2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
English
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Faculty
Chair
Jean Fernandez
Director, Writing & Rhetoric
Tanya Olson
Professor
Jessica Berman
A.B., Princeton University, 1983; M.A., The University of Chicago, 1986; Ph.D., 1993
Raphael Falco
B.A., Columbia University, 1977; M.A., 1985; Ph.D., New York University, 1990
Jean Fernandez
B.A., University of Madras (India), 1976; M.A., 1978; M.Phil., 1987; Ph.D., The University of Iowa, 2004
Lucille McCarthy
B.A., Stanford University, 1966; M.A.T., University of Chicago, 1968; Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1985
Kathryn McKinley
B.Phil., Pennsylvania State University, 1980; M.A., University of Toronto, 1984; Ph.D., University of Delaware, 1992
Associate Professor
Lindsay DiCuirci
B.A., Cedarville University, 2004; M.A., The Ohio State University, 2006; Ph.D., 2010
Jennifer Maher
B.A., Miami University, 1995; M.A., 1999; Ph.D., Iowa State University, 2006
Michele I. Osherow
B.A., Carnegie Mellon University, 1988; M.A., University of Maryland, College Park, 1994; Ph.D., 2000
Jody Shipka
B.A., Loyola University Chicago, 1997; M.A., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999; Ph.D., 2005
Orianne Smith
B.A., Bennington College, 1986; M.A., Loyola University Chicago, 1999; Ph.D., 2005
Assistant Professor
Earl Brooks
B.A., University of Kansas, 2010; M.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2013; Ph.D., 2017
Keegan Finberg
B.A., Sarah Lawrence College, 2006; M.A., University of California, Santa Cruz, 2012; Ph.D., 2015
Drew Holladay
B.A., Union University, 2005; M.A., University of Louisville, 2009; Ph.D., 2017
Sharon Tran
B.A., Queens College, 2010; M.A., University of California, Los Angeles, 2013; Ph.D., 2017
Emily Yoon Perez
B.A., Johns Hopkins University, 2007; M.A., University of Texas at Dallas, 2009; Ph.D., University of Maryland, 2018
Professor of the Practice
Deborah Rudacille
B.A., Loyola College, 1980; M.A., Johns Hopkins University, 1998
Writer-in-Residence
Lia Purpura
B.A., Oberlin College, 1986; M.F.A., University of Iowa, 1990
Principal Lecturer
Carol Fitzpatrick
B.A., University of North Carolina, 1973; M.A., State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1974
Sally Shivnan
B.A., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1995; M.F.A., George Mason University, 1999
Senior Lecturer
Ryan Bloom
B.A., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2003; M.F.A., American University, 2006
Tanya Olson
B.A., St. Andrews Presbyterian College, 1989; M.A., University College, Dublin, 1992; Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2001
Lecturer
Brian Dunnigan
B.A., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1999; M.A., American University, 2001
Anthony McGurrin
B.A., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1974; M.A., State University of New York at Buffalo, 1975
Nicole Pekarske
B.A., University of Maryland, College Park, 1994; M.F.A., University of Virginia, 1996; Ph.D., University of Missouri, 2003
Professors Emeriti
J. Leeds Barroll
A.B., Harvard University, 1950; M.A., Princeton University, 1955; Ph.D., 1956
Joan Korenman
B.A., Brandeis University, 1963; M.A., Harvard University, 1964; Ph.D., 1970
Associate Professors Emeriti
Kenneth Baldwin
B.A., University of Detroit, 1964; M.A., 1966; M.A., The Johns Hopkins University, 1968; Ph.D., 1970
William Edinger
B.A., Stanford University, 1963; M.A., University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1964; Ph.D., 1969
Lawrence Lasher
B.A., Newark College of Rutgers University, 1959; M.A., University of Maryland, College Park, 1962; Ph.D., 1965
Professor of Practice Emeriti
Christopher Corbett
B.S., Northwestern University, 1973
Instructors Emeriti
Linda Benson
B.A., Oklahoma State University, 1970; M.A., 1972
Robin Farabaugh
B.A., Wellesley College, 1973; M.A., Cornell University, 1978; Ph.D., 1985
Michael Fallon
B.A., University of Baltimore, 1973; M.A., New Mexico State University, 1981
Gail Orgelfinger
B.A., The George Washington University, 1972; A.M., The University of Chicago, 1973; Ph.D., 1978
Courses in this program are listed under ENGL and SPCH.
