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Students enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Teaching Writing will demonstrate the following upon completion of their degree:
The New Oxford Shakespeare Project at IUPUI is editing an edition of Shakespeare for the next generation. As editors, performance plays a central role in our vision, so we have created Hoosier Bard Productions as the theatrical arm of the New Oxford Shakespeare Project. We are primarily concerned with staging the most problematic plays in the Shakespeare canon, but we are also reaching out to other playwrights in order to create, along with the IUPUI campus and wider Indianapolis community, an innovative, challenging theatre company that is willing to take risks. By embracing rarely-staged plays, Hoosier Bard uses live theatre to teach and to learn about the staging and writing methods of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. In February 2011, we staged Young Hamlet, a infrequently performed work based on the earliest printed text of Shakespeare’s most famous play. After five sold-out shows, the city buzzed with excitement about the differences—and the similarities—between this early play and the customary Hamlets of the later texts, demonstrating that Indianapolis audiences are eager to see familiar works of theatre in new and unexpected ways. Our theatrical work on Young Hamlet directly informs our editorial work on New Oxford Shakespeare, and Hoosier Bard is now in the process of discovering how it can continue to entertain and instruct Indianapolis audiences through performances of equally dynamic and challenging dramatic works.
Hoosier Bard Productions is linked to the student body of IUPUI in very significant ways: through the classroom, through the opportunity to work with trained international actors and top professors, and through the IUPUI Shakespeare Club. Hoosier Bard Shakespeare Club offers students on the IUPUI campus the chance to be cast in a Hoosier Bard Production as an actor, stage-hand, set designer or technician. The Club encourages internships with local theatre and performance organizations, and keeps students up-to-date with opportunities to see Shakespeare performed on campus and city stages in Bloomington, Notre Dame, and Chicago. Become a part of the IUPUI Shakespeare Club and join a group of students and faculty who are as excited about drama and Shakespeare as you are! We want and need your ideas, your creativity, your energy, and your comradeship in the sheer joy of experiencing—and challenging—the works of Shakespeare!
Terri Bourus / Francis X. Connor / Sarah Neville
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tbourus |at| iupui.edu
My work on the stage includes dramatic roles, comedic roles, dance, and American musical theatre. From Sophocles (Antigone) to Shakespeare (Isabella, Kate, Gertrude, Beatrice) to Laurents/Sondheim (Maria), to Simon (Charity, Paula), to Synge (Pegeen Mike), to name a few. I’ve directed student productions of the Irish classic, The Rising of the Moon and the Greek classic, Lysistrata. I directed and acted in Hamlet at "IU at the State Fair" and Young Hamlet at the Fringe Theatre. I am the Founding Director of the Indianapolis-IUPUI troupe, Hoosier Bard Productions and I am a five-time award winning teacher, incorporating, as I do in my research, both performance and text. My stage work informs my teaching and my teaching informs my work on the stage whether I am acting or directing, or both, since all of these combine elements of learning—and I believe that all drama informs. My forthcoming book addresses the issues involved with the problem of three authoritative texts of Shakespeare Hamlets. By investigating them as performances, in addition to the rich and mysterious dramatic tales of how the printed texts came into existence, I argue that all of them are authored by Shakespeare, and each one tells us something different about the writer, the stage, and the audiences of this iconic play. But there are many plays, and many writers who have important things to say to us about the nature of drama, and it is my vision to create on the IUPUI campus, a recognition of the importance of the art of the stage in any well-rounded university education. The experience of Drama is life-changing. It enriches us all—those who are learning and those who are paying it forward to new generations. Join us!
Recent Courses
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fconnor |at| iupui.edu
Born and raised in the coal region of Pennsylvania, I converted from bratty slacker to informed reader after a friend lent me some graphic novels to read while I recovered from a hideously broken leg (an injury that ended an astonishingly unpromising football career). Duly inspired, I studied Renaissance literature and drama at the University of Scranton (indeed, I watch The Office). Upon graduation I moved to Arlington, VA, where I furthered my literary studies at George Mason University and the Folger Institute while working at a (now-defunct) independent bookstore in Georgetown. Being able to use early modern books at the Folger allowed me to fuse my work in the modern book trade with my academic interests in English Renaissance and Restoration literature. As a result, I earned a doctorate at the University of Virginia, where my studies concentrated on bibliography, book history, and textual theory. To earn my keep at UVA I taught a variety of literary topics, including Shakespeare, medieval literature, and early modern literature, as well as classes on popular music and The Wire (which is about as close a television show can come to Shakespeare.) As part of the team editing the New Oxford Shakespeare, I have lucked into my dream job, and I look forward to contributing to the 400-plus year tradition of Shakespearean textual scholarship. As part of the English and Drama faculty at IUPUI, I look forward to turning today’s bratty slackers into the scholars, performers, and dramatists of tomorrow.
Recent Courses
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nevilles |at| iupui.edu
My first encounter with Shakespeare was in the third grade, when I was cast as Lysander in an all-female production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Since then, I’ve starred in productions of The Spanish Tragedy (by Thomas Kyd), Every Man Out of His Humour (by Ben Jonson), and Hoosier Bard’s 2011 production of Young Hamlet, as well as worked as a theatre technician on many other plays. As a researcher, however, the majority of my engagement with the drama of Shakespeare and his contemporaries has been on the page rather than the stage; my primary investigations centre around the means by which literature comes down to us through the physical artifact of the printed book. Much of my work is interdisciplinary in nature, moving beyond the canonical texts and traditional literary criticism of English departments to consider the ways that people read books for facts as well as for fiction. My doctoral work explored the history of books of botanical and medical science in early modern England, while my other research projects have used large-scale quantitative analysis to investigate the economics of Renaissance book publishing. My work asks questions like: "What kinds of books did Shakespeare and his contemporaries reference when they had questions about science?" "What happens when a widow takes over management of her late husband’s printing house?" "How much money could an early modern publisher expect to make when he or she published a popular play?" No matter what I’m teaching, I like to get students involved with and within the works we’re studying as we attempt to locate the various ways in which books and drama interact.
Recent Courses
*Courses offered in the 2011-2012 school year
ENGL 103 Introduction to Drama
*ENGL 203 Introduction to Drama
*ENGL 220 Introduction to Shakespeare
ENGL 307 Medieval & Tudor Drama
ENGL 308 Elizabethan & 17th Century Drama
ENGL 313 Early Plays of Shakespeare
ENGL 314 Late Plays of Shakespeare
*ENGL 315 Major Plays of Shakespeare
ENGL 328 Restoration & 18th Century Drama
ENGL 363 American Drama
ENGL 365 Modern Continental Drama
ENGL 366 Modern Drama - English, Irish, American, Post-Colonial
*ENGL 433 Conversations with Shakespeare
*ENGL 495 Individual Readings in English
IUPUI also offers a certificate in Theatre and Performance through the department of Communication Studies. All COMM-T courses complement those of the Drama stream.
COMM-T 100 Rehearsal & Performance
COMM-T 104 Voice & Diction
*COMM-T 130 Introduction to Theatre
*COMM-T 133 Acting I
*COMM-T 205 Oral Interpretation
*COMM-T 305 Advanced Oral Interpretation
*COMM-T 333 Acting II
*COMM-T 337 Theatre History I
*COMM-T 338 Theatre History II
*COMM-T 339 Play Directing
COMM-T 431 Playwriting
ENGL 309 Elizabethan Poetry
ENGL 311 Studies in Renaissance Literature
ENGL 316 Renaissance Prose
ENGL 317 English Poetry of Early 17th Century
ENGL 320 Restoration & Early 18th Century Literature
ENGL 388 Studies in Irish Literature and Culture
CLAS 310 (3cr.) Classical Drama
GERM 355 (3cr.) Theater Spielen
SPAN 445 (3cr.) Major Dramatist of the Golden Age I
SPAN 455 (3cr.) Modern Spanish Drama I
MSTD 460 (3cr.) Special Topics: Museum Theatre and Live Interpretation
ENGL 616 Non-Shakespearean English Drama to 1590s
ENGL 623 Non-Shakespearean English Drama 1590-1800
*ENGL 625 Readings in Shakespeare
ENGL 636 Readings in Drama & Performance to 1800
ENGL 637 Readings in Drama & Performance 1800-present
ENGL 671 Modern British and Irish Drama
ENGL 672 Modern American Drama
*ENGL 681 Genre Studies
ENGL 695 Individual Readings in English
ENGL 723 Elizabethan & Jacobean Drama
ENGL 725 Shakespeare
ENGL 744 Research in Drama and Performance
ENGL 775 Studies in Modern Drama
MA students interested in writing a thesis on drama should contact Professor Terri Bourus at tbourus |at| iupui.edu.
Drama is alive and well in Indianapolis! Our multivalent city offers theatre-goers a wealth of options every day of the week, from the full-length professional fare of the Indianapolis Repertory to the shorter works of the annual IndyFringe Festival. Throughout the year, the city is flush with amateur and professional productions of the plays of Shakespeare, Chekhov, Williams, and Beckett, as well as the premieres of the works of our many local playwrights—and with a new state-of-the-art theater opening up in December 2012, the urban campus of IUPUI is right in the middle of this vibrant drama community!
But IUPUI is more than just a theater—a stream of courses in the School of Liberal Arts specialize in Drama Studies, offering both undergraduate- and graduate-level classes in the theory, practice and culture of the dramatic arts from the Ancient Greeks to the present day. Through a combination of performance, close reading, and studies in literary criticism and historical context, these drama courses encourage students to study plays as dynamic literary works that come fully alive when they are performed in front of audiences. Though the majority of courses in drama are offered through the English and Communications departments, IUPUI students are also able to study elements of drama and performance offered in Classics, German, Spanish, and Museum Studies, illustrating the myriad ways that theatre transcends cultural and disciplinary boundaries. With courses offered in every term at every level, IUPUI drama has something for everyone!
Director of Graduate Studies Robert Rebein answers some frequently asked questions about the thesis writing process.
A Master’s thesis is a focused, medium-length (40-80 pages including bibliography and notes) research and writing project that makes a clear and original contribution to an ongoing conversation in a particular field.
Students who have one or more of the following traits typically enjoy thesis writing: a strong and abiding interest in a particular subject or topic; an inclination to do focused, independent work requiring months of concentrated effort with little oversight or instruction; a love of the writing and revision process; a need to pose and seek answers to specific questions; a desire to communicate acquired knowledge to an audience of one’s peers. Students planning to go on to the PhD often choose to write a thesis, as do those who are committed to finishing their degrees in two years. In contrast to this is the student who loves the variety and social aspect of coursework but tends to feel lost when asked to work alone on a long and complex project. Students of this type should make sure they have a strong support group in place before committing to the writing of a thesis.
A doctoral dissertation is often defined as "a book-length work of publishable quality." As such, it is usually divided into chapters and covers a fairly broad area, for example, the entire output of a major author, or works by multiple authors. A Master’s thesis, by contrast, is much shorter and more narrowly focused than this. Usually an MA thesis is divided into short (10-20 page) sections rather than longer (25-40 page) chapters. Rather than focusing on all of the works of a particular author, it might focus on one or two. Because of this, it is sometimes observed that a successful doctoral dissertation contains the work of three or more MA-length theses.
The writing of a thesis requires an in-depth study of a particular question in a single field. This usually entails initial coursework in the area, additional work in methodology or theory, exploratory research (usually in the form of an L695 independent reading project), focused writing (usually in the form of a W609 independent writing project), and, at the end of the process, four credit hours of L699. Add it up, and you’re talking about anywhere from 12 to 20 of a total of 36 Masters credits devoted to the thesis. The Non-Thesis option, by contrast, usually is characterized by breadth, not depth. Students following the Non-Thesis Option typically devote all 40 credits of the degree to coursework in two or more subject areas.
You should think of your thesis committee as your chosen group of expert advisors. They are the people you go to for advice and guidance on a whole range of issues, from topic selection to initial research to the writing of the thesis proposal to drafting and revision of the thesis proper. The thesis director should be someone who knows you and your work extremely well. He or she should know the topic area of your thesis and should be able to advise you on potential pitfalls and promising directions in your initial reading and research. Typically your thesis director will read all of the early drafts of your thesis and help you to choose the remaining two members of your committee. These members ought to be knowledgeable in the field but need not have in-depth expertise in your topic area. They should get along well with you and their fellow committee members. Despite their expertise and interest in you and your work, however, you should remember that your committee is not responsible for driving your research and writing process. That’s your job. It’s your thesis, after all.
