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2012-2013 Academic Catalog and Handbook

Literature (LITR) Courses

LITR 100 Introduction to Literature
3 hours. Explores the major genres, themes, and elements of literature.

LITR 180 Studies in Literature
3 hours. Introduces important concepts in the study of literature. Students will learn techniques in close reading, and will read, discuss, and produce written analyses of a variety of literary texts in order to better understand historical, political, cultural, and formalistic aspects of literary works.

LITR 220 Great American Writers
3 hours. A brief survey of American literary history, combined with a close study of some of the most engaging works and writers in the tradition.

LITR 236 Ancient World Literature
3 hours. Introduces and examines as literary texts significant works of world mythologies. Readings stress those cross-cultural themes and literary forms exemplifying the ideals, values, and concerns that have shaped our shared human condition. The course surveys myths from African, Middle Eastern, Asian, Native American, Meso-American, Oceanic, and European literatures. Universal motifs and unique differences in these traditional sacred and secular stories are examined with an eye to understanding how myths underpin cultural, community, and individual values, ethical teachings, and spiritual experiences that continue to inform the world's cultures.

LITR 237 World Literature, Medieval to Modern
3 hours. Considers works written in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas during the medieval and early modern periods. Students examine culturally defining texts that reflect both the uniqueness of culture and the universality of literary themes. Students read a sample of texts written between the medieval period and 1900. The focus is on texts that continue to be important to the culture they represent, such as The Tale of Genji, Journey to the West, The Thousand and One Nights, The Divine Comedy, and Shakuntala.

LITR 238 Contemporary World Literature
3 hours. Examines contemporary literatures across the world in order to explore both the similarities and differences in literary styles and themes. Because so much current non-Western literature is influenced by Western literature, culture, and values, students will consider historical background, including colonial, post-colonial, or political readings of writers such as Chinua Achebe, Gabriel Gárcia Márquez, Nadine Gordimer, Lu Xün, and Jamaica Kincaid.

LITR 240 Understanding Drama
3 hours. A study of significant plays from the classical period to the present, both as literary works and staged productions, the goal being a deeper understanding and appreciation of drama as a symbolic form. Primary focus is on literary values, with attention also given to the constraints and interpretations embodied in the staging, acting, and directing of a play. (Identical to THEA 240.)

LITR 270 Great British Writers
3 hours. An introduction to British literary history, combined with a close study of some of the most engaging works and writers in the tradition.

LITR 275 Field Experience
1-3 hours.Supervised experience in the discipline including internships and practica required for professional programs. This introductory experience must have an on-site supervisor and/or a departmental instructor overseeing, designing, and evaluating the content of the course.
Prerequisite: instructor's permission.

LITR 280 Literary Foundations of Women's Studies
3 hours. Introduces students to literature that presents the groundwork for women's studies and considers a selection of contemporary texts that apply that perspective. Reading will include significant novels, poems, and essays that demonstrate the history of women's contribution to literature, culture, and Christianity.

LITR 285 Selected Literary Topics
3 hours. An occasional course that allows professors and students to investigate interesting literary byways. Past selections have included studies in science fiction, the literature of human rights, the short story, and the works of particular authors.

LITR 326 American Literature to 1865
3 hours. A selective look at early American literature, from 1607 to 1865. Examines themes, movements, and writers who influenced and were influenced by the growth of the new nation.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

LITR 327 American Literature, 1865-1914
3 hours. A selective look at the literature of the United States, from 1865 to 1914. Particular attention is given to the masters of realistic and naturalistic fiction, and to the poets who most clearly influenced modern poetry.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent, or instructor's permission.

LITR 328 American Literature, 1914-Present
3 hours. A selective look at the literature of the United States, from 1914 to the present. Particular attention is given to the masterworks of Modernism, especially to those that have proven influential in contemporary literature.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

LITR 335 Advanced Studies in American Literature
3 hours. An advanced study of selected authors and topics in American Literature. May be repeated with permission of instructor.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

LITR 350 Literary Criticism
3 hours. Introduces students to various schools of literary criticism. Students will practice using different critical approaches to writing about literature. Recommended for juniors and seniors.
Prerequisite: WRIT 200 Understanding Literature and 6 hours of literature courses or instructor's permission.

LITR 365 Advanced Studies in British Literature
3 hours. An advanced study of selected authors and topics in British Literature. May be repeated with permission of instructor.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

LITR 376 British Literature to 1660
3 hours. A selective look at the literature of the British Isles, from the earliest texts through 1660. Particular attention is given to the Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, and Renaissance periods.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent or instructor's permission.

LITR 377 British Literature, 1660-1830
3 hours. A selective look at the literature of the British Isles during the Restoration, the Neoclassical, and the Romantic periods. Particular attention is given to the emergence of the novel and the poets who most clearly influenced the continuing development of poetry.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent or instructor's permission.

LITR 378 British Literature, 1830-Present
3 hours. A selective look at the literature of the British Isles during the Victorian, Modern, and Contemporary periods. Particular attention is given to the literature of doubt and faith, the development of the novel, and post-Colonial issues.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent or instructor's permission.

LITR 379 Shakespeare
3 hours. A consideration of the life and works of the poet/playwright and the sociopolitical history of the Renaissance. The course examines the sonnets and a selection of the plays from each genre: comedy, tragedy, history, and tragicomedy.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent or instructor's permission.

LITR 380 Gender Theory
3 hours. This course is designed expose students to the ways that gender theory, including feminism, womanism, anti-sexism, and masculinism, has developed over the years, and how that theory is applied to literature. (Identical to PHIL 380.)

LITR 399 Cross-Cultural Study
3 hours. This course offers in-depth discipline specific cross-cultural study designed to enhance the intercultural emphasis of various academic majors. The course includes class meetings followed by travel to various locations throughout the world. Students will use core disciplinary knowledge to serve, learn and interact with other cultures. (Offered in May Term. Students must meet eligibility requirements.) Additional course fee is required.

LITR 475 Field Experience
1-3 hours. Supervised experience in the discipline including internships and practica required for professional programs. This advanced experience must have an on-site supervisor and/or a departmental instructor overseeing, designing, and evaluating the content of the course.
Prerequisite: instructor's permission.

LITR 480 International Women's Voices
3 hours. Considers contemporary writings from women around the world. Students analyze these literary texts, examine the cultures they represent, and keep apprised of current events related to women.
Prerequisite: another LITR course or equivalent or instructor's permission.

LITR 485 Selected Literary Topics
3 hours. An occasional course that allows professors and students to investigate interesting literary byways. Past selections have included studies in science fiction, the literature of human rights, the short story, and the works of particular authors.

LITR 490 Senior Experience
3 hours. Students will choose to research and write a senior thesis, working with a faculty member in their area of interest; or will complete a service project in a community organization, in a school classroom, or in another identified literacy program; or will complete a professional internship; or will create a portfolio of written work. (Course identical to WRIT 490)
Prerequisite: senior standing.

LITR 495 Special Study
1-3 hours. Individualized study related to the student's needs and interests. Open to exceptional students at the discretion of a faculty member.

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