The English Program
Lower Division Core Course Offerings
UNM-Taos English Faculty Bios
The English
Program at UNM-Taos is divided into five curricula, described
below: (1)
The Preparatory Writing Curriculum, (2) The Freshman Writing
Curriculum, (3) The Advanced Writing Curriculum, (4) The
Literature Curriculum, and (5) The Creative Writing Curriculum.
The Preparatory Writing Curriculum
Students who require intensive
practice in writing-based skills and techniques may be
placed in either English Fundamentals (ENG010) or Essay
Writing (ENG100), the successful completion of which
allows for entry to Expository Writing. Students interested
in developing skills necessary for writing for institutional
purposes (business, government, advanced education),
may enroll in Technical and Professional Writing (ENG219)
once they have completed English 102 or its equivalent.
English
Fundamentals (010) and Essay Writing (100)
These
courses offer students skills- and techniques-based
practice in basic writing. While English Fundamentals focuses
primarily on sentences structure and linkage, Essay Writing
concentrates on paragraph development and short essays. In
both courses, students are encouraged to identify their
strengths in writing by drafting and revising their work
from feedback by both peers and the instructor. Both
courses are supplemented by a one-credit workshop in
reading (Reading I and Reading II) designed to introduce
students to the important role reading plays in the
writing process.
The Freshman Writing Curriculum
Each semester the English department
offers two courses in composition that are transferable
to all accredited colleges and universities in the
United States
and
Canada
. These courses, Expository
Writing (ENG101) and Argument and Analysis (ENG102),
are required for most degree and certificate programs. Although
their primary objective is to introduce students
to the conventions of academic writing, they also
seek to meet the various needs of many in the
Taos
community who would like to sharpen
their skills in writing, reading, and critical thinking.
Composition
1: Exposition (101)
This
course encourages students to think, read, and compose
as writers think, read, and compose. Cultivating
one’s written “voice,” first in personal
essays then in more formal academic ones, is a primary
objective. Nonliterary prose texts may be read and
responded to critically, in both writing and classroom
discussion, with particular attention given to the stylistic
features of published writing. In addition, students
learn to read their own writing critically and, from
feedback provided by both instructors and peers, revise
their drafts into clear, readable, thoughtful essays.
In the second half of the semester, students are introduced
to the conventions of academic discourse. They
conduct research and compose an expository essay that
distinguishes them as experts on their topics. In addition
to satisfying the first-stage freshman writing requirement
of most colleges and universities in the
U.S.
and
Canada
,
Expository Writing is an excellent “refresher” course
for those interested in brushing up their skills or
writing for practical purposes.
Composition
2: Argument and Analysis in Writing (102)
Students
who successfully pass (with a C or higher) Expository
Writing may then enter this course, which encourages
students to explore, in both writing and discussion,
a wide variety of issues garnered from both literary
and nonliterary texts by published writers. Students are encouraged to
engage, analyze, and synthesize complex ideas in essays
that are persuasive in style and voice. As in
Expository Writing, writing in this class is conceived
as part of a larger process that includes reading and
critical thinking; however, these components of the
process receive greater emphasis than in the previous
course.
COMPASS
Entrance Examination
Most
students are required to take the COMPASS placement
exam when they enroll in one of the above courses. This
examination is administered by CASA (the Center for Academic
Success and Achievement). Please consult an academic
advisor to see if you need to take this examination
or not.
Transferability
of Credits
In
order for the above courses to transfer to other colleges
and universities, students must receive a grade of
C or higher. Students who receive a C- in either of the
above courses must re-enroll. Students transferring
to UNM-Taos from other institutions must provide an academic
transcript and syllabi showing comparability between writing
courses taken elsewhere with the courses detailed above. Courses
in which the student received a C- or lower will not
satisfy the writing requirements of this writing program.
Final
Essay Assessment
Students
in the above two courses must submit a example
of their written work at each semester’s end
for review by all freshman writing instructors in the
English Program.
The Advanced Writing Curriculum
Our
advanced writing curriculum offers students the opportunity
to fine-tune their writing skills and practice writing
in a variety of styles and discourses. Students who have successfully completed
English 101 and English 102 may enroll in our advanced
writing courses for credit. Students who have
not taken English 101/102 may audit these courses.