Full-time students should think of the writing of a thesis as a yearlong project beginning in the spring semester of their first year and ending in the spring or early summer of their second year. Part-time students typically take a little longer but should remember that the thesis must be finished by the end of their fifth year in the program.
The first step is to choose a topic and a thesis director. Next is the writing of the thesis proposal, which entails a significant narrowing of the topic and the development of a focused research question or, better yet, a clear statement of your precise position on the topic. The third step is to write and get feedback on your first chapter and all subsequent chapters (or sections) of the thesis. The fourth step is to get final feedback on a complete draft of your thesis. The fifth step is to use this feedback to make final revisions to the thesis. The final step is to submit the revised thesis in a format acceptable to the graduate school. Each of these steps is important, and none of them can be rushed or skipped over without problems arising as a result. A good way to manage these steps is to include several of them as part of the work done in L695 and W609.
Here are some big ones: (1) choosing a topic you have no real excitement about, (2) choosing a topic that is too broad and/or ambitious, (3) moving from the proposal stage to the writing stage without a highly refined research question or statement of position on the topic, (4) signing up for L699 too early-before you’ve completed and revised the opening section of the thesis, (5) taking coursework while you’re supposed to be writing your thesis, (6) writing a thesis that presents your research and reading but makes no real argument in the process, (7) reading and taking copious notes on books and articles with no real bearing on your argument, (8) taking too long to write each chapter, and then giving your committee too little time to respond to what you’ve written, (9) not leaving enough time for revision on the basis of committee feedback, (10) procrastination, (11) procrastination, (12) procrastination.
The thesis proposal is far more than a form you have to fill out before you will be allowed to enroll in L699 Thesis Credits. It’s more than a statement of your topic and a list of books and articles related to it. Instead, the proposal is the place where you articulate the argument you will make in your thesis, or at the very least, the focused research question that will guide your work. In addition to this, the proposal usually contains a literature review, statement of originality, and a section on methodology. There should be no fuzziness or uncertainty about any of this. If there is, you aren’t ready to begin work on the thesis proper, and your committee will tell you so. Thesis proposals often include bibliographies of works related to the research topic, but in general, an annotated bibliography is less important than a clearly articulated statement of the thesis argument. In other words, don’t let the fact that you have completed an annotated bibliography fool you into believing that you have a workable argument for your thesis. As a rule, plan to do several drafts of the thesis proposal, and don’t be surprised when your committee asks you for significant revisions before they sign. If your idea is cloudy or has other problems, the proposal is the place to confront and fix these problems. The last thing you want to do is to begin writing the thesis when you still have no clear idea of what your argument will be.
The most important ones are these: 1) completion and acceptance of a full and effective thesis proposal, 2) completion and revision of the opening section or chapter of the thesis, 3) completion and submission to your committee of a full draft of the thesis, 4) completion and submission of the final, revised version of your thesis. As a rule, you should have already passed milestones 1 and 2 before you enroll in L699 Thesis Credits.
Choose a topic you love or at least feel strongly about. That will help you get through the inevitable rough patches you will hit in the process. Ask yourself, "What am I adding to the existing conversation on this topic? How much of what I am saying about the topic has never been said before?" Make an appointment with a research librarian and ask this person for tips on how to go about researching your topic. Meet regularly with two or three other students who are writing theses in order to share drafts and offer encouragement. Use L695 and W609 to write the first half of the thesis. Use L699 to finish it. Make daily progress on your thesis. Work on it with purpose until you have completed the first draft. Don’t procrastinate. Remember to tell the people in your life how much you appreciate their support of your goal of writing a good thesis. Reassure them that the process of writing a thesis is finite and won’t last forever. Remind them that you support them in the fulfillment of their dreams as well, and be true to this promise.
The library has past master’s theses available in digital format.
Internship Form
Independent Study Forms
Samples —The library houses a collection of past English Department thesis samples, available online.
FAQ —Director of Graduate Studies, Rob Rebein, answers quesions frequently asked about master’s theses.
This IUPUI site is helpful in guiding you to various University websites that will answer many of the questions you may have regarding registration, housing, financial assistance. etc.
Parking Services provides information on shuttles, parking permits, directions and maps.
The Graduate Office is a wealth of information for all IUPUI graduate students. Please visit their web page and discover the information, resources and programs available to all graduate students.
The Office of Student Account Services is the place to go for school financial matters regarding fees, refunds, and includes a Tuition and Fee Estimator program which is updated for every semester.
UITS (University Information & Technology Services)
The graduate English program has been designed to prepare students for careers in the analysis and production of texts. The program covers issues and skills in reading and writing, in the richest sense of these words-in order to prepare students to address these issues and to teach these skills.
Graduates of the program should be prepared for such careers as:
In contrast to traditional M.A. programs, which place heavy emphasis on literary history, the IUPUI program focuses on the application of English studies to contemporary situations and problems.
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Student 1 / Student 2 / Student 3 / Student 4
(cc) = core course
(cp) = certificate program credit
L506 Intro to Methods of Criticism and Research (cc) 4
L680 Special Topics: Anglophone Caribbean Writers 4
W509 Intro to Writing and Literacy Studies (cc) 4
L680 Special Topics: Literature of Slavery 4
L590 Internship in English 4
L695 Individual Readings in English 4
L680 Special Topics: Carribean Women Writers 4
W609 Directed Writing 4
L699 Thesis 4
This student entered the program with a very clear idea of what she wanted to accomplish. She quickly identified her area of study-African American and Anglophone Carribean Writers-and has worked with mentors in that field every step along the way. Note the strategy of taking a majority of the course work for the MA in the first year in the program in order to free up time to tackle the thesis in the second year. In this case, both L695 and W609 were directly related to thesis work.
G500 Intro to the English Language (cc, cp) 4
LING L532 Second Language Acquisition (cp) 3
W509 Intro to Writing and Literacy Studies (cc) 4
LING L 534 Linguistic Resources and TESOL (cp) 3
LING L 535 Teaching Practicum (cp) 3
G541 Materials Preparation for ESL (cp) 4
L590 Internship in English 4
LING T 690 Advanced Readings in TESOL (cp) 4
L695 Individual Readings in English 3
L699 Thesis 4
This student started out in the TESOL certificate program, then decided to continue past 21 credits and get the MA. Her later course work and thesis, "Teaching Academic Vocabulary with Corpora: Student Perceptions of Data-Driven Learning," grew out of her early foundational work in Corpus Linguistics and TESOL.
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L680 Special Topics: Textual Criticism (cp) 4
W509 Intro to Writing and Literacy Studies (cc) 4
L506 Intro to Methods of Criticism and Research (cc) 4
L701 Descriptive Bibliography/Textual Problems (cp) 4
L695 Individual Readings in English (cp) 4
L501 Professional Scholarship in Literature (cp) 4
L680 Special Topics: Joyce’s Ulysses 4
L680 Special Topics: Anglophone Caribbean Writers 4
L699 Thesis 4
This student maintained a dual focus from the beginning of her program, making steady progress in both the certificate program in textual editing and in the MA program more generally. Her thesis, a textual analysis of the different published versions of Steven King’s The Gunslinger, grew out of her work in both programs.
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L573 Studies in Literary Appreciation 3
L695 Individual Readings in English 1
G500 Intro to the English Language (cc) 4
W511 Writing Fiction 4
W615 Creative Nonfiction Writing (cp) 4
W508 Creative Writing for Teachers (cp) 4
W509 Intro to Writing and Literacy Studies (cc, cp) 4
W609 Directed Writing Projects (cp) 4
W697 Independent Study in Writing (cp) 3
W609 Directed Writing Projects 4
W609 Directed Writing Projects (cp) 1
L680 Special Topics: 20th Century African Literature 4
This student started out taking courses under Graduate Continuing Non-Degree (GCND) status. After a break between his fifth and sixth semesters, he returned to the program with a renewed sense of purpose: to simultaneously complete the certificate program in Teaching Writing and the MA under the Non-Thesis option.
Students, including those already enrolled in the English MA Program, may select one of the two options outlined below after consulting with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in English and/or other faculty advisors in English. Students will then submit a brief written statement to the DGS that presents a rationale for their choice. As can be seen in the following outline of the two alternative courses of study, students who choose not to write a thesis will be required to take eight additional credit hours of course work, for a total of 40 credit hours.
The three core courses, which carry 4 credit hours each, provide an introduction to three major areas in the discipline of English: language (G500 Introduction to the English Language), writing (W509 Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies), and literature ( L506 Introduction to Methods of Criticism and Research). Students are required to take two of the three core courses, preferably at the beginning of the graduate program.
There is no foreign language requirement, but M.A. students going on for the Ph.D. are encouraged to validate their reading proficiency in a foreign language according to University Graduate School standards.
Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in the student’s undergraduate major, documented by an official transcript. Applicants are expected to have been English majors, but admission also is considered for those who otherwise demonstrate the competency necessary for successful graduate work in English.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test, normally with a minimum score of 500 in either the verbal or the quantitative section and 4.0 in analytical writing. Applicants are encouraged to take the examination by December of the year before admission.
Three letters of recommendation.
Follow the IUPUI application procedure. Note: If you have already submitted an application for a graduate or certificate program in English at IUPUI, you will need to use a new pin and password. If this is the case, please contact Pat King so she can waive the application fee.
M.A. students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B).
The M.A. in English requires 36 credit hours, including:
Required Courses: Students must take two of the program’s three core courses for a total of 8 credit hours
Electives: Students choose six courses in consultation with a faculty advisor for a total of 24 credit hours. These 24 hours may include a third course and up to 8 credit hours of Internship.
Required: MA thesis. 4 Credit hours. (See a list of past theses)
Total: 36 Credit hours
Required Courses: Students must take two of the program’s three core courses for a total of 8 credit hours
Elective Courses: Students choose eight courses in consultation with a faculty advisor for a total of 32 credit hours. These 32 credit hours may include a third core course and up to 8 credit hours of Internship.
Total: 40 credit hours
No more than eight credit hours may be transferred from another institution. Degree requirements (including transfer credits) must be completed within five consecutive years of beginning graduate study that ultimately counts toward the M.A. degree.
At the beginning of your graduate career, you will take two core courses that provide an introduction to major areas in the discipline of English:
Language: G500, Introduction to the English Language, 4 credits
Literature: L506, Introductory Methods of Criticism/Research, 4 credits
Writing: W509, Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies, 4 credits
M.A. students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B).
Students, including those already enrolled in the English MA Program, may select one of the two options outlined below after consulting with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in English and/or other faculty advisors in English. Students will then submit a brief written statement to the DGS that presents a rationale for their choice. As can be seen in the following outline of the two alternative courses of study, students who choose not to write a thesis will be required to take eight additional credit hours of course work, for a total of 40 credit hours.
The three core courses, which carry 4 credit hours each, provide an introduction to three major areas in the discipline of English: language (G500 Introduction to the English Language), writing (W509 Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies), and literature ( L506 Introduction to Methods of Criticism and Research). Students are required to take two of the three core courses, preferably at the beginning of the graduate program.
There is no foreign language requirement, but M.A. students going on for the Ph.D. are encouraged to validate their reading proficiency in a foreign language according to University Graduate School standards.
Download the advising guide above or contact Pat King: O - CA 502L | P - 317-274-2258 | E - patmking@iupui.edu.
Internship / Thesis / Linguistics / Literature / Writing
A supervised internship in the uses of language in the workplace. (For prospective teachers, the workplace may be a class.) Each intern will be assigned a problem or new task and will develop the methods for solving the problem or completing the task. Interns will complete a portfolio of workplace writing and self-evaluation; they will also be visited by a faculty coordinator and evaluated in writing by their on-site supervisors.
An introduction to English linguistics, the course covers the principal areas of linguistic inquiry into the English language: sounds (phonetics and phonology), words, (morphology), sentences (syntax), and meaning (semantics). G500 is the core linguistics course in the M.A. program.
