Liberal Arts A.A. Degree with English Options The English Department values the ability of literature to enrich our lives. Our electives foster deep engagement with texts and the ability to use writing as a creative, flexible tool. As such, the English Department offers three Options as part of the A.A. Degree in Liberal Arts. I. Style, Story, and Expression Option How do writers build stories? How does the style of a poem shape its meaning? What is the difference between reading words on a page and hearing them performed on stage? How do texts talk to each other across historical periods and cultures? Why are comic books, popular music, and movies worthy of serious attention? The English Option in Style, Story, and Expression invites students to explore the multitude of ways that writers tell stories. By studying a variety of literary genres, students will gain deeper insight into how and why we read literature. This Option emphasizes the pleasure of reading while teaching students to analyze literature at a more advanced level. This Option prepares students for further studies in English upon transfer to a four-year college. Further, this Option emphasizes skills valued in the professional workplace including thoughtful reading, careful attention to detail, openness to different perspectives, imaginative thinking, evidence-based reasoning, deep analysis, and advanced research methods. This empowers students to be effective communicators in a number of disciplines, including literature, film, media studies, visual art, philosophy. It also prepares students for further studies in career fields including translation, education, publishing, and the law. Students will take four courses for a total of twelve credits: Two of the following foundational courses: ENG 203 Creative Writing Workshop OR ENG 204 Creative Non-Fiction ENG 210 Studies in Fiction ENG 212 Studies in Drama ENG 214 Readings in Poetry ENG 213 Shakespeare ENG 215 The Bible and Literature Two of the following specialized courses: ENG 211 Modern American Novel ENG 221 Introduction to Children’s Literature ENG 226 Literature of Science Fiction ENG 237 Reading Film ENG 240 The Graphic Novel ENG 242 Writing about Music ENG 251 Female Detective Novel II. Writing Studies Option How does writing become persuasive? What is the relationship between writing and thinking? People write more than ever in the digital age. Successful communication, especially in writing, is foundational for virtually all professions and college degrees. A person’s writing also impacts how they are perceived by society, and by potential employers. Even basic communication is crafted and influenced by personal and cultural experiences. In this Option, students practice the foundations and features of powerful and diverse types of writing. In addition to critically examining different types of writing, this Option empowers students to be effective communicators in a number of different styles. The robust Writing Studies Option prepares students for all types of careers and degrees as they move forward with their professional progress. The technical and written expertise in many of the included courses will benefit students, including STEM majors of all types, future engineers, nurses, business administrators, social scientists, and those whose passion lies in the arts. Students must take four of the following courses for a total of twelve credits: Choose 3 of the following courses for a total of nine credits: DD 102 Media Design in the Digital Age ENG 202 Technical Writing ENG 203 Creative Writing Workshop ENG 204 Creative Non-Fiction BUS 203 Business Communication ENG 238 Tutoring Writing ENG 242 Writing about Music Choose an additional English Elective from ENG 210-251 excluding ENG 238 and ENG 242 for a total of three credits. III. Literature and the Human Experience Option Literature cultivates empathy, builds bridges across human experience, and helps us to reflect on our own identities. Literature helps us to better understand who we are and the factors that shape our society. Studying a variety of texts across cultures and historical periods allows us to explore universal human themes such as identity, community, justice, and faith. This suite of courses will provide insight into our understanding of the human experience and will invite students to consider diverse and sometimes conflicting literary representations of our world. The courses in this Option prepares students for further studies in English upon transfer to a four-year college. Studying literature in this context will also lead to an enriched perspective on courses in sociology, psychology, political science, history, and cultural studies. This Option emphasizes skills valued in the professional workplace including thoughtful reading, careful attention to detail, openness to different perspectives, imaginative thinking, evidence-based reasoning, deep analysis, and advanced research methods. As such, it also prepares students for further studies in career fields including translation, education, publishing, and the law. Students will choose four of the following courses for a total of twelve credits: BLS 125: The Harlem Renaissance WGS 203: Women and Religious Experiences ENG 213 Shakespeare ENG 215 The Bible and Literature ENG 216 Holocaust Literature ENG 221 Introduction to Children’s Literature ENG 222 Latin American Literature in Translation ENG 223 Women in Literature ENG 224 Literature and Psychology ENG 225 Literature of the Black American ENG 227 Literature and Aging ENG 228 Literature and Illness ENG 230 Language, Culture and Society ENG 239 The Nation in Global Literature LAC 246: Latino/Latina Literature in the United States