Academic Catalog

English (ENGL)

ENGL 091  Reading and Writing I  4 cr.  

This course is required for students whose placement test results indicate they need to develop their reading and writing skills before beginning college-level coursework. While some attention will be paid to improving study skills, the focus in this course is on improving students' vocabulary and reading comprehension as a means for improving their ability to express ideas in writing. The course recognizes the organic connection between reading and writing: students will read a text and then write about it as preparation for the kinds of reading and writing they will do in their other college courses. A minimum grade of C must be earned to progress to the next course in the composition sequence. This course cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements. Code 3 course fee.

ENGL 095  Reading and Writing II  4 cr.  

ENGL 095 is required for students who need a second level developmental English course as preparation for college-level coursework. The course builds on and expands fundamental reading and writing skills taught in ENGL 091. Instruction focuses on reading strategies for college work and on the process of composing essays, primarily in an academic voice. A minimum of 2500 words of finished writing will be assigned, supported by intensive reading and language study. A minimum grade of C must be earned to progress to the next course in the composition sequence. The course cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements. Code 3 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): Identification of need by appropriate score on Placement Test, or completion of ENGL 091 with a grade of C or better, or recommendation of instructor.
ENGL 098  Writing Skills Development  1 cr.  

This course allows students to develop their reading, essay writing, and study skills. Inclass discussion and activities focus on critical thinking, reading, and writing. Students will review proper usage of word processing and the Internet, locate viable electronic sources, and compose and edit at least 1,000 words of written essay work. The writing will be supplemented by computer based modules designed to improve grammar, word choice, and sentence structure. Code 2 course fee.

ENGL 110  ESL Strategies for Academic Success  3 cr.  

This course is designed for non-native speakers of English. It provides instruction and practice in the skills necessary for success in the American college classroom. Topics will include asking and answering questions, participating in small and large group discussion, note taking, lecture analysis, editing skills and reading skills. The course will examine common sources of cultural misunderstanding and ways to avoid them. This course may not be substituted for English course required for OCC degrees. Permission of instructor required. Code 1 course fee.

ENGL 142  The History and Grammar of English  3 cr.  

This course is an overview of the historical development and grammatical structure of the English language. It will provide intensive study of grammar, usage and the mechanics of punctuation, capitalization and spelling. Emphasis will be directed to practical application of traditional grammar rules in oral and written communication. The course will also provide a foundation for an English major and for foreign language or E.S.L. studies. This course may not be substituted for English courses required for OCC degrees. Code 1 course fee.

ENGL 151  English I  3 cr.  

Students compose and revise expository essays totaling 3500 words, minimum. Through a series of primarily text-based writing assignments, the course reinforces and stresses the further development of critical reading and thinking, ethical reasoning, the writing process, and information literacy. Code 1 course fee.

ENGL 152  English II  3 cr.  

This course introduces students to the study of fiction, poetry and drama, and requires written assignments (totaling 3,500 words, minimum), including at least one documented essay, that build on the writing and research skills developed in ENGL 151. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 153  Creative Writing  3 cr.  

This course introduces students to the fundamental elements of creative writing in four genres: short story, poetry, creative nonfiction, and playwriting. Student work is evaluated by the instructor and other members of the class. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 211  Introduction to Poetry  3 cr.  

This course surveys poetry as a distinct literary genre. Students will study selected lyric, narrative, and dramatic poems representing varied literary traditions. They will discuss and write about poetic themes and structures through reference to relevant cultural and historical contexts. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 212  Introduction to Drama  3 cr.  

In this course, students learn about dramatic traditions throughout history by studying dramatic literature from ancient to modern times. Students will analyze dramatic works through a historical, political, cultural, and social context, as well as explore elements of drama and presentation. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 215  The Graphic Novel  3 cr.  

This course provides instruction on the history, influence, and interpretation of graphic texts (including comics and graphic novels). Focusing on twentieth and twenty-first century western and non-western works in translation and emphasizing the diversity of the subjects and authors, the course traces the development of graphic texts, exploring their aesthetic and cultural achievement in memoir, non-fiction, and fiction. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 222  Indigenous American Literature  3 cr.  

This course traces the evolution of Indigenous American writing from its origins in the oral tradition to its varied expression in modern fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. The course will examine the ways in which world view, cosmology, myth and symbol are interwoven to create the rich fabric of Indigenous American storytelling. Students will discuss themes of recovery of identity, revision of stereotypes, resistance to colonization, the traditional connection to the land, and sovereignty, which are presented in contemporary texts. The writings will be studied in their cultural context as well as for the elements of content, style and meaning. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 223  African American Literature  3 cr.  

The course includes short stories, slave narratives, poetry, drama, the novel, beginning with the writings from the 1700s to the present day, exploring the struggles, dreams, artistry, wit, conceptions, and perceptions of authors and of voices too long silenced. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 225  Chinese Literature in Translation  3 cr.  

An introduction to the major genres and themes of Chinese literature from approximately 720 BC to the Twentieth-century. Students will gain insights into the Chinese culture and society through the English translation of selected samples of poetry, short stories, novels, essays and drama. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 226  Arabic Literature in Translation  3 cr.  

This course is an introduction to Arabic literature in translation and Arab diasporic literature written in English. Students will gain insights into Arabic culture and literature from the classical period to the present and into contemporary Arab diasporic cultures in the United States and England through readings from novels, short stories, drama, poetry and essays. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 228  Indian Literature in Translation  3 cr.  

