Meet Our Faculty: Dr. Entzminger

Meet Our Faculty: Dr. Betina Entzminger

What was the focus of your PhD?

It was Southern Literature & 20th century American literature.

What is most interesting to you about Southern culture?

I grew up there, and I think distinct southern culture is kind of disappearing. It is becoming mainstream, and just like everywhere else in the country. I think it is interesting historically because of the way it was different from the rest of the United States.

What are some of the traits of Southern culture/literature?

A focus on place. A focus on the sense of a haunted past, because of the history of racism/slavery in the south, and that hauntedness of the past is really interesting I think.

What has been your favorite course to teach so far?

I'm really enjoying the Margaret Atwood course I’m teaching this semester, and this is the first time I've taught a whole course on her works. This seems like an appropriate time for the course because she is getting so much media treatment, because of the Handmaid’s Tale and the Alias Grace Series. I have also taught a course on Faulkner & Morrison together; that was a really good course too.

What projects are you currently working on?

I'm currently working on a creative nonfiction project, and it. is a collection of 7 essays based mostly on family history. The title is The Beak and the Heart: True Tales of Misfit Southern Women. The beak in the heart title is a reference from a line from Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven, where he says “Take this beak from out my heart, take thy frame from off my door."

What is the topic of your published books?

I published two books, the first one was in 2002. It's called The Belle Gone Bad: White Southern Women Writers and the Dark Seductress. The next one was 2012: Contemporary Reconfigurations of American Literary Classics. They are both nonfiction- literary criticism.

What roles do you take on in the English department?

This semester I am serving as the assistant department chair, and then I'll go back to finish my last year as the chair in the Fall. Right now I am the interim president of the Union.

What kind of books do you like to read?

I enjoy fiction a lot; I like books that focus on character.

If you could travel anywhere to study literature for an extended period of time, where would you go?

Either Canada or Mississippi - so I could study Faulkner or Atwood.

Do you have any visions for the English department at Bloom?

We would like to find ways to recruit more students, so we've been working towards trying to help students see the connections between English skills they learn here and the skills employers want, so that they can envision a career path for themselves through their major.

Thank you Dr. Entzminger for your interview!

Open Internship Opportunities for the Fall

English Department Internship Opportunity: Deadlines Approaching!

The English Department is seeking applications for a 3-credit internship for fall 2019 (8-10 hours of work per week). The intern will create bi-weekly English Department blog posts, update the website, post about the department to social media, keep an internship journal, create an ePortfolio of your work, write a reflection essay about the experience, and perform other duties to promote the department as needed, including possibly critiquing the department’s existing promotional efforts. The intern will report to the English Department chair (Dr. Entzminger).

Requirements:

• Minimum 60 credits and 3.0 GPA by end of spring 2019
• English Major in Literature, Creative Writing, or Professional Writing and Digital Rhetoric Track
• Strong writing skills
• Experience creating blog posts and editing web pages
• No previous internship credits
• Good work ethic and initiative

To apply, send a resume and cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position and detailing your qualifications by May 6 to Dr. Entzminger at bentzmin@bloomu.edu. In addition, ask one BU professor to email a letter of recommendation on your behalf to Dr. Entzminger.

Job Description: English Department Intern

The student will work 8-10 hours per week throughout the semester and earn 3 internship credits. The student will be supervised by the English Department Chairperson.

Duties:

• create bi-weekly English Department blog posts about student, alumni, and faculty achievements and about department events
• update the English Department website
• post about the department to social media
• keep an internship journal
• create an ePortfolio of work completed for the internship
• write a reflection essay about the experience
• perform other duties to promote the department as needed, including possibly critiquing the department’s existing promotional efforts.

Book project internships for Summer (1) and Fall (1)

The internships (one in Summer 19 and another in Fall 19) involve on a project to develop a book from a podcast series. Shawn Rosler, a BU English grad, produces the Coarse Grind Podcast and has interviewed local chefs as well as those who have appeared on Top Chef, the Food Network, and other national venues. (No culinary experience is needed for the internship.)

