May 09, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions


 

Education

Background Checks Required for Students in Undergraduate Education Courses and Programs

Background Checks Policy

School of Education Background Checks policy requires all undergraduate students enrolled in Education courses that require fieldwork submit updated  background checks documents (listed below) annually to the School of Education (by July 1st), via its online platform, Castle Branch.  

  1. Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Record (Act 34),
  2. Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151),
  3. Federal Criminal History Background Check (FBI/fingerprint check) (Act 114), and
  4. P.P.D. (TB) Test (School Health regulations, 28 PA Code, Section 23.44).
  5. Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting (Act 126)* (renewal required every 5 years)
  6. Request to Release information (FERPA)
  7. School of Education Fieldwork Placement Informed Consent Form

All students are additionally required to report any infractions incurred between renewals. Any student enrolled in Education courses or an Education program who commits a reportable offense listed in Section 111 (e) of PA Act 24, is required to complete and return an Arrest/Conviction PDE form-6004 to the School of Education, Office of Field Experiences and Outreach (Taylor Hall room 203) within 72 hours of any arrest or conviction. 

For full information for clearances,see the School of Education website.

Students registering for Education courses

All students registering for undergraduate Education courses submit required background checks to the School of Education prior to the first day of class*. Students who do not are required to drop the course prior to the end of drop/add period.

Undergraduate courses exempt from clearance requirements are: 

ED 110 , ED 203 ED 262 ED 263 ED 360  and ED 463 .

  
  • ED 307 STEAM 2: Design Thinking and Problem-Based Learning


    This course aims to prepare students to experience problem-based learning and to design a PreK-8 integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) module.  As such, the course serves as a foundational introduction to the design of curricula for the 21st century classrooms.

  
  • ED 307A STEAM 2: Design Thinking and Problem-Based Learning (Birth to 5 years)


    This course aims to prepare students to experience problem-based learning and to design a PreK-8 integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) module.  As such, the course serves as a foundational introduction to the design of curricula for the 21st century classrooms. Focus: Birth to 5 years.

  
  • ED 307A Lab STEAM 2 Design Thinking and Problem-Based Learning (Birth to 5 years)


    (1 credit)

    This field-based course is required in conjunction with the undergraduate course ED307A. which provides a foundation in content and methodology for the teaching of STEAM in early childhood education (birth through Kindergarten).  For this course, students will complete their field work within their place of employment, and work towards meeting course-based and field-based competencies as they apply their theoretical understanding and best teaching practices in teaching young children.  Through intentional participatory observations in working with children and a classroom teacher, planning and implementing lessons, and reflecting on the experiences, students will come to further enhance their craft of teaching young children.  In addition, students will be required to attend a virtual (but synchronous) field seminar to further support their learning in their fieldwork.  This virtual seminar will use The Early Childhood Professional Learning Community Model, which provides a collaborative environment to extend and enhance the discussion of important issues with students regarding teaching, learning, and assessing.

  
  • ED 307B STEAM 2: Design Thinking and Problem-Based Learning (6 to 10 years)


    This course aims to prepare students to experience problem-based learning and to design a PreK-8 integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) module.  As such, the course serves as a foundational introduction to the design of curricula for the 21st century classrooms. Focus 6 to 10 years.

     

  
  • ED 307B Lab STEAM 2 Design Thinking and Problem-Based Learning (6 to 10 years)


    (1 credit)

    This field-based course is required in conjunction with the undergraduate course ED307A. which provides a foundation in content and methodology for the teaching of STEAM in early elementary education (6-10 years).  For this course, students will complete their field work in an early elementary setting, and work towards meeting course-based and field-based competencies as they apply their theoretical understanding and best teaching practices in teaching children in 1st-4th grade.  Through intentional participatory observations in working with children and a classroom teacher, planning and implementing lessons, and reflecting on the experiences, students will come to further enhance their craft of teaching.  In addition, students will be required to attend a virtual (but synchronous) field seminar to further support their learning in their fieldwork.  This virtual seminar will use The Early Childhood Professional Learning Community Model, which provides a collaborative environment to extend and enhance the discussion of important issues with students regarding teaching, learning, and assessing.

  
  • ED 308 Social Studies Literacies


    This class provides an introduction to key concepts in social studies education and literacies. You will learn how to plan, design, and implement social studies curricula in a way that promotes purposeful and critical civic engagement and literacy. Focusing on the intersection of student voice and critical inquiry, we will consider what it means to create a learning environment in which elementary students can meaningfully use literacy practices to connect with the world in which they live from social, cultural, historical, and economic perspectives.

  
  • ED 308A Social Studies Literacies (Birth to 5 years)


    This multifaceted course provides a foundation in content and methodology for the teaching of social studies and early literacy in early childhood education (birth through Kindergarten).  Developing and planning for meaningful integrated curricular content and classroom design, integrating early learning standards and social studies standards and the role of constructivist teacher in social studies & literacy content, and the use of literacy practices to connect with the world in which the children live from socio-cultural-historical-economic perspectives is explored.  A foundation in developmentally effective teaching and assessment of the content area is provided.

  
  • ED 308A Lab Social Studies Literacies (Birth to 5 years)


    (1 credit)

    This field-based course is required in conjunction with the undergraduate course ED308A. which provides a foundation in content and methodology for the teaching of social studies and early literacy in early childhood education (birth through Kindergarten).  For this course, students will complete their field work within their place of employment, and work towards meeting course-based and field-based competencies as they apply their theoretical understanding and best teaching practices in teaching social studies and literacy to young children.  Through intentional participatory observations in working with children and a classroom teacher, planning and implementing lessons, and reflecting on the experiences, students will come to further enhance their craft of teaching young children.  In addition, students will be required to attend a virtual (but synchronous) field seminar to further support their learning in their fieldwork.  This virtual seminar will use The Early Childhood Professional Learning Community Model, which provides a collaborative environment to extend and enhance the discussion of important issues with students regarding teaching, learning, and assessing.

