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English . . .

During my freshman year as an English major at UWRF, James Dickey, later to become famous for his novel Deliverance, chanted his powerful Southern poems from the stage at North Hall and even played a little blues on the guitar. Coming from a small mill town in northern Wisconsin, I'd never seen or heard a real poet before, and I was amazed.

Among those visiting campus when I was a student were Gary Snyder, William Stafford, Galway Kinnell, and Robert Bly. The intimate setting always provided us with opportunities to meet and engage in fruitful dialogue with such literary masters . . . I'll always be deeply grateful to UWRF for this priceless component of a poet's education.

~Thomas R. Smith,
author of Keeping the Star and
Horse of the Earth.

Department of English
245 Kleinpell Fine Arts Building
(715) 425-3537

Undergraduate Catalog

Goals and Objectives

• to develop students who are insightful readers and thinkers, good writers who can search for answers to knotty problems because of the research skills they have developed, able users of word-processing and publishing technology, and life-long learners who are aware of the historical, cultural, and philosophical issues of their own and other times. An education in literature, composition, criticism and language teaches an English major to write effectively, to think critically, to read widely, to weigh values and to communicate ideas.

Program and/or Curriculum

The English department curriculum blends literature, composition, criticism, writing and language courses into three programs: the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science degree programs leading to a liberal arts degree, and the Bachelor of Science degree in English Education. The latter has been identified as a model program by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. In addition to the traditional liberal arts minor, a student may also minor in the professional writing program, which provides preparation for creative or business writing, or the certifiable language arts/reading minor.

Faculty

The English department faculty are committed to undergraduate education, with six having been awarded the distinguished teacher award. In addition, many engage in scholarly and other creative activities which enhance their teaching. Among the faculty are two Fulbright Scholars, four National Endowment for the Humanities grant recipients, and authors of books and numerous articles. The faculty stay abreast of current developments within their specialties by participating in local, national and international conferences, and 97 percent have been awarded Ph.D. degrees.

Career Opportunities

English majors develop abilities that are sought in academic, business, and other professional fields. English Education majors have a 92 percent placement record within the first three years of their graduation, and many are discovering opportunities for teaching English as a second language both in the United States and abroad. Liberal arts majors have found positions in business, advertising, project anagement, public relations, law, politics, foreign service, arts administration, and publishing. Liberal arts majors also find that the English major is beneficial as a pre-professional degree, suitable for graduate studies in law, public administration, and the communications industry.


Bachelor of Science Degree. English Education. Academic Advising Plan.

Semester 1 (Fall)

General Education CW (ENGL 100) ~ 3
General Education CS (CSTA 101) ~ 3
General Education SB ~ 3
(GEOG 120, HIST 100, 101, 102, 201)
General Education M (math) ~ 3
General Education S (social/behavioral sciences) ~ 3
Total semester credits ~ 15

Semester 5 (Fall)

ENGL 320 Structure of English ~ .3
ENGL 324 Survey of American Literature or
ENGL 331 Survey of English Literature ~ .3
SPED 330 The Exceptional Child ~ 3
Pedagogy course ~ 3
Film studies course ~ 3
Total semester credits ~ 15

Semester 2 (Spring)

General Education CA (ENGL 200) ~ 3
General Education SL (BIOL 100, 150) ~ 3
General Education HF ~ 3
(ART 100, MUS 100, DANC 100, PHIL/ART 310, CAST 105) General Education SB ~ 3
General Education HW (activity) ~ .5
ENGL 243 Literature: Introduction to Fiction,
Poetry, and Drama ~ 3
Total semester credits ~ 15.5

Semester 6 (Spring)

ENGL 325 Survey American Literature II ~ 3
ENGL 332 Survey of English Literature ~ 3
ENGL 355 Literature for Adolescents ~ 3
ENGL 335 Shakespeare ~ 3
Period Course ~ 3
Total semester credits ~ 15

Semester 3 (Fall)

ENGL 251 Advanced Composition ~ 3
ENGL 252 Multicultural Education ~ 3
TED 120 Intro Education/IT ~ 3
General Education EC (ethical citizenship) ~ 3
Journalism/marketing communications course ~ 3
General Education HW (PE 108) ~ 1
Total semester credits ~ 16

Semester 7 (Fall)

ENGL 361 Composition Theory ~ 3
TED 422 Content Area Literacy ~ 3
TED 432 Techniques of Middle/Sec Ed English ~ 3
CSTA course ~ 3
Total semester credits ~ 12

Semester 4 (Spring)

ENGL 253 Introduction to Literary Studies ~ 3
TED 212 Educational Psychology ~ 3
CSTA course ~ 3
World or American culture course ~ 3
World or American culture course ~ 3
General Education HA (activity) ~ .5
Total semester credits ~ 15.5

 

Semester 8 (Spring)

TED 420 School and Society 3
ENGL 441 20th Century International Literature ~ 3
CSTA course ~ 3
Directed elective ~ 3
General Education MD (multidisciplinary) ~ 3
Total semester credits ~ 15

Semester 9 (Fall)

TED 473-474 ~ 12
Total semester credits ~ 12

Summary of English Degree Requirements

General Education ~ 38 cr.
Professional Education ~ 33 cr.
Major ~ 53 cr.
Credits to Degree ~ 120 cr.

This academic plan is an example of how students might choose to fulfill program requirements. After consulting with their advisers students may make other course choices which would meet the program requirements and be more suitable for them.

PDF version

Updated October 2008

 

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410 S. Third Street, River Falls WI 54022-5001 USA (715) 425-3911
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