Master of Arts in Writing Studies
Program Curriculum
Rhetoric and Composition: Theory and Practice
Professional Writing
Core Courses -- Required for All Students
| ENG 4005 | The Practice of Writing |
3 credits |
|---|
An overview of the work of a practicing writer, with exploration of particular genres of interest to individual students in the course. Assignments will include a writer’s history (autobiographical account of interest in writing) and a writer’s apprenticeship (in- depth examination of a writer admired by the student).
| ENG 4015 | Rhetoric Then and Now |
3 credits |
|---|
Consideration of the history of rhetoric, from Aristotle to the present day, with particular concern both for the ethical considerations involved in persuasive uses of language and for the stylistic choices in developing written work.
| ENG 4105 | Poetry Today |
3 credits |
|---|
Exploration of the current poetry scene, particularly in America, reading the work from a wide variety of poetic schools and from the theoretical positions that inform the poems. Movements covered will include feminist and identity poetics, the New York School, poetry of witness, neo-confessional, Language Poetry, and the New Formalism. Use of imitation to experiment with difference poetic stances.
| ENG 4115 | Idea of the Book in English Literary Culture |
3 credits |
|---|
Critical examination of signal moments in development of the “book” as a phenomenon in English literary culture, with particular concern for the early Renaissance and for the cyberworld of the present.
| ENG 4125 | Authorship in the Eighteenth Century |
3 credits |
|---|
Study of impact of literacy on the role of author, with close focus on circumstances in eighteenth-century Britain and examination of ways in which authorship was conceived, the contest over who was considered qualified to write, and the rise of the novel. Authors to be considered will include Aphra Behn, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, Jane Barker, Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, Henry Fielding, Laurence Sterne, and Frances Burney.
| ENG 4135 | Writing From the Borders |
3 credits |
|---|
Consideration of writing from cultural borders, the place from which minorities add their experiences and voices to dominant cultural elements. Examples from within American culture include Native American, African American, Latino, and sexual/gender minority literature; examples from world literature include postcolonial texts from many locations in the former British empire.
| ENG 4145 | Literary Imagination |
3 credits |
|---|
Study of the role of the literary imagination as it changes through time and human experience, with special focus on the Romantic concept of the imagination, a force which has been dominant for the past two centuries.
| ENG 4155 | A Genre-Driven Culture |
3 credits |
|---|
Scrutiny of 21st Century America and the various genres which determine so much about the way books are published and organized by bookstores, with increasing fragmentation of culture as a result.
| ENG 4165 | Writing and Inciting: Polemics in Irish Literature and Film |
3 credits |
|---|
Exploration of how acts of writing in Irish drama, poetry, fiction, autobiography, and film from the early twentieth century to the present have incited critical controversy, ranging from newspaper polemics to riots in theaters. Among the authors and film makers examioned will be W. B. Yeats, James Joyce, J. M. Synge, Sean O’Casey, John Ford, and Neil Jordan. What (if any) are the political, social, ethical, and artistic responsibilities of the writer? What forms of protest should audiences use to express disagreement with a writer? What parallels can be found between Irish and American cultural polemics? What insights into the public role of the writer can contemporary practitioners learn from the Irish experience?
| ENG 4175 | Writing and the Other Arts |
3 credits |
|---|
Study of relationship between the work of writers and that produced by other kinds of creative people (in music, in architecture, in painting and drawing, in film) in order to get a full sense of any particular cultural moment (the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, the Roaring 20’s, the Rebellious 60’s).
| ENG 4185 | The Book in America |
3 credits |
|---|
Examination of the role of the book in American life, with consideration of literacy, freedom of the press, production and marketing developments (Book of the Month Club, Oprah’s Book Club), and the rise of the novel as a force in book publishing and culture.
| ENG 4195 | Censorship and Freedom of the Press |
3 credits |
|---|
Review of censorship controversies in American publishing history, with particular concern for cases which developed the Constitutional protections for speech and writing.
AREA II—Rhetoric and Composition: Theory and Practice (at least one course required)
| ENG 4205 | Composition Theory |
3 credits |
|---|
Exploration of theories of composition, with particular emphasis on contributions to the field in the past half century.
| ENG 4215 | Research in the Teaching of Writing |
3 credits |
|---|
Study of selected research models that have developed key understandings about the ways in which writing can be taught effectively. Students will develop their own research plans and work toward publishable contributions in the field.
| ENG 4225 | The Writing Teacher Writing |
3 credits |
|---|
Consideration of the writing that teachers can do in order to develop their approach to the teaching of writing.
| ENG 4235 | Pedagogies Old and New |
3 credits |
|---|
Thorough review of teaching approaches to instruction in writing from the early grades through college level writing courses.
| ENG 4245 | Writing And Cultural Conflict |
3 credits |
|---|
Examination of writing and its role in both provoking and resolving cultural conflict.
| ENG 4255 | Narrativity Theory and Practice |
3 credits |
|---|
Through examination of fictional narratives and narrative theories, this course considers such issues as the shift from oral to print to hypertext narratives, linear and nonlinear structure, and the impact of social-cultural-historical circumstances upon narrative form and function.
| ENG 4265 | Rhetorical Theory |
3 credits |
|---|
Study of rhetorical theory from the ancients through the moderns and on to the postmoderns.
| ENG 4275 | Style |
3 credits |
|---|
Close focus on the function of style in writing, with selected examples of diverse styles through literary history.
