Department of English and Philosophy
Chair and Associate Professor: Engebretsen
Director of Philosophy and Professor: Wahl
Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor: A. Johnson
Director of American Studies Program and Professor: J. Attebery
Professors: B. Attebery, Baergen, Levenson, Schmidt, Swetnam, Westphal
Associate Professors: S. Adkison, Hellwig, M. Johnson, Klein, Launspach, Montgomery, Skidmore, Whitaker, Winston
Assistant Professors: J. Adkison, Goslee, Norman, Shutters, Wolter
Visiting Assistant Professor: Pelletti
Senior Lecturers: Flanigan, Norton, Person, Pfister
Lecturers: Donovan, Raymond
Associate Lecturers: Maughan, McCurdy
Assistant Lecturers: Blair, Dodd, Eckert, Hall, Hulet, S. Johnson, Lattin, Reedy, Schultz
Adjunct Faculty: Graham, J.H. Levenson, Keezer, Morris, Studebaker
Emeriti: Cantrill, Goldbeck, Huck, Jacob, Jensen, Kijinski, K. King, W. King, Mullin, Myers, Schow, Smith, Tate, D. Walsh, M. E. Walsh
See Faculty Information
See Departmental Overview
See Department Web Page
See Degree Options in English
See Minors in English
See English Courses
See Associate of Arts in English
See Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
See Minors in Philosophy
See Philosophy Courses
Departmental Overview
The Department of English and Philosophy offers broad curricula in two humanistic disciplines. English studies include courses that treat the nature of language, courses that explore human experience as represented in imaginative literature, and courses that develop general and specialized writing skills. The philosophy curriculum examines such topics as the nature of reality and being, the ways that knowledge is acquired, and the bases for ethical choices.
These curricula serve two broad purposes: 1) they contribute to the general education, the personal enrichment and fulfillment, of students in all disciplines, and 2) they lead to degrees with majors or minors. Specifically, the department offers the A.A., B.A., M.A., and D.A. in English, and the B.A. in philosophy. (Full descriptions of the graduate degree programs in English may be found in the Graduate Catalog.)
Equipped with an undergraduate degree in either English or philosophy, students are prepared to enter graduate degree programs, to pursue training in such professions as medicine, law, or religion, or to embark upon a great variety of careers in government/business/industry that demand broad, liberal arts perspectives and strong observational, fact-finding, analytical, and communication skills. Additionally, English majors (with proper certification) are well prepared for careers in secondary education.
Bachelor of Arts In English
Students who wish to major in English will select the General Option, Professional Writing Option, or Creative Writing Option. Each option requires completion of 45 semester hours as specified (excluding lower division composition courses—ENGL 90, 101, 103, 105, 102).
Option 1_General
Category I—Literature (27 credits)Required:
ENGL 211 Introduction to Literary Analysis 3 crPlus two courses from the following, one of which must be from 267/268 or 277/278:
ENGL 491 Senior Seminar 3 crENGL 257 Survey of World Literature I 3 crPlus one course from the following:
ENGL 258 Survey of World Literature II 3 cr
ENGL 267 Survey of English Literature I 3 cr
ENGL 268 Survey of English Literature II 3 cr
ENGL 277 Survey of American Literature I 3 cr
ENGL 278 Survey of American Literature II 3 crENGL 321 Genre Studies in Drama 3 crPlus two courses from the following:
ENGL 322 Genre Studies in Poetry 3 cr
ENGL 323 Genre Studies in Prose Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 324 Genre Studies in Prose Non-Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 327 Special Topics in Genre 3 crENGL g461 Classical Literature 3 crPlus one course from the following:
ENGL g462 Medieval Literature 3 cr
ENGL g463 Renaissance Literature 3 cr
ENGL g464 Seventeenth-Century Literature 3 cr
ENGL g465 Eighteenth-Century Literature 3 cr
ENGL g466 Early Nineteenth-Century Literature 3 cr
ENGL g467 Late Nineteenth-Century Literature 3 cr
ENGL g468 Early Twentieth-Century Literature 3 cr
ENGL g469 Contemporary Literature 3 crENGL g472 Proseminar in a Major Literary Figure 3 crPlus one course from the following:
ENGL g473 Chaucer 3 cr
ENGL g474 Milton 3 cr
ENGL g476 Shakespeare 3 crENGL 328 Gender in Literature 3 cr
ENGL 356 Ethnicity in Literature 3 cr
ENGL g470 Post-Colonial Literature 3 cr
ENGL g489 American Indian Literature 3 cr
Category II—Language Studies (6 credits)Required:
ENGL 280 Grammar and Usage 3 crPlus one course from the following:
OR
ENGL 281 Introduction to Language Studies 3 crENGL g481 Studies in Grammar 3 cr
ENGL g485 Linguistic Analysis 3 cr
ENGL g486 Old English 3 cr
ENGL g487 History of the English Language 3 cr
Category III—Writing (3 credits)Required:
ENGL 301 Writing About Literature 3 crCategory IV—Electives (9 credits)An additional 9 credits of English, of which at least 6 credits must be in upper-division courses.
