English Language and Literature < Queen's University

Departmental Notes

Subject Code for Creative Writing: CWRI
Subject Code for English Language and Literature: ENGL
World Wide Web Address: http://www.queensu.ca/english/

Head of Department: Sam McKegney
Program Manager: Meghan Brien

Departmental Office: Watson Hall, Room 411
Departmental Telephone: 613-533-2153

Chair of Undergraduate Studies: Scott-Morgan Straker
Undergraduate Program Assistant: Brittany Howard
Undergraduate Office Telephone: 343-363-2140
Undergraduate Office E-Mail Address: englishdept@queensu.ca

Chair of Graduate Studies: Margaret Pappano
Graduate Program Assistant: Lovorka Fabek-Fischer

Overview

The Department of English offers a comprehensive undergraduate program that exposes students to English literatures from a large range of communities, historical periods, and geographical regions. All three English Plans (Major, Joint Honours, Minor) attempt to balance the study of canonical writers, literary forms, and traditions with the study of previously marginalized or unknown writing. The program fosters cross-cultural and historical literacies by encouraging students to engage with literatures from diverse histories and traditions through a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches.

Departmental Policies

Academic Integrity

The Department of English promotes an ethos of academic integrity, based on the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the University, Faculty, and Department policies on academic integrity. The Department of English Statement on Academic Integrity is attached to all undergraduate syllabi and may be found online at http://www.queensu.ca/english/integrity. The Statement includes definitions and advice for recognizing and avoiding plagiarism.

Effective Writing

The effective communication of ideas in writing is fundamental to the discipline of literary study. Training in analytical essay-writing is offered in introductory courses and consolidated at all levels of the program. In upper years, greater emphasis is placed on research methodologies, as well as the importance of fully and accurately citing sources. Further coaching and training are available through the Student Academic Success Services, and a suite of WRIT courses offered by Arts and Science Online.

English Courses as Electives

ENGL 100 is a prerequisite for all English Plans, but most 200-level ENGL courses are open to all students in second year or above. Upper-year students with prior ENGL courses but who require an elective course in English (e.g. for Medical school), may enrol in "Modern Prose Fiction i and ii" (ENGL 161 and ENGL 162); require an Elective course in English (e.g. for Medical school), may enrol in "Modern Prose Fiction" (ENGL 160.

Advice to Students

Course Selection

All students wishing to be admitted into an English Plan must, in their first year of study, take “Introduction to the Study of Literature” (ENGL 100, Core course 1.A.).

In their second year, all students registered in an English Plan, including Minors, take a required lecture class, “History of Literature in English” (ENGL 200, Core course 1.B.); students in a Major or Joint Honours Plan also take a required seminar (ENGL 290, Core course 1.C.), which develops students’ writing abilities and introduces them to the basic research tools of literary studies. ENGL 200 and ENGL 290 are prerequisites for coursework at the 300-level and above, so Majors and Joint Honours should be sure to complete them in second year.

In their second year, in addition to ENGL 200 and ENGL 290, Majors normally take between 9.00 and 12.00 additional units at the 200-level that will count toward their Plan, and Joint Honours normally take between 3.00 and 6.00 additional units at the 200-level. A select number of courses from other departments and programs, including Creative Writing, can also be counted toward an English Plan.

Students entering ENGL Plans should ensure that they understand the requirements they must meet, so that they can plan to take the right number of courses at the right level. Students should consult the English Department's web site or the Major Map for more information, and are always welcome to contact the Undergraduate Chair for advise and answers.

Having gained the historical and critical foundations provided, respectively, by ENGL 200 and ENGL 290, Majors and Joint Honours proceed in third year to 300-level small lecture courses. These in-depth, full-year historical survey courses are organized into three categories: (ENGL 305 – 339), which covers literature from before 1800; (ENGL 340 – ENGL 357), which covers the nineteenth century (roughly, 1780-1920); and ENGL 360 – ENGL 389), which covers literature after 1900. Majors must take 6.00 units in each of these groups (Core courses 1.D., 1.E., 1.F.), while Joint Honours must take 6.00 units from the first group and 6.0 units from either the second or third (Core courses 1.D., 1.E.). Majors should take at least two of these full-year courses in their third year, while Joint Honours should take at least one.

The fourth-year experience for Majors consists of advanced 400-level seminars. Majors take 15.00 units at the 400-level, of which, at least 3.00 units of these must be from ENGL 405 – 459 (core course 1.G.), and at least 3.00 units must be from ENGL 460 – 499 (core course 1.H.). Joint Honours take 6.00 units at the 400-level. It is possible for Majors to take between 3.00 and 6.00 units at the 400-level during their third year, depending on how many 300-level courses they are also enrolled in; Joint Honours will normally fulfill their upper-level seminar requirements in fourth year.

Special Studies Opportunities

Study Abroad

A number of our students take the opportunity of studying abroad for a term or an entire year, benefitting from bilateral exchanges to universities in a wide array of countries. They also have access to Bader College (formerly the BISC) in Herstmonceux, England, where an array of Queen’s English Department courses are offered, including ENGL 100. (For more on these study abroad opportunities, see the section on International Programs and Study Abroad Options in this Calendar, as well as the website for Herstmonceux https://www.queensu.ca/badercollege/).

Queen’s students who study abroad frequently do so in their third year. English Majors and Joint Honours normally take a set of core courses in their third year (Core courses 1.D., 1.E., and 1.F. for Majors; 1.D. and 1.E. for Joint Honours), but there is no reason why going on exchange in third year should prevent English Majors and Joint Honours from completing their Plans on time; it merely requires careful planning and consultation. Students who will be away from Queen’s for the entire third year should enrol in at least 12.00 units of courses at their exchange institution that can be counted toward the 300-level Core course requirements. Half-year courses in similar chronological periods can be combined to satisfy a year-long 300-level requirement; this option is frequently used by students who are away only for one term during their third year. All students intending to study abroad in their third or fourth year are strongly advised to consult with the Undergraduate Chair of English before finalizing their course selections at other universities.

Students registered in an English Major or Joint Honours Plan should be in residence at Queen’s for the entirety of their second year, so that they can complete ENGL 200 and ENGL 290 (Core courses 1.B. and 1.C.), which are prerequisites for doing upper-level work in the Queen’s English Department.

Faculty

Courses

Creative Writing (CWRI)

CWRI 271 Writing the City Units: 3.00

This course is designed to enhance the craft of writing through the study of literature; it will consist of 50% literary analysis and 50% creative writing. Using the city as our point of departure we will examine and produce diverse portrayals of the urban environment in such varied forms as short stories, blogs, podcasts, fan fiction and poetry.
LEARNING HOURS 120 (36S;84P)

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 2 or above.