The work would consist of transcribing podcast material and editing it for book form. There may be additional tasks such as working with publishers. Much of the work could be done independently, but there would be a need for occasional face-to-face meetings. Internships require 40 hours of week for each credit hour. These would be three-credit internships. In the summer, the work could be done over the twelve-week term or either six-week term.

This represents a great opportunity to learn about the publishing industry, hone some writing and editing skills, and have a tangible product to show potential employers. Please send a resume and a letter of interest to Prof. Wemple jwemple@bloomu.edu by Friday May 3 if interested.

Warren Release Party this Sunday!

Warren literary journal will host a release party this Sunday, April 28 at 6:30 PM, at the Haas Gallery. It is free & open to everyone; light refreshments will be provided. See you there!

Meet Our Students: T. Clark

Meet Our Students: Clark

Where Are You From?

Stillton, PA. It's right outside of Harrisburg.

What is Your Major/ Year?

I'm a Creative Writing major with a minor in Literature. I'm a senior.

What Are Your Favorite Forms of Media?

I honestly spend most of my free time rewatching old shows because all the reading I have time to do is for English class. Old seasons of shows...I really watch a lot of MASH.

What type of things do you like to create?

Anything that I can. I have had any creative major since high school- I started out with cooking. Anything I can make that can make someone else feel something.

What has been your favorite class here?

I took an electronic learning class where we had to make powerpoints for take home lessons for students. We got to make these really cool powerpoints. In class I made a powerpoint comparing the Lion King and Hamlet, and it was an interactive powerpoint.

Plans for the summer?

Working and concerts.

Which literary character do you relate to the most?

I don't know. I guess, I don't really relate to characters in movies and stuff, because I'm not really portrayed... the most relatable characters would be in like Black Panther now. Maybe Deadpool? *laughs* He's just a wisecracker, sassy.

What’s one thing you would most like to impact in the world?
I actually want to be a high school english teacher, so I'm starting to apply to work in lower-income cities with kids. That's where I'm from, so I want to give back to people who don't have it. In my school we had to share textbooks... I just want to help kids.

One piece of advice for new English majors?

Don’t let your intro classes discourage you because they can be awful but when you get into the real stuff it's so much fun, especially when you actually get to know your professors.

Thank you Clark for the interview!

Department Events This Thursday 4/9

Hello everyone!
We have two great events coming up on Thursday.

At 5:30 PM in Bakeless 207, Dr. Entzminger will be reading a non-fiction essay about her great aunt's interesting marriage.

At 6:30 PM at Monty's Upper Campus, the Big Dog Reading Series will host Daryl Sznyter and Brian Fanelli, two poets.

Be sure to attend these events and show your support!

Husky Trip to WebFX in Harrisburg

Hello everyone!

Friday, April 12th, there will be a Husky Career Road Trip to WebFX, an advertising and marketing company in Harrisburg, PA.

The bus leaves at 10AM and returns around 3PM.

Visit the link below for more information and to sign up! https://bloomu.joinhandshake.com/events/287377/share_preview

Creative Writing Contest

EAPSU is hosting an undergraduate creative writing contest. Submit your poetry, flash fiction, or flash nonfiction to poetry@ship.edu for a chance to win a cash prize and an invitation to read your work at this fall's conference. 

Thanks to Mrs. Rothermel for this message. 

Fall 2019 Course Brochure

Happy scheduling week! Please find the course descriptions below to help you properly schedule the classes you want and need. 

BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY ENGLISH COURSES—FALL 2019

English courses help students improve their communication skills, gain insight into human nature, and broaden their knowledge of other times and other places. Many of the courses also satisfy general education requirements. In particular,
-- GEPs under the new Gen. Ed. Plan: For freshmen enrolled summer 2012 or later and for transfers enrolled summer 2014 and later, General Education Points (GEPs) approved for courses in the new general education program are indicated after the course title.
-- Students must complete either 201 (Composition 2) or 203 (Approaches to Literary Study) before enrolling in any 300 or 400 level English course.
-- indicates courses applicable to the Gender Studies Minor-- # indicates courses applicable to the Ethnic Studies in the United States Minor-- * indicates courses applicable to the Linguistics Minor

*111.01 Language & Social Interaction TBA (GEPs: Goal 4=3)
Introduces students to a descriptive approach to language study. Explores fundamental sociolinguistic concepts, focusing specifically on an in-depth study of the relationship between language and culture. Course study is designed to offer students insight into the cultural and historical causes of language variation and change and to emphasize language variation as evidence of human diversity. Open to all majors.
151.01 Introduction to Literature Noon (GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Why study literature? Why is it necessary to talk or write about a literary work? Theseare among the many questions we’ll explore through the basic principles of reading, responding,and arguing. A very small sampling of texts that will be addressed includes works by Susan Perabo, Edgar Allan Poe, William Faulkner, Shirley Jackson, Edwin Arlington Robinson,Gwendolyn Brooks, Edna St. Vincent Millay, John Donne, Langston Hughes, Flannery O’Connor,Sherman Alexie, and Gary Snyder. As fiction techniques are investigated, special considerationwill be given to Ivan Turgenev’s classic novella, First Love. William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Nightwill be explored, and, regarding poetry, the sonnet form will be given particular attention. In addition to two papers, two examinations, and quizzes, students will write and share informal responses to the assigned readings.

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151.02 Introduction to Literature Robinson (GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This class will be an exciting introduction to four genres: the Novel, Short Story, Poetry and Plays. We will read at least one novel, numerous short stories, millions of poems, and either read or attend a play. We will write a number of short essays. By the end of the semester we will be fiercely debating and probably arm wrestling about which one is the most effective. Come to class eager to learn and discuss. Formal dress not required. Wrestling mats provided.
152.01 Literature & Society: Literature of the Jazz Age Asya (GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course examines some of the novels and short stories written in the context of vast cultural change, glamor, and conflict of the 1920s called The Jazz Age. Requirements include active class participation, presentation, paper, two examinations, and a comprehensive final examination.
152.03 Literature & Society: Warriors in Literature Decker (GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This class will examine how literature and film has portrayed warriors both on the battlefield and as they return home. While the course will focus on American texts like TimO’Brien’s The Things They Carried and Marvel Comics and Netflix’s The Punishers, it will also investigate the way the ancient Greeks depicted their warriors to provide cultural and historical context.
152.04 Literature & Society: Modernist Literature in Western Culture Salih (GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course explores the role Modernist literature has played in Western culture’s civilizingprocess—the weakening of the power of religion, tradition, tribalism, and various forms of authoritarianism.
152.05 Literature & Society: Protest Literature Entzminger (GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course will examine protest literature and film about racism and slavery, sexism and patriarchal control, poverty and class inequality, war, and homophobia. We will read the works

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of authors from various backgrounds and a range of time periods. We will look for common themes and techniques and discuss the effectiveness of literature and film as a vehicle for social protest. Most class meetings will consist of brief lectures and discussions of the assigned literature or film. Students will write four microthemes (1-2 page papers), prepare a brief PowerPoint presentation, and take a midterm and final exam.
152.06 Literature & Society: The Outsider Experience Bernath (GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
People are born into one environment and may change locale or social identity multiple times during their lives. Each time they become an outsider. Some people assimilate quickly,some with difficulty, and some never do. Often they write from this outsider perspective. We’ll read novels, memoirs, stories, and essays to discover the uniqueness of each person’s experience.Class discussion, regular postings on BOLT, two short papers, midterm and final.
156.01 & 02 Popular Literature: Women and Crime Fiction Broder (GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
In posing questions about human nature and offering varieties of justice, crime fiction has ties to the (18th and 19th C) Gothic and even to ancient tragedy. It offers us a view of how we deal with social disruption, often a disruption caused by murder. We will focus on the Anglo- American tradition of detective stories, crime fiction, and films of the 20th and 21st centuries. Mid-term, final, response pages, possible quizzes.
203.01 Approaches to Literary Study Randall
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPS: Goal 2=1, Goal 3=1)
Approaches to Literary Study is designed to acquaint students with literary critical terminology and to develop a proficiency in applying various practical applications of critical theories to a variety of literary texts. This semester we will study several literary theories, including Psychological, New Critical, Gender approaches, Reader Response and Evolutionary criticism. We will focus on how each theory involves specific strategies that produce informed critical readings of artworks. Students will compose several essays from particular interpretive perspectives and a research essay which explores secondary criticism in relation to a specific approach to literary analysis.