GENERAL ENGLISH MAJOR TOTAL: 45 cr
Option 2—Professional Writing
Note: Students electing the writing option in the professional writing track are strongly encouraged to minor in a discipline relevant to their professional interests.Category I—Composition and Communication (33 credits)
Required:
ENGL 280 Grammar and Usage 3 crPlus one course from the following:
OR
ENGL 281 Introduction to Language Studies 3 cr
ENGL 301 Writing About Literature 3 cr
ENGL 307 Technical Writing 3 cr
ENGL 308 Business Communications 3 cr
ENGL g401 Advanced Composition and
Prose Analysis 3 cr
ENGL 410 Writing Internship 3 cr
PHIL 201 Introduction to Logic 3 crENGL 206 Creative Writing Workshop 3 crPlus three courses from the following:
ENGL 306 Creative Writing Workshop 3 cr
ENGL g406 Advanced Creative Writing Workshop 3 cr
ENGL 280 Grammar and Usage 3 cr
ENGL 281 Introduction to Language Studies 3 crENGL 410 Writing InternshipCategory II—Literature (12 credits)
(3 further credits) 3 cr
M C 215 Graphic Design 3 cr
OR
M C 415 Advanced Graphic Design 3 cr
M C 230 Introduction to Photography 3 cr
OR
M C 410 Advanced Photography 3 cr
M C 325 Editing for Print Media 4 cr
M C 327 Magazine Article Writing 3 cr
M C 341 Introduction to Public Relations 3 cr
M C 355 Advertising Copywriting 3 cr
M C 445 Editorial Writing 3 cr
SPCH g437 Rhetorical Theory 3 crRequired:
ENGL 211 Introduction to Literary Analysis 3 crPlus one course from the following:ENGL 257 Survey of World Literature I 3 crPlus one course from the following:
ENGL 267 Survey of English Literature I 3 cr
ENGL 277 Survey of American Literature I 3 crENGL 258 Survey of World Literature II 3 crPlus one course from the following:
ENGL 268 Survey of English Literature II 3 cr
ENGL 278 Survey of American Literature II 3 crENGL 321 Genre Studies in Drama 3 cr
ENGL 322 Genre Studies in Poetry 3 cr
ENGL 323 Genre Studies in Prose Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 324 Genre Studies in Prose Non-Fiction 3 cr
PROFESSIONAL WRITING ENGLISH MAJOR TOTAL: 45 cr
Option 3—Creative Writing
Note: Students electing the writing option in the creative writing track are strongly encouraged to minor in a discipline relevant to their professional interests.Category I—Composition and Communication (33 credits)
Required:
ENGL 280 Grammar and Usage 3 crPlus one course from the following:
OR
ENGL 281 Introduction to Language Studies 3 cr
ENGL 206 Creative Writing Workshop 3 cr
ENGL 301 Writing About Literature 3 cr
ENGL 306 Creative Writing Workshop 3 cr
ENGL g401 Advanced Composition and
Prose Analysis 3 cr
ENGL g406 Advanced Creative Writing Workshop 3 cr
ENGL 448 Senior Creative Project 3 crENGL 307 Technical Writing 3 crPlus one course from the following:
ENGL 308 Business Communications 3 crENGL g481 Studies in Grammar 3 crPlus two courses (at least one upper division) from the following:
ENGL g485 Linguistic Analysis 3 cr
ENGL g487 History of the English Language 3 crART g422 World Arts 3 crCategory II—Literature (12 credits)
OR
ART g423 Nineteenth Century Art 3 cr
OR
ART g424 Twentieth Century Art 3 cr
OR
ART g425 Contemporary Art Forms 3 cr
ENGL 212 Introduction to Folklore 3 cr
OR
ENGL g490 Folklore 3 cr
ENGL 305 Art of the Film II 3 cr
M C 215 Graphic Design 3 cr
OR
M C 415 Advanced Graphic Design 3 cr
M C 230 Introduction to Photography 3 cr
OR
M C 410 Advanced Photography 3 cr
M C 300 Television Production 3 cr
M C 327 Magazine Article Writing 3 cr
THEA 251 Beginning Acting 3 cr
OR
THEA 252 Intermediate Acting 3 crRequired:
ENGL 211 Introduction to Literary Analysis 3 crPlus one course from the following:ENGL 257 Survey of World Literature I 3 crPlus one course from the following:
ENGL 267 Survey of English Literature I 3 cr
ENGL 277 Survey of American Literature I 3 crENGL 258 Survey of World Literature II 3 crPlus one course from the following:
ENGL 268 Survey of English Literature II 3 cr
ENGL 278 Survey of American Literature II 3 crENGL 321 Genre Studies in Dramat 3 crEach student in this option will be assigned a major advisor and a committee composed of members of the creative writing program. This committee will be responsible for evaluating the student's creative project in the genre of the student's choice. In addition, each student will be required to present the project material in public performance, as appropriate, to the community at large.