An introduction to a broad range of issues in the field of second-language acquisition, providing the student with an overview of the most important approaches to the fundamental question of how people learn a second language. Provides students with basic knowledge of theories of second-language acquisition and an understanding of how theoretical perspectives inform practical application.
The course examines recent theories of teaching English as a second or foreign language. Students will get a chance to examine theories and methods and develop knowledge of linguistic resources available to new and/or practicing teachers.
Students will be able to put into practice methods and principles of linguistics, second-language acquisition, and language teaching. Under supervision, they will teach ESL classes either at IUPUI or in a local school system.
This course aims at enhancing participants’ understanding of theoretical principles underlying the preparation of ESL instructional materials as well as participants’ knowledge and skills in materials preparation and effective implementation. It also addresses issues related to course design, content selection, and language assessment.
Students will learn about materials preparation, syllabus design, and test preparation by applying a variety of theories to books and other teaching devices (e.g., tapes, videotapes, computer and software programs) in order to evaluate their usefulness and will learn to evaluate ESL materials for adequacy.
This course introduces students to current approaches to text and discourse coherence, including recent theories of cognitive and interactional text modeling.
This course investigates sociocultural aspects of language use and explores the relationships between language and society. The course provides background in various theoretical and methodological approaches to sociolinguistics. Other topics to be covered include gender and language, ethnicity and language, social factors in language acquisition, and bilingualism. Familiarity with basic issues and concepts in linguistics would be useful.
Topics in this course vary, but they include the theory and teaching of English for Specific Purposes in academic, professional, or vocational fields.
This course examines contrastive discourse/intercultural rhetoric and considers the cross-cultural aspects of discourse organization from both the reader’s and the writer’s viewpoints. Comparisons of text organization in different genres and for different audiences will be made, studying the roles of cultural forms and schemata in the interaction between writer and reader.
Topics in this course vary, but they include the theory and teaching of English for Specific Purposes in academic, professional, or vocational fields; the teaching of second-language writing, reading, listening/speaking, and grammar; and second-language testing and assessment.
Materials, tools, and methods of research. Includes work with standard bibliographical sources (both traditional and electronic), bibliographical search strategies, scholarly documentation, accessing special collections, and preparing bibliographical descriptions of subject texts. Historical case studies reinforce coverage of professional standards of conduct, verification of sources, and thoroughness of research methodology.
An examination of the importance of the notion of the text for contemporary literary theory. L506 is the core literature course.
Emphasis on thematic, analytic, and generic study. With consent of instructor, may be repeated once for credit.
Provides on-site opportunities in England and Scotland to explore the literary landscapes of British authors in relation to the English and Scottish school systems. Designed primarily for education majors and continuing certification credits.
Social, political, and psychological studies in English and American literature. Topics may vary and include, for example, literature and colonialism, literature and psychoanalysis, or literature and gender. May also include other world literatures.
Focuses on a particular genre, time period, or theme of African American literature. Examples: twentieth-century African American women’s novels, black male identity in literature, kinship in African American literature, and African American autobiography. May be repeated twice for credit with different focuses.
Critical analysis of selected tragedies, comedies, history plays, and poetry.
Intensive historical and critical study of nineteenth-century prose fiction, especially the novel.
Intensive historical and critical study of all genres from the time of Theodore Dreiser to the present.
This course explores the medical world in literature and the arts, in popular culture, and through the institution of the hospital.
Reading in sociological, political, psychological, and other approaches to literature.
A variable-title course, Genre Studies examines the specific characteristics of individual genres. May be repeated once for credit.
Enables students to work on a reading project that they initiate, plan, and complete under the direction of an English department faculty member. Credit hours depend on scope of project.
Introduction to Literacy Studies (4 cr.) Explores how and why people in our society, including children and adults, learn to read and write texts; investigates how literacy is defined, acquired, measured, and used in our society.
An introduction to general copyediting, technical editing, and scholarly editing, the course serves as a prologue to a comprehensive study of manuscript editing. Course content includes the identification and recovery of modern manuscript texts, with an emphasis on physical description, transcription strategies and techniques, and editing of the transcribed text for publication.
An applied study of contemporary text production, the course examines the standards of accuracy required in professional editing and the way that both text and documentation are prepared for publication. It explores issues of textual preservation, storage, retrieval, and the marketplace as they affect the design and modification of letterpress and electronic texts.
This course will offer current and future teachers insights into the creative process, teach them to think as writers do, suggest strategies for critiquing creative work, and provide guidance in developing creative-writing curriculum. The course will emphasize hands-on writing activities in three genres (poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction), adaptable for use with students at every level.
This is the core course in the writing and literacy track of the English M.A. program. Students will read, analyze, discuss, and write about key issues in writing and literacy, laying a foundation for further study. Special emphasis will be placed on research methods in this field and on developing a research proposal.
Proceeds from current theories about writing processes and surveys the use of computer programs (such as word processing) as writing tools, computer-assisted instruction as a teaching aid, and computer programs as research aids to study writing.
A graduate-level fiction writing workshop. Seminar study of advanced techniques in the writing of fiction, both short stories and the novel. Workshop discussion of advanced student work in progress.
W513 offers graduate students an intensive experience in reading and writing poetry. Part workshop and part seminar in poetic practice and technique, W513 provides an opportunity for graduate students to expand their poetic range and hone their craft.
Examines the theory and practice of quantitative and qualitative research approaches used by individuals working in technical and professional communication. It explores both primary (i.e. field) and secondary (i.e. library) research approaches for learning about content, audience, and publication design, providing hands-on experience in multiple research approaches.
This course will explore rhetorical theories behind visual communication and foster greater experience in managing the process of creating visually-oriented technical publications for specific audiences and purposes.
This course will examine and apply principles of planning, researching audience and content, designing publications, drafting, obtaining reviews, conducting user testing, and negotiating within organizational cultures in order to produce effective technical and professional documents.
Explores the writing and analysis of exposition, especially for prospective high school or college teachers.
Explores current theories of composition inherent in current classroom practices and considers their pedagogical implications.
Topics will vary each time this course is offered.
By application and invitation only. For teachers from K-university, who together consider major issues involved in the teaching of writing and explore the pedagogical approaches inherent in these issues. The institute explores current theories of writing and their application in the classroom. Preference given to active classroom teachers.
Enables students to work on a writing project that they initiate, plan, and complete under the direction of an English department faculty member. Credit hours depend upon scope of project.
This is a graduate-level course in creative nonfiction prose featuring seminar study of examples in the genre (including travel writing, reportage, portrait/self-portrait, memoir, and analytic meditation), adaptation of creative writing technique for use in nonfiction, and workshop discussion of student work in progress, as well as class presentations on editing, publishing, and the nonfiction book proposal.
902 West New York Street
ES 0014
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5140
Tel: (317) 274-0081
Fax: (317) 274-2170
E-mail: wtouponc@iupui.edu
In the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, and some of the other schools on campus, part-time faculty who are paid by the course and teach on a semester-by-semester basis are called Associate Faculty. The Writing Program depends on associate faculty, who bring disciplinary knowledge, teaching experience, and professional expertise.
Writing Program associate faculty have been instrumental in forming and building the Associate Faculty Coalition, whose mission is to gain visibility and respect and to improve working conditions for associate faculty at IUPUI. The Coalition formed in the fall 2009 semester (as the Associate Faculty Advisory Board) to help and represent associate faculty in the School of Liberal Arts. We expanded in fall 2010 to help part-time faculty across campus. We are composed of several part-time faculty as voting board members, full-time faculty allies, part-time and full-time faculty liaisons for various departments and schools, plus others who join as members.
Associate faculty are encouraged to join the Coalition. The Writing Coordinating Committee assures its associate faculty that we support their involvement in this Coalition, and that their involvement will in no way jeopardize their teaching assignments with the program. In fact, the Director of Writing is an advisor to the Coalition.
The AFC’s goal is to improve working conditions and the culture surrounding part-time faculty at IUPUI. Our initiatives relate to pay, benefits, office space, professional development, communication, faculty governance, and more. These are major issues; resolving them and improving the culture will take time and a loud and collective voice. Only with large numbers of members will that voice be heard.
The Coalition represents "part-time" faculty at IUPUI. We realize the designation of "part-time" is confusing because IUPUI uses several different titles for us. In the School of Liberal Arts, part-time faculty are called Associate Faculty. We are paid by the course, get our course assignments on a semester-by-semester basis, and receive no benefits. Your situation and title may be different, and while we have extracted a lot of data about our numbers and have a list of about 900 "part-time" faculty, we need your help in identifying all of us.
Membership is open to all faculty, staff, and students who believe in the Coalition’s mission of achieving equity for part-time faculty at IUPUI. You may join and do no more than add your name to show your support. Or you may get more involved by becoming a board member, serving on a committee, or participating in one of our planned initiatives this year. Membership information is not shared with anyone outside of the Coalition.
More information about the Coalition can be found here. To join, download a membership form and return it to a member of the Coalition.
Although many people believe that solidarity and group action are the best routes to improved working conditions for all faculty, individual faculty are welcome to discuss their concerns with their program Director, department Chair, school Dean, or any other campus administrator or office. The Coalition makes itself available to part-time faculty who wish to address working condition issues with an administrator by accompanying the part-time faculty to meetings where issues are discussed. While we acknowledge we lack authority to ensure the part-time faculty’s issue is resolved equitably, our support will present a stronger front to administrators and can make it easier to bring issues to their attention.
Since we launched as a group within the School of Liberal Arts, most of our initiatives to date have been focused there. Now that we’ve expanded to include all part-time faculty at IUPUI, we plan to work on related issues and conduct similar awareness-raising campaigns across campus. Please use the list below as a guide to what we would like to do for associate faculty across campus. We realize part-time faculty in other schools on campus will have different issues and we’d like to know what they are.
The Center for Teaching and Learning provides additional support to associate faculty, primarily by providing professional development workshops and consulting.
Welcome / Drama Courses / Drama Faculty / Drama Opportunities / Upcoming Drama Classes
Drama is alive and well in Indianapolis! Our multivalent city offers theatre-goers a wealth of options every day of the week, from the full-length professional fare of the Indianapolis Repertory and Dance Kaleidoscope
to the "best of contemporary theatre" in Indianapolis at the Phoenix, to the shorter works of the annual IndyFringe Festival, and to a dynamic new company of young talent—combining IUPUI students and Indianapolis actors, Hoosier Bard Productions. Throughout the year, the city is flush with amateur and professional productions of the plays of Shakespeare, Chekhov, Williams, and Beckett, as well as the premieres of works of local playwrights. A new state-of-the-art theater in the heart of the IUPUI campus center will open in Spring 2012 to provide a venue for new Department of English course offerings in Drama—a development that will put students, faculty, and citizens right in the middle of this vibrant theatre community.
* Offered Spring 2012
L203 Introduction to Drama *
L220 Introduction to Shakespeare *
L315 The Major Plays of Shakespeare
L363 American Drama
L365 Modern Drama: Continental
L366 Modern Irish Drama
L433 Conversations with Shakespeare *
L495 Independent readings in English
L378 Early Modern Women Writers
L625 Readings in Shakespeare *
L681 Genre Studies *
L695 Individual Readings
Terri Bourus / Francis X. Connor / Sarah Neville
| |
tbourus |at| iupui.edu
My work on the stage includes dramatic roles, comedic roles, dance, and American musical theatre. From Sophocles (Antigone) to Shakespeare (Isabella, Kate, Gertrude, Beatrice) to Laurents/Sondheim (Maria), to Simon (Charity, Paula), to Synge (Pegeen Mike), to name a few. I’ve directed student productions of the Irish classic, The Rising of the Moon and the Greek classic, Lysistrata. I have choreographed a street production of Stravinsky’s Firebird and a university production of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. I directed and acted in Hamlet at "IU at the State Fair" and Young Hamlet at the Fringe Theatre. I am the Founding Director of the Indianapolis-IUPUI troupe, Hoosier Bard Productions and I am a five-time award winning teacher, incorporating, as I do in my research, both performance and text. My stage work informs my teaching and my teaching informs my work on the stage whether I am acting or directing, or both, since all of these combine elements of learning—and I believe that all drama informs. My forthcoming book addresses the issues involved with the problem of three authoritative texts of Shakespeare Hamlets. By investigating them as performances, in addition to the rich and mysterious dramatic tales of how the printed texts came into existence, I argue that all of them are authored by Shakespeare, and each one tells us something different about the writer, the stage, and the audiences of this iconic play. But there are many plays, and many writers who have important things to say to us about the nature of drama, and it is my vision to create on the IUPUI campus, a recognition of the importance of the art of the stage in any well-rounded university education, and especially on an exciting urban campus. The experience of Drama is life-changing. It enriches us all—those who are learning and those who are paying it forward to new generations. Join us!