  
  • ED 308B Social Studies Literacies (6 to 10 years)


    This course provides an introduction to key concepts in social studies education and literacies.  Pre-service teachers will learn to make appropriate decisions about students and instructional processes in teaching literacies and social studies.  Perceptions and perspectives as it relates to social studies instruction in the following areas are explored: curriculum standards, unit development, assessment design and construction, interdisciplinary/integrated curriculum planning, specific group strategies, individualizing techniques, instructional technology, and professional development.  The course will focus on the intersection of the student voice and critical inquiry. We will consider what it means to create a learning environment in which early primary elementary students can meaningfully use literacy practices to connect with the world in which they live from social, cultural, historical, and economic perspectives.

     

  
  • ED 308B Lab Social Studies Literacies (6 to 10 years)


    (1 credit)

    This field-based course is required in conjunction with the undergraduate course ED308B. which provides a foundation in content and methodology for the teaching of social studies and early literacy in early childhood education (First through 4th grade).  For this course, students will be placed in a neighborhood primary grade school and work towards meeting course-based and field-based competencies as they apply their theoretical understanding and best teaching practices in teaching social studies and literacy to young children.  Through intentional participatory observations in working with children and a classroom teacher, planning and implementing lessons, and reflecting on the experiences, students will come to further enhance their craft of teaching young children.  In addition, students will be required to attend a virtual (but synchronous) field seminar to further support their learning in their fieldwork.  This virtual seminar will use The Early Childhood Professional Learning Community Model, which provides a collaborative environment to extend and enhance the discussion of important issues with students regarding teaching, learning, and assessing.

  
  • ED 314 Assessment of Teaching and Learning


    (3 credits)
    Survey of assessment procedures. Focuses on current issues and improved competency in devising assessment procedures. Prepares secondary school teachers to develop a balanced program of evaluation which will increase instructional effectiveness and assess student learning. A self-paced, individualized course.

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy.

  
  • ED 315 Differentiated Instruction


    (4 credits)
    This course is designed to help future teachers develop a basic understanding of principles and practices related to effectively addressing academic diversity in contemporary classrooms. The guiding framework for the semester is designed to reinforce the idea that defensible differentiation requires thoughtful and consistent attention to multiple aspects of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and learning environment.

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy.

  
  • ED 323 Early Intervention


    (4 credits)
    This course provides an overview of evidence-based best practices in program development and implementation of inclusive services for young children with disabilities, including philosophical, historical, and legal foundations. Inclusive, integrative, collaborative, family-focused and activity-based models of service delivery are emphasized with an overview of family-centered issues and trends in early intervention.

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Prerequisite: ED 222 , ED 315 , ED 324  

  
  • ED 337 Developmental Content Area Reading


    (4 credits)
    For Secondary Certification and Art Education majors. Examination of reading and learning from texts as processes. Analysis of strategies for teaching reading and writing in content areas, selecting texts and study strategies.

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Prerequisite: ED 110 , ED 212  

  
  • ED 360 Public History


    (3 credits)
    Public history is the history that belongs to the public—history that is seen, heard, read, and interpreted by popular audiences.  In this course students will work with cultural institutions, National History Day (NHD) program, and/or public schools to help shape public history. Students will learn both historical and educational skills through field experiences, readings, class discussions, and projects that address the following questions: What is public history? How do educational institutions help shape the story of We the People?  What narratives do young people have? Whereas some students’ fieldwork will be mentoring a middle or high school student competing in National History Day (the science-fair of history), others’ projects will be working on public history to be published on cultural institutions’ websites, PhilaPlace, or National Constitution Center’s The Constitution Happened Here.  By supporting cultural institutions, education departments and NHD, students contribute to the creation of new stories about our past to be shared with the public.  This course is required for students seeking certification in secondary social studies education.

    No field experiences required.

  
  • ED 375 Managing an Inclusive Classroom


    (4 Credits - Spring Semester)
    This course is designed to teach future teachers to manage their classrooms and challenging behaviors including noncompliance, disruption, inattention and aggression. Proactive strategies from the basic (routines, rules, attention, consistency) to the instructional (chunking work, grouping, marking corrections) are taught. Students learn to use a problem-solving approach with an emphasis on using observations, interactions, progress monitoring, and teaching social skills. The basics of pre-referral intervention, instructional support teams, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and the use of paraprofessionals in the classroom for behavior management are covered. 

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Prerequisite: PreK-4/Sp. Ed PreK-12 majors: ED 110, ED 214 Secondary Education: ED 110. 

  
  • ED 375S Managing an Inclusive Classroom


    (3 credits)
    This course is designed to teach future teachers to manage their classrooms and challenging behaviors including noncompliance, disruption, inattention and aggression. Proactive strategies from the basic (routines, rules, attention, consistency) to the instructional (chunking work, grouping, marking corrects) are taught. Students learn to use a problem-solving approach with an emphasis on using observations, interactions, progress monitoring, and teaching social skills. The basics of pre-referral intervention, instructional support teams, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and the use of paraprofessionals in the classroom for behavior management are covered. Field experiences required. See background check requirement policy . Prerequisite: ED 110  .

    Prerequisite: PreK-4/Sp. Ed PreK-12 majors: ED 110 , ED 214  Secondary Education minors: ED 110 .
  