ENGL 322 Genre Studies in Poetry 3 cr
ENGL 323 Genre Studies in Prose Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 324 Genre Studies in Prose Non-Fiction 3 cr
CREATIVE WRITING ENGLISH MAJOR TOTAL: 45 cr
Minors in English
Many students take English courses as electives to enhance their studies in other areas or as preparation for professional work. The Department of English and Philosophy offers three minors in English—one general minor and two specialized minors in writing—for students who wish to receive recognition for substantial training in literature and writing. Lower division composition courses—ENGL 90, 101, 102, and 105—do not count toward completion of these minors.Option 1—General
Twenty-one hours of credit in English, 12 of which must be in upper division courses, including either ENGL 301 or ENGL 307.
Option 2—Writing
Twenty-one hours of credit in English, including ENGL 280 or 281; 301, and 487, plus four other courses, of which at least two must be upper-division, from among the following courses: ENGL 107, 206, 306, 307, g401, g406, g481, g485, PHIL 201.
Option 3—Creative Writing
A minimum of twenty-one (21) hours of credit in English, including at least one of the following courses: ENGL 206, 306, or 406; twelve (12) credits must be earned in upper-division courses, three (3) of which must be from ENGL 448 Senior Creative Writing Project.
Associate of Arts in English
Students seeking an Associate of Arts degree in English must complete the following:All of the General Education Goals (10A and 10B) 37-52* cr
ENGL 101 English Composition 3 cr
ENGL 102 Critical Reading and Writing 3 cr
ENGL 211 Introduction to Literary Analysis 3 cr
ENGL 280 Grammar and Usage 3 cr
Three of these:
ENGL 267 Survey of English Literature I 3 cr
ENGL 268 Survey of English Literature II 3 cr
ENGL 277 Survey of American Literature I 3 cr
ENGL 278 Survey of American Literature II 3 cr
Two additional 3 cr English courses
(these may include courses from the above list but
may not include lower division composition courses) 6 cr
Electives to bring total to 64 cr variable
TOTAL: 64 cr
* The number of credits required for the General Education
requirements varies depending on the student's performance
on proficiency or placement tests in English, foreign
languages, and mathematics.English Education Program
For the requirements of the Secondary Teaching Major in English, the Single Subject Teaching Major in English, and the Teaching Minor in English, see the descriptions in the Teacher Education Program.Prerequisites and Standards
Students are encouraged to complete ENGL 101 (or its equivalent) before enrolling in other English courses. At least one semester of lower-division literature is prerequisite for 300-level literature courses; nine hours of course work in English (excluding lower-division composition courses) plus junior or senior standing is prerequisite for all 400-level literature courses; all upper-division language courses have ENGL 281 as a prerequisite (ENGL 280 is the prerequisite for ENGL g481). In general, students may take the second half of a two-semester literature sequence without having taken the first. To graduate as an English major, or with an English minor, a student must maintain at least a 2.25 grade point average in courses within the English curriculum.Placement in English Composition Courses
Regulations and procedures governing student placement in the composition-course sequence are summarized under General Education Requirements, Goal 1. Students should consult with the Director of Composition concerning applicability toward Goal 1 requirements of writing courses taken at other institutions.
