General Description

of the English Department

Central College, Pella, Iowa

Statement of Purpose

English studies at Central College is concerned with both the interpretation and production of a variety of texts. The discipline provides students with a range of critical approaches to reading the world of words--literary and non-literary texts alike--and it offers formal instruction in various kinds of writing: poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. The English department is keenly interested in developing the intellectual potential of all majors; students are encouraged to be critically engaged with texts and with the classroom audience by writing and speaking perceptively and persuasively. The department offers a thorough and flexible curriculum of English courses which prepares students for graduate and professional schools, for high school and elementary school teaching, for teaching English as a second language, and for the business world. Most important, English majors are prepared to be culturally informed and critically conscious citizens.

The Curriculum

English majors usually begin with a series of courses which survey English and American literature, but the curriculum is not entirely Euro-centric; students are encouraged to take world literature, modern Asian novel, and post-colonial literature. Students must take courses which feature major authors such as Shakespeare, Milton, and Chaucer; or major topics and fields, such as literary criticism, film and literature, and linguistics; or major genre studies such as drama, poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Students also support their English majors with courses such as history and philosophy, and they pursue competency in a modern foreign language.

All majors are expected to take the senior seminar, a capstone experience for the major which usually features a detailed look at the work of a single author. Recent seminars have focused on such major figures as Walt Whitman, James Joyce, Herman Melville, W.B.Yeats, and Flannery O'Connor. In the seminar, students read both primary and secondary texts to discover an approach which illuminates the author. All students then present their understanding to the class in an extended essay and an oral presentation. Because the seminar focuses on critical reading, learning appropriate searching strategies for the humanities, and the making of meaning, it is a valuable experience for students going to graduate school as well as for those going into other fields of work.

Writing is likewise an essential part of the English program at Central College, and students are encouraged to take as many writing courses as they can to give them experience working with a variety of genres and to help them develop rhetorical facility. We recommend non-fiction writing or short story writing; students may also choose writing courses as diverse as technical writing and poetry writing, and courses as broad as news writing and editing, and travel writing. We offer a practicum in technical writing which places students in local companies, service agencies, and other organizations, and a variety of internships for those wanting a more intensive experience in professional writing. Students who are interested in pursuing a career path or graduate program in writing will find many opportunities for developing their writing abilities.

Typically, a third of our graduates go to graduate or professional school, a third go into high school teaching, and another third find places in the business world.

Teaching style

Although the English Department contains a variety of teaching styles and personalities, in general our classrooms are interactive rather than passive, and our teaching style is invitational. We value vigorous class discussion, small group work, student presentations, and especially individual conferences for papers in order to engage students fully. Most of our classes are small enough to encourage discussion, and our writing courses are limited to 20 so that we can respond to papers more effectively either in a workshop setting or individually.

Independent study

The scope for studying independently with a professor is limited only by a student's imagination and time. Many upper level students find it challenging and exhilarating to propose a course of study that extends a topic or question beyond what is covered in the classroom. Study of this kind involves working with a professor to develop a specific plan for reading and writing and a procedure for evaluation. Some recent independent studies have included literary criticism, poetry writing, and travel writing.