Recent Courses
| |
fconnor |at| iupui.edu
Born and raised in the coal region of Pennsylvania, I converted from bratty slacker to informed reader after a friend lent me some graphic novels to read while I recovered from a hideously broken leg (an injury that ended an astonishingly unpromising football career). Duly inspired, I studied Renaissance literature and drama at the University of Scranton (indeed, I watch The Office). Upon graduation I moved to Arlington, VA, where I furthered my literary studies at George Mason University and the Folger Institute while working at a (now-defunct) independent bookstore in Georgetown. Being able to use early modern books at the Folger allowed me to fuse my work in the modern book trade with my academic interests in English Renaissance and Restoration literature. As a result, I earned a doctorate at the University of Virginia, where my studies concentrated on bibliography, book history, and textual theory. To earn my keep at UVA I taught a variety of literary topics, including Shakespeare, medieval literature, and early modern literature, as well as classes on popular music and The Wire (which is about as close a television show can come to Shakespeare.) As part of the team editing the New Oxford Shakespeare, I have lucked into my dream job, and I look forward to contributing to the 400-plus year tradition of Shakespearean textual scholarship. As part of the English and Drama faculty at IUPUI, I look forward to turning today’s bratty slackers into the scholars, performers, and dramatists of tomorrow.
Recent Courses
| |
nevilles |at| iupui.edu
My first encounter with Shakespeare was in the third grade, when I was cast as Lysander in an all-female production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Since then, I’ve acted in productions of The Spanish Tragedy (by Thomas Kyd), Every Man Out of His Humour (by Ben Jonson), and Hoosier Bard’s 2011 production of Young Hamlet, as well as worked as a theatre technician on many other plays. As a researcher, however, the majority of my engagement with the drama of Shakespeare and his contemporaries has been on the page rather than the stage; my primary investigations centre around the means by which literature comes down to us through the physical artifact of the printed book. Much of my work is interdisciplinary in nature, moving beyond the canonical texts and traditional literary criticism of English departments to consider the ways that people read books for facts as well as for fiction. My doctoral work explored the history of books of botanical and medical science in early modern England, while my other research projects have used large-scale quantitative analysis to investigate the economics of Renaissance book publishing. My work asks questions like: "What kinds of books did Shakespeare and his contemporaries reference when they had questions about science?" "What happens when a widow takes over management of her late husband’s printing house?" "How much money could an early modern publisher expect to make when he or she published a popular play?" No matter what I’m teaching, I like to get students involved with and within the works we’re studying as we attempt to locate the various ways in which books and drama interact.
Recent Courses
The New Oxford Shakespeare Project at IUPUI is editing an edition of Shakespeare for the next generation. As editors, performance plays a central role in our vision, so we have created Hoosier Bard Productions as the theatrical arm of the New Oxford Shakespeare Project. We are primarily concerned with staging the most problematic plays in the Shakespeare canon, but we are also reaching out to other playwrights in order to create, along with the IUPUI campus and wider Indianapolis community, an innovative, challenging theatre company that is willing to take risks. By embracing rarely-staged plays, Hoosier Bard uses live theatre to teach and to learn about the staging and writing methods of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. In February 2011, we staged Young Hamlet, a infrequently performed work based on the earliest printed text of Shakespeare’s most famous play. After five sold-out shows, the city buzzed with excitement about the differences—and the similarities—between this early play and the customary Hamlets of the later texts, demonstrating that Indianapolis audiences are eager to see familiar works of theatre in new and unexpected ways. Our theatrical work on Young Hamlet directly informs our editorial work on New Oxford Shakespeare, and Hoosier Bard is now in the process of discovering how it can continue to entertain and instruct Indianapolis audiences through performances of equally dynamic and challenging dramatic works.
Hoosier Bard Productions is linked to the student body of IUPUI in very significant ways: through the classroom, through the opportunity to work with trained international actors and top professors, and through the IUPUI Shakespeare Club. Hoosier Bard Shakespeare Club offers students on the IUPUI campus the chance to be cast in a Hoosier Bard Production as an actor, stage-hand, set designer or technician. The Club encourages internships with local theatre and performance organizations, and keeps students up-to-date with opportunities to see Shakespeare performed on campus and city stages in Bloomington, Notre Dame, and Chicago. Become a part of the IUPUI Shakespeare Club and join a group of students and faculty who are as excited about drama and Shakespeare as you are! We want and need your ideas, your creativity, your energy, and your comradeship in the sheer joy of experiencing—and challenging—the works of Shakespeare! You can also "Like" the IUPUI Shakespeare Drama Club and join us on Facebook.
Resume Building / Job Resources / US Employment / International Employment / Travel/Teach Aboard
The Career Resource Center (CRC) is an informational website sponsored by the English Department. CRC’s main purpose is to help TESOL students/graduates:
Prepare for their job search, including resume building
Locate job opportunities
Access helpful travel/teach abroad information
Resume Tips and Links
The following websites provide general info on job search and preparation strategies:
The following websites will help you with job seeking and/or understanding some of the things involved in working/living abroad:
Note: IUPUI English does not endorse these websites over any other international job sites. We also recommend that you fully research any international job opportunities thoroughly before signing a contract or traveling to the country. Please see the websites on Job Seeker’s Resources and some of the suggestions provided on Teach Abroad Information.
Content Under Development
Students Home / Student Housing / Enrollment
You may also visit the IUPUI Housing page.
1. Dormitory - Ball Residence Hall
2. Campus Apartments on the Riverwalk
3. Townhomes
4. Apartments*
- www.Apartments.com
- www.Apartmentfinder.com
- www.craigslist.com
- www.mycheapapartments.com5. IUPUI OneStart Classifieds
Try to arrive in Indianapolis at least a few days prior to your first day of classes.
*These are suggestions only. IUPUI does not endorse any website over others.
Housing / Enrollment / Internships
You may also visit the IUPUI Housing page.
1. Dormitory - Ball Residence Hall
2. Campus Apartments on the Riverwalk
3. Townhomes
4. Apartments*
5. IUPUI OneStart Classifieds
Try to arrive in Indianapolis at least a few days prior to your first day of classes.
*These are suggestions only. IUPUI does not endorse any website over others.
_____ Send English Department an admission acceptance letter
_____ Apply for Financial Aid
_____ Set up your OneStart Account
_____ Set up IU email account. Make sure you check this account, since important notices regarding financial aid/assistantships/registration may be delivered.
_____ Authorize financial aid through OneStart
_____ Select and enroll in your first semester courses. Click here to research availability and meeting times of your selected courses.
_____ Apply for/Research housing options
_____ Pay Tuition Fees
_____ Purchase required course textbooks
_____ Explore IUPUI organizations and events on the IUPUI website
See also the English Department Internship Page
Certificate Home / Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial
For all information related to tuition and fee payment processes, visit the Bursar webpage.
To know the estimated cost of attendance whether you are a Resident or Non-Resident/International Student, click here.
Applying for and receiving financial aid involves a few steps. Here is a general outline of what you need to do:
1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
2. Federal Aid:
3. IUPUI Scholarships
4. Private Sector Scholarships. You may browse a list of available private-sector scholarships on:
IMPORTANT: For current financial aid info or any additional steps you may need to take to obtain your financial aid, you should:
- Login to OneStart
- Go to Student Center
- Under Finances, click on View Financial Aid and Accept/Decline Awards to take appropriate action
For more information on financial aid notification and accepting/declining awards, click here.
For a comprehensive description on applying for financial aid at IUPUI, click here.
Click here to access the IUPUI Financial Aid website.
Certificate Home / Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial
The TESOL Certificate Program is a 21-credit program that can be completed in 1 academic year.
ENG G500 4 cr. Introduction to the English Language
LING L532 3 cr. Second Language Acquisition
LING L534 3 cr. Principles and Practices of Language Teaching
ENG G541 4 cr. Materials Preparation for ESL
LING L535 4 cr. Teaching Practicum
Typical TESOL Elective Courses
ENG G625 4 cr. Introduction to Text Linguistics/Discourse Analysis
ENG G652 4 cr. English Language Sociolinguistics
LING T600 3 cr. Topics in TESOL and Applied Linguistics - English for Specific Purposes
LING T660 3 cr. Contrastive Discourse
ENG L695 1-4 cr. Individual Readings in English
LING T690 1-4 cr. Advanced Readings in TESOL and Applied Linguistics
ENG L590 4 cr. Internship in English (may be done twice)
Other graduate-level courses may also be taken, according to individual interest. For additional courses, please see the IUPUI Bulletin.
Certificate Home / Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial
Submit the following:
Transcripts (or any materials besides payment not submitted electronically) should be sent to:
IUPUI English Department
425 University Blvd.
Cavanaugh Hall 502L
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Certificate Home / Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial
The TESOL Certificate Program is a 21-credit program that can be completed in 1 academic year.
ENG G500 4 cr. Introduction to the English Language
LING L532 3 cr. Second Language Acquisition
LING L534 3 cr. Principles and Practices of Language Teaching
ENG G541 4 cr. Materials Preparation for ESL
LING L535 3 cr. Teaching Practicum
Typical TESOL Elective Courses
ENG G625 4 cr. Introduction to Text Linguistics/Discourse Analysis
ENG G652 4 cr. English Language Sociolinguistics
LING T600 3 cr. Topics in TESOL and Applied Linguistics - English for Specific Purposes
LING T660 3 cr. Contrastive Discourse
ENG L695 1-4 cr. Individual Readings in English
LING T690 1-4 cr. Advanced Readings in TESOL and Applied Linguistics
ENG L590 4 cr. Internship in English (may be done twice)
Other graduate-level courses may also be taken, according to individual interest. For additional courses, please see the IUPUI Bulletin.
Certificate Home / Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial
The English Department offers the TESOL Certificate Program for students who have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and who would like to be trained in teaching English to non-native speakers of English. The 21-credit hour graduate program prepares teachers to meet the needs of adult learners of English in an increasingly globalized world. The TESOL Certificate can be completed in one calendar year; all certificate credits can be applied to the MA in English with a TESOL emphasis.
Programs Home / Programs Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial / Thesis Requirements
For all information related to tuition and fee payment processes, visit the Bursar webpage.
To know the estimated cost of attendance whether you are a Resident or Non-Resident/International Student, click here.
Applying for and receiving financial aid involves a few steps. Here is a general outline of what you need to do:
1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
2. Federal Aid:
3. IUPUI Scholarships
4. Private Sector Scholarships. You may browse a list of available private-sector scholarships on:
IMPORTANT: For current financial aid info or any additional steps you may need to take to obtain your financial aid, you should:
- Login to OneStart
- Go to Student Center
- Under Finances, click on View Financial Aid and Accept/Decline Awards to take appropriate action
For more information on financial aid notification and accepting/declining awards, click here.
For a comprehensive description on applying for financial aid at IUPUI, click here.
Click here to access the IUPUI Financial Aid website.
Programs Home / Programs Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial / Thesis Requirements
Admission requirements are the same as the admission requirements to the MA in English.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university,
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
• Applicants are expected to have been English majors, but admission also is considered for those who otherwise demonstrate the competency necessary for successful graduate work in English.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. At least:
• 600 in either verbal or quantitative section
• 4.0 in analytical writing section
The GRE should be taken by December of the year before admission.
Please apply for the MA and Certificate at the same time. Submit the following:
Transcripts (or any materials not submitted electronically) should be sent to:
IUPUI English Department
425 University Blvd.
Cavanaugh Hall 502L
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Online Journals / Book List / Lesson Plans / Online Discussions / Conferences / Electronic Citation / Publishing
The following is a list of links to primary publishers in the field of English as a Second Language
The following is a list of links to online discussion forums in the field of TESOL:
The following websites are publishing companies that publish books and/or a listing of journals that publish articles related to ESL education:
From this website, you can click on any journal and investigate its publishing procedures. New pages will open in new windows.