  • ED 387 Pre-Student Teaching


    (4 credits)
    Undergraduate education students work one day per week in the school that preferably will become their next semester student teaching placement. Students work in their host teacher’s classroom with a main focus on getting to know the students, the teacher, the school, and the larger community. Students complete three curriculum development cycles. An overarching goal for this experience is that Arcadia pre-student teachers become full participants in the life of their placement school and gain valuable experience working in the classroom and school where they will aim to complete their student teaching during the next academic semester.

    Each student is supervised by an Arcadia University faculty member. Students meet regularly in small groups on site at their school and as a whole group over the course of the semester. The seminars provide a forum for open discussion and problem solving based on pre-student teaching classroom experience. This course is taken the semester preceding student teaching. Grade of “B” or better must be earned to move into student teaching.

    Field experiences (full day) required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Requirement: A GPA of 3.0

    Prerequisite: ED 110 , ED 212 , ED 214 ED 220 , ED 315 , ED 323 , ED 324 , ED 375S .

  
  • ED 389 Independent Study


    Individualized study tailored to suit the needs and interests of a limited number of juniors or seniors. Encourages limited experimental research activities. Each student works under the guidance of a faculty member assigned by the Chair of Education.

    Prerequisite: permission of the Chair of Education.
  
  • ED 394 Supporting Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities


    The purpose of this course is to prepare students in problem solving strategies, teaching techniques, itinerant services, and use of assistive technologies critical to effectively serving students with disabilities that fall under the designation “Low Incidence” and who require more intensive support. We will learn what constitutes a low-incidence disability and issues surrounding the provision of effective education to these students. Students will explore the ramifications, language, and specific goals and objectives included with creating an IEP for these students. Students will discuss the appropriateness of various academic environments as children with low-incidence disabilities progress from early intervention to elementary to secondary education. General issues surrounding the topic of inclusion and the least restrictive environment will be addressed. Planning for transition across the life-span will be explored. A holistic approach to educating students with significant disabilities, with an emphasis on social, emotional, behavioral, transition and life skills, will be addressed. We will explore services through the lens of “quality of life” to help us consider critical issues. Students will participate in a fieldwork experience. This time will be used to guide instruction and to provide a context for all assignments.

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Prerequisite: ED 110 , ED 214   

  
  • ED 411 Designing Learning Environments


    (4 Credits)
    The course is focused on both an exploration of the significance of the social curriculum in middle and high school contexts and also the ways in which the design of space impacts teaching and learning. The course offers a blend of theory and practice.

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy .

    Prerequisite: ED 306S  

  
  • ED 412a Curriculum and Methodology for Grades 7-12: English


    (3 credits)
    Examination of instructional strategies and techniques for teachers of English, grades 7-12.

    Field experiences (full day) required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Prerequisite: ED 411  

  
  • ED 412b Curriculum and Methodology for Grades 7-12: Social Studies


    (3 credits)
    Examination of instructional strategies and techniques for teachers of Social Studies, grades 7-12.

    Field experiences (full day) required.  See background check requirement policy .

    Prerequisite: ED 411  

  
  • ED 412c Curriculum and Methodology for Grades 7-12: Mathematics


    (3 credits)
    Examination of instructional strategies and techniques for teachers of Mathematics, grades 7-12.

    Field experiences (full day) required.  Seebackground check requirement policy .

    Prerequisite: ED 411  

  
  • ED 412d Curriculum and Methodology for Grades 7-12: Science


    (3 credits)
    Examination of instructional strategies and techniques for teachers of Science, grades 7-12.

    Field experiences (full day) required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Prerequisite: ED 411  

  
  • ED 416 Student Teaching: Early Elementary


    (9 credits)
    Full-time teaching for a minimum of 14 weeks in an accredited day care center or school under the direction and guidance of an experienced mentor teacher and an Arcadia University supervisor.

    Field experiences (full day) required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Requires attendance at weekly seminars with the supervisor. Students must provide transportation to the school.

    Prerequisite: GPA of 3.0, senior standing and fulfilled all other coursework and requirements.  See student teaching information. 

  
  • ED 417 Student Teaching: Secondary


    (12 credits)
    Full-time teaching for a minimum of 14 weeks in an accredited middle and secondary school under the direction and guidance of an experienced mentor teacher and an Arcadia University supervisor.

    Field experiences (full day) required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Requires attendance at weekly seminars with the supervisor. Students must provide transportation to the school.

    Prerequisite: GPA of 3.0, senior standing and fulfilled all other coursework and requirements.  See student teaching information.  

  
  • ED 418 Human Development: School Years K-12


    (3 credits)
    Examination of cognitive, social, emotional and physiological development during childhood and adolescence.

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy.

  
  • ED 419 Undergraduate Student Teaching Practicum, Art Ed, K-12


    (12 credits)
    Student teaching practicum to include 14 weeks of full-time teaching in an accredited school and attendance at nine on-campus seminars. Includes supervision by an Arcadia University faculty member. Students must provide transportation to the school. 

    Field experiences required. See background check requirement policy. 

    Prerequisite: AE 300 , AE 308 , GPA of 3.0, senior standing and fufilled all other coursework and requirements.  See student teaching information. 

  
  • ED 423 Multilingual and Multicultural Assessment


    This course focuses specifically on the academic language needed for English language learners (ELLs) to be successful in U.S. schools. Students utilize a “pedagogy of multiliteracies” and the “continua of biliteracy” perspective to imagine curricula and pedagogy for their students. The course also emphasizes the connections between in-school and out-of-school literacies. In addition, students spend time investigating reading and writing standards and curricula and the ways that materials might be adapted for ELLs and ELLs with disabilities. Students either tutor ELLs or demonstrate a literacy activity for classmates.