English Courses
ENGL 90 Basic Writing 0 credits (3 credit equivalent). For students not meeting ENGL 101 placement requirements. Prepares students for ENGL 101 by addressing fundamentals at sentence, paragraph, and essay levels, with emphasis on student's own writing. Graded S/U. F, S, Su
ENGL 100 Introduction to Academic Writing and Speaking for Non-Native Speakers of English 3 credits. Explores culture-based academic expectations and conventions in communication. Graded S/U. PREREQ: ISU admission; 500+ TOEFL or permission of department. F, S
ENGL 101 English Composition 3 credits. Course in which students read, analyze and write expository essays for a variety of purposes consistent with expectations for college-level writing in standard edited English. F, S, Su, W
ENGL 102 Critical Reading and Writing 3 credits. Writing essays based on readings. Focus on critical reading; research methods; gathering, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing ideas and evidence; documentation. PREREQ: ENGL 101 or equivalent. Satisfies Goal 1 of the General Education Requirements when passed with at least a C- grade. F, S, Su
ENGL 105 Writing Laboratory 1-3 credits. Composition course designed for students who transfer from quarter-system schools and who are deficient in one or more hours in English composition credits. PREREQ: Permission of the Director of Composition. F, S, Su
ENGL 107 Nature of Language 3 credits. General survey of structure and use of language. Topics include language origins, descriptive and historical linguistics, language and culture, and history of the English language. Cross-listed as ANTH 107 and LANG 107. S
ENGL 110 Introduction to Literature 3 credits. Introduction to the critical reading of various literary genres, with attention to the interpretation and evaluation of representative texts. Satisfies Goal 7 of the General Education Requirements. F, S, SuENGL 115 Major Themes in Literature 3 credits. Introduction to literature through the study of one or more major themes that cross historical and cultural boundaries. May be repeated for up to 6 credits with different content. Satisfies Goal 7 of the General Education Requirements. F, S
ENGL 126 Art of Film I 3 credits. Course examines the creative process, aesthetic principles and historical background of cinematic arts. Screening of representative films and examination of critical works and theories are included. Satisfies Goal 6 of the General Education Requirements. S
ENGL 206 Creative Writing Workshop 3 credits. Introduction to one or more forms of creative writing. May be repeated for up to 6 credits with permission of the department. R1
ENGL 211 Introduction to Literary Analysis 3 credits. Introduction to major critical and theoretical approaches to literature. Includes close reading of various literary forms and reading of critical or theoretical works. Students engage in a variety of writing tasks. Students will be introduced to the use of secondary sources in writing and to MLA documentation style. PREREQ: ENGL 102 or equivalent. F, S
ENGL 212 Introduction to Folklore/Oral Tradition 3 credits. Folklore genres and folk groups, including introductory experience in folklore fieldwork focused on study of a genre or group of genres within verbal, customary, or material culture. Cross-listed as ANTH 212. R1
ENGL 257 Survey of World Literature I (Beginnings through 16th Century) 3 credits. Examination of major works and authors in historical perspective, with emphasis upon literary and cultural backgrounds. Satisfies Goal 7 of the General Education Requirements. R1
ENGL 258 Survey of World Literature II (17th Century to Present) 3 credits. Examination of major works and authors in historical perspective, with emphasis upon literary and cultural backgrounds. Satisfies Goal 7 of the General Education Requirements. R1
ENGL 267 Survey of English Literature I (Beginnings through 18th Century) 3 credits. Examination of major works and authors in historical perspective, with emphasis upon literary and cultural backgrounds. R1
ENGL 268 Survey of English Literature II (19th Century to Present) 3 credits. Examination of major works and authors in historical perspective, with emphasis upon literary and cultural backgrounds. R1
ENGL 277 Survey of American Literature I (Beginnings to 1860) 3 credits. Examination of major works and authors in historical perspective with emphasis upon literary and cultural backgrounds. R1
ENGL 278 Survey of American Literature II (1860 to present) 3 credits. Examination of major works and authors in historical perspective with emphasis upon literary and cultural backgrounds. R1
ENGL 280 Grammar and Usage 3 credits. Introduction to the grammar of standard written English. The course is designed to give students an improved knowledge of grammar in order to improve usage and writing skills at both the sentence and paragraph level. S
ENGL 281 Introduction to Language Studies 3 credits. Introduction to basic concepts and models for the study of English phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexis. F, S
ENGL 301 Writing About Literature 3 credits. Academic discourse in English Studies. Students read examples of secondary essays, practice writing for an academic audience, and develop longer essays and more complex issues in writing. PREREQ: 60 credits including ENGL 211. F, S
ENGL 305 Art of the Film II 3 credits. In-depth investigation of cinematic art with focus on one or more of the following: genre, historical development, aesthetics, criticism, social impact, and artists. Screening of representative films. PREREQ: ENGL 126 or permission of department. D
ENGL 306 Creative Writing Workshop 3 credits. Advanced training in one or more of the forms of creative writing. May be repeated for up to 6 credits with permission of the department. PREREQ: ENGL 206 or equivalent. R1
