Spring 2026
Please see the 2025-26 Catalog at https://catalog.oregonstate.edu/ for locations and times.
APPLIED JOURNALISM
AJ 313
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES IN APPLIED JOURNALISM
St. Jacques, Jill
Section: 1
CRN: 54703
This class will operate like a living, breathing newsroom in which students are reporters. We will, above all, cultivate a spirit of curiosity. We will consider how our own varied interests and backgrounds – as scientists, artists, writers, engineers, fans of cooking or skydiving, as people with experiences from across the state, nation and world - might inform the reported stories we choose to pursue as journalists. Together we will read and discuss stories from local and national publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Oregonian, and NPR. Students will pitch, report, and write stories of their own. We will primarily produce written stories, but there will be opportunity to work in other forms (photojournalism, audio, and video) for those who are interested.
Prerequisite: Minimum grade of B in AJ 311 and AJ 312
AJ 410
INTERNSHIP: EXPERIMENTS IN SCIENCE WRITING
Moyer, Jaclyn
Section: 1
CRN: 54704
In this project-based course, we’ll explore the craft of environmental journalism, defined broadly to include stories that explore the many interacting elements — geography, culture, ecology— that shape our environments.
We’ll read a variety of exemplary pieces published in national magazines such as The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and High Country News. Using these texts as guides, we’ll study the building blocks of narrative nonfiction— scene, character, stakes, voice — and examine how these elements are used to construct compelling, informative, and evocative feature stories. We’ll also discuss practical matters related to journalism and publishing such as tools and techniques used in reporting, how to pitch a story, and working with editors and fact-checkers.
Department Approval Required: SAPR-Department Approval
ENGLISH
ENG 101
INTRO TO LITERATURE: YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
Harrison, Wayne
Section 400
CRN: 57341
Ecampus
Over the past twenty years, young adult literary fiction has become the fastest-growing genre, driven by authors like S.E. Hinton, Jason Reynolds, John Green, Rainbow Rowell, and Nikki Grimes. YA novels explore themes of identity, sexuality, social justice, and social media, making them especially relevant to college students. This course encourages critical analysis of YA literature while preparing future educators to teach it. Weekly lectures cover craft elements like characterization, dialogue, and point of view. The online format includes readings, videos, discussions, and quizzes, totaling 90 hours of instruction and coursework, offering three credits upon completion.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
ENG 102
INTRO TO GLOBAL YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
Cutter, Lila
Section 1/2
CRN: 60535/61282
Interprets works of young adult literature within their cultural contexts from around the world, including varying definitions of adolescence. Employs critical methods to analyze literature and identify its historical, cultural, and social influences.
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: Global (CFGH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
Liberal Arts Non-Western Core (LACN
ENG 104Z
INTRO TO LITERATURE: FICTION
Schwartz, Sam
Section: 1
CRN: 58428
Invites students to enter imaginative narratives and confront the challenges of being human. Provides opportunities for the appreciation of fiction, including deeper awareness of craft and insight into how reading fiction can lead to self-enrichment. Includes reading a variety of types of fiction, from diverse perspectives and eras, and develops skills in discussion, literary analysis, and critical thinking.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 104Z
INTRO TO LITERATURE: FICTION
Norris, Marcos
Section: 2
CRN: 58429
50/50 Hybrid
What is a short story? The first thought that comes to mind is probably a story that’s short. But many scholars disagree with this definition. E.M. Exjebaum, for example, emphasizes form over length, describing the short story as “a bomb dropped from an airplane” that strikes “its war-head full-force on the target.” For Exjebaum and other scholars, the short story is so much more than a story that’s merely short. This course offers students a rigorous examination of the artform as it developed stylistically and formally over the past two centuries. Primary readings include stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Anton Chekhov, Virginia Woolf, Flannery O’Connor, Ernest Hemingway, Raymond Carver, and Jorge Luis Borges. Secondary readings include essays from Charles E. May’s The New Short Story Theories (1994).
