English (B.A.)
A liberal arts degree in English opens doors to a vast number of career opportunities. Through the study of a wide variety of literary materials, English majors deepen their understanding of history, culture, language, and human behavior. They also gain skill in writing, reading, and critical thinking. These skills are transferable to an array of occupations including administration, public relations, law, journalism, publishing, and education.
The faculty of the UNH Manchester English department specializes in 20th century poetry, poetry writing, women’s literary traditions, American literary folklore, New England culture, protest literature, nature writers, American and British fiction, Victorian literature and art, Renaissance drama, interdisciplinary studies, composition, journalism, grammar, and connections between American literature and American music.
Many upper-level courses are conducted as seminars, and individual conferences with professors are common. When possible, field trips to see local performances of drama and poetry readings are planned in conjunction with specific literature courses.
For more information about the English program, contact Susanne Paterson, program coordinator, (603) 641-4115, e-mail sfp@cisunix.unh.edu. Or contact the UNH Manchester Office of Admissions at (603) 641-4150, e-mail unhm.admissions@unh.edu.
For the English major at UNH Manchester, students must complete a minimum of 128 credits and satisfy the University’s Discovery Program and foreign language requirements and a minimum of 40 credits in major coursework. Introduction to Critical Analysis (ENGL 419) must be completed with a grade of C or better. Except for ENGL 419, all courses must be completed with a grade of C- or above in order to count toward the English major.
Major requirements include ENGL 419, two 500-level courses, six courses numbered 600 or above, one course numbered 500 or above, and, of these, one course which qualifies as a diversity offering, with an overall grade-point average in the major of 2.0 or better. The capstone will be Senior Seminar, ENGL 787. In selecting these courses, students must meet the following distribution requirements:
- ENGL 419, Introduction to Critical Analysis, or ENGL 529, Writing About Literature
- Literature before 1800: Either two advanced courses (numbered 600 or above), or one advanced course and ENGL 512 or 513
- Literature after 1800: Either two advanced courses, or one advanced course and one course from the following list: ENGL 514, 515, or 516
- Total English courses must include ENGL 419, two 500 level courses, six courses numbered 600 and above, one course numbered 500 level and above, and, of these, one must include a diversity course
A typical first-year program in the first semester consists of Freshman English and three Discovery Program requirements or electives. In the second semester, the student typically would take Introduction to Critical Analysis, an introductory literature course, and two Discovery Program requirements or electives.
Writing Focus for English Majors
The English department offers a writing focus for English majors interested in creative or other specialized types of writing. Students who might be interested include students with an interest in graduate school in English or writing; students thinking about teaching and teaching writing; students considering law school or journalism training; students looking for careers in marketing and advertising; students wanting to write for corporate in-house publications; students thinking about freelance writing for magazines; and students who enjoy creative writing.
Four of the following nine courses are required. Students should take at least one 500-level course before taking 600- and 700-level courses.
English 501, Creative Non-Fiction
English 502, Technical Writing
English 503, Persuasive Writing
English 623, Essay Writing
English 625/626, Writing Fiction
English 627/628, Writing Poetry
English 710, Teaching Writing
Special Studies in Writing courses will be offered on an occasional basis.
English Minor
For the English minor at UNH Manchester, students must complete 20 credits with a minimum 2.0 average in these courses overall and with no individual grade lower than a C-.
Two (2) English courses must be taken at the 500 level and three (3) courses must be taken at the 600 or 700 level.
For more information contact Deborah Brown, English Minor Supervisor, at 603-641-4126.
Susanne Paterson
Program Coordinator and Professor
English Program
Humanities Division
University Center
603-641-4115
sfp@unh.edu
Deborah Brown
Professor of English
English Program
Humanities Division
University Center
603-641-4126
dbrown@unh.edu
Gail Fensom
Assistant Professor of English & Director of the First-Year Writing Program
English Program
Humanities Division
University Center
603-641-4162
gar@unh.edu
Susan Walsh
Interim Division Chair and Associate Professor
English Program
Humanities Division
University Center
603-641-4105
sawalsh@unh.edu
Robert Michael Pugh
Senior Lecturer in English and ESOL
Center for Academic Enrichment
English Program
Humanities Division
University Center
603-641-4155
rp@unh.edu
Click on each course title to read the full description. For all courses offered at our campus, click here
ENGL 400 - English as a Second Language
Improves the competence of foreign students in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Recommended as preparation for ENGL 401. May be repeated up to a total of 16 cr. Writing intensive. Special fee. Cr/F.
