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These are general course descriptions for undergraduates. For the current semester's course offerings, see the undergraduate course offerings.

Lower Division Courses

Upper Division Courses

English 1A. Composition. 
Expository writing, supplemented by critical reading
Prerequisite: English Placement Test (EPT)
A,B,C/NC grading
3 units

English 1B. Composition.
Continuation of expository writing, supplemented by critical reading and analysis of expository prose or literature.
Prerequisite: English 1A and English Placement Test.
A,B,C/NC grading.
3 units


English 7. Critical Thinking 
Nature and meaning of critical thought, Western and non-Western. Relationship between logic and language. Examination of contrasting arguments on related subjects as a means of developing skill in analysis of prose.
Prerequisite: English 1A
3 units

English 10. Great Works of Literature.
Fiction, drama, and poetry for non-English majors. Emphasis on critical appreciation of various literary forms.
No credit in the English major.
3 units

English 22. Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Students will examine works of literary fantasy and science fiction to understand them as expressions of human intellect and imagination; to comprehend their historical and cultural contexts; and
to recognize their diverse cultural traditions. Both contemporary and historical works will be studied.
No credit in the English major.
3 units

English 40. Contemporary World Fiction.
A study of selected works of fiction in English and in English translation written since 1975. The course both focuses on international texts that address significant themes of our time and
explores ways of reading and understanding literature.
No credit in the English major.
3 units

English 56A. English Literature.
Major literary movements, figures, and genres from Anglo-Saxon period through the eighteenth century. Works and writers may include Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Chaucer, Spenser, Sidney, Shakespeare, Donne, Milton, Dryden, Pope, Swift, Fielding, Johnson, Boswell.
3 units

English 56B. English Literature.
Major literary movements, figures, and genres from the Romantic age to the present. Writers may include Austen, the Romantics, Tennyson, Browning, Arnold, Dickens, the Brontes, George Eliot, Hardy, Yeats, Joyce, Lawrence, Forster, Woolf, T. S. Eliot, Auden, Beckett.
3 units

English 68A & 68B. American Literature.
Survey of American literature. 68A: Native-American myths to Walt Whitman. 68B: Emily Dickinson to present.
3 units each

English 71. Creative Writing.
Writing in various literary genres; emphasis on eliciting and developing talent in various kinds of creative writing.
Prerequisite: English 1A; sophomore standing or above
3 units

English 78. Introduction to Shakespeare's Drama.
Reading of five or six representative plays. The Elizabethan era, dynamics of performance, and close analysis of the plays.
No credit in the English major.
3 units

English 100W. Writing Workshop.
Advanced workshops in Reading and Composition, Creative Arts, English Studies, and Technial Writing. A Writing Workshop is also available for foreign students.
Prerequisite: Completion of Core GE, satisfaction of Writing Skills Test (WST), and upper division standing. The English Studies Writing Workshop is required of all English majors before they achieve senior standing. English majors cannot receive credit for the Technical Writing Workshop. A,B,C/NC grading.
3 units

English 101. Introduction to Literary Criticism.
Study and application of various historical and contemporary approaches to literature, such as formalism, structuralism, new criticism, cultural studies, new historicism, post-structuralism, Marxism, post-colonialism, feminism, etc. Application of these approaches to works of literature.
3 units

English 102. History of the English Language.
Course traces the development of the English language--its sounds, word forms, grammatical structures, vocabulary, and punctuation--from its origins as a dialect of the German-speaking peoples to its status as a world language today.
3 units

English 103. Modern English.
The growth and structure of modern English, including its phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Attention to social and regional varieties, with implications for language development and literacy among native and non-native speakers.
3 units

English 105. Seminar in Advanced Composition.
Advanced expository writing.
Prerequisite: 6 units of lower division composition and completion of Written Communication II requirement (100W).
Repeatable once for credit with different instructor and department chair consent.
3 units

English 106. Editing for Writers.
Copy-editing, substantive editing, and reorganization of technical documents. Review of grammar and punctuation to insure technical mastery and ability to justify editing decisions. Graphics editing, access aids, and professional skills of an editor.
Prerequisite: English 1A.
3 units

English 107. Professional Technical Writing.
Research methods, audience analysis, and development of reader-based writing techniques. Writing based on models from scientific and technical discourse.
Prerequisite: English 1A.
3 units Note: offered only in Spring

English 109. Writing and the Young Writer.
This course is designed to strengthen participants' writing skills in both creative and expository genres and to develop participants' knowledge and skill as future teachers of writing.
3 units Note: offered only in Fall

