COURSES AND COURSE-NUMBERING
The course offerings in English enable students, whether majors or non-majors, to explore literature in a variety of ways, and to satisfy their interests in particular authors, literary periods, and genres. They emphasize interpretive skills, systematic and critical thinking, and careful attention to the generic, cultural, and historical contexts of literature written in English.
THE NUMBERING SYSTEM
100, 200, 300, and 400 numbers generally indicate the level of difficulty of the course (see below). Within each level, the progression of numbers reflects the chronological time period covered by the course: early literature courses have lower numbers than contemporary literature courses not because they are easier but because they are earlier. Thus English 357 is not necessarily more difficult than English 305, but both 305 and 357 are more difficult than English 216.100-LEVEL COURSES
At the introductory level, the department offers a range of writing-intensive 100-level courses which focus on interpretive skills-techniques of reading-as well as skills in writing and argumentation. The department also offers English 150, Expository Writing, a course focusing on rudimentary writing skills. All 100-level courses are designed primarily for first-year students, although they are open to interested sophomores, juniors, and seniors. A 100-level course other than 150 is required for admission to most upper-level English courses, except in the case of students who have placed out of the introductory courses by receiving a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement examination in English Literature.200-LEVEL COURSES
Most 200-level courses are designed primarily for qualified first-year students, sophomores, and junior and senior non-majors, but they are open to junior and senior majors and count as major courses. Several 200-level courses have no prerequisites; see individual descriptions for details. 200-level Gateway courses are designed for first- and second-year students who are considering becoming English Majors, or who are interested in pursuing upper-level course work in the department. All Gateway courses are writing-intensive. Completion of a Gateway course is a requirement for the major.300-LEVEL COURSES
The majority of English Department courses are at the 300 level. 300-level courses are open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. They are normally not open to first-year students, although in exceptional cases first-year students may enroll in a 300-level course with consent of the instructor.400-LEVEL COURSES
400-level courses are intensive, discussion-oriented classes that place a premium on independent, student-initiated work. Such classes can be structured in a variety of ways. A course might alternate tutorial sessions with seminar meetings, or it might take the form of a colloquium, with discussions organized around individual or group presentations on different aspects of a topic. Or a class might be oriented around a long final paper on a topic of the student's devising and involve conferences focused on the progress of that project. Limited to 15 students, 400-level courses are open to students who have completed at least one 300-level English course; they should be attractive to any student interested in a course that emphasizes intensive discussion and independent work.