Belmont Abbey College

Major - English
The study of literature allows the development of a general, comprehensive understanding of civilization and within it, one’s place. Such study addresses a wide range of culture, incorporating elements of history, politics, religious thought, philosophy, and psychology. The development of contemporary society and its many specific concerns and conflicts cannot be understood without such a context. Our first purpose is for students to acquire this breadth of knowledge, but our majors also develop critical skills and the ability to organize information, form conclusions, and express them persuasively. Since literary analysis attempts to discover a meaningful pattern in experience, students learn to perceive structure—the interrelations which make up meaning. This skill is basic to intellectual competence, and has wide applications.

Graduating English majors can think, and know how to say and write what they think. Law schools therefore recommend the major. A degree in English is the normal preparation for graduate study in linguistics, composition, or English literature, most commonly directed toward an academic career or one connected with writing or publishing; an English degree can also lead to graduate work in other fields. Market research shows increasing demand by industry for people with the English major’s skills and potential to fill positions in editing, technical writing, advertising, communications, public relations, and other functions requiring grammatical accuracy and literary skills. Logical thinking and exact communication are also required for positions in personnel relations, sales and marketing, advertising, and research and development. In addition, the federal government offers a variety of career opportunities to English majors.

English – Program of Study
Requirements for a B.A. Degree
Within the general requirements of the College for graduation, the distribution requirements for an English major are as follows:

Core	59 hours
Major (upper-level)	30 hours
Foreign Language	6 hours
Humanities Division	15 hours
Five courses, one course minimum in each of the three 9 hours Division disciplines (history, philosophy, and Theology); at least 9 credits must be upper level courses.

Electives 10 hours

Graduation 120 hours

The following are particular course requirements for an English major:

EN 307 Literature of the English Renaissance EN 304 Restoration and Eighteenth-Century British Literature either EN 311 English Victorian Writers or EN 401 English Romantic Writers EN 406 Nineteenth-Century American Literature or EN 412 Modern Literature EN 410 Shakespeare EN 309 Literary Criticism; and EN407 Coordinating Seminar

Majors also will take three additional upper-level courses (of the student’s choosing) for a total of 30 upper-level hours. To review the departmental reading list, please follow this link. All students who declare an English major should obtain this list and begin their reading as soon as possible, but no later than the second semester or the sophomore year.

Requirements for a minor: Fifteen credits of English at or above the 200 level are required for a minor. Of these, at least nine credits must be 300 or 400 level courses. Furthermore, at least nine credits must be taken at Belmont Abbey College.

Courses Offered

EN 101 Writing on Contemporary Issues

EN 102 Argumentative Prose

EN 104 Creative Writing

EN 201 World Literature

EN 202 English Literature

EN 203 American Literature

EN 204 Southern Literature

EN 205 Love in the Literary Tradition

EN 216 Introduction to Film Criticism

EN 303 Twentieth-Century Women Writers

EN 304 Restoration and Eighteenth-Century British Literature

EN 306 Milton

EN 307 Literature of the English Renaissance

EN 309 Literary Criticism

EN 310 Rhetorical Theory and Writing Instruction

EN 311 English Victorian Writers

EN 312 Advanced Expository Writing

EN 314 The English Language: Theory and History

EN 400 Special Topics

EN 401 English Romantic Writers

EN 403 Medieval Literature

EN 404 Contemporary Literature

EN 406 Nineteenth-Century American Literature

EN 407 Coordinating Seminar

EN 408 Modern British Literature

EN 410 Shakespeare

EN 412 Modern Literature

EN 499 Independent Study

AWARDS AND PROGRAMS

ANNUAL DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AWARD FOR WRITING EXCELLENCE IN LITERATURE STUDIES

The Department of English awards a prize of $1,000 every April for the best essay on a subject drawn from literature. Only full-time students of the college are eligible.

GUIDELINES: The essay must be 10-15 pages in length (please follow appropriate MLA format). The essay must develop an original argument based on the student's analysis of primary literary texts. Secondary sources may be used only to support the original argument, and a simple collection of research information is not eligible.

HOW TO SUBMIT: Three copies of the essay should be submitted to the department chair no later than March 15th. The winner of the award will be expected to present the paper publicly at a time to be announced in April.