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204.01 & 02 Introduction to Creative Writing TBA
[Prerequisite: ENG 101 or permission of instructor]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Introduces methods and craft of creative writing in prose and poetry forms. Students create and revise their own imaginative works using models by established writers. The course is conducted in a combination of lecture, peer workshop, and discussion. Typically offered at least in Fall, Spring and some Summer semesters.
*212.01 English Grammars & Usage Costanzo
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 4=1)
This course familiarizes students with both traditional and modern grammatical terminology, offers a descriptive overview of American English grammars and syntax, and provides a structural framework for analyzing written English. Course study is designed (i) to enable students to gain an explicit (conscious) knowledge of English grammar and syntax, (ii) to provide students with the tools necessary for analyzing and understanding syntactic structures in standard and non-standard varieties of American English, and (iii) to understand the value judgments placed on grammar (particularly on non-standard dialects) in education and in American society. English 212 counts as a lower-division elective for the Linguistics Minor.
221.01 Bible as Literature Martin
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course includes the reading and analysis of the variety of literary texts in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, with careful consideration of the historical, cultural, psychological and geographical elements that create the foundation of individual texts and serve in creating the canon as well as understanding how these texts have worked alongside other secular texts of those periods and beyond. In addition, some evening film watching will be expected to determine how the literatures of the scriptures have found their way into modern film. It is planned that a one-day off-campus research trip for the major paper in the class will occur by traveling to Gettysburg Seminary.

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226.01 European Literature I Whitworth
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course examines many of the major texts of the classical and medieval periods, texts that have long been considered the cornerstone of Western literature. Readings will include theIliad, the Odyssey, the Oresteia, the Aeneid, and the Inferno. Reading quizzes, two 4-6 page essays, and a mid-term and final examination will be required.
237.01 American Literature 2 Noon
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
Realism. Naturalism. Modernism. Postmodernism. With these important literary movements given particular consideration, students will examine texts of recognized merit produced in the United States from around 1865 to the present. Emphasis will fall on the diverse scope of literature published during this time. Aided by the use of film, music, and art from the various periods, representative works of poetry, fiction, and drama will be placed in their historical, social, cultural, and creative contexts. Also addressed will be questions surrounding literary responses to modernization, advances in technology, urbanization, as well as shifts in racial, ethnic, and gender relations. In addition to quizzes and informal written responses, students will complete two examinations and two papers.
246.01 British Literature 1 Whitworth
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
This course familiarizes students with the British literary tradition from its inception up through the 18th century. Two short papers, a midterm, and a final exam will be required. Students must also participate regularly and pass a series of reading quizzes.
256.01 Non-Western Lit 1 Salih
[Prerequisite: ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 4=1, Goal 7=1)
With emphasis on literary texts from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, Non-Western Literature I offers wide-ranging engagements with a variety of themes characterizing the

