Department of English

Faculty

Distinguished Professor
 Ronald Bosco, Ph.D. (Collins Fellow)
  University of Maryland

Distinguished Teaching Professors
 Jeffrey Berman, Ph.D.
  Cornell University 
 Stephen North D.A.
  University at Albany

Distinguished Teaching Professors Emeriti
 
Judith Fetterley, Ph.D. (Collins Fellow)
  Indiana University
 Eugene K. Garber, Ph.D.
  University of Iowa

Professors Emeriti
Judith E. Barlow, Ph.D. (Collins Fellow)
  University of Pennsylvania
 Frances Colby Allee, Ph.D.
  Johns Hopkins University
 Stanley K. Coffman Jr., Ph.D.
  Ohio State University
 Sarah Blacher Cohen, Ph.D.
  Northwestern University
 Arthur N. Collins, Ph.D. (Collins Fellow)
  University of Minnesota
 Robert A. Donovan, Ph.D.
  Washington University
 William A. Dumbleton, Ph.D.
  University of Pennsylvania
 Judith E. Johnson, B.A.
  Barnard College
 Walter Knotts, Ph.D.
  Harvard University
 Eugene Mirabelli, Ph.D.
  Harvard University
 Daniel W. Odell, Ph.D.
  Cornell University
 Townsend Rich, Ph.D.
  Yale University
 Harry C. Staley, Ph.D.
  University of Pennsylvania

Professors
 
Thomas Bass, Ph.D.
  University of California, Santa Cruz
 Donald J. Byrd, Ph.D.
  University of Kansas
 Thomas D. Cohen, Ph.D.
  Yale University
 Randall T. Craig, Ph.D.
  University of Wisconsin, Madison
 Lydia Davis, B.A. (Writer in Residence)
  Barnard College
 Pierre Joris, Ph.D.
  Binghamton University
 William Kennedy, B.A.
  Siena College
 Marjorie Pryse, Ph.D.
  University of California, Santa Cruz
 Martha T. Rozett, Ph.D. (Collins Fellow)
  University of Michigan
 Charles Shepherdson, Ph.D.
  Vanderbilt University
 Lynne Tillman, B.A. (Writer in Residence)
  Hunter College
 David Wills, Ph.D.
  Sorbonne Nouvelle

Associate Professors Emeriti
 Theodore Adams, Ph.D.
  Ohio University
 Diva Daims, Ph.D. 
 
University of Virginia
 Deborah Dorfman, Ph.D.
  Yale University
 Richard M. Goldman, Ph.D.
  Indiana University
 Edward M. Jennings, Ph.D.
  University of Wisconsin
 Charles Koban, Ph.D.
  University of Illinois
 Thomson Littlefield, Ph.D.
  Columbia University
 Rudolph L. Nelson, Ph.D.
  Brown University
 David C. Redding, Ph.D.
  University of Pennsylvania
 Joan E. Schulz, Ph.D. (Collins Fellow)
  University of Illinois
 Frederick E. Silva, Ph.D.
  Indiana University
 Donald B. Stauffer, Ph.D.
  Indiana University
 Robert E. Thorstensen, M.A.
  University of Chicago

Associate Professors
 
Branka Arsic, Ph.D.
  University of Belgrade
 Sylvia Barnard, Ph.D.
  Yale University
 Richard A. Barney, Ph.D.
  University of Virginia
 Kevin Bell, Ph.D.
  New York University
 Bret Benjamin, Ph.D.
  University of Texas at Austin
 Langdon Brown, Ph.D.
  Cornell University
 Lana Cable, Ph.D.
  Johns Hopkins University
 Teresa Ebert, Ph.D.
  University of Minnesota
 Helen Regueiro Elam, Ph.D.
  Brown University
 Donald Faulkner, M.Phil
  Yale University
 Glyne Griffith, Ph.D.
  University of the West Indies, Mona
 Michael Hill, Ph.D. (Department Chair)
  Stony Brook University
 Eric Keenaghan, Ph.D.
  Temple University
 Helene E. Scheck, Ph.D.
  Binghamton University
 Edward L. Schwarzschild, Ph.D.
  Washington University
 Lisa Thompson, Ph.D.
  Stanford University
 Robert P. Yagelski, Ph.D.
  Ohio State University
 Carolyn Yalkut, Ph.D.
  University of Denver

