The English Courses This page has six sections: What is literature? What English courses are offered at the College? What do students say about the English course?
	Winter 2005 Language and Literature Courses at College of DuPage		What are the career opportunities for English majors? What special events are being planned? The Courier Prairie Light Review and more Where do students go for extra help? Center for Independent Learning Writing Center and more

What is literature?

Literature is the imaginative manipulation of perspective so that readers can make sense of the world that is both familiar and foreign. It brings us into contact with that world by telling stories, dramatizing situations, expressing emotions, and analyzing or advocating ideas. Either in written, oral, or visual form, literature challenges readers to identify, examine, question, learn, and reconcile values most precious to our sense of self and culture. Ultimately, literature is a celebration, a testament to the creative accomplishments of all peoples.

We study literature because:

1. It helps us grow, both personally and intellectually;
2. It provides an objective base for knowledge and understanding;
3. It links us with the broader cultural, philosophic, and religious world of which we are a part;
4. It enables us to transcend our immediate time, place and culture and to make connections with other human beings and their concerns;
5. It encourages us to develop mature empathy with all forms of life -human, animal, and vegetable;
6. It expands our appreciation for the beauty of form as well as increases our sense of beauty in the world;
7. It sharpens our sense of moral and aesthetic judgment;
8. It stimulates our imagination and creativity;
9. It demonstrates the importance of irony, ambiguity, and obliqueness;
10. It heightens the power of the language;
11. It makes us emotionally and mentally sophisticated human beings;
12. It teaches us to articulate and defend our point of view;
13. It increases our writing ability;
14. It creates open-mindedness;
15. It helps us to accept and manage conflicting points of view;
16. It promotes problem-solving and analytical skills;
17. It prepares us to become decent human beings;
18. It can allow us to escape from our own concerns;
19. It permits us to see the world with new eyes;
20. It reminds us that we are not alone.

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What English courses are offered at the College?

Students are introduced to a wide variety of reading and writing experiences, and they can take any combination of courses. The letter "A" means 3 credit hours; The letter "B"" means 5 credit hours.

To Learn about Reading and Writing to Prepare for College Courses:

English 070 Preparation for College Writing for Non-Native Speakers

English 080 Preparation for College Reading

English 085 Preparation for College Reading and Writing

English 090 Preparation for College Writing

To Learn about Writing:

English 1101 and 1102 First-Year Composition

English 105 Introduction to Technical Writing

English 253 Non-Fiction Writing

English 261 Writing for Publication

To Learn about the English Language:

English 125 Linguistics

English 126 Modern English Grammar

To Learn about Film:

English 135 Introduction to Film Art

To Learn about Creative Writing:

English 251 Fiction Writing

English 252 Poetry Writing

To Learn about a Major Genre:

English 130B Introduction to Literature

English 150 A/B Short Fiction

English 151 A/B Novel

English 152 A/B Poetry

English 153 A/B Drama

To Explore a Major Writer or Literary Period:

English 220B British Literature to the Restoration

English 221 B British Literature From the Restoration Through the 19th Century

English 222B 20th Century British Literature

English 223B American Literature From the Colonial Period Through the Civil War

English 224B American Literature From the Civil War Through WWI

English 225B American Literature Since WWI

English 226A/B Masterpieces of World Literature

English 227 A/B Modern European Literature

English 228 A/B Shakespeare

To Try a New Experience:

English 154 A/B Film as Literature

English 156 A/B Science Fiction

English 157 A/B Children's Literature

English 158 A/B Bible as Literature

English 159 A/B Greek Mythology

To Break Away from the Ordinary:

English 190A and 290B Selected Topics

which include:

• Literature and Gender
• Detective Fiction
• Utopian Literature
• American Studies
• Multicultural Literature

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What do students say about the English course?

For some people, literature strengthens their views, for others, it clarifies them, and for still others, it dramatically changes them. Michel Aiamenddine

Read, question, criticize, communicate - through literature one can really take In all of life and enhance all aspects of heart and mind. Chris Carey

Reading literature can teach our society about other societies and cultures and help us to learn from them and their mistakes . . . Overall, I'm glad I took this class, and won't hesitate to take more literature classes in the future. Bryan Olson

It is amazing how much people can actually learn from reading. It's as if every play, (story) or poem has a deeper, more emotional meaning waiting to be discovered . . ." Patti Pigoni

Literature is more than just writing. it goes deeper . . . Literature teaches you to look at everything as a whole. Scott Radosevich

I think that studying and talking about many of these issues (covered in the literary works we've read) has helped me to understand how many people think so completely differently about things. Joy Wheeler

This poetry class has given me a broader understanding of many poets. I have come to see that my own poetry writing is quite simple and needs much more work. I've found that no matter what poems are, you should never take them for face value; they are always more profound than what we first perceive. David Jansen