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 104Z
INTRO TO LITERATURE: FICTION
Fredner, Erik
Section: 400/401
CRN: 58320/58321
Ecampus
Invites students to enter imaginative narratives and confront the challenges of being human. Provides opportunities for the appreciation of fiction, including deeper awareness of craft and insight into how reading fiction can lead to self-enrichment. Includes reading a variety of types of fiction, from diverse perspectives and eras, and develops skills in discussion, literary analysis, and critical thinking.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 106Z
INTRO TO LITERATURE: POETRY
Roush, Stephanie
Section: 1
CRN: 58430
You’ll be introduced to a variety of published voices from the past and present; you’ll study the basic craft elements of poetry including detail, imagery, voice, and lineation; you’ll practice your close reading skills to become a more skilled and confident reader of poetry; and you’ll establish a routine of checking in with your emotions and deepening your sense of empathy.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 106Z
INTRO TO LITERATURE: POETRY
Goldsmith, Jenna
Section: 400
CRN: 58322
Ecampus
Offers a broad introduction to the genre of poetry. Encourages students to be more skilled and confident readers of poetry by introducing core concepts, showcasing dynamic living poets, and giving students the opportunity to compose in a personal creative process.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH))
ENG 108
INTRO TO SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY
Gottlieb, Evan
Section:1 (Jumbo)
CRN: 54947
The roots of science fiction and fantasy (SF&F) lie in myth and fairy tales, but this course begins with their more modern origins in the early 19th century. After a contemporary graphic novel to get us started, we’ll go back to those origins and work our way towards contemporary SF&F. Along the way, we’ll study Anglo-American sci-fi and fantasy stories by both well-known and now-forgotten authors, including H.G. Wells, Robert E. Howard, J.R.R. Tolkien, Philip K. Dick, Ursula Le Guin, Octavia Butler, and Ted Chiang.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 108
INTRO TO SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY
Rubado, Annette
Section: 400/401
CRN: 57539/59071
Ecampus
The roots of science fiction and fantasy lie in myth, folklore, and fairy tales. Although some attention will be paid to these origins, we’ll focus on 19th c., 20th c., and contemporary examples of science fiction and fantasy in print. As befits our increasingly diverse society, moreover, this course is committed to introducing students to a range of voices in these genres. Accordingly, we’ll start with a contemporary graphic novel and end the course with a recent sci-fi/ fantasy novella. In between, we’ll study Anglo-American sci-fi and fantasy stories by both well-known and now-forgotten authors, including H.G. Wells, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick, Ursula Le Guin, Octavia Butler, and Ted Chiang.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 109
INTRO TO TRUE CRIME
Ehlers, Bec
Section: 1
CRN: 60536
This course focuses on the American true crime genre, from its origins in the earliest colonial literature to the contemporary popularity of crime stories in various media. It pays particular attention to true crime examples from the last five decades, tracing the genre’s evolution and rise in popularity from Truman Capote’s 1966 book In Cold Blood to the present day. Members of the class will develop a collective understanding of how the true crime genre has evolved, why it has become so popular, and how true crime texts reflect the cultural assumptions and anxieties of their eras, especially in terms of their relationship to the genre’s core ideas of violence and truth.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
ENG 210
LITERATURES OF THE WORLD: ASIA
Singh, Jaspal
Section: 400
CRN: 56251
This course will introduce you to the literature of Asia—a diverse and complex geographical and cultural location—primarily written in English but may also include literature in translation. It involves examining the impact of European incursions on specific Asian nations and their influences on cultural productions. With the imposition of English Education in the British colonies, English language and literature grew to such an extent that in the postcolonial era major international writers in the English language hail from these spaces. Students will examine historical accounts, novels, films, poetry and prose, and theoretical texts to understand the social and historical formation of modern nation-states and their cultural productions in the postcolonial era. Students will discover writers resisting and deconstructing colonial representation and myths in empowering ways. How do the educational and literary experiences of Burmese, Vietnamese, Pakistani, and Indian societies, among others, compare, and in what ways do they articulate resistance to colonialism in the postcolonial and global eras through language and literature?
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Cultural Diversity (CPCD)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
Liberal Arts Non-Western Core (LACN)
ENG 212
LITERATURES OF THE WORLD: LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
Rubado, Annette
Section: 1
CRN: 57347
How is Latin American & Caribbean identity imagined and negotiated in prose and poetry? How do Latin American cultural texts use style to explore and contest relationships between self, community and world in the context of imperialism, dictatorship, and economic, racial and gender inequalities? We will address these questions through close reading across the diverse geopolitical landscapes of the Americas. In addition to examining the ethical and political dilemmas proposed by Latin American artists, we will practice meaningful literary engagement with these texts and one another. While we read in translation, we will think through language and power. We will also examine notions of genre and aesthetics, identifying the different ways in which our writers use various aesthetic techniques to represent history, cultures and identities.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Cultural Diversity (CPCD)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: Global (CFGH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
Liberal Arts Non-Western Core (LACN)
ENG 213
LITERATURES OF THE WORLD: MIDDLE EAST
Elbom, Gilad
Section: 400
CRN: 61010
Ecampus
This course offers a close inspection of modern Middle Eastern novels. Careful attention will be paid to a variety of literary devices—characters, scenes, images, shifting points of view, and other narrative strategies—as well as cultural, historical, political, and psychological aspects. Our texts include a Palestinian postmodern novel, a feminist Egyptian novel, and a surrealistic novel from Iran.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Cultural Diversity (CPCD)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
Liberal Arts Non-Western Core (LACN)
ENG 215
CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY
Larison, John
Section: 1 (Jumbo)
CRN: 57348
In this section of ENG 215, we’ll study the collapse of civilization, the stories that endure after even the grandest palaces crumble, and how those stories can give rise to new cultures and civilizations. We’ll focus our attention on the Late Bronze Age in the Mediterranean as we explore the lives, beliefs, and mythology of the ancient Greeks. Through classic (and disturbing) myths—as well as recently uncovered archeological evidence—we’ll learn about matriarchy’s confrontation with patriarchy, the rise of monotheism in the centuries before Judaism; and how a shift in the earth’s climate led to one of the most famous wars in history. We'll ask hard questions about gender, power, justice, and adventure—in ancient times and now.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Western Culture (CPWC)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 215
CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY
Weaver, Damien
Section: 400
CRN: 58323
Ecampus
This course explores Greek and Roman mythology, its enduring allusions, and its influence on later art and culture. While traditional retellings celebrate heroic figures such as Hercules, Theseus, and Achilles, this class also foregrounds the “losers” of Classical myth—the gods, humans, monsters, and civilizations they defeat. Students will examine excerpts from Classical literature alongside later adaptations in a range of media, including sculpture, film, dance, novels, and digital culture. Throughout the course, we will investigate why these powerful archetypes continue to shape expressions of the human experience and where they succeed (or fail) in doing so.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Western Culture (CPWC)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 215
CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY
Schwartz, Sam
Section: 401
CRN: 58324
Ecampus
Why do ancient myths still captivate us? How have the gods, heroes, and monsters of the Greco-Roman world shaped the way we tell stories today?In this course, we’ll explore the foundational myths of ancient Greece and Rome—stories of divine creation, epic quests, tragic flaws, and heroic struggles—and examine their enduring influence on literature, art, film, and popular culture. Students will read primary texts in translation from authors such as Homer, Hesiod, Ovid, and Euripides, while engaging with modern interpretations that reimagine classical figures through new perspectives.