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interaction between literature and the modern world. This course, through lecture, discussion, andvarious writing assignments, aims to deepen the student’s understanding of human universals and differences in both western and non-western worlds.
260.01 & 02 Literary Non-Fiction Lawrence
[Prerequisite: ENG 101 or permission of instructor]
(GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 7=2)
ENG 260 examines the genre of creative nonfiction with attention to form, technique, and interpretation. We will read examples from a range of sub-genres (memoir, literary journalism, graphic memoir, and flash nonfiction) and study craft. Note: this is not a class in non-fiction writing, but an examination of literary non-fiction. The primary writing done for this class will be literary criticism. Open to students in all majors and an elective for Creative Writing Majors supporting Objective 2. This class serves as a Genre course for the English Major.
288.01 Feminist Reading of Culture: Warrior Women Francis (GEPs: Goal 1=1, Goal 4=1, Goal 7=1)
Feminist Reading of Culture is a class designed to explore the ways in which representations of gender have manifested over time within cultures. For this semester’s offering, we will be using the figure of the warrior woman as a vehicle for exploring gender identity. The Marvel Cinematic Universe just released its first featured female superhero with Captain Marvelto critical and commercial success. Other recent landmarks include, Wonder Woman proved that female leads could make money and satisfy audiences; Disney released Moana, the first female protagonist with no love interest; Buffy the Vampire Slayer celebrated its 20th anniversary recently and there are talks to reboot the franchise with an African-American lead; and the phenomenal success of Black Panther, containing at least THREE warrior women main characters, all suggestthat it’s a good time to think about who these women are and why they should be important to us. While these popular culture figures will occupy a central place in our discussions, we will alsolook at the adaptations of other cultures’ characters like the Chinese Fa Mulan and Burka Avenger, in part inspired by Malala Yousefzai. In examining these figures, we will consider questions of power. Who has it? What does it look like? In what ways is it wielded? By participating in this class, you will be asked to nominate your own women warriors for us to consider. Who will you choose? Let’s talk about it.

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303.01 & 02 Poetry Writing Workshop Stuart
[Prerequisites: ENG 204 and 260; or permission of instructor]
Introduces methods and craft of poetry writing. Students are expected to produce and revise their own imaginative works, to provide written critiques and engage in productivediscussion of their peers’ work, to read and respond to published poems, and to complete a seriesof structured exercises. Open only to English majors and minors and is an elective for Creative Writing Majors supporting Objective Three (write inventive and creative works). Offered every third semester.
306.01 Theory & Practice of Writing Roggenbuck
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203 or permission of instructor]
Introduction to theories of writing and the teaching of writing including both study of and practice in the methods the theories require. Recommended for secondary education students in English, but open to all students interested in advanced work in writing.
*311.01 Structure of English Costanzo
[Prerequisite: ENG 101 and 45 credits or permission of department chair]
Linguistics is the study of human language. In this introductory English linguistics course, students will become familiar with linguistic terminology, with primary emphasis placed on the structural aspects of the English language. Students will learn to analyze and synthesize linguistic data and will explore the disciplines within linguistics including: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, first language acquisition, and language variation. Required for secondary education students in English. Offered fall semester only.
316.01 The Practice of Creative Writing Wemple
[Prerequisite: 60 credits; at least one 300-level Creative Writing workshop course, or permission of instructor]
The course explores practices in the field of creative writing in part by examining the works and careers of poets and writers. It includes career preparation such as building a professional online presence, researching career choices and graduate school options, and researching and submitting original work to literary journals. This course is a requirement for Creative Writing majors. It is also open to Creative Writing minors and others with instructor permission.