Technical and Professional Writing (219)
This
course is designed to immerse students in institutional
discourse as employed by businesses, corporations,
government agencies, and higher education. Students
will chose a topic relevant to their interests or careers
and develop it substantially throughout the semester. This
process will involve writing professional correspondence,
proposals, critiques and summaries of researched sources,
and a final full-length report (or study) that clearly
establishes their authority over the subject matter. In
the workshop-based classroom, students will consult frequently
with the instructor and collaborate with peer-colleagues
throughout the semester. This
course is offered each fall semester.
Expository Writing (220)
Operating within a theme chosen by the instructor (for
instance, "The Natural
World," "Chicana Writing," "Justice and Injustice"),
students will read and write in a variety of styles--academic, journalistic,
narrative, etc.--and become acquainted with the exciting possibilities opened
up by the world of nonfiction prose. Expository Writing is offered
each spring semester.
The Literature Curriculum
The
English Department offers a number of electives in
literature, two of which are described below. Occasionally
, courses such as "Topics in
Literature," "Greek Mythology," "Introduction
to Chicano/a Literature," and other courses found
in the UNM Catalog (under "English" in the "Arts
and Sciences" section)
are offered. Most of these courses require
a prerequisite of English 101 (sometimes English
102) or the permission of the instructor. Students
who have not taken the prerequisite courses, however,
may audit our literature offerings.
Early
American Literature (296)
This
survey in Early American Literature begins with the
traditional songs and oral narratives of some Native American
cultures and ends with mid-19th century American
prose and poetry. In between, students will study
the nautical logs of the European explorers, the records
and literature of the thirteen colonies, slave songs
and narratives, the religious tracts of the Great Awakening,
and texts reflective of broad cultural movements like
the Enlightenment and Romanticism. This class
is offered every fall semester.
Later
American Literature (297)
This
course (ENG297) surveys the literature of the United States
since the mid-19th century through the contemporary
period. While the major cultural movements of this
time period—realism, modernism, postmodernism—serve
as the general context for the course contents, the survey
also looks at slave narratives, the regional and “local
color” writing of women, the Harlem Renaissance,
and the literature of the southwest. This class
is offered every spring semester.
The Creative Writing Curriculum
Students
eager to engage in writing poetry, fiction, and creative
nonfiction will find more than enough opportunity in
the courses offered below. Although
each course has an "emphasis" in one of the three
genres, students will be encouraged to read and write
in other genres as well. These courses are
taught by professional writers who have published
and continue to publish in reputable literary journals
and magazines. Some
of our creative writing instructors have published
books as well.
Introduction
to Creative Writing--Fiction (221)
In this course, students will read and write in both
poetry and fiction, but with a greater emphasis on fiction. The
process of composing will be explored at length. Issues
of craft will be studied and practiced in a workshop-based
environment. Becoming acquainted with the conventions
of the primary genre (in this case, fiction), developing
a vocabulary for critiquing, and adopting strategies for
revision and "reading as a writer" are essential objectives
of this course. This course is offered each fall
semester.
Introduction to Creative Writing--Poetry (222)
In this course, students will read
and write in both fiction and poetry, but with a
greater emphasis on poetry. The process of composing will
be explored at length. Issues of craft will be
studied and practiced in a workshop-based environment. Becoming
acquainted with the conventions of the primary genre
(in this case, poetry), developing a vocabulary for critiquing,
and adopting strategies for revision and "reading as
a writer" are essential objectives of this course. This
course is offered each spring semester.
Introduction for Creative Writing--Creative Nonfiction
(223)
In this course, students will read
and write in both fiction and nonfiction, but with
a greater emphasis on nonfiction. The process of
composing will be explored at length. Issues of
craft will be studied and practiced in a workshop-based
environment. Becoming acquainted with the conventions
of the primary genre (in this case, creative nonfiction),
developing a vocabulary for critiquing, and adopting
strategies for revision and "reading as a writer" are
essential objectives of this course. This course
is offered each summer term.
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