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Corequisite: ED 416  

  
  • ED 459 Professional Seminar & Practicum in Special Education


    (10 credits)
    This is a 10-credit practicum in special education and professional seminar for students in the dual PreK-4 and Special Education PreK-8 certification program. This course is designed to prepare students for a teaching career in special education and/or teaching students with disabilities in inclusive educational environments. The practicum will involve 7 weeks of full days in the field across the beginning of the semester, with opportunities to practice and improve teaching skills. Students will attend a series of professional seminars in the classroom for the second part of the semester that will prepare, reinforce, and supplement their field experiences.

    Field experiences required.  See background check requirement policy.

    Prerequisite: A grade of B or better in ED 416 .

  
  • ED 463 Education Studies Capstone


    (3 credits)
    The capstone course is designed to be a culminating educational experience for the undergraduate student.  This education studies capstone course provides students with an in-depth opportunity to analyze and apply the accumulated learning and display creative products and solutions to requirements presented by the course and the sum of their experiences in the curricular program.  ED490 provides engagement in a student-centered, content-related learning experience that serves as a summary and synthesis of knowledge and experiences gained in a student’s undergraduate academic career.  Students select an area of interest to their academic studies and engage in an assignment leading to a research project, creative project, or applied project reflective of comprehensive knowledge gained in undergraduate studies and demonstrate their knowledge of the outcomes of the degree.  A capstone presentation and paper culminate the course.

    No field experiences required.

    Prerequisite: Student must be in their final semester of undergraduate coursework and fulfilled all other coursework and requirements of the major.


English

  
  • EN 100 Foundations in College Writing


    Introduction to college-level reading and writing practices, including writing for academic audiences, actively reading and responding to challenging texts, and establishing a practice of revision. This course is designed for students who want or need a semester of developmental writing support prior to enrolling in EN 101. EN 100 does not substitute for EN 101.

  
  • EN 101 Thought and Expression I


    Practice in writing for various academic aims and audiences, this course includes a supervised process of invention strategies, drafting, final editing, and at least one assignment in library research and proper forms of documentation. It encourages peer reviews, small-group problem-solving activities and in-class discussions of interdisciplinary readings. It is required of all first-year students.

  
  • EN 103 English for International Students


    This special course of study is primarily for international students who, prior to enrolling in EN 101, need additional instruction in the practices and conventions of university-level academic writing in English.

  
  • EN 104 Writing for the Academic Conversation


    This is a five-week course designed to introduce Gateway and ACT101 students to the fundamentals of writing at the university level. This course is designed to help students understand and embody the basic habits of a scholarly life of inquiry and to help students contribute to the academic conversation. Students write two formal papers, maintain a journal, read and discuss assigned readings, peer review each other’s writing, and represent their growth as readers, writers and thinkers in an end-of-session portfolio. Students also are required to meet with the professor twice for one-on-one conferences on their papers and to participate in twice-weekly, one-hour writing sessions in a computer lab facilitated by two graduate-level writing consultants.

    Prerequisite: Acceptance into the summer Gateway program.
  
  • EN 199 Interpreting Literature


    This introductory course develops the student’s ability to read and write critically about literature and analyzes the relationship of literary form to thematic and rhetorical function through examination of poetry, drama and prose fiction. 

    Required of English majors.

  
  • EN 200 Critical Reading/Writing Workshop


    This workshop focuses on composing, analyzing and revising drafts, especially in the peer-review process. It includes readings in the theory and practice of peer-reviewing, motivation and resistance, role-playing and other group activities, and examination of student papers. It is open to all sophomores, juniors and seniors. (Pass or no credit.)

  
  • EN 201 Thought and Expression II


    Taken after EN 101 , this Research Writing course follows the same basic format. Focuses on interdisciplinary reading and writing assignments with greater emphasis on library research.

    Required of all students who do not take a Research Writing-designated course in another department.

    Prerequisite: EN 101 .
  
  • EN 202 Research Writing for English Majors


    In this course, students begin to learn how to do research in the discipline of English Studies and use that research in different writing tasks designed to foster critical thinking and literary analysis.

    Prerequisite: EN 101 ; Sophomore standing or above
  
  • EN 211 Creative Nonfiction Workshop


    This course introduces the genre of creative non-fiction, which borrows elements of fiction and poetry and questions notions of truth in written texts. Students will develop their understanding of voice, metaphor, specific language, clarity, and all aspects of storytelling techniques through the many forms of creative nonfiction, especially memoir, and the personal essay.

  
  • EN 212 Writing Poetry and Fiction


    Practice in poetry and fiction writing skills, this course includes regular submission of written work for peer and instructor critique, with analysis of published poems and short fiction for style, interpretation and techniques in relation to subject and intention.

  
  • EN 217 Journalism I


    This introduction to the basic elements of journalism includes newspaper and magazine writing, investigative reporting, editing, layout and the ethics of journalism. It covers all aspects of print journalism.

    Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
  
  • EN 218 Business Writing


    This course offers practical experience in writing for business with rhetorical sophistication, grammatical competence and a strong sense of what is and is not good English prose style. It emphasizes typical business and industrial reports and correspondence.

    Prerequisite: EN 101 .
  
  • EN 219 Literary Themes and Forms


    This intensive study of a selected genre or theme occurs in an informal lecture-discussion format. Possible topics: Humankind’s Relation to Nature, Love through the Ages, the Sonnet. It may be taken more than once for credit when topics vary.

