English

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The English Department encourages the study of the historical and cultural contexts of literature and language, the aesthetic pleasures and values of texts and writing, and the variety of voices and experiences represented in global literary traditions. Our faculty also believes that acquiring superior reading, writing, and research skills is essential to a liberal arts education, and they will provide the individual mentoring that will help you reach your potential.

Why study English at The College of Idaho?

The English minors and majors are designed for the student who has interest in the formal study of literature as a form of cultural expression and in practicing literary research methods. The study of literature involves exploring the ways in which literature shapes and influences culture, the socio-cultural and historical contexts of literature, the politics of canonicity, the cultural assumptions that readers bring to texts, and major literary traditions and literary-theoretical perspectives.

Within the department, students may pursue their individual interests in literature, creative writing, and journalism. The Literature in English major offers study in the areas of American, British, and postcolonial literature. The Creative Writing major features coursework in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and journalism. It is designed for any student with a serious interest in writing, including those who wish to enter a Master of Fine Arts program. Students also can choose to study journalism, a minor which prepares students for an evolving field in which broadcast, print, and online journalism overlap more than ever. The Creative Writing focus is designed for the student who has interest in developing skills as a creative writer (in fiction, poetry, and/or creative nonfiction) and in pursuing the formal study of literature as a form of cultural expression. The study of creative writing involves producing original works of creative writing in more than one genre, exploring major literary traditions and literary-theoretical perspectives, examining the ways in which literature shapes and influences culture, recognizing the socio-cultural and historical contexts of literature, and examining one's own socio-cultural position as a writer.

In addition to the regular curriculum, The College of Idaho students can practice and develop their skills through independent studies and creative projects, internships with local businesses and agencies, work for the student-run college newspaper and literary magazine, and research with faculty. Interdisciplinary courses, off-campus study programs, and opportunities to work with professional writers enrich the study of literature and creative writing at The College of Idaho.

English courses at the College of Idaho

The English Department offers a wide range of courses including the following:

200-level Introduction to Literary Studies courses

• in-depth study of a theme or topic through the lens of literature
• an introduction to some of the basic elements of literary analysis (such as plot, setting, point of view, form, genre, rhetoric, style, tone, technique, and metaphor)
• an introduction to the benefits of close reading
• an introduction to the notion that there are multiple interpretive frameworks for understanding literature
• opportunities for students to practice literary analysis through assignments and class discussions

200-level Creative Writing workshops

• in-depth study of a thme or topic through the lens of literature and craft of writing, with an ephasis on imitation and the application of learned techniques
• an introduction to some of the basic elements of literary analysis (such as plot, setting, point of view, form, genre, rhetoric, style, tone, technique, and metaphor)
• an introduction to the notion that there are multiple interpretive frameworks for understanding literature and writing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction
• opportunities for students to practice the crafting of literary works through assignments, class discussions, and workshop

300-level Literature seminars

• an intense inquiry into and substantial engagement with a body of literature or the work of a particular author(s)
• practice applying theoretical approaches to literary study
• emphasis on the benefits of close reading and sustained critical analysis of specific elements
• consideration of the rich value of literature, both as a form of human expression and as a type of cultural production
• familiarization with research processses and composing original scholarship

300-level Creative Writing workshops

• an intense inquiry into and substantial engagement with a body of literature or the work of particular authors with emphasis on the drafting and techniques of creative writing
• emphasis on the benefits of close reading and sustained critical analysis of specific elements of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction
• consideration of the rich value of literature, both as a form of human expression and as a type of cultural production
• the practice of the crafting of literary works within the context of critical cultural production through reading, drafting, revising, and workshopping

Career Opportunities for C of I English Students

Studying literature and writing prepares one to be a skilled, learned, and critically astute reader and thinker who can find success in many fields. The communication and analytical skills developed by English students are critical to successful careers in creative and professional writing, including teaching, social work, business, journalism, law, library and information professions, politics and development, and many other fields of work.