Courses of Study 87
English Associate Professors Ann Pleiss Morris, Mary I. Unger (Chair); Assistant Professor Megan M. Gannon (on leave fall 2021) Departmental Mission Statement: The mission of the Department of English is to prepare students to become part of the larger critical conversation that takes place among students, teachers, critics and texts. We seek to enhance their critical understanding of the discipline, to help them express their own ideas and respond to those of others, and to help them to formulate and engage in critical argument. Communicating Plus — English: The Communicating Plus Program at Ripon College emphasizes students’ development of skills in four areas: written communication, oral communication, critical thinking and problem-solving. The English department focuses each course and the department offerings overall on developing the student’s abilities to analyze critically, to respond sensitively, to understand broadly and to express oneself effectively in oral and written forms. The regular or core courses for the major or minor give extended attention to the development of these skills through instruction, practice, and assessment by self, peers and faculty. Requirements for a major in English: 36 credits including: ENG 101, 450 and 530 as well as one British literature survey (either ENG 251 or ENG 255) and one American literature survey (either ENG 246 or ENG 250). At least eight credits of electives must be taken at the 300-level, and at least four credits of electives must satisfy the department’s Diversity, Equity and Justice requirement (see below). One course outside the English department, if approved by the chair, may substitute for up to four credit hours of electives. Off-campus programs (such as the Newberry Library Program) provide significant opportunities for work relevant to the English major. The chair of the English department will determine how the off-campus courses will substitute in the major. Grades earned in all English courses are counted in computing departmental honors. Students completing licensure: Students completing a licensure program in Early Adolescence/Adolescence education should complete the requirements listed here for a major in English as well as ENG 402 and four credits of creative writing. Requirements for a minor in English: 20 credits including: ENG 101 as well as one British literature survey (either ENG 251 or ENG 255) and one American literature survey (either ENG 246 or ENG 250). At least four credits of electives must be taken at the 300 level, and at least four credits of electives must satisfy the department’s Diversity, Equity and Justice requirements (see below). Requirements for minor in Creative Writing: 20 credits including ENG 112 and ENG 380, as well as one of the following two-course sequences: ENG 211 and ENG 310, or ENG 213 and ENG 312; or ENG 211 and ENG 213. Four credits of electives must come from another ENG course or a practical course in another creative process such as ART, MUS, or THE. No more than four credits may count toward the Creative Writing minor and the English major or minor. Diversity, Equity and Justice requirement: The English department supports the College’s mission of preparing students for “socially responsible citizenship” by requiring majors and minors to take at least four credits of English dedicated to the study of underrepresented authors, voices and literary traditions. Courses that count toward the DEJ requirement will be noted in the Schedule of Courses.
