ENG 2012 Fall 2023 Cowan

In this course, we will learn about the theories, skills, and research that guide a wide range of English Studies. You should come away from this course with some ideas of how and where you see yourself fitting in to the discipline. If you already see yourself fitting into one area of English Studies, it is still important to know what’s within the entire discipline so that you can see the commonalities and contentions between subfields. We will cover topics such as the history of the English language, critical theory, rhetoric and composition, Literary Studies, Cinema Studies, linguistics, creative writing, English as a Second Language (or Second Language Studies), and technical writing. Instead of seeing these areas as separate, we will study them as intersecting concerns. For example, what does critical theory look like in literature versus cinema, versus composition & rhetoric? How should one teach creative writing versus teaching SLS? How should one teach creative writing and critical theory within SLS? What value can creative writing techniques offer technical writers, and vice versa? How has Literary Studies influenced creative writers? Discussion and presentations will be required in addition the writing assignments.