ENGL 307 Technical Writing 3 credits. An intensive course covering skills and conventions pertinent to technical writing. Applications in disciplines or subjects of interest to the individual student. Especially appropriate for science, engineering, business, and pre-professional majors. PREREQ: 45 credits and ENGL 102. F, S
ENGL 308 Business Communications 3 credits. An advanced course in conventions of business communications, emphasizing purpose and audience. Focus on style, semantics, research skills, format, persuasion, and critical analysis and synthesis of data. PREREQ: 60 credits and ENGL 102. F, S, Su
ENGL 321 Genre Studies in Drama 3 credits. Comparative study of selected plays through recognition of generic forms and conventions, their origins and continuing evolution, and their theoretical basis. R2
ENGL 322 Genre Studies in Poetry 3 credits. Comparative study of selected poems through recognition of generic forms and conventions, their origins and continuing evolution, and their theoretical basis. Emphasis on lyric poetry. R2
ENGL 323 Genre Studies in Prose Fiction 3 credits. Comparative studies of varying forms and conventions in selected prose fiction, with attention to their origins, evolution, and theoretical basis. R2
ENGL 324 Genre Studies in Prose Non-Fiction 3 credits. Comparative study of varying forms and conventions in selected prose nonfiction, with attention to their origins, evolution, and theoretical basis. R2
ENGL 327 Special Topics in Genre 3 credits. Focused study of a generic tradition modified by thematic or historical contexts, with emphasis on topics not regularly treated in ENGL 321-ENGL 324. D
ENGL 328 Gender in Literature 3 credits. Considers the role of gender in literature, including issues of authorship, reader communities, and literary representations of women and men. R2
ENGL 333 Teaching Writing One-on-One 3 credits. Theory and practice in individualized writing instruction; includes readings, class discussions, research and supervised tutoring. Emphasis on strategies for addressing particular problems of inexperienced, ESOL, and learning disabled writers. PREREQ: Permission of instructor. F
ENGL 341 Bible as Literature 3 credits. Study of various types of literature found in the Bible, with a view of attaining greater knowledge of and appreciation for this aspect of the literary heritage. R2
ENGL 348 Independent Problems 1-3 credits. Consultation course for upperclassmen interested in problems in language and literature not adequately covered by regular offerings. PREREQ: Permission of the department. D
ENGL 353 The West in American Literature 3 credits. Survey of the literature of Western America since 1800. D
ENGL 356 Ethnicity in Literature 3 credits. Study of the construction of ethnicity in literature, with attention to specific concerns relevant to one or more ethnic groups. R2
ENGL 367 Language in the United States 3 credits. A survey of the languages of the United States (American Indian languages, immigrant languages, and ethnic and regional varieties of English) along with the social and political aspects of American language use. Cross-listed as ANTH 367. PREREQ: ANTH/LANG/ENGL 107. D
ENGL g401 Advanced Composition 3 credits. An advanced course in which students develop an independent style in writing such types of essays as the personal, biographical, argumentative, and critical. May contain prose analysis. PREREQ: ENGL 301, ENGL 307 or ENGL 308. R2
ENGL g406 Advanced Creative Writing Workshop 3 credits. Production and discussion of student writing. Study in a specific genre with emphasis on longer works. May be repeated for up to 6 undergraduate credits. PREREQ: ENGL 306 or permission of instructor. R1
ENGL 410 Writing Internship 1-6 credits. On-the-job writing experience in business, industry, or government settings. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. PREREQ: 90 credits and ENGL 301, ENGL 307, or ENGL 308. Graded S/U. F, S
ENGL g431 Teaching and Writing Projects: Special Topics 3 credits. Aids teachers of all grade levels and all academic subjects in developing skills in teaching writing. Combines composition theory and practical classroom exercises with daily writing and critiques. D
ENGL 433 Methods: Teaching English 3 credits. Study of the objectives and methods of teaching literature and composition in secondary schools. Ideally taken semester before student teaching. PREREQ: Goal 1, ENGL 211, ENGL 281, and 3 additional hours of English. F
ENGL g440 Philosophy and Literature 3 credits. Reflections on the relation between poetic and speculative discourse. Topics include forms of consciousness, temporality and narrative, metaphysics of genre. R2
ENGL 448 Senior Creative Project 3 credits. Consultation course for creative writing majors and minors. The student produces and revises a substantial body of creative writing, reads relevant texts, writes a critical essay, and gives a public reading. D
ENGL g453 American Indian Literature 3 credits. Considers literary works by and about North American native people, especially in relationship to history, genre, and culture, including oral traditions. Cross-listed as ANTH g453. PREREQ: GOAL 1. R2
ENGL g455 Studies in National Literature 3 credits. Studies in important literatures and cultures not otherwise covered in the curriculum. May include literatures in translation and literature written in English outside of America and the British Isles. Cross-listed as LANG g415. May be repeated for up to 6 credits with different content. R3
ENGL g456 Comparative Literature 3 credits. The analysis of ideas, problems, and techniques common to important writers of various national literatures. R3