Credits: 1-1
ENGL 401 - Freshman English
Training to write more skillfully and to read with more appreciation and discernment. Frequent individual conferences for every student. Special fee. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 401A - Freshman English for English as a Second Language Students
A special section of Freshman English for students whose native language is not English. Training to write more skillfully and to read with more appreciation and discernment, with special attention to the problems of non-native speakers of English. Supplemental work on listening and speaking as necessary. Frequent individual conferences for every student. Students may not take both ENGL 401 and 401A for credit. Special fee. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 419 - Introduction to Critical Analysis
Critical analysis of fiction, poetry, and drama. Frequent short papers. This course, or 529, is a prerequisite with a minimum grade of C for those intending to declare an English major. Students may not take both ENGL 519 and 529 for credit. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 500 - Writing about Reading: Writing about Nonfiction
Emphasis on close reading of a variety of nonfiction sources and on intensive writing to develop interpretive skills. Prereq: ENGL 401 or permission. Special fee. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 501 - Introduction to Creative Nonfiction
A writing course that explores types of creative nonfiction such as nature writing, the profile, the memoir, and the personal essay. Extensive reading of contemporary authors to study the sources and techniques used in creative nonfiction. Regular papers, conferences, and workshops. Special fee. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 503 - Persuasive Writing
Writing of all types of persuasive nonfiction prose, including argumentative essays and position papers. Special attention to argumentative structures and analysis of audiences. Weekly papers of varying lengths and formats, frequent conferences. Special fee. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 511 - Major Writers in English
In-depth study and discussion of a few American and/or British writers. Topics and approaches vary depending on instructors. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 512 - The Nature Writers
Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction books on the natural environment. Such books as Thoreau's Walden or Maine Woods, Leopold's Sand County Almanac, Beston's Outermost House, Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek—books by naturalists who observe nature vividly and knowingly and who write out of their concern for the environment. Writing intensive
Credits: 4
ENGL 513-514 - Survey of British Literature
Selected works in poetry and prose considered in chronological order and historical context. Attention to the works and to the ideas and tastes of their periods. 513: Beowulf through 18th century. 514: 1800 to the present. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 515 - Survey of American Literature
From the beginning of American literature to the Civil War.
Credits: 4
ENGL 516 - Survey of American Literature
From the Civil War to the present. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 517 - Introduction to African American Literature and Culture
An introduction to African American literature in the context of a variety of cultural perspectives. Course topics may include: major writers, literary genres, historical periods, Harlem Renaissance, Black Arts Movement, fine and folk arts, religion, music, and film. (Also offered as AMST 502.) Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 526 - Beginning Fiction Writing: From Personal Experience to Fiction
Introduction to aspects of fiction writing.: Specific detail, description, point of view, tense, dialogue, the arc of the story, showing versus telling, structure, and an understanding of how voice and language can be powerful tools in constructing a story. As writers learn to shape their personal experiences into narratives, fictional aspects will be nudged forward. Frequent in class exercises, reading responses and revisions. Prereq: ENGL 401. Special fee. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 531 - Introduction to Drama
Course introduces students to the art of drama, using a variety of plays and film adaptations of plays from America and Britain, as well as English translations of European plays. We will study tragedies and comedies, contemporary, modern, and period plays. Particular focus on the development of techniques and themes of the dramas, and how these translate onto the stage or screen. Writing Intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 581 - Introduction to Postcolonial Literatures in English
Survey of contemporary Asian, African, and Caribbean fiction, drama, nonfiction, film, and poetry from the 1950s to the present. Introduces the political, cultural, and historical contexts within which these literary forms are produced. Key questions to be explored: What does it mean to be "colonized" and to be a "colonizer"? How are identities and values determined and maintained under colonial and postcolonial conditions? What effects do colonization and independence have on the traditions and relationships that define reality, freedom, family, gender, and community? How does this literature portray the ideas and feelings of alienation, belonging, and "home"?
Meets the Diversity requirement for the English Major
Credits: 4
ENGL 595 - Literary Topics
Various faculty members investigate topics of special interest at a level appropriate for non-majors. Past topics have included Irish literature, animals in literature, and literature of the Vietnam War. See department for details of current offerings. Writing intensive.
Credits: 1-4
ENGL 608 - Arts and American Society: Women Writers & Artists 1850-Present
Team-taught course studying the impact of gender definitions on the lives and works of selected American artists. Considers lesser-known figures such as Fannie Fern, Lilly Martin Spencer, and Mary Hallock Foote as well as better-known artists such as Willa Cather and Georgia O’Keeffe. Prereq: permission or one of the following: WS 401, HIST 566, ENGL 585, 586, 685, 785, or a 600- level art history course. (Also offered as ARTS 608, HIST 608, and HUMA 608.) Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 619 - Critical Approaches Literature
Selected methods of literary criticism applied to fiction, poetry, and/or drama with critical approaches varying from year to year. A follow-up of 519, course provides a second semester of training in critical reading and writing, and examining such major modern strategies as formalist, biographical, archetypal, psychological, sociological, historical, feminist, and structuralist criticism. Prereq: ENGL 519, 529, or equivalent. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 623 - Creative Nonfiction
Intensive writing course emphasizing the blend of basic elements that constitute creative nonfiction: research, observation, and personal experience. Also readings and discussion of some of the best published creative nonfiction. Prereq: B or better in ENGL 501 and written permission of the instructor. May be repeated for credit with approval of the journalism director. Special fee. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 627-628 - Writing Poetry
Workshop in the fundamental techniques of poetry writing. Class discussion and criticism of poems written by students. Individual conferences with instructor. Prereq: ENGL 501 or equivalent. Written permission of instructor required for registration. May be repeated for credit with the approval of the department chairperson. Special fee. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 632 - Fiction
Modern novels and/or short stories. The way in which fiction communicates its meanings; the tools and methods at the fiction writer's disposal, primarily as they function in individual works. See course descriptions available in department office for further information. (Not offered each semester.) Writing Intensive
Credits: 4
ENGL 650 - Studies in American Literature and Culture
Special topics in American studies, varying from year to year. (Not offered every year.) Writing intensive
Credits: 4
ENGL 657 - Shakespeare
Ten major plays representative of the main periods of Shakespeare's career and the main types of drama which he wrote (tragedy, comedy, history). Live and filmed performances included as available. Restricted to undergraduates and designed for both English majors and students majoring in other fields. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 685 - Women's Literary Traditions
Intensive study of themes, topics, and techniques in women's literature. Topics vary from year to year. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 710 - Teaching Writing
Introduction to various methods of teaching writing. Combines a review of theories, methods, and texts with direct observation of teaching practice. Writing intensive.