  
  • EN 220 Selected Authors


    This critical reading of texts by one or more major dramatists, fiction writers, or poets focuses on the stylistic, structural and thematic developments in each writer’s work. It may be taken more than once for credit when topics vary.

  
  • EN 222 Lewis & Tolkien


    This course focuses on the interconnections in the writings of these two popular fantasy authors and their social philosophies. Students will develop literary research skills to support critical literary investigations.

  
  • EN 223 Contemporary Short Fiction


    This course introduces students to a variety of contemporary (written in the last 25 years or so) short stories, with emphasis on the comic, the bizarre and the outrageous. Authors may include Atwood, Marquez, Alexie, Erdrich, Barth, O’Brien, Sontag, Tan, Amis, Gordimer, Kureishi, Galeano, Rushdie and others.

  
  • EN 224 Native American Fiction


    Introducing students to some of the most significant contemporary short stories, novels and poetry by Native American writers since the mid- 1960s, this course includes works by Momaday, Silko, Ortiz, Dorris, Alexie, Erdrich and others. Students examine the Native American “experience” in contemporary society.

  
  • EN 225 Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Fiction


    This course is an introduction to gay and lesbian literature from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. Authors include Forster, Baldwin and Highsmith among others. Assignments and discussion topics consider the literature and its relationship to and impact upon the history, society and culture of the day.

    Prerequisite: EN 101 .
  
  • EN 226 Detective Fiction


    This is a survey of different forms and sub-genres of suspenseful fiction, including texts that range from short, classic mysteries to hardboiled novels to police procedurals. It includes exploration of, among other concepts, justice and law and the difference between the two. Texts from different nations and different historical periods reflect and/or create shifts in cultural, social and literary values. The course includes online discussion boards, short analytical papers and a longer final project that incorporates background research.

    Prerequisite: EN 101 .
  
  • EN 227 Philadelphia in Literary and Cultural Context


    This exploration of the rich array of expressions about Philadelphia focuses on diverse writers from different periods, including William Penn, Elizabeth Drinker, Philip Freneau, Edgar Allan Poe, George Lippard, and Frank Webb. Students interpret literary, historical, and cultural texts through interdisciplinary methods, read archival materials about the city, and engage in weekend fieldwork by visiting sites such as the National Constitution Center, the Edgar Allan Poe House, and Eastern State Penitentiary. The course culminates at semester’s end with a researched project that examines some of the area’s metropolitan heritage.

    Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.
  
  • EN 229 Voices of America


    Study of diverse voices that comprise the American literary heritage. This course explores the relationship of the texts to the intellectual, historical and social conditions that produced them. Authors include Sherwood Anderson, Toni Morrison, Sherman Alexie, Edwidge Danticat, Alison Bechdel, Sandra Cisneros and many others.

    Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.
  
  • EN 230 Literature of the African Diaspora


    This course will explore the histories, cultures, and experiences of African and African-descended peoples as represented in literature across genres. We will also examine landmark works of Black critical theory and aesthetic/cultural philosophy to better understand concepts such as the color line, double consciousness, Black nationalism, Africanfuturism, etc. that heavily shaped social and political thought well into the present day. Through the study of these texts, we will gain insight into significant literary/ideological movements including negritude, the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement, etc. to establish a foundation for additional study in upper-level literature courses on U.S. and global texts. Potential authors for study may include Harriet E. Wilson, James Weldon Johnson, Nella Larsen, James Baldwin, August Wilson, and others as we trace the literary contributions of both canonized and underrepresented authors from the seventeenth century to the present.

    Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.
  
  • EN 231 Short Fiction of the African Diaspora


    This course will examine short stories that reflect different historical moments in the African and African American experience from the seventeenth century to the present in order to address key topics such as the transatlantic slave trade, the fight for civil rights, anti-Black racism and violence, Black utopia-building, cultural expression, and the return to origins as the world evolved and the concept of Black identity began to take form. We will examine the works of major writers such as Chinua Achebe, Charles Chesnutt, Zora Neale Hurston, and Richard Wright as well as those of contemporary writers such as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Gayl Jones, and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Through this course, we will gain a better understanding of the power of fiction and the ways in which Black authors used the short story form to address oppression but also to envision counter-futures centered on Black liberation and racial uplift.

    Prerequisite: EN 101 .
  
  • EN 232 Louise Erdrich


    Critical reading of and writing about major novels, short stories, nonfiction, and poetry of Louise Erdrich. Focuses on the stylistic, structural, and thematic developments of Erdrich’s work.

  
  • EN 233 Shakespeare


    This study of selected comedies, tragedies, histories and romances by William Shakespeare emphasizes systematic literary and dramatic criticism.

  
  • EN 234 Travel Writing


    This course will explore travel literature (fictional and non-fictional) from British, American and Anglophone writers.  We often turn to literature for the same reason we travel –to escape the familiar trappings of our own lives and to discover new worlds.  In this course, we’ll think about the relationship between travel and literature, and consider why so many writers use their works to recreate or imagine adventures to new places.  We’ll read a variety of travel texts, including satirical works, travel narratives and letters, literature from and about the colonial frontier, as well as accounts of travel in the “new world.”  Ideally, this course will offer students a chance to think about travel in new ways in preparation for study abroad or as a means to process return from it.   

  
  • EN 235 Editing and Publishing the Small Literary Magazine


    This course is an analytical and practical introduction to both the editing and publishing of literary magazines.  Students will read essays from and about literary magazines in order to understand the history of the medium as well as the current discourse surrounding it.  They will also examine the process of literary editing from a theoretical vantage point, looking at essays by editors, editor-author correspondence, and original  and edited texts.  In addition to this academic work, students in the course will serve as Readers for the university’s undergraduate literary magazine, Quiddity, whereby they will have the opportunity to apply the theoretical components of the class by reading, evaluating, editing, and curating student-produced work. 

