ENGL-592: Special Topics in Literature

Course, prefix, number, & title: ENGL-592 Special Topics in Literature

Hours (Class, recitation, Laboratory, studio): 3; Offered as needed

Credits: 3

Pre-requisites (if any): ENGL-102

Course Description in college catalog:

These courses will focus on a specific theme, genre, or topic to be announced in advance and will vary each semester. Descriptions of the topic in a particular semester will be available in the English Department before registration. Students may take two such courses for credit, as long as they do not repeat the topic.

Topics will include but not be limited to:

• Women in Literature
• Afro-American Literature
• Asian-American Literature
• Love and Sexuality
• The Experience of War
• Growing Up
• The Search for Identity
• Literature of Madness and the Irrational
• Views of Aging in Literature
• The Individual and the Community
• The Literature of Revolt
• The City in Literature
• The Immigrant Experience
• The American Dream
• The Graphic Novel

Academic programs for which this course serves as a requirement or an elective:

This is an upper-division elective English class that fulfills major requirements for the A.A. Liberal Arts and Sciences degree. It fulfills an English class elective for the English concentration.

General Education Outcomes: Below is a listing of General Education Outcome(s) that this course supports.

1. Communicate effectively in various forms

2. Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to make informed decisions

Course-specific student learning outcomes:

1. Demonstrate understanding of forms and conventions of a given genre in the context of an historical period or theme.

2. Analyze texts through an historical, rhetorical, and/or theoretical framework. 

3. Generate a logical argument or article based on evidence from primary and secondary sources: clear thesis statement or statement of purpose, appropriate sources, transitional language, and progressive development of ideas or generate a sustained creative work or collection of works. 

4. Apply and synthesize appropriate knowledge to produce clear and effective writing. 

Methods by which student learning will be assessed and evaluated; describe the types of methods to be employed; note whether certain methods are required for all sections:

Student learning will be assessed through the evaluation of written assignments that pose formal, technical, thematic challenges; formal papers and research projects with primary and secondary sources, and including MLA documentation; individual and group presentations, exams, periodic analytical responses to class readings; student self-assessments may include pre- and post- learning reflection papers.

Academic Integrity policy (department or College):
Academic honesty is expected of all students. Any violation of academic integrity is taken extremely seriously. All assignments and projects must be the original work of the student or teammates. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any questions regarding academic integrity should be brought to the attention of the instructor. The following is the Queensborough Community College Policy on Academic Integrity: "It is the official policy of the College that all acts or attempted acts that are violations of Academic Integrity be reported to the Office of Student Affairs. At the faculty member's discretion and with the concurrence of the student or students involved, some cases though reported to the Office of Student Affairs may be resolved within the confines of the course and department. The instructor has the authority to adjust the offender's grade as deemed appropriate, including assigning an F to the assignment or exercise or, in more serious cases, an F to the student for the entire course." Read the University's policy on Academic Integrity opens in a new window.

Disabilities
Any student who feels that he or she may need an accommodation based upon the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Accessibility Services in Science Building, Room S-132, 718-631-6257, to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. You can visit the Office of Accessibility Services website.