Along the way, we’ll investigate how these myths express cultural values, explore questions of identity, power, and morality, and continue to resonate in today’s world. This course emphasizes close reading, analytical thinking, and critical discussion.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Western Culture (CPWC)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 220
TOPICS IN DIFFERENCE, POWER, & DISCRIMINATION: SEXUALITY IN FILM
St. Jacques, Jillian
Section: 1
CRN: 60537
Cross-listed with FILM 220
Non-binary. Genderqueer. Cis-male, pan and trans. How are sexualities constructed within contemporary cinema—and how do those constructions affect how viewers interact with actual human beings? That’s the central question for ENG/FILM220 students, as we closely analyze an array of films depicting intersecting sexualities for multifarious political and libidinal ends. Because decoding the distribution of difference within
any cultural venue is central to each Difference, Power and Discrimination course, participants in Sexualities & Film do not merely evaluate the intersection of different sexualities—they will explore how these sexual subject positions are represented as further intersecting with other subjective vantage points,
like class, race and age. Along with learning how to closely read films, students make connections with diverse and sometimes oppositional critical theories, including but not limited to psychoanalytic, feminist, (post)feminist, post-structural and queer theories. This transdisciplinary interlacement will serve as the basis for a generous amount of research, writing, group discussion and personal reflection.
Bacc Core - Difference, Power, and Discrimination (CPDP)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 222
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Balachander, Surabhi
Section: 1
CRN: 60538
This course focuses on frontier narratives written for children (Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series and related texts that explore settlement in the 19th-century U.S.) to explore key issues and forms in children’s literature, as well as to introduce close-reading and literary writing skills. Issues include race, gender, and representation; banned and challenged books; awards; marketing to children; and use of children’s literature in the classroom. Forms include picture books, book series, graphic novels, nonfiction, and more. Other authors include Louise Erdrich, Joyce Carol Thomas, and Shing Yin Khor.
ENG 275
THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE
Elbom, Gilad
Section : 1
CRN: 53371
This class will address the inherent complexity of biblical literature from multiple perspectives: historical, theological, political, psychological, linguistic, philosophical, and other points of view. Paying attention to style, genre, conflict, characterization, narrative strategies, poetic devices, and other literary components, we will broaden and deepen our understanding of the Bible while refraining from reducing it to clear messages, unequivocal truths, or agreed-upon interpretations.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Western Culture (CPWC)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 302
WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE
McDade, Monique
Section: 1
CRN: 57349
Explore the conventions of academic writing, with the goal of developing original textual interpretations and situating those interpretations in relation to secondary sources. Develop an understanding of a broader scholarly conversation by writing about issues of difference, including but not limited to categories of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and ability. Practice evaluating scholarly resources, including secondary sources and archival research.
A minimum grade of D- is required in ENG 301.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing Intensive Courses (CWIC)
Core Education - Writing Intensive Course (CSWC)
ENG 304
CAREER PATHWAYS FOR ENGLISH AND CREATIVE WRITING MAJORS
Delf, Liz
Section: 1
CRN: 55236
Cross-listed with WR 304
“English major, huh? What are you going to do with that?” Anything you want! Creative Writing and English majors become lawyers, editors, administrators, non-profit fundraisers, and even (as everyone assumes) teachers. The same skills that you’ve used to analyze Beloved and give peer feedback in workshop can help you in the real world, too. As the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) report on career readiness highlights, employers continue to value oral and written communication, critical thinking, and leadership, making these career competencies essential for future employability.
This class is designed for English and Creative Writing majors to explore and prepare for post-graduation career options. You’ll reflect on your skills and interests, participate in career events, and develop a resume and cover letter.
Fulfills Core Ed Beyond I & II.
See course catalog for registration restrictions.
