English, B.A.

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Member of the Division of Humanities

Chair(s):

Stephen Andrews

Faculty:

Timothy Arner
Constantine Bakopoulos
George Barlow
Shanna Benjamin
Elizabeth Dobbs
Theresa Geller
Astrid Henry
Khanh Ho
Yi Huang
Lakesia Johnson
Shuchi Kapila
Adrian Khactu
Heather Lobban-Viravong
Ralph Savarese
Saadi Simawe
Erik Simpson
Paula Smith

The study of English has diverse parts, including linguistics, creative writing, and rhetorical theory, and is itself part of European cultural history, general literary studies, and American studies. The study of the literary resources of the language cannot be isolated from the rest of the liberal arts. Students of English need to know how English can be used in other disciplines, and students in other disciplines can profit from study in the Department of English.

At Grinnell, the study of English is founded on critical reading and argumentative writing. To establish this foundation, the department offers several courses without prerequisite to accommodate a variety of needs and interests.

Advanced courses reveal the department’s particular emphasis on the imaginative literature of England, the United States, and other countries with traditions of literature in English, an emphasis that necessarily invites students to develop a critical understanding of the contexts of those literatures. Advanced courses are categorized by type of literature (short story, novel, poem), by authors (Milton, Shakespeare, Chaucer), or by periods of literary history (medieval literature, Renaissance literature, modern literature). But the underlying purpose remains the same: to enhance the enjoyment of literature by developing ways of imaginatively understanding it.

The program for majors provides a general acquaintance with the traditions of English and American literature and encourages special interests in the various fields of English. Majors are required to study one foreign language and are advised to study the materials and methods of history, philosophy, and the arts. Nor should they neglect the physical and social sciences, whose methods provide valuable perspectives on literary study.

†Indicates nonteaching faculty

Major Requirements: A minimum of 32 credits in English

A minimum of 32 credits in English, including at least 20 credits in the Department of English at Grinnell. Required are:

ENG 120 - Literary Analysis 4 credits
or
ENG 121 - Introduction to Shakespeare 4 credits
Three 200-level literature courses, including: one course in early literature (ENG 223 or ENG 227 );

In addition to the course used to satisfy the early literature requirement,

One course in British or Postcolonial literature (ENG 223 , ENG 224 , ENG 225 , or ENG 226 );
One course in American literature (ENG 227 , ENG 228 , ENG 229 , ENG 231 , or ENG 232 );
Three four-credit 300-level courses, excluding individual study, in the English department at Grinnell. At least two must be literature courses.

Also required:

One four-credit Humanities (HUM) course and
Knowledge of a nonnative language at a level demonstrated by
1. completion of fourth-semester college coursework in a modern language, or
2. completion of third-semester college coursework in a modern language and LIN 114 or ENG 230 , or
3. completion of second-semester college coursework in Latin or Greek or
4. examination showing equivalent competence.

Honors

To be considered for honors in English, graduating seniors, in addition to meeting the College’s general requirements for honors, must have breadth in 200- and 300-level coursework in the English department, and make an outstanding contribution at the 300-level in English as certified by two members of the English faculty.