TESOL—Other Campus Resources
Programs Home / Programs Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial / Thesis Requirements
Concentration courses / Elective courses
Introduction to the English Language Lays foundation for study of English linguistics. Covers the principal areas of linguistic inquiry into the English language: sounds (phonetics and phonology), words, (morphology), sentences (syntax), and meaning (semantics).
Second Language Acquisition Covers a broad range of issues in the field of second-language acquisition, including how people learn a second language and understanding how theoretical approaches connect to student language expression and practical application for teaching.
Principles and Practices of Language Teaching Examines recent theories of teaching English as a second or foreign language. Students will examine methods and develop knowledge of linguistic resources available to new and/or practicing teachers.
Teaching Practicum Put into practice methods and principles of linguistics, second-language acquisition, and language teaching. Under supervision, you will teach ESL classes either at IUPUI or in a local school system.
Materials Preparation for ESL Studies materials preparation, syllabus design, and test preparation by applying a variety of theories to books and other teaching devices (e.g., tapes, videotapes, computer and software programs) in order to evaluate their usefulness. Learn how to evaluate ESL materials for adequacy.
MA Thesis Work on your thesis
Internship in English (may be done twice) A supervised internship in the uses of language in the workplace. (For prospective teachers, the workplace may be a class.) Each intern will be assigned a problem or new task and will develop the methods for solving the problem or completing the task. Interns will complete a portfolio of workplace writing and self-evaluation; they will also be visited by a faculty coordinator and evaluated in writing by their on-site supervisors.
Topics in TESOL and Applied Linguistics - English for Specific Purposes Topics in this course vary, but they include the theory and teaching of English for Specific Purposes in academic, professional, or vocational fields.
Introduction to Text Linguistics/Discourse Analysis Introduces students to current approaches to text and discourse coherence, including recent theories of cognitive and interactional text modeling.
English Language Sociolinguistics Investigates socio-cultural aspects of language use and explores the relationships between language and society. Provides a background in various theoretical and methodological approaches to sociolinguistics. Other topics include: gender and language, ethnicity and language, social factors in language acquisition, and bilingualism. Should be familiar with basic issues and concepts in linguistics.
Contrastive Discourse Examines contrastive discourse/intercultural rhetoric and considers the cross-cultural aspects of discourse organization from both the reader’s and the writer’s viewpoints. Comparisons of text organization in different genres and for different audiences will be made, studying the roles of cultural forms and schemata in the interaction between writer and reader.
Advanced Readings in TESOL and Applied Linguistics Topics in this course vary, but they include the theory and teaching of English for Specific Purposes in academic, professional, or vocational fields; the teaching of second-language writing, reading, listening/speaking, and grammar; and second-language testing and assessment.
Individual Readings in English Enables students to work on a reading project that they initiate, plan, and complete under the direction of an English department faculty member. Credit hours depend on scope of project.
Other graduate-level courses may also be taken, according to individual interest and with advisor approval. For additional courses, please see the IUPUI Bulletin.
Professional Organizations / Conferences / Journals
Incorporated in 1966, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL), is a global association for English language teaching professionals headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. TESOL encompasses a network of approximately 60,000 educators worldwide, consisting of more than 14,000 individual members and an additional 45,000 educators within the 100 plus TESOL affiliate associations. Representing a multifaceted academic discipline and profession, TESOL offers members serial publications, books, and electronic resources on current issues, ideas, and opportunities in the field of English language teaching. TESOL also conducts a variety of workshops and symposia, including an annual convention, regarded as the foremost professional development opportunity for English language educators worldwide. TESOL’s mission is to develop and maintain professional expertise in English language teaching and learning for speakers of other languages worldwide.
The American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), the United States affiliate of the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA), is a professional organization whose members engage in research and practice in applied language issues.
CALICO, the Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium is a professional organization that serves a membership involved in both education and technology. CALICO has an emphasis on language teaching and learning but reaches out to all areas that employ the languages of the world to instruct and to learn. CALICO is a recognized international clearinghouse and leader in computer assisted learning and instruction. It is a premier global association dedicated to computer-assisted language learning (CALL).
CALICO began mainly as a group of people interested in using and producing technology-based materials for language teaching. After 25 years of growth and experience, CALICO now includes foreign language educators, programmers, technicians, web page designers, CALL developers, CALL practitioners, novice CALL users, second language acquisition researchers—anyone interested in exploring the use of technology for foreign language teaching and learning.
This award of $50 is presented to an IUPUI undergraduate student for an outstanding essay originating in an English for Academic Purposes W001 class in the past 12 months. Each student may submit up to 2 pieces.
This award of $50 is presented to an IUPUI undergraduate student for an outstanding essay originating in an English for Academic Purposes W131 class in the past 12 months. Each student may submit up to 2 pieces.
The Symposium on Second Language Writing (SSLW) is an annual international conference that brings together teachers and researchers who work with second- and foreign-language writers to discuss important issues in the field of second language writing.
The SSLW began in 1998 at Purdue University as a way of facilitating the advancement of knowledge in the field of L2 writing and to build a sense of community among those who are involved in L2 writing research and instruction.
* Also see professional organizations
TESOL Quarterly, a professional, refereed journal, was first published in 1967. The Quarterly encourages submission of previously unpublished articles on topics of significance to individuals concerned with English language teaching and learning and standard English as a second dialect. As a publication that represents a variety of cross-disciplinary interests, both theoretical and practical, the Quarterly invites manuscripts on a wide range of topics, especially in the following areas:
The Journal of English for Academic Purposes provides a forum for the dissemination of information and views which enables practitioners of and researchers in EAP to keep current with developments in their field and to contribute to its continued updating. JEAP publishes articles, book reviews, conference reports, and academic exchanges in the linguistic, sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic description of English as it occurs in the contexts of academic study and scholarly exchange itself. A wide range of linguistic, applied linguistic and educational topics may be treated from the perspective of English for academic purposes; these include: classroom language, teaching methodology, teacher education, assessment of language, needs analysis; materials development and evaluation, discourse analysis, acquisition studies in EAP contexts, research writing and speaking at all academic levels, the sociopolitics of English in academic uses and language planning.
English For Specific Purposes is an international peer-reviewed journal that welcomes submissions from across the world. Authors are encouraged to submit articles and research/discussion notes on topics relevant to the teaching and learning of discourse for specific communities: academic, occupational, or otherwise specialized. Topics such as the following may be treated from the perspective of English for specific purposes: second language acquisition in specialized contexts, needs assessment, curriculum development and evaluation, materials preparation, discourse analysis, descriptions of specialized varieties of English, teaching and testing techniques, the effectiveness of various approaches to language learning and language teaching, and the training or retraining of teachers for the teaching of ESP. In addition, the journal welcomes articles and discussions that identify aspects of ESP needing development, areas into which the practice of ESP may be expanded, possible means of cooperation between ESP programs and learners’ professional or vocational interests, and implications that findings from related disciplines can have for the profession of ESP. The journal also carries reviews of scholarly books on topics of interest to the profession.
ELT Journal is a quarterly publication for all those involved in the field of teaching English as a second or foreign language. The journal links the everyday concerns of practitioners with insights gained from related academic disciplines such as applied linguistics, education, psychology, and sociology.
ELT Journal provides a medium for informed discussion of the principles and practice which determine the ways in which the English language is taught and learnt around the world. It is also a forum for the exchange of information among members of the profession worldwide.
The Journal of Applied Linguistics was launched in 2004 with the aim of advancing research and practice in Applied Linguistics as a principled and interdisciplinary endeavour. The journal seeks material that highlights the evidence in establishing claims of relevance to practice in Applied Linguistics research and has a special concern for research methodology through a focus on research tools, cross-disciplinary contributions, issues of ethics and research participation. This focus underscores the point that methodological issues within Applied Linguistics need a different kind of airing to the ways these are discussed in cognate disciplines such as sociology, education, psychology. Language-specific methodological debates around case studies, and the call for a mixing of methodologies within Applied Linguistics more generally will serve a long-awaited need for younger scholars engaged in postgraduate and in funded research.
Programs Home / Programs Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial / Thesis Requirements
M.A. students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B).
The M.A. in English with a TESOL concentration requires 36 credit hours, including:
The three core courses provide an introduction to three major areas in the discipline of English. TESOL Students are required to take G500 and one of the other two core courses, preferably at the beginning of the graduate program:
Area
| Course Number
| Credits
| Course Name
|
| Language | ENG G500 | 4 | Introduction to the English Language (Required) |
| Writing | ENG W509 | 4 | Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies |
| Literature | ENG L506 | 4 | Introduction to Methods of Criticism and Research |
Course Number
| Credits
| Course Name
|
| LING L532 | 3 | Second Language Acquisition |
| LING L534 | 3 | Principles and Practices of Language Teaching |
| ENG G541 | 4 | Materials Preparation for ESL |
| LING L535 | 4 | Teaching Practicum |
Course Number
| Credits
| Course Name
|
| ENG L699 | 4 | MA Thesis |
Typical TESOL Elective Courses
Course Number
| Credits
| Course Name
|
| ENG G625 | 4 | Introduction to Text Linguistics/Discourse Analysis |
| ENG G652 | 4 | English Language Sociolinguistics |
| LING T600 | 3 | Topics in TESOL and Applied Linguistics—English for Specific Purposes |
| LING T660 | 3 | Contrastive Discourse |
| ENG L695 | 1-4 | Individual Readings in English |
| LING T690 | 1-4 | Advanced Readings in TESOL and Applied Linguistics |
| ENG L590 | 4 | Internship in English (may be done twice) |
Other graduate-level courses may also be taken, according to individual interest and with advisor approval. For additional courses, please see the IUPUI Bulletin.
Programs Home / Programs Requirements / Courses / Admission / Financial / Thesis Requirements
The English Department Graduate Program offers a Master of Arts Degree with a concentration in TESOL. Students pursue the MA in English by combining the course work for the TESOL Certificate with additional courses to meet the requirements of the MA in English. Students who complete the MA in English with a TESOL concentration will be qualified to teach in most post-secondary and adult programs in the US and in the international community.
Note: The School of Education offers several programs in teaching English as a New Language for certification and endorsements on an Indiana Teaching License or for the teaching of children. For complete information as to their programs access the School of Education web site.
RID is a national membership organization representing the professionals who facilitate communication between people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people who can hear. Interpreters serve as professional communicators in a vast array of settings such as: churches, schools, courtrooms, hospitals and theaters, as well as on political grandstands and television. RID’s function is to support our membership by providing the foundation needed to launch and sustain careers while ensuring quality service to the Deaf community.
views@rid.org
VIEWS is a publication of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. VIEWS prints articles on matters of interest and concern to the membership. A professional journal, it fosters inquiry into interpreting between hearing people and Deaf and Hard of Hearing people by providing a forum for professional interpreters to share their research findings and explore ideas and relationships in the field.
It is the mission of the Indiana Chapter of RID, Inc. to provide regional, state, and local forums and an organizational structure for the continued growth and development of the professions of interpretation and transliteration of American Sign Language. ICRID is the professional state association for interpreters, transliterators, and students interested in the profession.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services, a program of the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS), Division of Disability & Rehabilitation Services (DDRS) provides assistance to identify and find resources to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing individuals and their families, throughout the State of Indiana.
Deaf Community Services, a division of Easter Seals Crossroads, is driven by its pledge to provide recognition of and language accessibility to the Deaf community. DCS is committed to serve as a link between the Deaf and hearing communities.
Overview / Steps in Handling Plagiarism / Plagiarism Resource Sites / Possible Sanctions and Options
It is important to remember that a fundamental goal of a writing course is to improve students’ abilities to work with sources; there should be no threat of harsh penalties for misusing sources when our courses are designed, in part, to teach students how to use sources well. At the same time, issues of fraud should always and immediately draw a clear penalty. For these reasons, this guide separates cheating, or fraud, from issues of plagiarism.
Cheating or Fraud. Students are cheating when they turn in work written by someone else—work that was bought, borrowed, stolen, or downloaded from the Internet—and pass it off as their own work.