ENG 319
THE AMERICAN NOVEL: POST WORLD WAR II
Dybek, Nick
Section: 1
CRN: 56255
Focusing on some of the prominent thematic, stylistic, historical, and cultural aspects of American modernism, this class will combine famous classics with important novels other than the ones commonly perceived as canonical. Through close textual analysis and active participation in ongoing discussions, we will examine seminal works of American modernism that have paved the way for previously silenced voices, paying attention to the rise of nontraditional authors, characters, literary strategies, and subject matters.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 345
INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY CRITICISM AND THEORY
Malewitz, Raymond
Section: 1
CRN: 52823
ENG 345 provides a rapid introduction to theories and concepts that drive current literary scholarship. By the end of the term, students should be able to identify major theoretical/critical movements and theorists, as well as the primary concepts with which they are associated, define and apply specific theoretical concepts and terms to literary and cultural texts, evaluate and analyze strengths and limitations of critical/theoretical arguments in terms of internal logic and specific applications, examine historical contexts for the development of contemporary theory and criticism, and strengthen critical reading, writing, and interpretive practices for comprehension and analysis.
Successful completion of ENG 301 is a prerequisite for this course., which may be taken concurrently.
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 360
NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE
Hausman, Blake
Section: 400
CRN: 56252
Ecampus
This class studies a range of literary arts and cultural expressions by Native American authors. We’ll consider Native American literatures in their historical, cultural, geographical, political, and legal contexts. Throughout the course, we’ll prioritize Indigenous experiences, worldviews, and intellectual traditions in the study of Native literatures.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Cultural Diversity (CPCD)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
Liberal Arts Non-Western Core (LACN)
ENG 374X
MODERN SHORT STORY
Rodgers, Larry
Section: 1
CRN: 61305
Short stories are of mainstays of the literary scene. This course will survey their history and influences as the short story genre developed from the early 19th century through the contemporary era. We will focus especially on the literary tradition of realism, setting the stage with examples from early masters of the form, such as French writer Guy de Maupassant andRussian writer Anton Chekhov. Most of our reading will concentrate on 20th-21st century American authors. Class format will include lecture, but this is primarily a discussion class, with some group work and in-class assignments. You’ll be graded on quizzes on the readings, a short paper, journal/reading responses, a midterm, and a final exam.
ENG 434
STUDIES IN LITERATURE: 1700-1900: BANNED BOOKS
McDade, Monique
Section:1
CRN: 61144
This class positions the current book ban movement within its historical context to investigate the ways books have not only influenced U.S culture and politics but also how they have posed as threats to different regimes of power. We will begin in the seventeenth century, with a Puritan community, spend the majority of our time in the 19th century, but emerge every so often in the 20th and 21st centuries to track the changing rubrics for challenging or banning books.
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 465
STUDIES IN LITERATURE: EXPLODING THE NARRATOR
Dybek, Nick
Section 1
61296
In this class, we will examine the first person point-of-view by closely reading texts that make expert but varied use of this rich perspective. Special attention will be paid to novels that experiment with first-person point-of-view, and attempt to extend the notion of the “I” by creating narrators who transcend expected limitations. By discussing these texts and experimenting with first-person point-of-view in our own writing, we will engage a variety of topics, including: unreliable narrators, retrospective narrators, “voicey” narrators, narrators who are placed at a distance from the action, and narrators who not only inhabit their own stories but imagine or tell the stories of other characters. Though this course is centered on fiction, we will also discuss non-fiction and poetry. Assignments will be both critical and creative.
Recommend Sophomore standing; 8 credits of Eng 200 level or above.
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 470
STUDIES IN POETRY: EKPHRASIS
Olson, Rebecca
Section: 1
CRN: 58437
Pre 1700
To read a description of art is to experience ekphrasis, often defined as the “verbal representation of visual representation.” For centuries, poets and writers have used ekphrasis to explore the boundaries of their own genres, raise compelling questions about the politics of the gaze, and engage readers in an intermedial experience. This class provides students with foundational knowledge of the mode, focusing on ancient, medieval, and early modern examples (including Homer, Virgil, Chaucer, Spenser, and Marlowe) as well as key works in ekphrastic theory. This background will help us better attend to some of the most urgent questions raised by contemporary ekphrastic work, including Natasha Trethewey’s Thrall.
Recommend Sophomore standing; 8 credits of Eng 200 level or above.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing Intensive Courses (CWIC)
Core Education - Writing Intensive Course (CSWC)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
ENG 485
STUDIES IN AMERICAN LITERATURE: GUIDE TO OREGON LITERATURE
Balachander, Surabhi
Section: 001
CRN: 58438
Post 1900, Projects
In this course, we’ll work together to create a guide to Oregon literature. We’ll begin by reading several works of Oregon literature as well as theory about literature and place, collectively determining how we want to define and represent “Oregon literature.” Then, we’ll decide on a form for our guide and each of us will be responsible for independently reading a few texts and writing the corresponding entries. We will workshop entries in class and make the final product available to the public.
Recommend Sophomore standing; 8 credits of ENG 200-level or above .