ENGL g461 Classical Literature 3 credits. Study of the major literature of the classical Greek and Roman periods, especially in relationship to its cultural backgrounds. R3
ENGL g462 Medieval Literature 3 credits. Study of the major literature of the Middle Ages and its background, with emphasis upon the development of English literature. R2
ENGL g463 Renaissance Literature 3 credits. Study of the major literature of the Renaissance and its background, with emphasis upon the development of English literature. R2
ENGL g464 Seventeenth-Century Literature 3 credits. Study of the major literature of the seventeenth century and its background, with emphasis upon the development of English or American or other literature of the period. R2
ENGL g465 Eighteenth-Century Literature 3 credits. Study of the major literature of the eighteenth century and its background, with emphasis upon the development of English or American or other literature of the period. R2
ENGL g466 Early Nineteenth-Century Literature 3 credits. Study of the major literature of the early nineteenth century and its background, with emphasis upon the development of English or American or other literature of the period. R2
ENGL g467 Late Nineteenth-Century Literature 3 credits. Study of the major literature of the late nineteenth century and its background, with emphasis upon the development of English or American or other literature of the period. R2
ENGL g468 Early Twentieth-Century Literature 3 credits. Study of the major literature of the early twentieth century and its background, with emphasis upon English or American or other literature of the period. R2
ENGL g469 Contemporary Literature 3 credits. Study of recent major literature and its background, with emphasis upon English or American or other literature of the period. R2
ENGL g470 Post-Colonial Literature 3 credits. Study of post-colonial literary texts, with attention to the role of literature in history, political resistance, and social movements of one or more colonized cultures. R2
ENGL g472 Proseminar in a Major Literary Figure 3 credits. Intensive study in a single major author other than Chaucer, Milton, and Shakespeare, demanding some independent study and small group participation. R1
ENGL g473 Chaucer 3 credits. Intensive study of selected works of Chaucer. D
ENGL g474 Milton 3 credits. Intensive study of selected works of Milton. D
ENGL g476 Shakespeare 3 credits. Intensive study of selected works of Shakespeare. R1
ENGL g477 Shakespeare in Performance 2 credits. Intensive study of selected works by Shakespeare, with special emphasis placed upon performance issues. Includes field trip to attend live dramatic productions of Shakespearian plays. D
ENGL g480 Varieties of American English 3 credits. In-depth study of various dialects of American English, including historical evolution of different dialects, effects of migration on dialects, and influences of non-English immigrant languages on development of American English. Field-work studying the Snake River dialects of Idaho. Cross-listed as ANTH g480. PREREQ: ANTH/LANG/ENGL 107. D
ENGL g481 Studies In Grammar 3 credits. Focus on the study of transformational-generative grammar and its application to sentence level problems. PREREQ: ENGL 280. R2
ENGL g484 Special Topics in Linguistics 3 credits. Rotating topics in different areas of linguistics. Consult current schedule of classes for exact course being taught. Cross-listed as ANTH 484 and LANG 484. PREREQ: ANTH/LANG 107. D
ENGL g485 Linguistic Analysis 3 credits. Advanced topics course in the techniques of language analysis. Examples are phonology and morphology, semantics, or rhetorical grammar. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. PREREQ: ENGL 281. R2
ENGL g486 Old English 3 credits. Intensive study of the Old English language, with attention to its intrinsic structure and its relation to Middle and Modern English. R2
ENGL g487 History of the English Language 3 credits. Study of the linguistic and socio-political changes and developments in the English language. R2
ENGL g488 Introduction to Socio-linguistics 3 credits. Study of the patterned covariation of language and society, social dialects and social styles in language; problems of bilingualism, multilingualism creoles and language uses. Cross-listed as ANTH g450. PREREQ: ANTH 107; ENGL 280 or ENGL 281, or permission of instructor. F
ENGL g490 Topics in Folklore 3 credits. Focused study of an issue in folkloristics or a particular genre of folklore, including history of the scholarship concerning that issue or genre. Rotating topics. May be repeated up to 9 credits with different topics. Cross-listed as ANTH g490. R1
ENGL 491 Senior Seminar 3 credits. A seminar which exposes students to a range of critical and theoretical approaches to literature. Students formulate research problems and incorporate the results of their research into their own writing. Among the course requirements are a seminar paper and an oral presentation. PREREQ: ENGL 301 and 6 additional hours of upper-division English. F, S
ENGL g492 Folklore and Literature 3 credits. Study of cross-influences between oral and written literatures. Emphasis may be on a written genre that imitates and draws upon oral genres, a movement or period in which oral tradition strongly influences written forms, or a particular writer who incorporates motifs and storytelling patterns from folklore. Rotating topics. May be repeated for up to 9 credits. R2
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
Students who wish to major in philosophy should select either the Traditional major or the major with a Pre-law Emphasis. In addition to University General Education equirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree, students wishing to major in Philosophy will follow the curriculum listed below.