Credits: 2/4
ENGL 716 - Curriculum, Materials, and Assessments in English as a Second Language
How do curriculum, materials, and assessment work together to inform good teaching of English language learners? This course addresses this guiding question through analysis and practical application of issues in and principles of ESOL curriculum and assessment design and implementation. State and national assessment policies and practices are also addressed.
Credits: 4
ENGL 742 - American Literature, 1815-1865
Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in the period of romanticism, transcendentalism, nationalism. Individual works and cultural background. (Not offered every year.) Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 743 - American Literature, 1865-1915
Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in the period of realism, naturalism, industrialism, big money. Individual works and cultural background. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 744 - American Literature, 1915-1945
Fiction, poetry, and drama in the period of avant-garde and leftism, jazz age, and Depression. Individual works and cultural background. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 745 - Contemporary American Literature
A gathering of forms, figures, and movements since 1945. Individual works and cultural background. Writing intensive
Credits: 4
ENGL 750 - Special Studies/American Literature
Topics vary from year to year. Examples: the Puritan heritage, ethnic literatures in America, landscape in American literature, five American lives, pragmatism, American humor, transcendentalism, women regionalists. May be repeated for credit, barring duplication of topic. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 768 - Literature of the Later Eighteenth Century
Poetry, drama, fiction, letters, journals, essays, and biography from the period that culminated in the American and French Revolutions. Works by such figures as Henry Fielding, Samuel Johnson, Frances Burney, Laurence Sterne, William Blake, and Mary Wollstonecraft studied in historical context. Examples from the colonial world and the continent (in translation) when appropriate. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 771 - English Victorian Period
The English Victorian Period-Fiction, nonfiction and poetry from 1832-1900. Money, Science, and Love. Authors include the Bronte's, Dickens, Hardy, Wilde, Tennyson. (Not offered every year.) Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 772 - English Victorian Period
Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from 1870-1900. The social conflicts created by gender politics and imperial expansion, with particular emphasis on aesthetics and gothic horror. Thomas Hardy, Oscar Wilde, R.L. Stevenson, Bram Stoker. (Not offered every year.) Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 773-774 - British Literature of the 20th Century
Poets and novelists of the modernist and post-modernist periods. 773: W. B. Yeats, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, E. M. Forster, D. H. Lawrence, and other modernists. 774: a selection of postmodernist or contemporary writers, such as William Golding, Doris Lessing, John Fowles, Philip Larkin, Seamus Heaney, Margaret Drabble, and others. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 791 - English Grammar
Survey of the grammar of English (pronunciation, vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation, dialect variation, historical change) with special attention to the distinction between descriptive and prescriptive grammar and to the problems students have with formal expository writing. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 792 - Teaching Secondary School English
Methods of teaching language, composition, and literature in grades 7-12. Required of all students in the English teaching major. Open to others with permission. Writing intensive.
Credits: 4
ENGL 795 - Independent Study
Open to highly qualified juniors and seniors. To be elected only with permission of the department chairperson and of the supervising faculty member or members. Barring duplication of subject, may be repeated for credit up to a maximum of 16 credits. Writing intensive.
Credits: 1-1
ENGL 800 - Studies in Literature
Students in the MAT, MEd, and MST programs, as well as non-degree students, can register for graduate course work in English under this number. The precise topics and focus of each section vary. Topics include Old English Literature, Medieval Literature, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, English Romantic Period, Victorian Period, 20th and 21st Century, Drama, Novel, Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, A Literary Problem, Literature of the Renaissance, Postcolonial Literature, 20th to 21st Century American Literature. Barring duplication of subject, may be repeated for credit. Note: Students in the MA and PhD programs in English may not take English 800 for credit toward their degrees. English 800 will only be offered on the Manchester campus.
ENGL 816 - Curriculum, Materials, and Assessments in English as a Second Language
How do curriculum, materials, and assessment work together to inform good teaching of English language learners? This course addresses this guiding question through analysis and practical application of issues in and principles of ESOL curriculum and assessment design and implementation. State and national assessment policies and practices are also addressed.
Credits: 4
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Program Coordinator
Susanne Paterson
Program Coordinator and Professor