  
  • EN 237 Literature of Revolution


    When should we rise up?  When does resistance become revolution? How does literature ignite and give shape to social protest?  In this course, we’ll examine key moments of social, political and cultural revolution from world history, and think about the ways in which literature has helped to spark widespread upheaval and change.  We’ll read fictional and non-fictional works from the American and French Revolutions, the global movement to abolish slavery, the advent of class struggle, the campaigns against imperialism, as well as the cultural revolutions of the 1960s.  We’ll think about “revolutionary” literature broadly to include discussion of protest music, folk songs, as well as popular representations of revolution such as Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton.  Students will complete two course papers, conduct independent research on one of our course texts, and at the conclusion of the course, write a short piece of protest writing.

  
  • EN 240 Intermediate Fiction Writing


    A workshop designed to immerse students in the practice of writing, revising and workshopping their original fiction works at an intermediate level. Students will read and critique the work of their peers while reading works of short and long fiction and also texts about creative writing. Readings include two novels, seven to ten short stories, and a creative writing instructional text. Course requirements include a minimum of two analytical essays exploring fiction writing as a craft and demonstrating expert understanding of particular craft elements.

    Prerequisite: EN 212  is highly recommended.
  
  • EN 241 Intermediate Poetry Writing


    A workshop designed to facilitate and encourage the student’s own style and voice in writing poetry. The course has three components: weekly readings, weekly writing prompts, and peer review workshops. Authors include Williams, Ashbery, Schuyler, Whalen, Armantrout, Hoagland, Smith, Scalapino, Lin, Berssenbrugge and others.

    Prerequisite: EN 212  is highly recommended.
  
  • EN 267 Introductory Fiction and Poetry Workshop


    This course for beginning creative writers is designed to help students develop writing skills over four weeks through online discussions and workshops and also through personal feedback from peers and the instructor during both the weekend on campus and the four weeks of online workshops. Assignments include writing and revising original fiction and poetry, extensive reading of literature and writings on craft and technique, and a final portfolio of the student’s best work.

  
  • EN 272 Poetry for Page and Stage


    One-half writing workshop, one-half performance, this workshop looks at how we can translate our own written work into a stage performance. It begins with a traditional poetry workshop centered on students’ writing. It explores vocal and theatrical techniques to bring the written word to life. Readings include works of O’Hara, Sanchez, Williams, Shange and current performance artists. The course ends in a final public performance.

  
  • EN 299 Interpreting Literature II


    An intermediate-level investigation and practice of strategies of interpreting literary texts. Topics include multiple vs. single interpretations; the problem of political and psychological subtexts; and the relation among history, society and the author. Readings are drawn from fiction, poetry, drama and essays on critical theory.

    Required for English majors.

    Prerequisite: EN 199  or its equivalent.
  
  • EN 300 The Junior Seminar


    This course is an upper-level seminar for English majors. It is designed to extend students’ knowledge of strategies for interpreting literary texts and will offer an overview of major contemporary schools of critical thought. It is also designed to support students as they develop a research inquiry of their own as they move into their culminating project in the Senior Seminar.

    Prerequisite: EN 199   and EN 202   before enrolling in this course.
  
  • EN 311 Writing Center Issues


    This course helps Arcadia University Writing Center consultants to develop the skills and understanding of Writing Center issues necessary to be effective tutors. Every semester addresses a different theoretical perspective or issue, including writing across the curriculum, effective structures of consultations, the rhetoric of student papers and tutoring, conversation models, research writing, and cultural issues in tutoring.

    Prerequisite: Students must be employed at the Arcadia University Writing Center as writing consultants.
  
  • EN 312 Research in the Writing Center


    This course extends the theoretical and practical training for Writing Center consultants into training regarding research, assessment and Writing Center scholarship.  Students will develop and implement individualized research projects to explore a facet of Writing Center work.  Students will collect and analyze their findings, report their results and reflect on how their research process influences their pedagogical approach(es) as tutors.

    Prerequisite: Students must be hired by the Director of the Writing Center and have completed their initial semester of training in the Writing Center in order to take this course.  Students must also complete EN 311  prior to taking this course.
  
  • EN 313 Sports Literature


    Students closely read a variety of sports literature in several genres, including poetry, fiction, feature journalism, and long-form non fiction. Students articulate the themes, issues, and techniques present in each author’s work. Through their own research and critical writing, students continue exploring these ideas through the canon of sports literature.

  
  • EN 314 Writing for Magazines


    The course offers a practical introduction to the consumer magazine industry and aims to equip students with the basic skills and understanding necessary to pursue full-time or freelance careers as magazine writers or editors. Students examine all forms of magazine writing from short front-of-book items to department stories to features, perform critical analyses of individual magazines, learn how to develop story ideas into compelling magazine prose, and write effective query or pitch letters. In addition to an overview of the industry, the course provides an understanding of the basic structure of magazines, the different types of stories that magazines publish, and the economic forces driving magazine publishing today.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 315 Technical Writing


    This intensive study of technical documents for various careers covers catalog descriptions, descriptions of mechanisms, instructional and procedural manuals, bids, requests for bids, proposals, reports, memos and letters responding to customer inquiries. It emphasizes preparation of effectively written documents for various audiences and purposes. It presents the integration of graphic and copy elements in well-structured and designed documents. It includes individual and group assignments from a problem-solving approach. Requirements include a portfolio of work in-progress and two spoken presentations.