AREA III—Professional Writing (at least one course required)
| ENG 4305 | The Writer and the Web |
3 credits |
|---|
Exploration of a wide range of considerations relative to the work of the writer presenting work through the world wide web.
| ENG 4315 | Autobiography |
3 credits |
|---|
Consideration of the writing that comes directly from life experience and development of an autobiographical narrative that reflects past achievements in this genre.
| ENG 4325 | Creative Nonfiction Workshop |
3 credits |
|---|
Workshop course in creative nonfiction; several pieces of nonfiction will be prepared for submission.
| ENG 4335 | Poetry-Writing Workshop |
3 credits |
|---|
In-depth look into the concerns of a publishing poet. Students will hone their own work, putting together a final portfolio of polished writing, and will explore publication options including chapbooks and literary magazines. Toward this end, the class will include some workshopping and one-on-one conferences with the instructor, with attention to the practical concerns of the poet and the theories that inform diverse schools of contemporary poetry.
| ENG 4345 | Fiction-Writing Workshop |
3 credits |
|---|
Workshop method of critique, with students expected to put together a portfolio of polished short stories. Published short stories will be read as models, and there will be discussion of strategies of getting fiction published.
| ENG 4355 | Writing for Publication |
3 credits |
|---|
Successful freelance publishing begins with an awareness of what editors and their readers want. It demands knowledge of the manuscript market and familiarity with the requirements of specific publications: subject, length, organization, style. Unpublished writers can perfect their skills by analysis and imitation of authors who already write for the publications in which learners wish to appear. The course requires that assignments be composed—from the beginning—for specific publications and that completed work will be submitted for publication.
| ENG 4365 | Case Study: Advertising Rhetoric |
3 credits |
|---|
Comparative analysis of several advertising campaigns, with close scrutiny of the rhetorical strategies used in the advertising copy.
| ENG 4375 | Case Study: Public Relations |
3 credits |
|---|
Comparative analysis of several public relations campaigns, with consideration of the rhetorical principles involved in the effort to sway public opinion.
| ENG 4385 | Politics and Journalism |
3 credits |
|---|
Exploration of the ways in which contemporary journalists cover American politics, with special concern for election campaigns.
| ENG 4395 | Writing the Grant Proposal |
3 credits |
|---|
Study of the rhetorical principles used in successful grant writing, with close attention to a wide range of effective proposals.
| ENG 4405 | Technical Writing |
3 credits |
|---|
Review of key elements of practice in development of strong, effective writing in a range of highly technical fields (medicine, science, business, technology).
| ENG 4415 | New Media |
3 credits |
|---|
Exploration of new communications media as the hypertext world expands and technology continues to make possible increased broadcast media opportunities.
| ENG 4425 | Editing Practicum |
3 credits |
|---|
Assignment to a specific, actual editing project, with expectation that the student will engage in several editorial functions in preparing manuscripts for publication.
| ENG 4435 | Case Studies in Magazine Publishing |
3 credits |
|---|
Study of several magazines—their histories and editorial styles—with consideration for changing demographics and the practical considerations of achieving success in the magazine market.
| ENG 4445 | The Editor’s Desk (top): Editing Theory and Practice |
3 credits |
|---|
Exploration of the desktop publishing world and in-depth consideration of the role that computers play in diverse publications in today’s world.
| ENG 4455 | Screenwriting |
3 credits |
|---|
Exploration of screenwriting in a workshop format, with consideratation of the whole process involved in development of screen projects.
| ENG 4505 | Graduate Internship |
3 credits |
|---|
Students have workplace internship assignments in areas of career interest. Two such internships are allowable for part-time students and one can be allowed for fifth-year, full-time students who also take the Internship Course, as long as they are at different positions. Research in the internship field is expected, in addition to writing of various kinds about the actual internship activity, some of it done with an eye to publication.
| ENG 4515 | Graduate Internship Course |
3 credits |
|---|
For summer internships, primarily involving students in the fifth-year program option, this course allows students in diverse internships to meet as a class and share their on-site learning experiences.
| ENG 4605 | Thesis Project |
6 credits |
|---|
The thesis project can involve either an analytical study in some area covered by the program or a collection of original creative material. Each project will have a faculty director, selected by the student in consultation with the Writing Studies Program Director.
| ENG 4905 | Directed Readings |
3 credits |
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| ENG 4915 | Directed Research |
3 credits |
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| ENG 4925 | Directed Writing |
3 credits |
|---|
| ENG 4935 | Directed Fieldwork |
3 credits |
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