Penalties for this form of plagiarism may range from a lowered grade on an assignment or a portfolio, to an F for the assignment, portfolio, or course, or, in extreme cases, expulsion from IUPUI.
Failing to Cite Sources. If a student has written an essay that includes passages, specific information, or striking language from another source, and fails to include appropriate documentation, she is violating academic expectations. Information that is summarized, paraphrased, or quoted from others’ work (including electronic texts, websites, classmates’ work, lectures, interviews, or written sources) should be correctly attributed.
Faculty may refer students to the University Writing Center to work with citing sources, or they can suggest that students review their text on their own. After faculty have provided instruction and individual feedback to a student about source use, and later drafts still fail to cite sources, the matter should be handled in context as the assignment or portfolio grade is calculated. Depending on the extent of the problem, the assignment or portfolio grade may be lowered (just as failure to perform in some other key area of the course would lower a grade). In cases of extreme failure to cite sources, the assignment or portfolio may be judged failing. Note that a student who fails to cite sources in a deliberate attempt to conceal the source should be considered to be cheating.
Close-but-not-quite-quotations from sources. Many students will not be able to distinguish an inaccurate from accurate citation, particularly when there is some attempt to acknowledge the source. Spending time in class reviewing and practicing how to appropriately credit summaries and paraphrases will help students think through how to integrate and synthesize written sources. This is a complex task and students should be expected to make mistakes as they learn it.
As with the penalties for non-attribution of sources, the penalties for poor summarizing and paraphrasing vary depending on the context, and the extent of the problem. If such problems occur in an early draft, faculty should provide more instruction. However, if such problems persist in final drafts that are submitted in portfolios, the portfolio grade may be lowered appropriately.
If faculty suspect that a student is cheating (that is, turning in work written by someone else, or failing to cite sources in a deliberate attempt to deceive a teacher) they should consult the course coordinator or member of the Writing Coordinating Committee to ensure that procedures are correctly followed. Faculty should also review The Indiana University Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities to become familiar with official procedures before talking to the student. The Code sets guidelines and recommendations of handling student misconduct:
Faculty should use this form at the conclusion of the informal conference to document compliance with the student Code. Instructors must report the matter within seven calendar days in writing to the Dean of Students, who will send the report to the student, the dean or director of the school or unit in which the offense occurred, and the student’s dean or director.
There are a number of sites that provide helpful information about plagiarism, how to spot it, and how to deal with it. Feel free to share these sites with your students.
Remember, even if the student claims it was unintentional, plagiarism may constitute academic misconduct. It also is important to remember there are options for imposing sanctions. Below is an example of an option an instructor worked out with a student, and communicated in writing, after the student plagiarized by cutting and pasting large chunks of text from various websites. The student had a Works Cited page, but used no in-text citations or quotation marks, probably because she knew the paper was not supposed to be a cut and paste.
In order to have a passing portfolio, you are required to do the following:
These requirements, which conform to the Indiana University Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, are due no later than _________________.
If you are unfamiliar with the expectations for citing sources, please visit this link: Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It. You may wish to read some writing handbooks as well, and to visit the University Writing Center for help.
| Area of Study | Thesis Title | Author | Thesis Committee | Date |
| Applied Linguistics/TESOL | Making the Case for Degree Credit EAP Courses | Lakey, Sonya | Upton, Thomas A. (Chair) Harrington, Susanmarie Beck, M. Catherine | 2009-11-4 |
| Applied Linguistics/TESOL | The Adjunct Model of Language Instruction: Guidelines for Implementation in the English for Academic Purposes Program at IUPUI | Kinsey, Marienne Elizabeth | Upton, Thomas A. (Chair) Duerksen, Aye Nu E. Belz, Julie A. | 2009-10-10 |
| Literature | Navigating through "a nightmare of meaninglessness without end": a semi-structural reading of Kurt Vonnegut’s The Sirens of Titan | Cook, Joshua | Eller, Jonathan R. (Chair) Rudy, John Marvin, Thomas | 2009-06-23 |
| Applied Linguistics/TESOL | Black, Brown, Yellow, and White: The New Faces of African American English | Vanegas, José Alfonso | Shepherd, Susan (Chair) Upton, Thomas A. Fox, Steve | 2009-03-18 |
| Literature | Double Visions—Separating Gordon Lish’s Edits from Raymond Carver’s Original Authorship in Three Stories | Powers, Michael A. | Rebein, Robert (Chair) Eller, Jonathan R. Touponce, William F. | 2009-03-18 |
| Creative Writing | Sharing Control: Emancipatory Authority in the Poetry Writing Classroom | Bell, Robert N. | Rebein, Robert (Chair) Harrington, Susanmarie Kovacik, Karen | 2009-03-18 |
| Literature | A Window to Jim’s Humanity: The Dialectic Between Huck and Jim in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn | Anderson, Erich R. | Schultz, Jane E. (Chair) Eller, Jonathan R. Rebein, Robert | 2009-01-16 |
| Applied Linguistics/TESOL | An ESP Reading Course: Methods and Materials | Kiefer, Marvin R. | Connor, Ulla, Chair Duerksen, Aye Nu E. Orlando, Honnor | 2008-10-13 |
| Applied Linguistics/TESOL | Grant Proposal Writing: A Case Study of an International Postdoctoral Researcher | Strickland, Clyde William | Connor, Ulla (Chair) Rozycki, William V. Upton, Thomas A. | 2008-10-09 |
| Literature | At the Center of American Modernism: Lola Ridge’s Politics, Poetics, and Publishing | Wheeler, Belinda | Kovacik, Karen (Chair) Schultz, Jane E. Marvin, Thomas F. | 2008-08-23 |
| Writing and Literacy | The Teenage Dialect | Telley, Sarah Ann | Lovejoy, Kim Brian (Chair) Weeden, Scott R. Harrington, Susanmarie | 2008-07-07 |
| Literature | Mangled Bodies, Mangled Selves: Hurston, A. Walker and Morrison | Raab, Angela R. | Kubitscheck, Missy D. (Chair) Springer, Jennifer T. Marvin, Tom | 2008-06-16 |
| Applied Linguistics/TESOL | English for Academic Public Speaking | LeBeau, Stephen Allen, Jr. | Upton, Thomas A. Goering, Elizabeth, Davis, Kenneth W. | 2008-04-16 |
| Literature | Sara’s Transformation: A Textual Analysis of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Sara Crewe and A Little Princess | Resler, Johanna Elizabeth | Eller, Jonathan R. (Chair) Touponce, William F. Wokeck, Marianne S. | 2008-04-15 |
| Literature | Last Word in Art Shades: The Textual State of James Joyce’s Ulysses | Tully-Needler, Kelly Lynn | Davis, Kenneth W. (Chair) Eller, Jonathan R. Touponce, William F. | 2008-03-06 |
| Applied Linguistics/TESOL | Dear Birthmother: A Linguistic Analysis of Letters Written to Expectant Mothers Considering Adoption | Cohen, Mary Ann D. | Harrington, Susanmarie (Chair) Upton, Thomas A. Shepherd, Susan | 2007-07-20 |
| Writing and Literacy | Logging in, Blogging "Out": Gay College Age Males and the Blogosphere | Williams, Alan Neal | Harrington, Susanmarie (Chair) Lovejoy, Kim Brian Dobris, Catherine A. | 2007-07-10 |
| Applied Linguistics/TESOL | A Model for Developing Law Lecture Comprehension Lessons for Non-Native Speakers of English from Video-taped Authentic Materials | Martin, Lynne Rohmerien | Upton, Thomas A. (Chair) Connor, Ulla Beck, M. Catherine | 2007-06-26 |
| Literature | Stranger in the Room: Illuminating Female Identity Through Irish Drama | Johnson, Amy R. | Eller, Jonathan R. | 2007-05-23 |
| Literature | Frank Miller’s Ideals of Heroism | Jones, Stephen Matthew | Bingham, Dennis (Chair) Touponce, William F. Karnick, Kristine Brunovska | 2007-05-18 |
| Literature | Unraveling Walt Whitman | Cristo, George Constantine | Eller, Jonathan R. (Chair) Schultz, Jane E. Touponce, William F. | 2007-05-18 |
| Literature | Wrapped Up in Books: The Inner Life of Newland Archer in The Age of Innocence | Reeves, Nancee C. | Schultz, Jane E. (Chair) Eller, Jonathan R. Johnson, Karen R. | 2007-04-19 |
The Writing program and the Department of English THANK MARY FOR 30 YEARS OF OUTSTANDING TEACHING AND SERVICE. View a slideshow from her retirement celebration.
John A. Wieland, Associate Faculty, English, was named the Outstanding Distinguished Associate Faculty Member for 2010. John has been an Associate Faculty member at IUPUI since 1984. In that time, he has proven himself to be a creative teacher who routinely receives enthusiastic evaluations from his students. His nominating letters praise his willingness constantly to improve his teaching by attending workshops and seminars, and his active involvement with entering students in Learning Communities. One nominator reported that John’s versatility is evident in his teaching-in areas ranging from composition to literature to business writing to golf and specialized continuing studies offerings.
"To each of these teaching situations," the letter continued, "John brings teaching and professional experience, extensive reading, and a keen eye for what helps students learn." For his outstanding teaching, the Faculty Affairs Committee has chosen John as the recipient of the 2009/2010 award.
Two articles written by Sarah Layden, Associate Faculty, English, won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual Best in Indiana Journalism contest. The article, "Fighting to unionize" won first place for Social Justice Reporting. "A different kind of chance" won second place for Social Justice Reporting. Both articles ran in NUVO.
Joe received The Distinguished Hoosier Award, which is given by the Office of the Governor, for his work, service, and leadership in education.
Joe’s background includes an impressive mix of positions and service that exemplifies his dedication to education:
In January, Lylanne was the featured poet when The Writer’s Center of Indiana presented "An Evening with the Muse." Lylanne, who lives in Irvington, teaches writing at IUPUI, and creative writing at Ivy Tech Community College and the University of Indianapolis’ School of Adult Learning. She hosts Writers Speak Volumes! a poet and writers group that meets once a month at Bookmamas in Irvington. In addition, her autobiographical story feature, L Words, airs monthly on BloomingOUT, a weekly broadcast on WFHB radio.
An award winning poet, Lylanne’s poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Tipton Poetry Journal, PANK, Umbrella, Flying Island, New Verse News, Ichabod’s Sketchbook, Wilderness House Literary Review and many Outrider Press anthologies. Her chapbook, A Charm Bracelet for Cruising, was recently published by Winged City Press, an imprint of New Sins Press.
Technology Resources / Teaching Resources at IUPUI / Faculty Policies / Awards and Honors / Faculty Handbook
The Writing Program supports writing teachers who wish to integrate technology into their pedagogy. The Technology Resources for Writing Classes site is a helpful resource for teaching in computer classrooms or using technology in your teaching.
You’ll also want to check out Activities for Teaching Using Technology for a collection of class activities and examples of specific ways instructional technology can help composition students succeed. Please contact Julie Freeman, Instructional Technology Coordinator for the Writing Program, if you have any questions.
If you do not teach in a computer classroom and would like to reserve one (on a one-time basis), check out the information about the Student Technology Centers.
Download free software from IUWare
University Integrated Technology Services (UITS) offers 3-hour classes for faculty and staff covering skills such as Adobe, Excel, Dreamweaver, Podcasting, and many more. For more information, access IT Training and Education at 274-7383.
The Barbara E. Zimmer Award, which is designed to encourage professional development, was established in 1997 through the generosity of Barbara Zimmer, a long-time associate faculty member in the IUPUI writing program and ESL program. The award pays travel expenses (up to $500) for a writing program associate faculty member to attend a conference or workshop (see below for a list of conferences). You don’t need to present a paper or workshop (although presenting isn’t ruled out by the award). The application form can be downloaded here.
Members of the associate faculty who:
The Writing Coordinating Committee encourages applications from all associate faculty, especially those who have taught writing at IUPUI for at least 3 semesters and plan to continue. In considering applications, the committee may consider an applicant’s past involvement with program activities and/or the applicant’s proposed future involvement with activities such as:
Members of the Committee will evaluate applications, looking to see whether:
Applications are due January 16.