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing Intensive Courses (CWIC)
Core Education - Writing Intensive Course (CSWC)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
FILM
FILM 145
INTRODUCTION TO FILM STUDIES: 1968-1999
Lewis, Jon/Schulze, Joshua
Section: 1/400
CRN: 55730/61432
Explores and examines American cinema, 1968-1999. Emphasis on important films and filmmakers as well as American cultural history. Films to include The Godfather, Taxi Driver, The Silence of the Lambs, and American Psycho.Film fee of $20 required.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
FILM 220
TOPICS IN DIFFERENCE, POWER, & DISCRIMINATION: SEXUALITY IN FILM
St. Jacques, Jillian
Section: 1
CRN: 60537
Cross-listed with ENG 220
Non-binary. Genderqueer. Cis-male, pan and trans. How are sexualities constructed within contemporary cinema—and how do those constructions affect how viewers interact with actual human beings? That’s the central question for ENG/FILM220 students, as we closely analyze an array of films depicting intersecting sexualities for multifarious political and libidinal ends. Because decoding the distribution of difference within
any cultural venue is central to each Difference, Power and Discrimination course, participants in Sexualities & Film do not merely evaluate the intersection of different sexualities—they will explore how these sexual subject positions are represented as further intersecting with other subjective vantage points,
like class, race and age. Along with learning how to closely read films, students make connections with diverse and sometimes oppositional critical theories, including but not limited to psychoanalytic, feminist, (post)feminist, post-structural and queer theories. This transdisciplinary interlacement will serve as the basis for a generous amount of research, writing, group discussion and personal reflection.
Bacc Core - Difference, Power, and Discrimination (CPDP)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
FILM 245
THE NEW AMERICAN CINEMA
TBA
Section: 400
CRN: 57342
Ecampus
This class will attend to contemporary American Cinema by closely examining important films and filmmakers of 21st-Century Hollywood (2000-present) along with key events in the business of developing, producing, distributing, and exhibiting motion pictures. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Bacc Core, Perspectives - Literature and the Arts (CPLA)
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
FILM 480
STUDIES IN FILM, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY: HORROR AND ARCHITECTURE
Schulze, Joshua
Section: 1
CRN: 61297
This course offers a critical overview of the horror genre and its relationship to space and the built environment. It surveys the major architectural shifts and movements of the 20th century and examines how these are reflected across selected horror films. Screenings may include Suspiria (1977), The Shining (1980), Parasite (2019), and others.
Recommend Sophomore standing; 8 credits of ENG 200-level or above.
Liberal Arts Humanities Core (LACH)
WRITING
WR 121Z
ENGLISH COMPOSITION
See the Course Catalog for available sections.
English Composition is designed to help you develop skills and confidence in analytical writing, and to foster your rhetorical awareness—your perception of where, how, and why persuasion is occurring. This 3-credit course places emphasis on the process of writing, including acts of reading, researching, analytical thinking, freewriting, drafting, review, revision, and editing. Complementing this approach is our focus on the final product—quality compositions that demonstrate rhetorical awareness and evidence of critical thinking.
Bacc Core, Skills - Writing I (CSW1)
Core Education - Writing Foundations (CFWF)
WR 224
INTRO TO FICTION WRITING
See the Course Catalog for available sections.
WR 224 is an introduction to the writing of fiction. Our approach in this fiction writing workshop will be to develop your skills as a creative writer through several means: careful reading and analysis of our own work; careful reading and analysis of established writers’ work; the execution of several meaningful fiction exercises; and a constant commitment to revision. Assessment methods include creative writing exercises, quizzes and reading checks on textbook craft sections, peer review, and the evolution of a short story from first to final, polished draft by the end of the term.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing II (CSW2)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Fine Arts Core (LACF)
WR 227Z
TECHNICAL WRITING
See the Course Catalog for available sections.
Technical writing is practical written communication for a specialized need and a specific audience, typically instructive and/or informative, which may or may not be about science or technology. Nearly all workplaces require technical documents. Some workplaces hire trained technical writers, but in most cases technical writing is just one of your duties, often not even on the job description. Technical writing requires a problem-solving process focused on user centered design for a specific audience, purpose, and context, which is why it is sometimes called Information Management. Information must be procured,
packaged, and presented in clean, attractive, error-free copy for a specific audience. This class requires you to present information in various documents, with focus on the writing in your field. Research (both primary and secondary) is required. Conferences and peer review will help. OSU’s Writing Center located in Waldo with an annex in the Valley Library provides excellent assistance with writing projects.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing II (CSW2)
Core Education - Writing Elevation (CSWE)
WR 240
INTRO TO NONFICTION WRITING
See the Course Catalog for available sections.
Creative nonfiction is the genre of creative writing that bridges the act of making literary prose--the crafting of vivid scenes, a thoughtful narrative voice, and meaningful formats--with the kinds of practical personal writing often required in our academic and professional lives. In this course, we will discuss several published pieces from the creative nonfiction genre, including personal essays, memoir, and lyric essay. More importantly, we will also write, edit, workshop, and revise several pieces of our own creative nonfiction. Expect a lively class with lots of imaginative prompts, free-writes, and hardy discussion.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing II (CSW2)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Fine Arts Core (LACF)
WR 241
INTRO TO POETRY WRITING
See the Course Catalog for available sections.
