Department
of
English, Literature, and Languages

Dale Brown, Department Chair

English & Literature Faculty:

Associate Professor: Dale Brown

Assistant Professors: Rhonda Armstrong; John Carenen; Steven Gilbert; Kristi Pope Key; Warren S. Moore, III

Instructors: Brian Armstrong, John Matthews

English and Literature

The study of English literature and language might be viewed as the ultimate interdisciplinary curriculum. Understanding literary texts of the past and present demands that the reader come to terms with the linguistic, historical, philosophical, psychological, social, scientific, spiritual and moral conditions in which those texts were created. Study of literary expression at the college level also demands that students develop their own communication skills more fully. The Department of English provides core courses that challenge students to explore the artistic and practical potential of language and to develop their own linguistic awareness and abilities.

The English curriculum requires students to study literature of different periods, genres, and national traditions. All English majors complete surveys of American and British literature before selecting upper-level electives that enable students to consider specific genres, movements, and the literatures of different cultures.

Students may choose to major in English, to major in English with Teacher Certification, to minor in English, or to minor in Creative Writing. English majors and minors include not only those preparing to teach English, but also students interested in careers emphasizing written communication and students who wish to use English as the liberal arts foundation for other pre-professional education. The Creative Writing minor fosters exploration and development of written creative expression and increases students' awareness and knowledge of contemporary creative writing.

Foreign Languages Faculty:

Associate Professors: Gregory Cole (Spanish), Inge Dube (German), Sara Harris (French)

Foreign Languages

The Department offers coursework in French and German, and a minor in Spanish. Language study prepares students for Business, Health and Social Sciences, Education (Elementary and Secondary), Tourism and Travel, Government, law, and for graduate schools that require a working knowledge of a foreign language for advanced degrees.

Contemporary technology is bringing the French, German and Spanish speaking peoples to our work place and into our very homes. The College’s Foreign Language program can make it possible for students to welcome them in their own language.

Introductory language and culture courses (101-102) are generally concerned with elementary language fundamentals as well as aspects of past and contemporary French, German, and Hispanic civilizations. They are designed primarily for students with little or no previous language training.

Students who have had two or more years of high school foreign language instruction should take the Foreign Language Placement Test.

Intermediate language courses (201-202) consist of thorough review and expansion of grammatical and syntactical usage learned in 101-102. In addition, more emphasis is placed on acquiring vocabulary, on reading in the foreign language, and on improving listening and speaking skills.

Credit by Examination

Students may receive credit for either three or six hours of foreign language based on scores of examinations administered by the College or AP credit or CLEP scores.

Based on the scores of examinations, students may exempt Spanish 101 and enroll in Spanish 102, or test out of Spanish 101 and 102.