I personally have developed a greater appreciation for poetry and . . . have truly felt excitement and anticipation to reading that of others and of writing my own. Poetry is fundamental, honest and aware. Ann Abbasi

I really liked this (poetry) class. It has been hard and, in my mind, maybe the hardest and most challenging class I have taken at this college-I know that the harder the work is, the more we learn. Ragnar Ingi Adalsteinsson

The class (poetry) has been a benefit to me because I have learned new ideas & ways to write poetry. This class has also explored terms which were unfamiliar to me before, such as assonance and allusion, etc. I feel that taking this course was very beneficial and will definitely help me in my future career. Kevin Wadda

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What are the career opportunities for English majors?

English majors are employed in a wide array of careers that require proficiency in written and spoken English, such as education, research, writing, law, business, industry, communications, and public service. By virtue of this versatility and flexibility, English opens many doors and makes the graduate the most highly employable of all the liberal arts degrees.

While some careers require post-graduate degrees, today's English major, armed with a bachelor's degree, can find a host of employment opportunities. Recent career tracking has shown English graduates with the bachelor's degree employed as: writers, editors, copywriters, publishers, teachers,-advertising and public relations specialists, researchers, business administrators and managers, lawyers, journalists, and public employees. The hiring outlook for the English major today seems better than in recent years as the economy continues to grow.

The College of DuPage English program enables students to cultivate writing and reading skills; to develop computer literacy; to pursue English as a baccalaureate field of study; and to benefit from classes that will enhance their career prospects.

Students who read and write, are articulate in expressing ideas, are interested in research, and have investigative ability, and are able to think critically should explore making English their major. Indeed, political, industrial, and academic leaders are constantly on the lookout for people who have such skills.

References:

1. Career Choices for the 90s: For Students of English. Titles in the series. New York Walker and Company, 1 990.

2. DeGalan, Julie, and Stephen Lambert, Great Jobs for English Majors. Lincolnwood, U: VGM Career Horizons, 1 994.

3. Jobs for English Majors and Other Smart People. Rev. ed. Dir. John L Munschauer. Princeton, NJ.: Peterson's Guide, 1986.

4. Occupational Outlook Handbook 1994-95 Edition. Washington, D. C.: University S. Department of Labor and Bureau of Statistics. Bulletin 2450, 20 April 1995.

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What special events are being planned?

In addition to exciting literature courses, the Literature Program is planning to feature special events, clubs, and programs that appeal to student interests.

The Prairie Light Review is C.O.D.'s semi-annual literary magazine. Those who are interested in submitting their original works — poetry, short fiction, plays, essays, photography, and artwork — can contact

The Prairie Light Review
c/o Student Activities
College of DuPage
425 22nd Street
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-6599

The Sci-Fi/Fantasy Club is for sci-fi and fantasy fiction fans. For information, contact Professor Jim Allen, Club Advisor, at 942-3421.

The Courier is the weekly student newspaper and the Chaparral is the student magazine at the C.O.D. Professor Cathy Stablein, Faculty Advisor, can be reached at 942-2650.

Plans for future activities include:

• Orientation about Literature Courses
• Book Fair
• Literature Fair
• Literary Field Studies
• Poetry/Prose Slam
• Career Day
• Guest Lectures by Writers and Scholars

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Where do students go for extra help?

A variety of support services, resources, and assistance are readily available online from the College, and several more are listed below:

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY are contacts and sources for students in choosing appropriate composition or literature courses and for information about the transfer program in English. The English faculty page provides you with the names, offices, and phone numbers of the people who can answer your questions about English and composition. Many faculty keep web pages, and you can search through the list of those web pages if you wish.

LIBERAL ARTS DIVISION OFFICE is the contact place to find out about literature professors and courses. (IC) Room 3098, 942-2194.

CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LEARNING offers individualized and group instruction in basic skills (reading and writing included) and study skills. Instructional Center. 942-3321.

COMPUTER CENTERS are located in the Academic Computing Center (ACC), the Seaton Computer Center (SCC) and K Building. Most centers have open labs with both PCs and Macintosh computers, printers, and internet connections for preparing assignments. ACC 942-3302 or -3303.

WRITING CENTER gives students hands-on assistance in preparing and completing writing assignments. Instructional Center (IC) Room 3114, 942-3355.

COUNSELORS and ADVISORS provide assistance with course selections, information about academic programs, financial aid, and transfer information. (IC) Room 2010, 942-2522.

The Library at the College of DuPage (formerly the LRC) consists of the main book and periodical collections, computer labs, audio-visual equipment services, and personnel ready to provide comprehensive information about almost anything. Circulation Desk, 942-2350.