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321.01 American Romanticism Robinson
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203 and 236; or permission of instructor]
This course will take a closer, more in-depth look at several of the major figures of the American Romantic period, which covers much of the nineteenth century, from those early gothictales to Whitman’s strangely modern poems. Authors will vary from semester to semester, but we will focus primarily on major authors such as Emerson, Hawthorne, Thoreau, and Whitman. Perhaps even a Melville story and a few Dickinson poems. We will balance these with stories and poems by a few modern authors such as Updike or Cunningham, who have been influenced bythem. We’ll see that many of the values and ideas live on even when the approach is quite different.
323.01 American Modernism Asya
[Prerequisite: ENG 101, 203; and completion of two additional 200-level literature courses or permission of instructor]
This course examines some of the celebrated fiction, poetry, and drama of the period between 1914 and 1945. Requirements include active class participation, presentation, short paper, long paper, midterm examination, and comprehensive final examination.
385.01 Literature for Young Adults Stuart
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203; or permission of instructor]
A required course for secondary English education majors and Mid-Level Education majors, this course investigates the who, what, why, and how of teaching Young Adult (YA) literature in the classroom. What modes, audiences, and genres constitute Young Adult literature? Why is it less commonly taught than the canonical texts that typically appear on secondary English curricula? How might a teacher approach such YA texts with students? A range of assignments structure the course, including: a review of which books were important to you growing up, and why; a portfolio of responses from different theoretical perspectives to common class texts; a semester-long case study based on either work at a field placement or a critical survey of adolescents; and an outline for a lesson sequence linking several YA texts of your choice. Fall semester only.
391.01 Literature and Film Randall
[Prerequisite: 45 credits; ENG 201 or 203; or permission of instructor]
We will read short novels and study their adaptation to films. We will examine specific cinematic strategies and techniques endemic to film and literary genres. As readers of films, rather than uncritical consumers of movies, we will practice visual literacy to gain an understanding of the syntax of translations of fiction into the codes and conventions of the cinema. We will also

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cultivate a critical vocabulary to write about film and its relationship to literature more competentlyand to formulate one’s interpretations more persuasively. Several papers and a final exam.
401.01 Writing in the Professions Martin
[Prerequisite: ENG 101, INTSTUDY 231 or BUSED 333; equivalent professional work experience and permission of instructor]
This class focuses on how different professions or vocations require different genres of writing, which are dependent on issues of audience and purpose. Using classical rhetoric as a basis, this class offers an opportunity for students from a variety of disciplines to become more proficient in the writing they will be required to use, be it in the workplace or graduate school. As one of the capstone classes in the Minor in Professional and Technical Writing, this class will focus both on theory and application. Experiential learning is a significant component of the semester’s work.
464.01 Chaucer Francis
[Prerequisite: ENG 101, ENG 203, two 200-level literature courses, and two additional at least 200-Ievel English courses, or permission of department chair]
An acute observer of flawed humanity, Chaucer used humor to shed light on the turbulent 14th century. His biting social satire also echoes today’s issues: corruption of the Church, economic class distinctions, definitions of marriage, gender dynamics, and political accountability. This semester, we will bring his characters and his ideas into conversation with the world around us. For example, students will develop a social media presence (Twitter,Snapchat, Facebook, etc.) for one of Chaucer’s pilgrims. For another project, students will collaborate on the design and construction of medieval tabletop board games which draw uponthemes in Chaucer’s work. Interested students may have the opportunity to present their research and experience with tabletop game design and Chaucer at the spring 2020 National Popular Culture conference (Medievalism in Popular Culture area) being held in Philadelphia. The class may also take a field trip to visit the Cloisters and attend the Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival in October in NYC, funding support pending. Readings will include Parliament of the Fowls, The Book of the Duchess, and a majority of the Canterbury Tales.
488.01 Seminar Decker
[Prerequisite: 90 credits; ENG 315; or permission of department chair]
In this course, students will be asked to explore post-graduation/career options in which an English major’s skills might be put to use (e.g., environmental writing; technology reporting;Victorian Studies; Information Management). Students will then propose, plan, research, and develop a major writing project that might be used or required in their desired field. Smaller

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assignments throughout the semester will help you develop the major project. Students will add the project to their ePortfolios, and we will discuss strategies for shaping the ePortfolio for use after graduation. This is a required course for students in the new literature concentration. Offered fall semester only.
INTSTUDY 231.05 Technical Writing Decker
[Prerequisite: 24 credits; ENG 101]
(GEPs: Goal 1=2, Goal 2=1)
This class will polish your critical thinking and reasoning skills as it introduces you to strategies working writers employ in a technical workplace. We will also explore document design and visual rhetoric.