The program for English majors is designed to provide students with advanced skills in written and oral communication and in the interpretation of texts, as well as with a deepened critical appreciation of literature and other kinds of texts. Students in the Literature Track cultivate the skills of close reading, effective writing and critical analysis. They study British, American, and anglophone world literatures in their historical contexts and choose from a wide assortment of seminars and elective courses on topics of special interest. Students in the Communication and Technology Track examine theories of communication and technology, hone expository writing skills, and develop a critical awareness of print, electronic, and multimodal texts. Both tracks prepare students for an exceptionally wide range of careers as well as for the demands of graduate study.
Career and Academic Paths
Many careers are open to English majors. In the Greater Baltimore region alone, UMBC English graduates have succeeded as government administrators, business executives, editors and publishers, technical writers and journalists. Many English graduates teach at the primary, secondary and university levels. In addition, English graduates go into law, medicine, government, social work, public relations, advertising, law enforcement, foreign service, and new media design.
Undergraduate Academic Advising
Students who wish to major in English should declare the major by submitting the Declaration of Major form to the Office of the Registrar or English Department Office. Shortly afterward, students will receive a letter from the department assigning them a faculty advisor. Each semester, after the schedule of classes is published and before the advance registration period, students should make an appointment with their advisor to discuss their program for the upcoming semester and any other academic matters that may have arisen. Students should come to the advising appointment with a preliminary schedule already outlined. Students must have an advisor’s approval to register. Transfer students who are registering for the first time and have not been assigned to an advisor should visit the department office for further information. Please note that interaction with the advisor is an important part of each student’s academic program and that the advisor has the final responsibility for certifying that students have completed the requirements of the major program.
Graduate Advising
The English major provides excellent preparation for graduate study in literature, rhetoric, composition, and related fields, such as journalism, creative writing, and publication design. UMBC English majors frequently have gained admission to some of the most rigorous graduate programs in the nation. The English Department encourages its students to consider graduate study. Early in their major programs, interested students should consult with the departmental graduate school placement advisor or with other members of the faculty who can provide information about the variety of graduate programs available and specific admission requirements.
Minor Programs
Students completing one minor may not apply the same elective courses to satisfy requirements for another minor. However, required courses in one minor may be listed as electives in another minor program. This provision allows students to complete more than one minor program without having to take 36 total hours of classes. Students should consult with their English department advisors to identify the minor program(s) best suited to their interests and needs. With the advisor’s permission, up to six credits from the any English minor may be counted as part of the English major.
Special Topics
If students have special interest in a particular subject, they may be able to explore it through ENGL 400 - Special Projects in English (1-4). Students plan their own course of study and determine the number of credit hours (up to four) in consultation with a faculty member who will direct the project and award the grade. Students should discuss their project with the faculty member with whom they would like to work. Students should secure permission from the ENGL 400 course director to register for the agreed-upon number of credits. This course may be repeated for credit, but it may not count as a seminar.
English as a Second Language (ESL)
The English department offers special courses and designated sections (typically followed by E) of standard courses for students whose native language is not English.
Honors Program
Participation in the English honors program enables students to complete a large-scale critical, research or creative-writing project. Honors students are chosen on the basis of their grades and their writing ability and should have at least a 3.5 GPA in the major and a 3.0 GPA in non-major courses or a strong faculty recommendation. Candidates for the honors program normally apply to the program director in the late fall of their junior year. With faculty consultation, students will choose their own research projects. Graduates of the program will be honored at commencement, and their honors status will be noted on their transcripts. Further details of the program are available in the English Department office.
Special Opportunities
The English Department has a program of internships (ENGL 398 - Journalism Internship (1-4) and ENGL 495 - Internship (1-4)) in which students may earn one to eight credits while gaining practical experience in communication and research skills in a real-life work situation. Students work six to eight hours per week for a newspaper, television or radio station, government agency or business. These opportunities are arranged by the English department in cooperation with the sponsoring agency.
Student Organizations
English Council of Majors is a student-run organization that hosts many literary and social events throughout the year, including poetry readings at local coffeehouses, writing workshops by prominent American poets, graduate school information meetings and faculty-student colloquia. English majors with an outstanding record of academic achievement are invited to join the UMBC chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honors society.
Members of Sigma Tau Delta are eligible for national scholarships, writing awards and publishing internships; the UMBC chapter works closely with the English Council of Majors in organizing literary activities. English majors gain publishing experience by working on Bartleby, UMBC’s literary magazine; The UMBC Review, a journal of student research; and The Retriever, UMBC’s school newspaper, which won first place with special merit in the 1995 Scholastic Press Association Annual College Newspaper Awards.
ProgramsMajorMinorCoursesEnglishPage: 1
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