On this page you’ll find some basic information about the course. For additional information, read these pages:
- Calendar: A week-by-week guide to the semester.
- Policies: Students in my classes are responsible for reading and understanding these course policies.
- Updates: Announcements and information posted from time to time.
English 490: Senior Seminar
Course Description
As the capstone course for the English major, English 490 aims to professionalize students as scholars and experts in English studies. Throughout the course we will practice the integration of knowledge; the exploration of ethical issues; and the application of the skills of research, analysis, and writing about literature at an advanced level.
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Beliefs Statement emphasizes the role of English teachers as providing access “to the intellectual traditions and debates that inform English and education”; conveying the realities of “English studies [as] a contested subject that encompasses multiple fields of inquiry and ideological perspectives”; and encouraging “the teaching of classic literary texts when appropriate, in addition to other valued literary genres.” The senior seminar engages students in readings and discussions about the canon and curriculum of English studies and the ways that the field has changed and will change in the future, often based on political and ethical demands, including debates about the canon, literary methodology, the relationship between literature, literacy, and writing, multiculturalism, literary theory and cultural studies. Throughout the semester, you will have opportunities to reflect on your own experiences as an English major and to investigate issues and arguments within the discipline of English studies that are of interest to you and your future as an English major.
This semester you will also conduct the most thorough research and engage in the most challenging thinking of your college career so far. Completion of an academic portfolio, self-directed research and writing, and formal oral presentations are required.
Course Objectives
According to the USC Upstate General Education Competencies, all graduates should demonstrate an in depth understanding of their major discipline, including an exploration of salient ethical issues raised by the relevant discipline(s).
- Viewing the field of English across periods and genres in order to consider the trajectory of English studies.
- Considering the ethical issues involved in selecting, omitting, and approaching various literary texts.
- Articulating academic arguments and information through written and oral presentations.
- Gathering a sense of what it means to be a professional in English studies.
Course Requirements
Download a PDF with descriptions of all of the assignments.
- 30% Capstone Paper
- 10% Capstone Presentation
- 10% Critical Positioning
- 15% Annotated Bibliography
- 5% Final Portfolio and Exit Essay
- 10% Class Participation
- 10% Resume and Cover Letter
- 10% Online journal: create an account at <http://www.wordpress.com>