Visiting Associate Professor
 
Mary Valentis, Ph.D.
  University at Albany

Assistant Professor Emeritus
 
George S. Hastings, Ph.D.
  University of Pennsylvania

Assistant Professors
 
Patricia Chu, Ph.D.
  University of Chicago
 Jennifer Greiman, Ph.D.
  University of California, Berkeley

 Kir Kuiken, Ph.D.
  University of California, Irvine
 James Lilley, Ph.D.
  Princeton University
 Ineke Murakami, Ph.D.
  University of Notre Dame
 Tomás Urayoán Noel, Ph.D.
  New York University
 Paul Stasi, Ph.D.
  University of California, Berkeley
 Laura Wilder, Ph.D.
  University of Texas at Austin

Full-Time Lecturer
 
Jill Hanifan, D.A.
  University at Albany
 
Teaching Assistants (estimated): 20


Curriculum
The curriculum of the Department of English is designed to aid students to write effectively, to read critically, and to acquire a sense of the development of literature written in English and of its relation to society. English majors also have the option of applying for admission to the honors program. Students planning to take the GRE for graduate study in English are strongly urged to include course work in pre-1800 British and American literature. All English majors are strongly encouraged to study at least one foreign language. Students may count up to 6 credits toward their English electives from the following list of courses.

Careers for the English Majors
The major in English prepares students for any field of work that requires a broad liberal education with special strength in language, critical analysis and research. English graduates find careers in theatre and film, government, counseling, broadcasting, public policy and administration, banking, retailing and manufacturing as well as writing, editing, publishing, teaching, advertising and public relations. The English major is also excellent preparation for advanced study in such professional graduate programs as law, medicine, librarianship, social welfare, theology, and education.

Degree Requirements for the Major in English (36 credits)

12 credits from required courses: A ENG 205Z, 210, 305Z, 310
9 credits from 200-400 level courses
9 credits from 300-400 level courses
6 credits from 400 level courses
Students may count up to 6 credits of approved coursework from other departments toward the 200-400 level requirement.*

Additional Requirements
A grade of C or higher in A ENG 210, or permission of instructor, is required in order to register for A ENG 310 and most 400 level courses in English.
Mentorship: English majors are expected to meet with their faculty mentors, assigned by the English Undergraduate Advisement Office, to discuss academic and career goals at least once prior to the start of senior year.

Honors Program in English

The honors program in English is designed to promote intellectual exchange and community among able English majors and to prepare them to do independent work. Successful completion of the program earns an Honors Certificate in English and nomination for graduation with "Honors in English" from the University.

Admission to the honors program is through a competitive selection process. Application for the honors program is normally made in the spring semester of the sophomore year to the honors program coordinator. For admission, students should have completed 12 credits in English, including A ENG 210 and A ENG 305Z. A ENG 310 is also recommended. Those who plan to write a creative thesis should have taken A ENG 302Z or 402Z. Students should have an overall average of at least 3.25 and 3.50 in English. The honors committee may waive the entry requirements where appropriate. Transfer students may apply upon acceptance to the University.

To remain in the honors program students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 in English courses and a minimum 3.25 overall. Any student who leaves the honors program is held responsible for the English major requirements.

The Departmental Honors Committee reviews applications and admissions, monitors the progress of honors students, and evaluates the honors thesis. Upon students' completion of the requirements, the honors committee recommends candidates for the degree with honors in English
.

