Mission, Outcomes and Assessment

Undergraduate Program

Mission Statement

The undergraduate English program prepares students to become innovative professionals and global citizens by teaching them to read closely and critically, write creatively and persuasively and explore the beauty and value of diverse literatures and cultures.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the English B.A. program, students will be able to:

1. Analyze texts closely and critically, using key literary terms and concepts to interpret how the specific elements of a text contribute to its larger meanings (Textual Analysis; BOR Cross-Curricular Skills: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Integrative Learning).
2. Identify significant texts, authors, periods, movements, genres, theories and modes from literary history, recognizing how literary texts both reflect and shape historical contexts, aesthetic values and cultural ideals (Literary History; BOR Cross-Curricular Skills: Inquiry and Analysis; Integrative Learning).
3. Apply key theoretical ideas, concepts and methodologies to the reading and writing of texts (Theory; BOR Cross-Curricular Skills: Critical and Creative Thinking; Integrative Learning).
4. Write argumentative, creative and reflective texts that demonstrate focus, content, structure, evidence, style and grammar appropriate to their rhetorical contexts (BOR Cross-Curricular Skills: Critical and Creative Thinking; Integrative Learning).
5. Conduct scholarly research that incorporates the use of library resources and discipline-specific databases; the evaluation and integration of secondary sources; and the documentation of primary and secondary sources using MLA style (Research; BOR Cross-Curricular Skills: Information Literacy; Inquiry and Analysis).
6. Explain how literature both reflects and enriches the diversity of human experience through its exploration of the ways in which race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, ability and class shape identity and influence perception (Diversity; BOR Cross-Curricular Skills: Critical and Creative Thinking; Inquiry and Analysis; Integrative Learning; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity).

Graduate Program

Mission Statement

The English M.A program prepares students for professional careers or further graduate study by developing their capacity to analyze texts, conduct research, apply theory and write creatively and critically.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the English M.A. program, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an advanced ability to analyze and interpret literary and cultural texts (Textual Analysis).
2. Examine significant texts, authors, periods, movements, genres, theories and modes from literary history, interpreting the relationship between texts and their historical, aesthetic, cultural and ideological contexts (Literary History).
3. Compose sophisticated argumentative, creative and reflective texts that demonstrate focus, content, structure, evidence, style and grammar appropriate to their rhetorical contexts (Writing).
4. Demonstrate an advanced ability to apply theoretical concepts to the writing and analysis of texts (Theory).
5. Produce original research that advances knowledge within the discipline; generate questions for scholarly inquiry; identify its methodological and theoretical foundations; employ library resources and discipline-specific databases; evaluate and integrate secondary criticism; and document sources using MLA style (Research).
6. Explain how literature both reflects and enriches the diversity of human experience through its exploration of the ways in which race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, ability and class shape identity and influence perception (Diversity).
7. Deliver instruction that demonstrates a growing mastery of course content (cultural analysis, rhetoric, grammar and research) and increasing skill in helping students of varying abilities improve their cultural awareness, critical acumen, reading comprehension and writing competence (Teaching; graduate teaching assistants only).