English Department

Morgan Hall
Room 258
(785) 231-1010 ext. 1441
www.washburn.edu/cas/english

The Faculty
The Major
The Minor
Course Offerings
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Source: 2005-2006 Catalog

Mission Statement/Description of Discipline

The Department of English seeks to satisfy the needs and aspirations of three different groups of students:

• those taking English to satisfy the University's writing requirement
• those taking English to satisfy general education Humanities requirements
• those taking English to satisfy major requirements in one of three undergraduate emphases: Literature, Creative Writing, and English Education.

The department seeks to continue its rich history of excellence in teaching, to nourish noteworthy creative and scholarly publication, and to confirm its active and ongoing commitment to service in school, community, and profession.

English majors acquire skills and habits that serve them well in all occupations and professions. They can read carefully, can write effectively, can exercise good judgment in solving problems, and can flexibly adopt different points of view. Familiar with great literature and writing, they can appreciate how human beings from different cultures and/or from different times have used the literary arts to shape experiences thoughtfully and meaningfully. English majors are encouraged to discuss career possibilities with their advisor and with the chairperson of the department.

The English department sponsors the Phi Rho chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honor society. Students should contact the chairperson for information regarding the Society.

Student Learning Outcomes

English majors at Washburn University, upon graduation, are expected to have:

• acquired a knowledge of major developments in British, American, and World Literature;
• developed an understanding of the multi-cultural dimensions of language and literature;
• developed an understanding of the grammars and other aspects of language as media for communication, literature, and culture; and
• mastered the ability to reflect this knowledge and these understandings in analysis, creative thought, and writing.