated with change in topic.

Prerequisites: Consent