Indian Literature in Translation introduces students to the study of Indian literature from antiquity to present. As India contains a myriad of religious traditions, cultures, and languages, the course will examine their impact upon the literature produced in India and the broader Indian diaspora. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 232  Crime Literature  3 cr.  

This course explores the historical development of the crime genre of short stories and novels from the 19th-21st Centuries. The course will include true crime family murder sagas, current fictional serial killer novels, as well as many different styles of the modern fiction crime novel. The course includes the examination of critical approaches to the form of the crime novel and will also call attention to the cultural contexts in which these writings were produced. Likewise, the relationship between the subject/killer and the author will be explored and examined. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 234  Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature  3 cr.  

This course explores the literary, social, and cultural issues raised in science fiction and fantasy literature. Students will study select4ed texts from the historical beginnings of these genres and attempt to define the shifting boundaries of this popular field. The course includes readings from several literary movements and related films to familiarize students with basic terms, themes, and conventions of the speculative and fantastic literature. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 235  Literature and Myth  3 cr.  

Literature and Myth explores the ways that myth and symbol organize the world of human action, history, and culture to provide a totality of meaning. With historically and culturally diverse units that focus on Middle Eastern, African, South Asian, Native American, and Western mythologies, the course applies diverse mythic concepts to selected works of ancient and modern world literature. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 237  Multicultural Fairy and Folk Tales  3 cr.  

This course explores the ways in which traditional fairytales and folktales influence contemporary thought, belief, behavior, and popular culture. Students will examine the historical significance of the literature; study gender roles and expectations as illustrated in various works; and analyze the tales and lore to discover the connections, similarities, and common themes. Historically and culturally diverse units will focus on fairy and folk tales from around the world. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 240  Women in Literature  3 cr.  

This course is a study of the development of women's literary history from the Middle Ages to the present with an emphasis on the works of the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This course examines the variety of literature that English-speaking women have produced between the 14th century and the present, paying special attention to the evolution of the female literary tradition and the changing definitions of the woman writer. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 251  American Literature Through the Civil War  3 cr.  

A study of literary works and their backgrounds from the beginning of American literature to approximately 1865. Students will read, discuss and write about significant works. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 252  American Literature Post Civil War  3 cr.  

A study of American literary works and their backgrounds from approximately 1865 to the present. Students will read, discuss and write about significant works. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151 or permission of the instructor
ENGL 253  British Literature Through 1785  3 cr.  

An introduction to British Literature that provides a broad overview of literary and cultural development through the eighteenth century, with focus on major writers or the Anglo-Saxon period, the ages of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, and Pope, and Neo-Classic writers of the late seventeenth century. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 254  British Literature 1785 to Present  3 cr.  

This course is an introduction to British Literature that provides a broad overview of literary and cultural development from 1785 through the current day, with focus on major writers of the Romantic, Victorian, Modern, Mid-Twentieth Century, and Post-Colonial eras. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 255  World Literature Ancient through 1600  3 cr.  

This course includes reading and discussion of some of the great works of world literature, specifically those not likely to be covered in courses on American, British and Contemporary literature. ENGL 255considers literature of the Ancient, Medieval,and Renaissance periods. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 256  World Literature 1600 to Present  3 cr.  

This course is a study of some of the world's great authors (by non-English writers), from the neoclassicism of the seventeenth century through works of the twentieth century. An emphasis is placed on a diversity of ideas, nations, and genres. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 257  The Short Story  3 cr.  

A study of the short story as a literary genre, with a focus on its techniques and historical development. Works by modern and contemporary fiction writers will be emphasized. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 258  The Short Novel  3 cr.  

This course is a study of the short novel as a literary genre, with a focus on its techniques and historical development. Students will read, discuss and write about a number of representative short novels written from 1700 to present. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 259  Advanced Creative Writing  3 cr.  

This advanced course will build upon the skills of Introduction to Creative Writing. It provides the opportunity for students to specialize in genres --creative non-fiction, poetry, drama, and fiction--through the process of the writers' workshop. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 153
ENGL 260  The Shakespeare Plays I  3 cr.  

This course examines representative plays from Shakespeare's comedies, histories, tragedies, and later romances. Students will read selected plays and will view filmed performances of the plays. Literary, cultural, and performance considerations of the plays will be examined. Code 1 course fee.

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 151
ENGL 262  Digital and Electronic Literature  3 cr.  

This course studies the history and genres of born digital literature from early computer generated texts through hypertext fiction, digital poetry, and interactive fiction, up to the multimedia platforms and networked narratives of the present day. Students will engage with theory and critical studies of electronic literature, and grapple with the difference between e-lit and games. The creative practices of electronic literature authorship will be explored via guided, hands-on creative projects throughout the course. No prior experience with digital or electronic media is needed or assumed. Code 1 course fee.

ENGL 296  Travel Seminar: Studies in Contemporary Literature  3 cr.  

This travel seminar provides students with the opportunity to discover literary works by contemporary authors from a select country, with a primary focus on 20th and 21st century writers. Students will explore genres, themes, movements, translations, and styles unique to the location. Emphasis is placed on the intersection between a location's role in the literary works and the writers' creative processes. Students will investigate the historical, social, and political contexts of the selected writings.