“The art of poetry is ultimately an art of attention—Michael Blumenthal.” Throughout this course, we will consider the tools necessary to approach poetry more attentively as both readers and writers. This course will provide a firm grounding in the rudiments of poetic craft such as word choice, line breaks, imagery, structure, and other devices, as well as an introduction to different forms available to poets. We will consistently work through writing exercises and read/ discuss the work of various poets in order to aid us in the generation of our own poems.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing II (CSW2)
Core Education - Arts & Humanities: General (CFAH)
Liberal Arts Fine Arts Core (LACF)
WR 250
PODCAST STORYTELLING
Ross, Selene
Section: 400
CRN: 61011
Ecampus
In this class we will explore stories told through sound. We’ll listen to some of the best and most important podcasts of the last decade and unpack what makes them so satisfying. You’ll learn how to identify elements of compelling storytelling and how to think like a producer, imagining sound-design and narrative possibilities. While we will utilize audio software as necessary, the majority of this class will focus on the scripting and structure of podcasts, rather than the production. Students will pitch, develop, and produce their own podcast throughout the duration of the course.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in WR 121Z or WR 121HZ.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing II (CSW2)
WR 303
WRITING FOR THE WEB
TBA
Section: 400
CRN: 58329
Ecampus
Concerns the production of instructive, informative, and rhetorically savvy writing for Web-based locations and applications. Helps people find information, get things done, convey their opinions, build communities, and collaborate on complex projects.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of D- in WR 121 and WR 121H.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing II (CSW2)
WR 304
CAREER PATHWAYS FOR ENGLISH AND CREATIVE WRITING MAJORS
Delf, Liz
Section: 1
CRN: 61485
Cross-listed with ENG 304
“English major, huh? What are you going to do with that?” Anything you want! Creative Writing and English majors become lawyers, editors, administrators, non-profit fundraisers, and even (as everyone assumes) teachers. The same skills that you’ve used to analyze Beloved and give peer feedback in workshop can help you in the real world, too. As the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) report on career readiness highlights, employers continue to value oral and written communication, critical thinking, and leadership, making these career competencies essential for future employability.
This class is designed for English and Creative Writing majors to explore and prepare for post-graduation career options. You’ll reflect on your skills and interests, participate in career events, and develop a resume and cover letter.
Fulfills Core Ed Beyond I & II.
See course catalog for registration restrictions.
WR 314
WRITING IN BUSINESS
See the Course Catalog for available sections.
As college students, you will soon enter a job market driven by new technologies, a changed economy, and the need to communicate with different audiences from all over the globe. The ability to write clearly and effectively for a wide range of purposes and audiences will be a vital skill in your future, regardless of your field of work. This course will develop your understanding of rhetoric, audience, and conventions to improve your communication skills; we will focus on the practical uses of clear and effective writing that can be applied to a variety of workplaces.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing II (CSW2)
Core Education - Writing Elevation (CSWE)
WR 323
ADVANCED WRITING AND ARGUMENTATION
See the Course Catalog for available sections.
While continuing the concerns of WR 121, WR 323 emphasizes the development of argumentation skills and the control of style to suit a variety of writing situations. Students will develop skills through critical thinking; discussing the style and mechanics of good writing; and workshopping and drafting formal essays. You will also study the work of professional writers for inspiration and guidance in your own writing, and approach them with a critical mind. In your reading you will learn to adopt the habit of looking closely and questioning the reliability of opinions; to identify, evaluate, and use the elements of argument; to distinguish between observation, fact, inference, etc.; to discern invalid evidence, bias, fallacies, and unfair emotional appeals; to understand how assumptions operate; to draw reasonable conclusions based on induction and deduction; and to distinguish subjective and objective approaches.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing II (CSW2)
Core Education - Writing Elevation (CSWE)
WR 324
SHORT STORY WRITING
Bhanoo, Sindya
Section: 1
CRN: 56571
Tim O’Brien writes that a story, if truly told, makes the “stomach believe.” But how do you convince a reader to believe, or even care about, something that never happened? In this class, we will attempt to answer this question—and many others—by reading and critiquing works of fiction (by published writers and by you and your classmates), and by completing short exercises that aim to illuminate the craft by calling attention to choices and effects of imagery, perspective, character, etc. Many would argue that writing cannot be taught. But, as with any craft—origami, ship carpentry—there is a long tradition of studying fiction in order to learn specific and/or established techniques and writing strategies. On the other hand, some of the most exciting fiction occurs when a writer disregards or flouts expected craft choices. In this course we’ll endeavor to figure out what “the rules” are and how and when to break them.
Successful completion of WR 224 or WR 224H is a prerequisite for this course.
