Mary Wilson, PhD

A survey of literature written by people living in Great Britain, Ireland, and the historical British Empire from the late 18th century through the present day. Students will be introduced to major literary movements of this period, including Romanticism, Victorian realism, sensation fiction, modernism, postcolonial literature, and contemporary literature.

A foundation course for all English majors, examining traditions and innovations in literature and in the study of literature in English. Students develop writing and research skills in the discipline and improve their knowledge of literary terms and forms, literary history and conventions, literary influence, and new and emerging forms and approaches. Genres studied include poetry, drama, fiction, and literary (creative) non-fiction. The course also examines key issues in the profession of literary studies, such as the development of departments of literature, canon formation, and the relationship of literary theory to literary practice.

A foundation course for English majors in the literature concentration. Introduce students to literary criticism, as well as critical thinking and writing in English Studies. Emphasis in on the application of principles and methods of literary study to selected texts, which prepares students to examine and respond to texts from a variety of critical perspectives.

British fiction written between 1900 and the present. Students will examine the development of the novel and the short story form. Writers studies may include Conrad, Lawrence, Woolf, Joyce, Mansfield, Forster, Rhys, Ford, Spark, Murdoch, Phillips, Rushdie, Kureishi, Ishiguro, McEwan, and Smith.

Advanced study in a topic concerning literary texts in any genre, literary history, or literary culture. Areas of focus may include genre studies, literary theory of criticism or other aspect(s) of the creation, production, reception or consumption of literature. Past topics have included: The American Immigrant Experience, Literary Nonfiction, Reading and Writing Nature and Utopian Dreams, among others.