Program and Learning Outcomes
The curriculum for the B.A. in English serves these departmental learning outcomes:
- Students graduating with a degree in English will employ their capacity to write clearly with 85% of students scoring “Very Good” or above in each relevant rubric category of the ENGL 4995 Senior Colloquium Research Paper.
- Students graduating with a degree in English will employ their capacity to speak clearly with 85% of students scoring “Very Good” or above in each relevant rubric category of the ENGL 4995 Senior Colloquium Oral Presentation.
- Students graduating with a degree in English will read widely and perceptively, as demonstrated by 80% of students’ scoring at or above the national average on the ETS English Major Field Test.
- Students graduating with a degree in English will apply their ability to think critically with 80% of students performing at or above the national average on the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST).
The Department has established five learning objectives for its M.A. students:
- Students will be able to interpret texts from a variety of approaches and perspectives with 80% of students scoring “At Expectations” in “Thesis and Non-Thesis Rubric” rubric.
- Students will be able to analyze and synthesize disciplinary, scholarly conversations and participate in them with 80% of students scoring “At Expectations” in “Thesis and Non-Thesis Rubric” rubric.
- Students will be able to analyze the writing conventions of and write in discipline-specific genres with 80% of students scoring “At Expectations” in “Thesis and Non-Thesis Rubric” rubric.
- Students will be able to analyze communication strategies and implement them in their disciplines with 80% of students scoring “At Expectations” in “Defense/Presentation Rubric” rubric.
- Students will be able to articulate how intercultural factors shape the creation of texts with 80% of students scoring “At Expectations” in “Critical Reflection” rubric.
The Department has established student learning outcomes for its English B.A. and M.A. program core courses:
ENGL 3000
By the end of ENGL 3000, students will be able to
- define and articulate educational and career goals.
- apply research methods relevant to English studies.
- demonstrate an understanding of various critical and theoretical approaches to literature.
- employ a repertoire of critical strategies for reading, interpreting, and writing about texts.
- demonstrate knowledge of professions and careers in which the English degree would be necessary or helpful.
ENGL 3810
At the conclusion of ENGL 3810, students will achieve these outcomes in relation to British literature from the Old English period through the Eighteenth Century:
- write and speak clearly.
- read perceptively and think critically.
- demonstrate an understanding of diverse cultures and historical movements and the ways that cultural context shapes texts and their interpretation.
- demonstrate an understanding of the functions and historical development of the English language.
ENGL 3820
At the conclusion of ENGL 3820, students will achieve these outcomes in relation to British literature from the Romantics to the present:
- write and speak clearly.
- read perceptively and think critically.
- demonstrate an understanding of diverse cultures and historical movements and the ways that cultural context shapes texts and their interpretation.
- demonstrate an understanding of the functions and historical development of the English language.
ENGL 3910
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to
- identify and discuss the major periods, traditions, features, and important figures of Colonial and early American literature to the Civil War.
- demonstrate an understanding of the influence of historical developments on the literature of these periods and on contemporary American culture, and how American literature reflects diverse cultural experiences.
- write and speak clearly on topics pertaining to these studies.
- show ability to analyze literary texts and employ and recognize literary terms and features in these texts.
ENGL 3920
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to
- identify and discuss the major periods, traditions, features, and important figures of American literature from the mid-nineteenth century through the contemporary period.
- demonstrate an understanding of the influence of historical developments on the literature of these periods and on contemporary American culture, and how American literature reflects diverse cultural experiences.
- write and speak clearly on topics pertaining to these studies.
- show ability to analyze literary texts and employ and recognize literary terms and features in these texts.
ENGL 4121
Students who successfully complete ENGL 4121 should be able to
- demonstrate knowledge of the Shakespeare canon.
- write and speak clearly, read perceptively, and think critically.
- demonstrate an understanding of historical traditions in British literature.
- demonstrate an understanding of the functions and historical development of the English language.
ENGL 4995
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to
- critically read and analyze a variety of texts related to the course's theme or period.
- communicate their analyses in formal projects including written and oral assignments.
- demonstrate research skills relevant to the course's theme or period.
- apply specific course concepts to a broader conversation regarding the course's theme or period.
- demonstrate knowledge of critical movements and familiarity with various methods of interpreting texts.
ENGL 6000
English 6000 empowers students to
- Conduct graduate-level research in English studies
- Interpret texts from a variety of critical approaches to literature
- Use the conventions of scholarly writing in English studies, including MLA-style documentation
- Understand professional issues and follow professional practices in English studies
- Create and begin to develop your curriculum vitae