Liberal Arts Fine Arts Core (LACF)
WR 324
SHORT STORY WRITING
Scribner, Keith
Section: 400
CRN: 61481
Ecampus
Tim O’Brien writes that a story, if truly told, makes the “stomach believe.” But how do you
convince a reader to believe, or even care about, something that never happened? In this class, we will attempt to answer this question—and many others—by reading and critiquing works of fiction (by published writers and by you and your classmates), and by completing short exercises that aim to illuminate the craft by calling attention to choices and effects of imagery, perspective, character, etc.
Successful completion of WR 224 or WR 224H is a prerequisite for this course.
Liberal Arts Fine Arts Core (LACF)
WR 341
POETRY WRITING
Holmberg, Karen
Section: 1
CRN: 57538
In this class, students will build on skills learned in WR 241 to further hone their poetic craft through practice and play. This community-oriented workshop prompts students to experiment with their writing, give thoughtful and nuanced feedback to peers, and engage in creative discussions based on the close-reading of contemporary poems. They will practice the stages of writing—from generative brainstorming to composing multiple drafts to polishing accomplished work—through in- and out-of-class exercises, employing revision strategies at every stage. We will also examine students’ poems in a rigorous, supportive workshop and encourage insightful written and oral feedback. Students will leave this class with a more nuanced understanding of sound, image, and form in poetry and their own identity as poets.
Successful completion of WR 241 is a prerequisite for this course.
Liberal Arts Fine Arts Core (LACF)
WR 362
SCIENCE WRITING
See the Course Catalog for available sections.
Communicating science-related information to the general public has never been more important. While scientists and other experts understand their field, they’re not always adept at communicating that understanding in a way the general public can understand. Science Writing teaches you strategies for identifying your audience, so you can write to address their interests, needs, and biases. You’ll practice research, drafting, and revision skills to hone your ability to write clear, engaging, and accessible articles for audiences who want learn about science and how it affects them.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing II (CSW2)
Core Education - Writing Elevation (CSWE)
WR 375
WRITING IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES
Mathis, Wes
Section: 1
60555
Presents opportunities to learn and practice conventions for writing to different audiences in natural science disciplines. Investigates how to construct texts that integrate critically-evaluated scientific sources and synthesize different perspectives in complex conversations using critical analysis and genre-appropriate writing styles and conventions. Explores adapting texts to different writing situations, audiences, and relevant knowledge domains. Examines justifying rhetorical choices as situation- and genre-appropriate.
Core Education - Writing Elevation (CSWE)
WR 375
WRITING IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES
Perrault, Sarah/TBD
Section: 400/401
TBD
Ecampus
Core Education - Writing Elevation (CSWE)
WR 383
FOOD WRITING
Griffin, Kristin
Section: 1
58441
50/50 Hybrid
From the recipe to the memoir essay, the investigative feature to the food crawl, this course will expose you to the booming world of food writing. We’ll discuss the classics in American food writing—MFK Fisher, Edna Lewis, Madhur Jaffrey—and read deeply in what’s current, from personal blogs to magazines, in print and online. Once you have a sense of the genre and its possibilities, each student will become editor, writer, and designer of a new issue of Buckteeth Magazine, an online food magazine associated with the class and produced collaboratively over the course of the term. You’ll assign yourself a food-focused story, learn effective strategies for pitching it, and hone your revision skills, earning yourself a spot on the masthead, and an opportunity to publish your writing.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in WR 121Z and WR 121HZ.
WR 390
HABITS OF CREATIVE PRACTICE
Braun, Clare
Section: 400
CRN: 61489
Ecampus
So you like to make stuff. Paintings, poems, canoes, essays, stories, socks, etc. When you sit down to work, how do you make inspiration strike? How do you maintain momentum to see a project through? And how do these acts of creation fit into your life and your sense of self? We’ll experiment with various habits of creative production (boredom, ritual, fresh air, mise-en-place, maybe a little light spellcasting), honing our personal practices to enrich our experiences of creating (and maybe even enhance our output).
Recommended: Collaboration, writing, and self-reflection skills.
WR 399
PUBLISHING PRACTICUM
Larison, John
Section: 1
CRN: 58953
Ecampus
Want to learn more about the process and business of publishing? The Publishing Practicum is a two-credit course that will introduce you to a world of publishing opportunities, from landing a book-deal to launching a career in editing, agenting, or copywriting. Have questions about how a person becomes a real-life writer? Bring them. Through a customizable curriculum and individualized mentorship, students are supported as they take the first steps toward launching their literary career. Expect a distinctive course that will prepare you to navigate real-world publishing opportunities.
WR 406
PROJECTS: LETTERPRESS
Holmberg, Karen
Section: 2
CRN: 57676
This 1 credit, 2-day course introduces students to the basic techniques of letterpress printing. During the intensive (providing 10 hours of instruction), students will learn:
•Basic history and terminology;
•Introductory design skills using typefaces, spacing, and ornaments;
•Hand type-setting;
•Operation of the proofing press and demonstration of the Chandler and Price hand press.
This course is required for students seeking supervised access to the Moreland Letterpress Studio during its open hours for the Winter term.