Degree Requirements for Honors in English (37 credits)

9 credits from major core courses: A ENG 205Z, 210, 310
13 credits from required courses: A ENG 305Z, 399Z, 498, 499
9 credits from 200-400 level
6 credits from 300-400 level
(Note: A ENG 399 can, with advisement, be replaced by taking a 500 or 600 level course relevant to the thesis topic during the senior year.)

Fulfillment of the honors program waives the regular requirements of the English major. To remain in the honors program students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 in English courses and a minimum 3.25 overall. Any student who leaves the honors program is held responsible for the English major requirements.

Combined B.A./M.A. Program

The combined B.A./M.A. program in English provides an opportunity for students of recognized academic ability and educational maturity to fulfill integrated requirements of the undergraduate and master's degree programs from the beginning of their junior year.

The combined program requires a minimum of 140 credits, of which at least 30 must be graduate credits. In qualifying for the B.A., students must meet all university and college requirements, including the requirements of the undergraduate major described previously, the minor requirements, the minimum 90 credit liberal arts and sciences requirement, the general education requirements, and residency requirements. In qualifying for the M.A., students must meet all university and college requirements as outlined in the Graduate Bulletin, including completion of a minimum of 30 graduate credits and any other conditions such as a research seminar, thesis, comprehensive examination, professional experience, and residency requirements. Up to 12 graduate credits may be applied simultaneously to both the B.A. and M.A. programs.

Students may be admitted to the combined degree program at the beginning of their junior year, or after the successful completion of 56 credits. A cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher and three letters of recommendation from faculty are required for consideration. Students will be admitted upon the recommendation of the Graduate Admissions Committee of the department.

*Approved Courses for English Electives
Students may count up to 6 credits toward their 200-400 level English electives from the following list of courses. Prerequisites for individual courses follow in parentheses.

Africana Studies
A AAS 340 The Black Essay
A AAS 345 The Black Novel: Black Perspectives
A AAS 355/355Z African-American Poetry
A AAS 375 Black Popular Culture

Anthropology
A ANT 343 Native American Literature
A ANT 360 Social Anthropology
A ANT 363 Ethnology of Religion
A ANT 381 Anthropology of Gender
A ANT 390 Ethnological Theory

Classics
A CLC 223/223Z Masterpieces of Greek Tragedy and Comedy
A CLC 225 Greek Literature in Translation

College of Arts and Sciences
A CAS 220 Literatures of the World I
A CAS 221 Literatures of the World II
A CAS 360Z Passion and Choice
 
East Asian Studies
A EAC 210 Survey of Chinese Literature in Translation I
A EAC 211 Survey of Chinese Literature in Translation II
A EAC 212 Modern Chinese Literature in Translation
A EAC 390 Classical Chinese Poetry
A EAJ 210 Survey of Traditional Japanese Literature
A EAJ 212/212Z Modern Japanese Literature in Translation
A EAJ 396 Meiji Literature in Translation
A EAS 270 Women in East Asian Literature
A EAS 392 East Asian Travel Literature

Judaic Studies
A JST 242 The Bible as Literature
A JST 248 Women in Jewish Life and Literature
A JST 272 Modern Hebrew Literature in Translation
A JST 281 The Prophets
A JST 285 Hero and Antihero in Scripture
A JST 325 Rabbinic Literature
A JST 360 Jewish Autobiographies
A JST 372/372Z Issues in Modern Hebrew Literature
A JST 373/373Z The Arab in Israeli Literature
A JST 374/374Z Love and Sex in Hebrew Literature

Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Prerequisites appear in parentheses following the title. An asterisk indicates a class not normally conducted in English.
A FRE 202 French Literature
A FRE 208 Haiti Through Literature and Film
A FRE 238 Great Classics of French Cinema
A FRE 281 French Canada Through Film and Literature 
A FRE 315 Introduction to French Cinema (A FRE 241Z)
A FRE 338 French Cinema and Society (junior or senior class standing or permission of instructor)
A FRE 415 French Cinema and Society (A FRE 341Z and 340Z)
A FRE 430 Translation (A FRE 341Z and 340Z)
A FRE 462 The Novel (A FRE 341Z and 340Z)
A FRE 463 Poetry (A FRE 341Z and 340Z)
A FRE 481 Francophone Cultures (A FRE 341)
A ITA 313 Throughout the Ages: Gender, Ideas, and Writing in Italy from 1100 to 1900
A ITA 315 Italian Civilization: Etruscans to Galileo
A ITA 316 Italian Civilization: Unification to Present
A ITA 318 Italian Cinema and Literature
A ITA 421 Dante (A ITA 313 or permission of instructor)
A ITA 441 Women, Men, Love, and Politics of the Italian Renaissance (A ITA 313 or permission of instructor)
A ITA 471 From Baroque to Romanticism (A ITA 313 or permission of instructor)
A ITA 481 The Italian Novel and Poetry of the
20th Century (A ITA 313 or permission of instructor)
A POL 290 Topics in Polish Studies
A RUS 251/251Z Masterpieces of 19th Century Literature
A RUS 252/252Z Masterpieces of 20th Century Literature
A RUS 253/253Z Contemporary Russian Literature
A RUS 261 Dostoevsky and Tolstoy in English Translation (one course in lit or junior or senior standing)
A RUS 266 Gogol in English Translation
A RUS 267 Chekhov in English Translation
A RUS 270 Topics in Slavic Literatures and Cultures
A RUS 280 Soviet and Russian Cinema
A RUS 354 Russian Novel in Western Context (one course in lit or junior or senior standing)
A RUS 380 Topics Russian and Soviet Cinema (A RUS 280 or permission of instructor)
A RUS 421 Introduction to Literary Theory and Analysis (A RUS 202)
A RUS 426 Russian 19th Century Poetics
A RUS 427 Russian 20th Century Poetry
A SPN 311 Hispanic Literature Through the Golden Age (A SPN 223)
A SPN 316 Representative Spanish-American Authors (A SPN 223)
A SPN 318 Topics in Hispanic Film (A SPN 223 or permission of instructor)
A SPN 320 20th Century Spanish-American Literature (A SPN 223)
A SPN 325 The Hispanic Short Story (A SPN 223)
A SPN 326 Spanish-American Poetry and Theatre (A SPN 223)
A SPN 333 Hispanic Literature in Translation (junior or senior standing)
A SPN 414 Literature of the Hispanic Caribbean (A SPN 223)
A SPN 418 Hispanic Cinema and Literature (A SPN 223)
A SPN 446 Literature and Human Rights (A SPN 312 and 316)
A SPN 481 The Generation of ’98 (A SPN 312)

Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies
A LCS 316 Representative Spanish-American Authors (A SPN 223)
A LCS 318 Topics in Hispanic Film (A SPN 223 or permission of instructor)
A LCS 319 Twentieth Century Spanish-American Literature
A LCS 326 Spanish-American Poetry and Theatre
A LCS 327/327Z Four Caribbean Writers
A LCS 414 Literature of the Hispanic Caribbean
A LCS 415 Los Latinos en EE.UU: Historia, Cultura, y Literatura
 
Theatre Studies
A THR 221 History of Theatre and Drama from the Antiquity to the Renaissance
A THR 222 History of Theatre and Drama from the English Restoration to the 1970s
A THR 224 Contemporary Issues in Modern Drama
A THR 225 American Theatre History
A THR 228 Voices of Diversity in Contemporary Theatre and Drama
A THR 230 Great Drama on Film and Video
A THR 304Z Scriptwriting I
A THR 450 Directing
A THR 456 Seminar in Dramatic Literature

Women’s Studies
A WSS 202 Introduction to Lesbian and Gay Studies
A WSS 220 Introduction to Feminist Theory
A WSS 240 Classism, Racism, Sexism
A WSS 270 Women in East Asian Literature
A WSS 281 Constructed Image: Women and the Media
A WSS 450 Literature of Feminism
A WSS 465 Feminist Theory