Students wishing to earn a Minor in this department may choose among a Minor in Ethics, a Minor in Philosophy, and a Minor in Philosophy and Religion.
Option 1 - Traditional Major
Required courses:
PHIL 201 Introduction to Logic 3 cr
PHIL 305 History of Philosophy: Greek
Reason and Christian Faith 3 cr
PHIL 315 History of Philosophy: Rationalism
and Empiricism 3 cr
PHIL g450 Ethical Theory 3 cr
PHIL g460 Theory of Knowledge 3 cr
PHIL 492 Senior Tutorial 3 cr
Plus 12 additional hours of philosophy electives.
Option 2 - Pre-law Emphasis
PHIL 201 Introduction to Logic 3 cr
PHIL 305 History of Philosophy: Greek
Reason and Christian Faith 3 cr
PHIL 353 Philosophy of Law 3 cr
PHIL g450 Ethical Theory 3 cr
PHIL g460 Theory of Knowledge 3 cr
PHIL 492 Senior Tutorial 3 cr
Plus one course from the following:
PHIL 355 Political and Social Philosophy 3 cr
POLS 313 Introduction to Political Philosophy 3 cr
POLS 318 Topics in Political Theory 3 cr
POLS g420 Contemporary Political Theory 3 cr
Plus one course from the following:
POLS 249 Introduction to Criminal Law 3 cr
POLS 342 American Legal System 3 cr
POLS 345 Jurisprudence 3 cr
POLS g442 Constitutional Law 3 cr
POLS g443 Constitutional Law 3 cr
Plus six additional hours of philosophy electives.
Minor in Ethics
Required courses: eighteen semester-hours of philosophy courses, including
PHIL 450 Ethical Theory 3 crand at least two of the following:
PHIL 220 Philosophical Issues in Religion 3 cr
PHIL 230 Bioethics 3 cr
PHIL 353 Philosophy of Law 3 cr
PHIL 355 Political and Social Philosophy 3 crMinor in Philosophy
Required courses: any eighteen semester-hours in philosophy courses.Minor in Philosophy and Religion
Eighteen semester-hours of philosophy courses, including two of:
PHIL 210 Introduction to Asian Philosophy 3 cr
PHIL 220 Philosophical Issues in Religion 3 cr
PHIL 225 Philosophy and the Old Testament 3 cr
PHIL g425 Existentialism 3 crPlus one of the following:
HIST 252 East Asian History 3 cr
HIST 254 Middle Eastern Civilization 3 cr
SOC 368 The Sociology of Religion 3 crPhilosophy Courses
PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy 3 credits. An introduction to the major thinkers and major problems in Western philosophical and scientific traditions. Sections may emphasize either an historical or problems approach. Satisfies Goal 8 of the General Education Requirements. F, S, SuPHIL 103 Introduction to Ethics 3 credits. An introduction to philosophy through an analytical and historical study of major ethical theories. The course will focus on the basis of judgments and reasoning concerning questions of good and bad, right and wrong. Satisfies Goal 8 of the General Education Requirements. F, S.