    It requires portfolios of work in-progress and two spoken presentations.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 316 Writing for the Health Industry


    An intensive writing workshop offering an overview of the health-care communications field. Students become familiar with research tools (including online databases), interview techniques, and the integration of graphics to enhance text. They also develop an understanding of  the audience and an appreciation for the knowledge base of the intended reader. This course covers the writing and editing of peer-reviewed technical journal articles as well as marketing materials, press releases, newsletter articles, feature and advertising copy.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 318 Journalism II


    Learn the set-up of the newsroom; practice the conventions of news and news features, such as profiles and issue-oriented stories. Fieldwork includes coverage of some live events with emphasis on writing the more complex story, with style, color, flair and substance.

    Prerequisite: EN 217  or another course in journalism, or experience in public relations/advanced writing; or permission of the instructor.
  
  • EN 320 Classical and Medieval European Literature


    This is a selective study and appreciation of texts from Western antiquity and the Middle Ages that remain influential and alive in our time. These texts are considered within the cultural contexts from which they sprang and to which they helped give definitive shape. Typically, readings are drawn from the plays and epics of ancient Greece; great Roman authors such as Virgil, Augustine, and Boethius: and such medieval works, genres and authors as Beowulf, the Arthurian romances, Dante and Chaucer.

    required for English majors

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 321 European Renaissance and Enlightenment Literature


    This is a selective study and appreciation of texts from 16th, 17th and 18th century European literature with a focus on the English tradition and a consideration of the historical contexts of the works studied. Readings are drawn from Renaissance essayists and novelists such as More, Montaigne, Bacon and Cervantes; Elizabethan and Jacobean dramatists such as Jonson, Shakespeare and Webster; English lyric poets such as Wyatt, Sidney, Spenser, Shakespeare, Donne and Marvell; major works from later 17th century and Restoration authors such as Milton, Dryden and Congreve; and major figures from the 18th century such as Pope, Swift, Voltaire, Defoe, Fielding and Sterne.

    Required for English majors

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 322 Modern British Literature


    This is a critical reading of major British works of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries in the context of cultural history. Readings include works by such writers as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats, Bronte, Browning, Tennyson, George Eliot, Conrad, Woolf, Beckett and others.

    Required for English majors

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 323 Modern American Literature


    This is a critical reading of major American works of the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, approaching the texts as products of a specific place and historical experience. Authors include Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville, Douglass, Jacobs, Twain, Dickinson, James, Faulkner, Frost, Hughes, Baldwin, Miller, Morrison and others.

    required for English majors

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 327 The discovery of Adulthood in British and American Fiction


    This course explores, through novels and short stories, the cognitive, moral, social and psychological complexities of adolescent and early adult experience. It also deals with the literary problems involved in portraying these stages of human development. The aim of both of the readings and of the class activities is to enhance awareness of the magnitude of change implied in the term “growing up.” While the overall focus is primarily literary, there will be some brief side-excursions into related fields, especially psychology.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 328 William Faulkner


    In this intensive study of the work of one of America’s most important fiction writers, readings include five major novels and several short stories. In addition to understanding Faulkner’s extraordinary achievement as an experimental novelist, we look at his presentation of themes such as race, slavery, family and the natural world. This is an advanced course for students with experience in reading and writing literary criticism.

    Prerequisite: EN 199  or equivalent; Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 330 Cinema of the African Diaspora


    This course will examine cinema as text and discuss cultural, historical, and socio-political themes in cinematic productions by filmmakers across the African Diaspora in order to explore differences and intersections in the African and African-descended experience across the globe. Through the analysis of productions from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, we will probe representations of Black identity and culture in addition to key issues such as racism, xenophobia, stereotyping, etc. that affect the Black condition. We will also examine diverse cinematic genres such as the race film, Blaxploitation, Black horror, etc. that helped define unique categories of Black cinematic art. Throughout the semester, we will view select films, read and discuss relevant scholarly articles, apply cultural studies theories, and develop multimodal projects to analyze the films that we engage. Though themes will vary, films for study may include Abouna, La Noire de, Within Our Gates, The Emperor Jones, Moonlight, and BIPOC biopics.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 332 Literature and the Law


    What is the right relation between people and the laws they enact? Strict obedience? Civil disobedience? Conscientious objection? Violent rebellion? Silent subversion? This question and the responses it has drawn through centuries of human history are the subject matter of this course. Fiction, drama, essays and films have explored how people have grappled with the complex issues arising from the imperfect relationship between an individual and the law. We’ll read fiction and drama and view films that present the theme. And we will read essays by literary critics, philosophers, lawyers, judges and psychologists who write about the shared interpretive strategies of literature and law.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 333 Teaching English as a Second Language


    This introduction to ESL teaching methods provides background in lesson planning, cross-cultural communication, selecting English-as-a-second-language materials, and conducting lessons. It includes field tutoring experience in practicum with adult literacy learners or second-language students.