ANNUAL DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LITERARY STUDIES

Each spring, the Department of English at awards a prize of $100 to that English major whose course work for the academic year has been deemed most outstanding. The award is presented at the college's annual awards banquet.

English – Faculty
Mr. Simon Donoghue, Associate Professor of English / Fine Arts, Director of the Abbey Players,
B.A. University of Virginia, M.S.L.S. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Mr. Donoghue is a native of New York, where he began his work in theatre. During his 29 years as theatre director at the College, he has staged more than 150 productions both here and for theatres all over the Charlotte area. He is also a published playwright (working with BAC alumna Nancy Manera), and their work together has received several awards. Donoghue has also authored numerous performance pieces on his own, most recently a one man play about French botanist Andre Michaux.

Dr. Russell Fowler, Chair and Professor of English
B.A. University of Texas, M.A. Indiana University, Ph.D. University of Minnesota

Dr. Martin Harris, Assistant Professor of English
B.A. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, M.A. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Ph.D. Indiana University

Dr. Harris, a North Carolina native, joined the Abbey faculty in fall 2000. Dr. Harris’s research interests include Restoration and 18th century British literature, popular culture, and film. He has published articles in the Journal of Popular Culture and the Journal of Popular Film and Television. He also was a community columnist for The Charlotte Observer for 2004 and continues to contribute book reviews to the Observer. Dr. Harris currently serves as faculty mentor for the Crusader newspaper and as the college's Faculty Athletics Representive. His interests include sports (especially basketball), music, reading, and writing.

Dr. Michael Hood, Associate Professor of English, Director of Great Books Program, Chair of Humanities Division
B.A. Willamette University, M.A. University of Oregon, Ph.D. University of Oregon

Dr. Hood directs the Great Books program, and is also responsible for freshman composition and writing across the curriculum. His scholarly interests focus on the history of rhetoric, composition theory and practice, and the writing of short fiction. He plays the flute for services at Mulberry Presbyterian Church, and recently received a grant from the Belk Foundation to support the Parish Nurse ministry at the same church.

Dr. Angela Mitchell Miss, Visiting Assistant Professor of English
B.A. University of Georgia, M.A. University of Georgia, Ph.D. University of Georgia

Dr. Rebecca Munro, Assistant Professor of English
B.A. Gonzaga University, M.A. Gonzaga University, Ph.D. Baylor University

Dr. Munro is faculty advisor to the student literary magazine, the Agora.

Fr. John Oetgen OSB, Professor Emeritus of English
B.A. St. Benedict's College, S.T.B. Belmont Abbey Seminary, J.C.L. Pontificium Athenaeum Lateranense

Br. Paul Shanley OSB, Lecturer in English
B.A. Belmont Abbey College, M.Ed. University of North Carolina-Charlotte, C.A.S. East Carolina University

Dr. Lynette Varn, Associate Professor of English
B.A. Duke University, M.A. University of South Carolina, Ph.D. University of South Carolina

Dr. Lynn K. Varn is always a reader, writer, and student of language in her classes. She has published articles on writing and the construction of style in the English Renaissance and, more particularly, on Marlowe, Shakespeare, Donne, and Dostoevsky. She has taught creative writing workshops at BAC and at other colleges and served as a state judge for the Iowa Poetry Day Association. Active for many years in societies for linguists (Program Chair of North and South Carolina Linguists for a term), she has delivered papers at conferences for teachers and scholars of language and literature. She has taught writing to engineers, to tutors, to seniors as outreach, and has given programs on women writers and Southern literature to book clubs and associations. But she is most proud of collaborating with students on their independent projects which they too have presented at academic, professional conferences.

Dr. Mary Ellen Weir, Associate Professor of English
B.A. Sacred Heart College, M.A. University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Ph.D. University of North Carolina-Greensboro

Dr. Weir’s area of specialization is Nineteenth Century British Literature, and she has a particular love for the Romantic poets. Her current research interest is the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, and her article “Gerard Manley Hopkins and the ‘New’ Cosmos” appeared in the Spring, 2003 issue of Delta Epsilon Sigma. Dr. Weir has a special interest in working with students on social justice issues. Dr. Weir also teaches the English Department’s Study Abroad summer course in England, at Oxford University.