PHIL 201 Introduction to Logic 3 credits. An introduction to the concepts and methods of deductive and inductive logic, with special emphasis on the use of logical methods to identify, analyze, construct, and evaluate everyday arguments. R1
PHIL 210 Introduction to Asian Philosophies 3 credits. A study of Hindu, Buddhist, and other Far Eastern approaches to topics such as immortality, time, reality, mystical experience, the divinity of the soul, the question of duty. Emphasis varies. R2
PHIL 220 Philosophical Issues in Religion 3 credits. An inquiry into the nature of religious belief, the concept of God, rational proofs of the existence of God, the religious experience, the concept of faith, the character of religious language, the meaning of myths and symbols, and the question of modern atheism. R2
PHIL 225 Philosophy and the Old Testament 3 credits. Discussion of Hebrew Scripture, with emphasis on the narrative material in the Pentateuch. Commentaries drawn from classical and contemporary philosophy, theology, and literary theory. D
PHIL 230 Bioethics 3 credits. An examination of ethical issues that arise in medical practice and biotechnology. Includes an overview of ethical theories and principles. F, S, Su
PHIL 305 History of Philosophy: Greek Reason and Christian Faith 3 credits. Philosophical readings from the pre-Socratics to St. Thomas Aquinas. Topics include the theory of essence, human nature and happiness, the problem of evil, the relation of reason and faith. R2
PHIL 315 History of Philosophy: Rationalism and Empiricism 3 credits. Readings in philosophy from Descartes to Hegel. Emphasison the question of the limits of human knowledge. D
PHIL 325 History of Philosophy: Modern Philosophical Movements 3 credits. Readings in philosophy of the 19th and 20th centuries. Organized to illuminate the development of particular schools of thought, including existentialism, pragmatism, phenomenology, analytic philosophy, and Marxism. Emphasis varies. D
PHIL 353 Philosophy of Law 3 credits. An investigation of historical and contemporary theoretical approaches to law and a variety of philosophical problems that arise with respect to the law. Topics include natural law theory, legal positivism, legal realism, Constitutional interpretation, theory of punishment, and civil liberties. R2
PHIL 355 Political and Social Philosophy 3 credits. Questions concerning social justice as discussed by Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Hegel, Marx and others. D
PHIL g400 Philosophy of Art 3 credits. Study of philosophic problems encountered in perceiving, interpreting, and evaluating works of art. Topics include the nature of a work of art, aesthetic response, expression, symbol; the nature and role of representation; the nature of interpretive and evaluative claims. R2
PHIL g410 Philosophy of Language 3 credits. Study of theories of language, with emphasis on contemporary thinkers such as Frege, Heidegger, Russell, Wittgenstein, Piaget, and Chomsky. Topics include the nature and origin of meaning, the temporal dimension of discourse, the significance of syntax, animal languages, computer languages. D
PHIL g420 Philosophy of Mind 3 credits. Inquiry into the mind-body problem and representative solutions, such as dualism, philosophical behaviorism, central-state materialism. Related topics include the self, personal identity, immortality, claims of parapsychology, mystical consciousness. R2
PHIL g425 Existentialism 3 credits. A survey of major works of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus. Topics may include the origins of values, the death of God, the varieties of despair, the inevitability of love's failure and the absurdity of life. R2
PHIL g430 Philosophy of Science 3 credits. A critical analysis of the philosophical presuppositions of the empirical sciences, with attention given to the wider expressions of these presuppositions in contemporary life. R2
PHIL g435 Metaphysics 3 credits. A study of some of the main questions of metaphysics, including such topics as being, substance, universals, space and time, appearance and reality, identity, freewill and determinism, causality and the nature and possibility of metaphysics itself. D
PHIL g440 Philosophy and Literature 3 credits. Reflections on the relation between poetic and speculative discourse. Topics include forms of consciousness, temporality and narrative, metaphysics of genre. Cross-listed as ENGL g440. D
PHIL g450 Ethical Theory 3 credits. Study of the nature of value claims, stressing ethical value claims; examination of the scope of reason in ethical decision-making. Applications to normative ethical theories. Related topics include human rights, justice, ethical and legal systems. R2
PHIL g460 Theory of Knowledge 3 credits. A survey of reflections on the question, "What, if anything, can we know?" Topics include knowing, believing, meaning, truth, and certainty. R2
PHIL g470 Symbolic Logics and Foundations of Mathematics 3 credits. A comprehensive study of formal methods of determining validity and of systems of symbolic logic, with attention to the philosophy of logic and the relationship between logic and mathematics. D
PHIL 480 Philosophy Tutorial 2 credits. Consultation course for seniors interested in a philosophical problem connected with their major field. Will consist of independent reading, conferences, and the preparation of a term paper. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. F, S
PHIL g490 Philosophy Seminar 1-3 credits. Advanced reading and discussion on selected topics in philosophy. May be repeated with permission of the department. D
PHIL 492 Senior Tutorial 3 credits. A culminating course for senior majors. Directed research resulting in a senior thesis, to be evaluated by the philosophy faculty. PREREQ: 90 credits and permission of the Director of Philosophy. S
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IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY Academic Information Contact: webmaster@isu.edu Revised: July 2007 |