English Courses Spring 2025

Body

Spring 2025 English Classes Offered 
 

  • 200 Issues in Literary Theory                          T/Th 11:40 - 12:55pm      Emily Klein 
    • Do you love analyzing books, plays, poems & movies? Do you see all the layers and levels that other people miss? Do you make connections between themes and patterns in popular culture? Well, then literary studies might be right for you! English 200 is an introduction to the disciplinary concerns relevant to the study of English and American literature. Through readings in theory and literature, viewing plays and films, participating in class discussion, and, of course, writing, students engage with the following topics: diverse interpretive approaches, the role of the reader, canon formation, and understanding contemporary trends in the critical analysis of literature and culture. 
      • Pre-req: English 100. Students who score 4 and above on both the AP Literature and AP Language exam can have English 100 waived and can start with English 200!
      • This course satisfies the Core: Arts and Humanities analysis. 

         
  • 316 Science Fiction                                         MWF 12:05 - 1:10pm     Robert Gorsch 
    • From Another World! This course will study the development of “science fiction” – in pulp magazines, comics, radio, hardcover and paperback books, movies, and television—during the past century.  Science fiction, as the exploration of possible futures, has outgrown its origin in magazines addressed to “nerds” and proto-scientists to become one of the dominant influences in contemporary American culture.

       
  • 320 Am. Ethnic Writers: Native American Literature        M/W 3:20 - 5:00pm    Sheila Hughes
    • Native American literature. We’ll consider some key historical texts and contexts to provide grounding for our primary focus on contemporary works (fiction, nonfiction, and poetry), with an emphasis on women writers. Important themes include: the interplay between oral traditions and literary texts; relations to the land and land rights; the impacts of settler-colonialism and missionization; spiritual traditions and practices; gender identities and roles; and the navigation of cultural memory and intergenerational trauma. The course aims to promote awareness of Indigenous experiences and perspectives in the US and to cultivate understanding of and appreciation for Native American writers’ literary voices and their contributions to contemporary discourse on culture, identity, and social justice.

       
  • 342 Shakespeare                                          T/Th 9:50 - 11:30am     Hilda Ma
    • Step into the vibrant world of Shakespeare, where timeless tales meet the pulse of contemporary life! We will study Shakespeare’s plays in their sociohistorical context and as dynamic works that resonate with our own experiences. Our study will be enhanced by exploring questions about dramaturgy while examining film adaptations of the Bard’s work. In doing so, we will discover together what makes this body of literature so special and timeless.
      • This course fulfills the Pre-1800 requirement for English and Arts & Humanities Analysis for the Core Curriculum.

         
  • 386 Postcolonial Literary Theory                  MWF 9:15 - 10:20am     Yin Yuan
    • Postcolonial East Asia. East Asia is not typically included in classical postcolonial studies. What accounts for this gap, and what are its implications? This course begins with an introduction to foundational postcolonial texts by Frantz Fanon, Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, Homi Bhabha, and others. After situating ourselves within these frameworks, the course pivots to consider how China, Hong Kong, and Korea problematize the assumptions about nativism, language, and East-West binary that sometimes undergird traditional postcolonial paradigms. By investigating various forms and spheres of “postcoloniality,” we come to contend with the tensions within the concept itself--the different types of encounters “postcolonialism” articulates, the shifting power dynamics that come into play--and how attention to these tensions can alert us to the ways in which our own activity as cultural critics accrue privilege and power. 
      • Pre-Req English 200.
         
         
  • 496 Capstone in English                              T/Th 1:30 - 3:10pm        Molly Metherd 
    • The final step in your English degree. The English department capstone seminar invites seniors to synthesize their four years of literary studies in a semester-long research project. In this course, we will engage in advanced theoretical discussions, intensive peer workshops, in-depth research tutorials and one-on-one mentoring. Students will also engage in career development activities to help them transition to the workforce after graduation.
      • This course fulfills the core: Writing in the Disciplines WID requirement
      • Pre-Req English 200

         
  • Theatre 312: Theatre and American Culture      T/Th 10:05 - 11:20am       Emily Klein 
    • Where performance and culture intersect. By studying the contributions of theatre and performance artists, this course addresses the shared cultural legacies of the United States. The theory of intersectionality is used to examine the ways that gender, sexual orientation, race, class, religious affiliation, and physical ability impact individual and collective identities. While increasing their awareness of major contemporary artists, students also use theoretical models from the theatre to explore social issues and individual experiences.
      • This course fulfills the core: Arts AnalysisACP, and IPE. and counts as English Drama/Film Track Credit and English BA credit.
         

For Creative Writing Courses please click this link https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/academics/liberal-arts/creative-writing/creative-writing-courses