Welcome to the Department of English at Stephen F. Austin State University!
The Department of English offers a variety of courses in world, British, and American literature; writing; creative writing; film studies; linguistics; and literary criticism. We house a variety of majors and minors in these and related fields, and we instruct both undergraduate and graduate (MA) students. Our faculty members are productive and creative scholars; they teach with enthusiasm and skill and hold degrees from universities all across America.
Please use the navigational links on the left to learn more about the department and its offerings. You will also find our contact information on the right. We hope that you will make courses from the Department of English a vital part of your college career!
Selected Course Descriptions for Fall 2013
English 412: 21st Century British Novels
In this course we will read and discuss some of the more diverse and interesting British novels that have been written since the turn of the century. We will analyze various approaches to the development of the novel and try to place them in the more complete context of literary history. We will read works such as:
- Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
- On Beauty by Zadie Smith
- Saturday by Ian McEwan
Please contact your advisor or Dr. Given if you have any questions about the course.
The following Linguistics courses (in addition to Introduction to Linguistics, History of the English Language, and Structires of English) will be offered in the Fall 2013. For English majors and minors, either class can be counted as your required Linguistics course. Both courses count toward the Linguistics minor. English SEDT candidates are strongly encouraged to take ENG 439 in addition to the required ENG 344.
ENG 438 Forensic Linguistics TR 9:30-10:45 C. Sams samsc@sfasu.edu
Linguistic study of texts and recordings to determine authorship, evasion strategies, possible coercion in writings/recordings, stylistic changes, deception, and so on. Linguistic tools include phonetic analysis, structural analysis, and word choice. Texts analyzed include hate mail, suicide letters, ransom notes, and confessions; recordings include interviews, interrogations, and confessions. (Advanced Forensic Linguistics may be offered in Spring 2014 and this course is a prerequisite).
ENG 439 Advanced Grammar TR 12:30-1:45 J. Sams samsj@sfasu.edu
Advanced investigation of the concepts of grammatical form and function, including the application of labels such as noun, adjective, verb, subject, object, phrase, clause. Study will also include discussion of the use of grammar in written and spoken language, the teaching of grammar in classrooms, the debates about grammatical change in current language, and the notion of standard language.