English 112A. Children's Literature.
Study of literature for elementary and intermediate grades, representing a variety of cultures. Evaluation and selection of texts.
3 units

English 112B. Literature for Young Adults.
Study of selected literary material, representing a variety of cultures, chosen to motivate secondary school readers.
3 units

English 113. Gothic Novel & Horror Fiction.
Study of the gothic novel in Britain and America 1795-1900. Current trends in horror fiction and films will be traced to these gothic predecessors.
Upper division standing required
3 units

English 114. Myth, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.
An historically-based introduction to two of the most popular contemporary literary genres. Authors studied may include: Apuleius, Malory, More, Shelley, Wells, Carroll, Tolkien, Lewis, Williams, Clarke, Bradbury, Le Guin, Bradley, Stephensen, Butler, and Delaney.
3 units

English 115. The Bible as Literature.
Students will examine key portions of the Bible, exploring its array of subjects, themes, literary styles and genres, and contributions to the literature of Western Civilization.
3 units

English 116. Myth in Literature.
Relations between archetypes, artistic style, and cultural context in masterworks, ancient through modern.
3 units

English 117. Film, Literature, and Culture.
Using films and literary works, students will appreciate and understand the narratives (myths and other stories) that create and define cultural identity, explore cultural interaction, and illustrate cultural preservation and cultural difference over time.
Prerequisite: English 1A, 1B and junior standing.
3 units

English 118. Modern European Fiction.
Representative European novels in English translation--French, German, Scandinavian, Russian, Central European, Spanish, and Italian.
3 units

English 120. Theatre History I.
See Drama 120A
3 units

English 121 (Clit 121). Introduction to Comparative Literature.
3 units

English 122 (Clit 122). Topics in Comparative Literature.
3 units

English 123A. Literature for Global Understanding: The Americas.
Course promotes global understanding by examining the cultures and literary arts of a selected region of the world, the Americas, and covers representative texts and authors from Latin America and the Caribbean/West Indies. Prerequisite: Completion of core GE, satisfaction of Writing Skills Test and upper division standing. For students who begin continuous enrollment at a CCC or a CSU in Fall 2005 or later, completion of, or corequisite in a 100W course is required.
General Education Area V
3 units

English 123B. Literature for Global Understanding: Africa.
Course promotes global understanding by examining the cultures and literary arts of a selected region of the world, Africa, and covers representative texts and authors from North Africa and
Sub-Saharan Africa. Prerequisite: Completion of core GE, satisfaction of Writing Skills Test and upper division standing. For students who begin continuous enrollment at a CCC or a CSU in Fall 2005 or later, completion of, or corequisite in a 100W course is required.
General Education Area V
3 units

English 123C. Literature for Global Understanding: Oceania.
Course promotes global understanding by examining the cultures and literary arts of a selected region of the world, Oceania, and covers representative texts and authors from Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. Prerequisite: Completion of core GE, satisfaction of Writing Skills Test and upper division standing. For students who begin continuous enrollment at a CCC or a CSU in Fall 2005 or later, completion of, or corequisite in a 100W course is required.
General Education Area V
3 units

English 123D. Literature for Global Understanding: Asia.
Course promotes global understanding by examining the cultures and literary arts of a selected region of the world, Asia, and covers representative texts and authors from a sub-region of Asia such as East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, or West Asia/the Middle East. Prerequisite: Completion of core GE, satisfaction of Writing Skills Test and upper division standing. For students who begin continuous enrollment at a CCC or a CSU in Fall 2005 or later, completion of, or corequisite in a 100W course is required.
General Education Area V
3 units

English 125A. European Literature: Homer to Dante.
Classical and medieval literature in translation: Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Virgil, and Dante.
3 units

English 126. Holocaust Literature
Survey of literature written by survivors or witnesses of the Holocaust, the destruction of European Jewry during World War II, focusing upon diaries, memoirs, fiction, and occasionally poetry and drama. Writers may include Elie Wiesel, Primo Levi, Anne Frank, Charlotte Delbo. Prerequisite: Upper division standing
3 units

English 127. Contemporary Theatre.
See Drama 127
3 units

English 128. Writing for the Stage.
See Drama 128
3 units

English 129. Introduction to Career Writing.
Practice in various professional writing tasks: instructions, descriptions, reviews, interviews, articles, creative nonfiction. Publication of a newsletter . Study of models and application of techniques to achieve given stylistic effects.
3 units

English 130. Writing Fiction.
Workshop in short stories or other short fiction. Beginning the novel in individual cases. 3 units English 131. Writing Poetry. Workshop in verse forms. Study of traditional and contemporary models. Prerequisite: English 71 (Creative Writing) or equivalent or instructor consent. Repeatable once for credit.
3 units

English 132. Seminar in Advanced Creative Writing.
Intensive workshop in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Experiments in all genres. Required capstone course for Creative Writing minors. Prerequisite: English 130 or 131 and Creative Writing faculty recommendation. Repeatable once for credit.
3 units.