See the short list of upcoming conferences. If you are interested in another conference that relates to teaching goals and the writing program, you can apply for that, but you must include additional information about the conference and its sponsors.
It’s an easy process. You need only fill out a short application form and submit a short description of the conference you wish to attend.
Each year, the Writing Coordinating Committee will announce conferences in the region for which Zimmer funds would be appropriate. Generally, these conferences include:
If you don’t see a conference listed here that offers you the kind of professional development you’d like, you can request another conference on your application form. Provide a bit more detail about the conference and its sponsoring organization, so that the application review committee can decide whether the conference fits in with the theme of the Zimmer Award.
The Writing Program Outstanding Associate Faculty Award
Presented annually. The winner of this award is nominated for the SLA Outstanding Associate Faculty Award.
Technical Support / Free Software / Training / Reserving Computer Classrooms / Oncourse / Support for Teachers in Computer Classrooms / Computer Room Switch Schedule / Software in Computer Classrooms / Planning the Syllabus for Computer Room Classes / Student Orientation to the Computer Classroom
The Writing Program strongly supports writing teachers who wish to integrate technology into their pedagogy. Technology can increase interaction and collaboration, teach process steps, demonstrate revising and editing skills, and help students develop critical research skills.
Classroom computers (and those in Cavanaugh lobbies) are maintained by Classroom Services through University Information Technology Services (UITS). Call Classroom Services at 274-8400 for help with projectors or other equipment. You may also call the Classroom Services consultant on duty at 274-0779.
The Knowledge Base is a database of thousands of answers to questions about computing is available at Indiana University’s award-winning Knowledge Base. (http://kb.iu.edu/)
The UITS Support Center (http://uits.iu.edu/) addresses general questions or problems concerning technology. Their services and hours are as follows:
Liberal Arts Technical Services staff are available for faculty who need help with network connections or office computing:
Free software can be downloaded from IUWare, (http://iuware.iu.edu/) such as Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010, Photoshop Elements 8, and Creative Suite 5 Design Premium.
University Integrated Technology Services (UITS) offers 3-hour classes for faculty and staff on Adobe, Excel, Dreamweaver, and many more. For more information, contact IT Training and Education at 274-7383 (http://ittraining.iu.edu/).
Those instructors not teaching in a Cavanaugh Hall computer classroom who would like to reserve one (on a one-time basis or for several class sessions) can complete the online form at https://db.liberalarts.iupui.edu/fms/
For availability of other computer classrooms (Student Technology Centers) on campus, such as BS 3003 and BS 3001, see "How can I reserve an STC for a class?" at http://kb.iu.edu/data/aezq.html.
Oncourse, IU’s online collaboration and learning environment, powered by Sakai, supports teaching and learning, committees, projects, research, and portfolios for Indiana University’s community of students, faculty, and staff.
The IUPUI Center for Teaching and Learning 317-274-1300 thectl@iupui.edu provides support for integrating Oncourse CL into teaching.
The English Department was one of the first in the country to offer composition classes in computer classrooms (in 1985), based on the knowledge that computers are the most powerful writing tools available. Using technology invigorates the teaching of writing by supporting the writing process, enhancing collaboration, fostering deep revision, and enabling rapid instructor and peer response. "Activities for Teaching with Technology" is a link to the Writing Program website which provides examples of productive and creative uses of technology in writing classes (http://liberalarts.iupui.edu/english/index.php/academics/wtgp/wtgp_tech_bp).
Our assumptions about teaching with computers are as follows:
Currently, all sections of W132 and W231, and several sections of W131, meet in computer classrooms, but we have only two computer rooms available, CA 323 and 425. To increase the number of sections offered in computer classrooms, we use a switch schedule for classes meeting twice a week. This means the class will meet in a computer classroom (CA 425 or CA 323) one day a week and in a traditional classroom (CA 349 or CA 347) one day a week.
Instructors should pay close attention to the teaching assignment memo from the Writing Program office because it includes the switch schedule (which begins the second week of the semester).
First week of the semester: All class meetings are held only in the room listed on the Registrar’s Schedule of Classes.
M/W and T/Th classes: The instructor’s teaching assignment memo will indicate which day the class meets in the computer room and which day it meets in a traditional classroom. It will also state the room the class will meet in during the first week of classes.
Once a week classes: Most sections meeting once a week have access to both the computer classroom and the traditional classroom for the entire class session. It is important to meet regularly in the computer room-on alternate weeks, perhaps, or part of every class session-since the room is reserved.
The computer classroom door will be opened at least 15 minutes prior to class. Instructors who find the door locked when they arrive for class should contact a consultant, Vicki Hale in CA 423, or ask for a key at the Dean’s office, CA 441.
On the desktops students will find MS Word, Publisher, Explorer, Firefox, PowerPoint, and Excel, as well as access to Oncourse and e-mail accounts. The University Library’s home page can also be accessed in class for online research. Students should be required to use Word so they can easily access their files in class. If they do not have Word on their home computer, they may download free software from IUWare (available to faculty as well).
It’s a good idea for instructors to list computer room policies on their syllabi and to go over them with students the first time the class meets in the computer room. Following are some policies other instructors have included:
*Instructors who wish to take water or coffee class are asked to please leave it on the front table, not by the instructor workstation.
Faculty who teach in the computer classroom can consider scheduling activities on their computer room days that take advantage of the technology. They should look first at what they want to teach during a particular session, and then decide how technology might be integrated to achieve the objectives. The software/hardware should be tested in advance, to prepare clear instructions, and to make sure students understand the purpose of the activity. Require something to be reported or submitted, either verbally, on paper, or via e-mail, at the end of the activity to ensure that students stay on task (instead of on Facebook!) Have a back-up plan in case the technology is unavailable due to system or equipment failure.
Faculty scheduled in the computer room on a day when technology does not fit their plans may ask students to turn off their monitors and set aside their keyboards. Students can move their chairs to improve sight lines or so they can form groups and work collaboratively.
Faculty themselves can decide what technologies will be introduced and when, always making clear to students the pedagogical reason for using the technologies, and introducing only the aspects of a program that further their goals for class that day. Students can be overwhelmed if they are shown all the options at once, and we want to keep the focus on curricular goals, not the technology used to achieve them.
Instructors are encouraged to offer a brief orientation to the computer classroom during one of their first class meetings in the room. Although most students are very comfortable with computers, many still need to be reminded to back up their work and to adhere to the computer classroom policies.
Invention / Development / Integration of Sources / Revision / Collaborative Work and Peer Response Activities / Critical Reading / Research / Argument / Editing Activities / Miscellaneous Writing Activities / Instructor Response
"Activities for Teaching Composition Using Technology" is devoted to teaching with technology. While many of the activities are designed for classes that meet in a computer classroom, many can be adapted for use in a traditional classroom. Our main objective for teaching composition with technology is to satisfy our pedagogical objectives by integrating technology in ways that help students accomplish curricular goals. The possibilities are endless, but the following list gives some specific examples of how instructional technology can help students achieve success!
Prior to revising their essay for the midterm, I ask students to look over my comments on their drafts and find one issue in particular—of grammar, form, style, organization, whatever—and look it up in Purdue’s online writing lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/. The OWL has tons of handouts that are clearly written and easily understood by students.
After they have read about and feel they better understand this issue, they are to report on it to their classmates via an Oncourse discussion forum post. Students are in this way introduced to a valuable resource that many say they intend to keep using, their understanding of the issue is (theoretically) improved by explaining it to others, and they are exposed to a variety of issues (and information about them) by reading their classmates’ posts.
Additionally, they are further encouraged to read and make use of the comments I’ve already placed on their papers. Most of this happens with very little additional work from me—though teachers should, of course, have some way of encouraging students to complete the process. In my case, the discussion forum posts (and a reply to a classmate) are required weekly (assignment is different each time). I do keep track of participation via a grid, and participation (including a few other elements) is ultimately worth 10% of the semester grade.
E-mail is particularly useful as a vehicle for giving students individual feedback on assessed work and can save you time and energy as you mark their work. E-mail feedback can extend usefully, from time to time, to giving students feedback on handwritten work that they have submitted for assessment. The following suggestions may help you to exploit the benefits of e-mail, not the least of which is to save you time and energy in giving students feedback.
Make the most of the comfort of privacy. When students receive feedback by e-mail (as opposed to face-to-face or in class), they have the comfort of being able to read the feedback without anyone (particularly you!) being able to see their reactions to it. This is most useful when you need to give some critical feedback to students.
Remember that you can edit your own feedback before you send it. For example, you may well want to adjust individual feedback comments in the light of students’ overall performance. It’s much harder to edit your own handwritten feedback on students’ written work. E-mail feedback allows you to type in immediate feedback to things that you see in each pupil’s work, and to adjust or delete particular parts of your feedback as you go further into marking their work.
Exploit the space. Inserting handwritten feedback comments into students’ written work is limited by the amount of space that there may be for your comments. With e-mail feedback, you don’t have to restrict your wording if you need to elaborate on a point.
Consider combining e-mail feedback with written feedback. Occasionally, for example, you can write on the students’ work a series of numbers or letters, at the points where you wish to give detailed feedback. The e-mail feedback can than translate these numbers or letters into feedback comments or phrases, so that students can see exactly what each element of feedback is telling them. The fact that students sometimes have to decode the feedback can help them to think about it more deeply, and learn from it effectively.
Spare yourself from repeated typing. When designing computer-delivered feedback messages, you should aim towards only having to type each important message once. You can then copy and paste any of the messages when you need to give several students the same feedback information. It can be useful to combine this process with numbers or letters which you write on students’ work and, then, build up each e-mail to individual students by pasting together the feedback messages which go with each of the numbers or letters.
Consider the possibilities of "global" feedback messages. For example, you may wish to give all of the students in a class the same feedback message about overall matters arising from a test or exercise. The overall message can be pasted into each e-mail before the individual comments addressed to each pupil.
Check that your e-mail feedback is getting through. Most e-mail systems can be programmed to send you back a message saying when the e-mail was opened, and by whom. This can help you to identify any students who are not succeeding at opening their e-mails. It can also be useful sometimes to end each e-mail with a question asking the pupil to reply to you on some point arising from the feedback. This helps to make sure that students don’t just open their e-mail feedback messages, but have to read them.
Keep records of your e-mail feedback. It is easy to keep copies on a disk of all of your feedback to each pupil, and you can open a folder for each pupil, if you wish. This makes it much easier to keep track of your ongoing feedback to individual students, than when your handwritten feedback is lost to you when you return their work to them. If you use e-mail a lot for feedback, these collections of feedback save time when you come to writing reports.
Make the most of technology. For example, many e-mail systems support spell-check facilities, which can allow you to type really fast and ignore most of the resulting errors, until you correct them all just before sending your message. This also causes you to reread each message, which can be very useful for encouraging you to add second thoughts that may have occurred to you as you went further in your assessment of the task.
Use e-mail to gather feedback from your students. Students are often bolder sitting at a computer terminal than they are face-to-face with you. Ask your student’s questions about how they are finding selected aspects of their studies, but don’t turn it into an obvious routine questionnaire. Include some open-ended questions, so that they feel free to let you know how they are feeling about their own progress and (if you’re brave enough!) about your teaching too.
Undergraduate Courses / Graduate Courses / Continuing Education Courses
Due to limited language proficiency, students at this level are generally restricted to taking only EAP, physical education, and one mathematics or computer science course.
ENG G009 - Intermediate Aural/Oral Skills for ESL Students (2 cr)—Focuses on academic listening and speaking skills.
ENG G010 - English as a Second Language I (4 cr)—Focuses on reading, writing, and grammar.
ENG G015 - Pronunciation Skills (2 cr)
Note: G009 and G010 must be taken concurrently.
At this level, students generally take two EAP classes, but sometimes one or three, plus two freshman-level content courses. Courses requiring extensive reading and writing should be avoided.
ENG G011 - English as a Second Language II (4 cr)—Focuses on academic reading and grammar skills. Usually must be taken before or concurrently with W130.
ENG G012 - English as a Second Language III (3 cr)—Focuses on academic listening and speaking skills, including understanding lectures, note taking, presentations, group discussions.
ENG W130 - Principles of Composition (3 cr.)—Practice in writing papers for a variety of purposes and audiences, with attention to reading/writing connections.