WR 411
THE TEACHING OF WRITING
Kurzer, Kendon
Section: 1
CRN: 60556
Pedagogy
Introduces current and future teachers of writing to theory and pedagogical approaches in composition studies, helps us become better aware of and strengthen our own writing processes, and enables us to make and express connections between classroom experience and composition theory. We will explore topics like assessment, response, assignment creation, multilingualism, grammar, literacy, multimedia, process, and genre as we explore composition and writing. Students will complete reading assignments/responses, informal and formal writing assignments (such as developing a teaching portfolio and a literature review), and participate in class discussions and activities.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing Intensive Courses (CWIC)
Core Education - Writing Intensive Course (CSWC)
WR 424
ADVANCED FICTION WRITING
Scribner, Keith
Section: 1
CRN: 57623
In this workshop we will read and write fiction. Using published stories as models, we’ll discuss methods of characterization, plotting, scene-setting, dialogue, and so on. Much of our work together will involve close reading and analysis of the texts in question. Our emphasis will be on writing more complicated and sophisticated stories with concision and economy.
A minimum grade of D- is required in WR 324.
Liberal Arts Fine Arts Core (LACF)
WR 435
SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL, & PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATIONS CAPSTONE
Khan, Khawar
Section: 1
CRN: 54758
This one-credit course provides an opportunity for students enrolled in the certificate in scientific, technical, and professional communication to compose and design a portfolio of their existing work for future professional use. The course covers the purpose and goals in creating a portfolio, the selection and organization of materials, the formation of an editing and revision plan, the development of contextual summaries, the writing of an introductory letter, and the delivery of a finished portfolio project. Faculty will assist students in these decisions throughout the five-week course, each week focusing on smaller elements of the portfolio project. The portfolio will be proof of the work students have completed in their certificate program and assist students in representing those abilities to others.
Recommend completion of 18 credits towards the Scientific, Technical, and Professional Communication Certificate
Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Scientific, Tech, & Prof Comm (C750).
Department Approval Required: SAPR-Department Approval
WR 440
ADVANCED CREATIVE NONFICTION WRITING
Passarello, Elena
Section: 1
CRN: 56258
This is a rigorous advanced course for writers who already have several terms of experience drafting, revising, and workshopping creative material. The course will mostly center on generating, workshopping, and then revising several pieces that fall under the broad category of Creative Nonfiction (CNF): literary essay, personal essay, lyric nonfiction, memoir, and creative criticism. The class will also read and analyze published examples of CNF from contemporary literary journals, magazines, and essay collections. In addition to drafting their own work, students will write detailed feedback letters to all their classmates.
A minimum grade of D- is required in WR 341.
WR 446X
ADVANCED CREATIVE WRITING: MIXED METHODS
Rodgers, Sue
Section: 400
CRN: TBD
Ecampus
This advanced creative writing course is designed for students in any genre (fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry) who have taken a 300-level WR course. Writing into three assigned structures, you will learn about craft elements from other genres and experiment with incorporating those craft moves into your writing. We’ll read several examples of each structure in each genre, engage in low-stakes writing, and workshop drafts in small mixed-genre groups. This course is not repeatable.
A minimum grade of D- is required in WR 324, WR 340 and WR 341.
WR 448
MAGAZINE ARTICLE WRITING
Griffin, Kristin
Section: 400
CRN: 58906
Ecampus
This Ecampus course will guide you through the process of pitching, writing, and selling your first magazine article. Reading deeply in the genre, both in print and online, you'll develop an understanding of the marketplace and learn strategies for building a freelance writing practice. This includes considerations of what makes for a good magazine article, discussions about recognizing and cultivating expertise, and exercises intended to hone your unique voice. You'll be introduced to valuable resources, will have the opportunity to chat with active editors, and will share your work with peers during in-class workshops. Expect a practical nuts and bolts class, one that leaves you a stronger and more confident writer.
WR 462
ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING
Jensen, Tim
Section: 1
CRN: 54949
Ecampus
This course explores how environmental content is communicated and why this communication matters. We’ll analyze the discourse of environmental topics from multiple perspectives, genres, and styles, including nature writing, science journalism, and contemporary feature essays, while also composing quality environmental writing of our own. From early conservationism to deep ecology, climate science to indigenous rhetorics, this class will journey through a forest of diverse voices.
A minimum grade of C- is required in WR 121, WR 121H, WR 121Z and WR 121HZ.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing Intensive Courses (CWIC)
Core Education - Writing Intensive Course (CSWC)
WR 462
ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING
Olson Sam
Section: 400
CRN: 57866
Ecampus
75/25 Hybrid
Writing about environmental topics from multiple perspectives. Includes science journalism, research and writing on current scientific issues and controversies, and theories of rhetoric and environmentalism. This course is repeatable for a maximum of 12 credits. This course may be subject to Enforced Prerequisites that restrict registration into the course. Check the Schedule of Classes for more information.
A minimum grade of C- is required in WR 121, WR 121H, WR 121Z and WR 121HZ.
Bacc Core, Skills – Writing Intensive Courses (CWIC)
Core Education - Writing Intensive Course (CSWC)