  
  • EN 334 Introduction to Linguistics and Language History


    This examination of the historical development of the English language and the various approaches to acquisition and use of language includes psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, dialectology, phonology, morphology, schools of grammar, semantics, syntax and stylistics. It surveys contemporary theories, such as speech act theory, concerning the interpretation of language. It does not count as a literature course.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 335 Special Topics in American Literature


    In this advanced course in American literature, topics vary. Possibilities include Transcendentalism, Race in the Literary Imagination, Passing, Literature of the Early 1960s, the Jewish Novel, Between the World Wars, American Women Poets and others.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 336 Asian Literature


    This is a historical introduction to the cultural and literary modes of India, China and Japan through the study and discussion of ancient and modern works of Indian, Chinese and Japanese literature, supplemented by some religious and philosophical texts. It includes such works and writers as the Ramayana, the Gita, Gandhi, Tagore; Confucius, Lao-Tse and recent Chinese poetry and fiction; Noh plays, haiku and The Snow Country.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 337 Disaster, Death, and Madness


    The central objective of this course is to help students to enter imaginatively into the condition of people caught in extremis by disaster, death, and madness—or any combination of the three. The course is an intensely collaborative experience for the student and the instructor. Students give a seminar report on a public disaster that has been researched, review drafts of fellow-students’ work, write an original play, and participate in the production of the “class play.” The three common texts used in the course are John Hersey’s familiar Hiroshima; Kai T. Erikson’s Everything in Its Path; and Norman Maclean’s powerful—and posthumously published—Young Men and Fire.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 341 The (Neo) Slave and Emancipation Narrative


    This course will explore the structures and literary themes present in both the autobiographical and fictional accounts of the transatlantic slave trade, chattel slavery, and the escape to freedom in the works of African and African American writers from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. We will also examine the neo-slave and emancipation narratives of contemporary writers of the African Diaspora that reflect on the brutality of slavery, the commodification of the Black body, and the efforts of resistance against cultural erasure and oppression. By studying these works, we will discuss the global impact of slavery and the literary methods used to address the institution, the propaganda of pro-slavery literature, and the pervasive stereotypes employed to justify the continued enslavement of African and African-descended peoples. Possible authors for study may include Olaudah Equiano, Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglass, Octavia Butler, Toni Morrison, and Colson Whitehead.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 342 Ireland in 20th Century Film and Literature


    This is an intensive study of the myths and realities of 20th century Ireland as represented by seminal works of film and literature. In addition to its examination of the culture of Dublin over the past 100 years, the course guides students through cinematic and literary works, exploring such themes as migration and the myth of the West, colonial and post-colonial political struggles, and the role of women in Irish culture.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 343 Writing for Children


    An intensive writing workshop focused on the production of publishable fiction and nonfiction for the children’s market, the course provides an exploration of the creative process, including invention techniques, drafting, and revision. Plotting, characterization, and the writing of dialogue and description are examined. Students also engage in an in-depth study of the magazine and book publishing markets so they can effectively target their writings to specific publishers. The course includes such practical considerations as the writing of query letters, working with editors and agents, and preparing manuscripts for submission. It does not count as a literature course.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 344 Special Studies Seminar


    This seminar on advanced topics in literature provides an opportunity for intensive study in areas of special interest. Topics vary. Possibilities include Modern and Contemporary Fiction; American Women Writers; Cinema of Science Fiction; Women’s Cinema.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above. May be taken more than once for credit when topics vary.
  
  • EN 346 Russian Fiction


    This is a survey of the themes and narrative techniques of Russian fiction, with special emphasis on select works of Pushkin, Gogol, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Turgeniev, Babel, Pasternak and Solzhenitsyn. It covers Russian history in outline, from the founding of the Kievan State to the emergence of new Russia. The course approaches individual works as cultural products of their times.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 347 Tales of the City: Urbanism in Global Literature


    This online course explores global urban spaces in contemporary literature representing different cultural and social environments. We will focus on character interactions and relationships to/with the geographical location. We will also discuss connections between identity formation and the built environment. The course is interdisciplinary. Readings will be taken from The City Reader textbook, novels, poetry, and film set in cities like Mumbai, Abidjan, New York City, and London, for example. 

    Prerequisite: EN 299  
  
  • EN 349 The Short Novel


    A study of several small masterpieces of fiction. Authors may include Austen, Melville, James, Faulkner, Pynchon, Morrison, Barker and/or others. 

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 350 Major Authors Seminar


    This in-depth study of the significant work of one or more authors focuses on an author’s literary development as well as the relationship between the author’s life and work.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above. May be taken more than once when topics vary.
  
  • EN 351 Jane Austen


    A study of Austen’s six major novels with attention to the culture of Regency England, the course examines the enduring popularity of Austen’s works and the growing library of film adaptations of the novels.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 353 Mark Twain


    In this intensive study of one of America’s most famous writers, students read a selection of his novels, stories and essays to get a sense of how complicated a writer he was. The course also views Ken Burns’ documentary. 

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 355 Southern Fiction


    This exploration of the fiction of the American South focuses on recurring themes in Southern literature. Authors may include Mark Twain, Faulkner, O’Connor, Lee, Warren, Hurston, Wright, Welty and Jones.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 359 Literature after War


    This course focuses on literature that expresses the mood of the community in response to war. Most of the texts look at the community in the wake of war, not during it. Thus, the course is not a typical “war literature” course in that it is less focused on what happens on the battlefield than on what happens after the battles are over.  Possible texts include Regeneration, WW 1 poetry,  Mrs Dalloway, Sophie’s Choice, The Remains of the Day, Slaughter-house Five , WW2 poetry, The Things They CarriedAll the Light We Cannot See.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 360 Contemporary American Autobiography


    Introducing students to the important genre of the memoir, this course explores how the memoir explicates childhood, alienation in a multicultural land, alternative (and mainstream) sexuality, homelessness, mental illness and aging. Readings include a selection of recent American autobiographies and memoirs. Students may practice writing their own memoirs.

    Prerequisite: Junior standing or above.
  
  • EN 361 Seminar: Modern Drama


    This exploration of the styles and techniques of modern theater includes selected British, American and Continental plays by modern dramatists such as Ibsen, Strindberg, Chekhov, Shaw, Synge, O’Neill, Pirandello, Brecht and Pinter.

 

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