English 133. Reed Magazine.
Student-edited and managed literary magazine. Contents selected from local, national and international submissions. Students urged to work on the magazine for the two semesters required for publication. Open to all majors. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing. Repeatable once for credit.
3 units

English 134. Speech Writing.
Writing speeches for others. Study of audience, language, persuasion, devices, style. Prerequisite: English 129 or instructor consent.
3 units

English 135. Writing Nonfiction.
Advanced creative writing workshop in literary nonfiction. Study of traditional and contemporary models. Prerequisite: One of the following: English 71, 100W, 105, 129, or instructor consent. Repeatable once for credit.
3 units.

English 137. Writing for Youth.
Advanced creative writing workshop in children's fiction. Study of traditional and contemporary models. Prerequisite: One of the following: English 71, 130, 131, or instructor consent.
3 units

English 139. Visiting Authors Seminar.
Study with authors brought to campus each semester by the Center for Literary Arts.
3 units

English 140A. Old English.
Introduction to the language, with short selections for translation.
3 units.

English 140B. Middle English.
Reading and translation. Authors other than Chaucer, such as Langland and the Pearl Poet.
3 units.

English 141.Medieval English Literature.
Middle English and continental literature, including such forms as the lyric, allegory, narrative, romance, and biblically based drama.
3 units.

English 142. Chaucer.
Chaucer's language and major poetic works. The Legend of Good Women, Canterbury Tales, and Troilus and Cressida.
3 units

English 143. The Age of Elizabeth.
Poetry and prose of the early English Renaissance. Origin and development of English literary genres. Focus on Sidney and Spenser, lyric and narrative poetry of Shakespeare.
3 units

English 144. Shakespeare I.
Major plays such as Twelfth Night, Henry IV, Part I, and Hamlet.
3 units

English 145. Shakespeare & Performance.
Course examines in depth several of Shakespeare's plays, specifically addressing issues of performance. We will discuss each play in the context of its original performance during Shakespeare's time and its life on stage and screen in the ensuing centuries.
Prerequisite: Upper division standing. Repeatable for credit.
3 units Note: offered only in Spring

English 146. The Later English Renaissance.
English poetic forms and prose styles from the accession of James I to the fall of the Commonwealth. Writers may include Donne, Bacon, Wroth, Lanyer, Browne, and Marvell.
3 units.

English 147. Milton.
The man, the thinker, the revolutionary, the poet. English poems, major prose, selected modern criticism.
3 units

English 148. British Literature 1660-1800.
Lord Byron Major writers including Dryden, Behn, Swift, Pope, and Johnson. Repeatable for credit with instructor approval.
3 units

English 149. The Romantic Period.
Writers of English Romanticism such as Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, Keats, Hazlitt, Lamb, and DeQuincey.
3 units

English 150. The Victorian Age.
Study of major authors and poets from 1832 to 1900, tracing changes in philosophy, religion, society, and culture represented in their works.
3 units

English 151. Twentieth-Century Poetry.
Major British and American poets, including writers such as Yeats, Eliot, Pound, Frost, Auden, Stevens, Rich.
3 units

English 152A English Drama to 1642.
Drama and theater in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Marlowe, Jonson, Webster, and other contemporaries and successors of Shakespeare.
3 units

English 152B. English Drama from 1660.
Masterpieces of Restoration and modern drama. 3 units

English 153A. Eighteenth-Century British Novel . Study of the novel as a new literary form expressing psychological and sociological realities of the individual as hero/heroine in 18th-century England. Authors may include Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, Smollett, Sterne, Burney, and Austen.
3 units

English 153B. Nineteenth-Century British Novel.
Study of the novel through the modern period. Novelists may include Shelley, Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, the Brontes, Eliot, Hardy, and Conrad.
3 units

English 154. British & Irish Fiction Since 1900.
Study of British and Irish fiction since 1900. Authors may include Conrad, Forster, Ford, Lawrence, Joyce, Woolf, Lessing, Greene, Fowles, Ishiguro, Byatt, Doyle, O'Brien.
Prerequisites: Upper division standing.
3 units

English 156. Black Women Writers.
See AfAm 156.
3 units

English 161. American Literature to 1830.
Major literary figures of the Colonial, Revolutionary, and post-Colonial periods. In addition to selected translations of non-English materials, readings may include Bradstreet, Wheatley, Rowson, Mather, Cooper, Taylor, and Jefferson.
3 units

English 162. American Literature 1830-1865.
Writers may include Emerson, Douglass, Fuller, Hawthorne, Stowe, Thoreau, Melville, and Whitman.
3 units

English 163. American Literature 1865-1910.
Rise of realism and the seeds of modernism. Writers may include Twain, James, Howells, Dickinson, DuBois, Dunbar, Dreiser, Wharton, Chesnutt, and Chopin.
3 units

English 164. American Literature 1910-1945.
Writers may include Wright, Hurston, Cather, Eliot, Moore, Faulkner, William Carlos Williams, and Gertrude Stein.
3 units.

English 165. African-American Literature.
Writers might include Douglass, Toomer, Wright, Brooks, Ellison, Baldwin, Walker, and Morrison. 3 units

English 166. American Literature Since 1945.
Major works of American literature since 1945, including writers such as Barth, Reed, Kingston, Lowell, Rich, Pynchon, and Ozick.
3 units

English 167. Steinbeck.
Major of John Steinbeck. Use of the Steinbeck Center for research.
3 units

English 168. The American Novel.
Selected American novels from the Revolution to the present.
3 units

English 169. Ethnicity in American Literature.
Major contributors to American literature which reflect ethnic encounters with the wider American culture. Includes prose, poetry, and drama from five major American ethnic groups: African, Asian, Chicano/Hispanic, European, and Native American.
Prerequisite: Completion of Core GE, satisfaction of Writing Skills Test, and upper-division standing.
3 units

English 171. Literature and Nature.
Study of socio-cultural representations of the environment in a variety of literary forms, including poetry, fiction, essays, and scientific discourse.
3 units

English 173A. Correlation of the Arts.
See CA 173A.
No credit in the English major or minor.
3 units

English 173B. 20th Century Creative Arts.
See CA 173B.
3 units

English 174. Literature, Self, and Society.
Study of works of American literature that look at changing definitions of self in relationship to society.
Prerequisite: Completion of Core GE, satisfaction of Writing Skills Test, and upper-division standing.
3 units

English 176. The Short Story.
Analysis and interpretation of selected short stories from the 19th century to the present.
3 units

English 177. Twentieth-Century Fiction.
Novels and short stories as works of art and as expressions of intellectual and social movements. Prerequisite: Completion of Core GE, satisfaction of Writing Skills Test, and upper-division standing.
3 units

English 180. Individual Studies.
By arrangement with instructor and department chair approval. CR/NC grading.
3 units

English 181 Special Topics in Literature.
Significant topics or themes in literature. Focus will vary each semester.
Repeatable for credit.
3 units

English 182. Women in Literature.
Image of women in literature or works of significant women writers.
Repeatable for credit.
3 units

English 183. Major Authors.
One major author's works. Author changes each semester.
Repeatable for credit.
3 units

English 184. Directed Reading.
For upper-division students with special objectives. Prerequisite: Instructor and department chair approval. CR/NC grading.
Repeatable for credit.
3 units

English 190. Honors Colloquium.
Selected topics.
Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing, 3.5 GPA, 3.0 overall GPS and admission to departmental honors program.
3 units Note: offered only in Fall

English 191. Senior Honors Colloquium.
Individual tutorial with a faculty member.
Prerequisite: Senior standing, 3.5 GPA, 3.0 overall GPS and admission to departmental honors program.
3 units

English 193. Senior Seminar. (Offered every semester)
Culminating course for majors, requiring students to reflect on experiences in the major. Readings and discussions focus on literature and self-reflection. Each student submits a Portfolio of writing from at least five courses taken in major. Written work for seminar is added to portfolio.
3 units

English 195. Senior Seminar in Literary Theories.
Capstone course for English majors. Examines such topics as the nature of literature, theories of interpretation, problems of evaluation, and the history and politics of reception and canon formation.
Prerequisite: English major with senior or graduate standing.
3 units

English 199. Writing Internship.
Internship at a local industry, publisher, arts or public agency.
Prerequisite: Approval of advisor or chair.
3 units