ENG G015 - Pronunciation Skills (2 cr)
At this level, students are capable of taking a full academic-load of classes, although courses should probably be restricted to general, freshman-level courses.
ENG W131 - Elementary Composition 1 (3 cr)—Prerequisite: a grade of C or higher in W130, or EAP placement test. Same curricular goals as the non-EAP sections, but focusing on the specific language needs of EAP students. Meets IUPUI graduation requirements.
ENG G015 - Pronunciation Skills (2 cr)
Graduate students with weak language skills take the same EAP classes as the undergraduates at this level. Because their fields are more specialized and they bring more background, the type and number of courses these students can take beyond EAP are determined in consultation with their advisors. We recommend no more than two non-EAP classes for students at this level.
ENG G011 - English as a Second Language II (4 cr)—Focuses on academic reading and grammar skills. Usually must be taken before or concurrently with W130.
ENG G012 - English as a Second Language III (3 cr)—Focuses on academic listening and speaking skills, including understanding lectures, note taking, presentations, group discussions.
ENG W130 - Principles of Composition (3 cr.)—Practice in writing papers for a variety of purposes and audiences, with attention to reading/writing connections. PUL=1A. Must be taken with or after G011 unless exempted by the EAP program.
ENG G015 - Pronunciation Skills (2 cr)
At this level, most graduate students only take one EAP class at a time if they need both, along with their regular graduate course work, although some will take both classes in one semester.
ENG G013 - Academic Reading and Writing for International Students (Grads) (3 cr)—Focusing on reading and writing for academic purposes, assignments are given which use materials from the students’ academic disciplines.
ENG G020 - Communication Skills for ITAs (3 cr)—While focusing on the speaking and presentation skills required of International Teaching Assistants (ITAs), this class may also include non-ITAs who need to develop their spoken language skills or wish to have ITA positions in the future. Skills include pronunciation, classroom interaction, presentations, seminar discussions, and basic teaching strategies.
Fundamental in English as a Second Language—If you are a nonnative speaker of English and want to improve your language skills, this is the class for you. This class is designed to help high-beginner and lower-intermediate students develop the basic knowledge and skills needed for daily communication. The main focus will be on listening and speaking, but we will do some reading and writing as well. This course meets two nights per week for eight weeks. This is a noncredit course and you do not need to be admitted into an IUPUI degree program to take this course.
Accent Reduction—If you’re a nonnative speaker of English, this course can help you improve your pronunciation. By learning the American style of intonation, rhythm, speech production, resonance, and syllable stress, you can make your speech more understandable, articulate and expressive. This course is open to nonnative speakers of English who are at an intermediate level or above. This course meets one night per week for eight weeks. This is a noncredit course and you do not need to be admitted into an IUPUI degree program to take this course.
For more information, visit the Community Learning Network.
Course credit for transfer students
Credit by Examination - on the basis of examination (CLEP, DANTES, AP, SAT/ACT)
Special Credit Portfolio for W131 - on the basis of a portfolio of student writing
Contesting Grades and Other Student Complaints
Introductory Writing Student Complaint Form
Requirements for writing classes are established by schools and degree programs at IUPUI, not by the Writing Program. Students should complete their writing requirement within their first two years (60 credit hours) at IUPUI. Transfer students should take care of their writing course requirements as soon as they transfer. In no case should students wait until their senior year or until applying for graduation to determine whether they have fulfilled their writing requirement.
Transfer students who fulfilled all or part of the composition requirement at their previous university will not necessarily have fulfilled it at IUPUI. Occasionally courses transfer as undistributed credit. The following policies will help you determine what steps to take depending on your situation:
Transfer students who do not have transfer credit for W131 but took what they think is a comparable course at their previous university can seek comparable credit.
Transfer students with fewer than 30 credit hours who fulfilled the composition requirement at their previous university through SAT or ACT scores or a placement test do not receive transfer credit for W131 and must take a first-semester course at IUPUI. They should use the Guided Self-placement process to determine which first-semester course would be best for them.
Transfer students with 30 credit hours or more who satisfied the composition requirement at their previous institution through SAT or ACT scores or a placement test may apply for special credit for W131 by submitting a portfolio to the Writing Program office in CA 423.
Transfer students whose comparable credit petitions are denied should visit the Guided Self-placement website to determine the first-year course that is best for them.
Students who receive transfer credit for W131 should consult their advisor to determine the second writing course required by their degree program.
Requirements for W132, W150, and W231 are determined by each school or degree program at IUPUI, not by the Writing Program, so students with questions about writing course requirements beyond W131/W140 should talk to their advisor.
The Writing Program cannot waive writing course requirements.
Advanced transfer students who took a second-level writing course at their previous university that seems comparable to W132, W150, or W231 but which did not transfer as one of those courses may petition the Writing Program for comparable credit.
The Writing Program cannot give special credit for a second-level writing course based on a student’s advanced standing, a special credit portfolio, or overall experience writing numerous research papers.
Students are not granted exemption from W132 or W231 on the basis of any exam, including the Dantes Exam.
If you have taken a writing course at another university and it transferred as an undistributed English credit-not as credit for the course you expected it to-you should complete a comparable credit form, attach a bulletin description and a syllabus, and submit it to the Writing Program secretary in CA 423. You will be notified by email of the decision within six weeks.
Please note that grades of C- or lower do not fulfill IUPUI requirements.
If you receive notification that your petition was approved, you are responsible for confirming that the credit is recorded on your academic records. Do not wait until your senior year or until applying for graduation to determine whether you have fulfilled your writing requirement. Please call the Writing Program office at 274-3824 if you have questions.
The special credit portfolio option is open only to students who transfer with 30 credits or more who fulfilled the composition requirement at their previous university through SAT or ACT scores or a placement test. Students should be aware that credit is not always awarded. Please note that the special credit portfolio option is not available for W132 or W231.
Special credit portfolios are evaluated by Writing Program administrators. The range of work included in the portfolio should demonstrate that you have already attained the goals of W131, Elementary Composition I. The portfolio should include three pieces of writing which, on the whole, demonstrate your ability to:
Each piece of writing must be accompanied by a statement that explains:
In addition, include a cover letter for the portfolio that describes the writing experiences you have had and makes a general argument about why you should receive credit for English W131. The letter should also include the number of semesters you have been enrolled at IUPUI, the number of credit hours you have earned, the name of the school at IUPUI you are seeking a degree in, your student ID number, email address, mailing address, and phone. If you have questions about assembling your portfolio, please call the Writing Program office at 274-3824.
You can submit your portfolio to:
Julie Freeman, Associate Director of Writing
Department of English, IUPUI
423 Cavanaugh Hall
425 University Boulevard
Indianapolis IN 46202
(317) 274-0092; jfreema@iupui.edu
Your portfolio will be evaluated as soon as possible, usually within two weeks. If you receive notification that your portfolio earned you credit for W131, you are responsible for confirming that the credit is recorded on your academic records.
Attendance / Incompletes / Religious Holidays / Returning Graded Work
The Writing Coordinating Committee believes that classroom attendance is vital to succeeding in any writing course. Classroom activities that contribute to the process of students’ writing are a central part of students’ portfolios; students who do not come to class will find it difficult to put together portfolios that will earn grades as high as those put together by students who have attended regularly. If responsible students miss class from time to time, they can find ways to work outside of class that are in line with the goals for that particular class period. Students who miss a reader response activity in class might work with a classmate outside of class, for instance. Still, what goes on in our writing classrooms is the heart of the course, and students who are present and participating are best able to learn.
Students who are regularly in class, prepared, and participating, also are in the best position to demonstrate what they’ve learned about responding in their portfolios.
The best way to encourage students to attend class is to demonstrate the value of class work, not by threatening to impose grade penalties at the end of the semester. Students’ grades are based entirely on the work they do, rather than on their physical presence in class. Although you may not lower semester grades because of excessive absence, you are free to discuss the impact of attendance on student learning. Your syllabus should include a statement about the importance of participation in workshop and class activities.
Most of the introductory writing courses leave some portion of the semester grade up to the instructor to determine. Instructors who devise systems for calculating this portion of the semester grade should explain this method clearly on their syllabi.
The Writing Program follows the IUPUI Administrative Withdrawal Policy for students who miss more than 50% of classes during the first four weeks of the semester. Read the policy and see a sample paragraph for your syllabus here.
Eligibility: Incompletes are appropriate only when exceptional circumstances prevent students from finishing all course requirements by the end of the semester. Exceptional circumstances can include the serious illness of the student, spouse or partner, child, or parent; or a fire or accident that interrupts the end of the semester - circumstances which would cause the student to suffer a hardship if held to the previously established course deadlines.
A grade of Incomplete should be awarded only if the work is mostly complete, generally 75 to 80 percent, and of passing quality. A student who needs to retake the entire course is NOT ELIGIBLE for an incomplete. Neither is a student who has fallen behind due to procrastination.
Course coordinators can help faculty decide whether an incomplete is warranted. Basic guidelines for 75-80% of the work completed for each core writing course are:
Removal of Incomplete: In order to award the grade, instructors must submit a Removal of Incomplete form.
If the work has not been completed and a grade assigned within a year from the end of the semester in which the Incomplete was awarded, the Office of the Registrar will automatically change the grade to an F. Both the student and the faculty member will receive notification that this change is pending and should take steps immediately to resolve the Incomplete.
In rare cases at the end of the initial one year period, the student may ask the instructor to extend the Incomplete for an additional fixed period of time. If the instructor agrees, he or she should submit a grade of IX on the Removal of Incomplete form. This action will block the automatic change to F after one year.
In rare cases, instructors may opt to recommend or require students to attend another term of the course (or a portion thereof) in order to remove the Incomplete. In such cases, students should NOT re-enroll in the course. Instead, the student should make the necessary arrangements with the original instructor to sit in on the required class sessions. At the end of the term, the instructor would file the Removal of Incomplete with the Office of the Registrar. A student who is required to attend the course in a subsequent semester should understand that sitting in on the course or otherwise making up the Incomplete does not count as part of the student’s full-time or part-time load for financial aid purposes or for loan deferments.
In some cases, after receiving an Incomplete, the student may wish to withdraw from the course. This requires the signatures of the instructor and the student’s dean on a Removal of Incomplete form.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student records. FERPA regulations prohibit faculty from leaving graded student papers in unsecured areas for students to pick up at their convenience (in front of their doors or in their cubicles, for example).
SLA rules require all student work not returned to a student be kept until the student retrieves it or a year passes, whichever comes first. Our departmental secretaries will not be responsible for storing or returning students’ final papers. Therefore, as a semester is coming to an end, please choose one of the following options:
If you are not returning to teach with us, please contact your course coordinator to make arrangements regarding any unreturned student work.
The Writing Program supports the Indiana University policy that calls on faculty to make reasonable accommodations for students who may need to be excused from classes due to religious observances. Many students in writing classes are new to college, and they may not realize what policies exist. We encourage faculty, particularly in the fall semester when there are many religious holidays and many new students, to refer to this policy either in class or on the syllabus. Program administrators are available to help faculty or students interpret and apply this policy.
The full text of the IU policy about religious holidays and academic obligations follows:
On occasion conflicts may occur between a student’s obligations in a course and the student’s obligations in observing major religious holidays. Indiana University respects the right of all students to observe their religious holidays and will make reasonable accommodation, upon request, for such observances. A student may ask to be excused from classes, examinations, or other scheduled assignments, such as laboratories, in order to observe these religious holidays. By action of the University Faculty Council, individual faculty are to make reasonable accommodation, upon request, for such observances. Dates and times for examinations and other major course obligations should be announced at the beginning of the semester and appear on the course syllabus. It is the student’s responsibility to inform instructors of conflicts no later than the second week of the semester so that reasonable accommodations may be provided. When possible, faculty should avoid scheduling examinations or other major academic occasions on these holidays.
This policy can be viewed on the Office of the Registrar’s website, which also lists major religious holidays for two calendar years to assist students and faculty in planning. A calendar and the campus implementation plan for enforcing the policy on religious holidays may be found here.
Special Credit for W131 - on the basis of a portfolio of student writing
Credit by Examination - on the basis of examination (CLEP, DANTES, AP, SAT/ACT)
Course credit for transfer students
Transferring from IU-Bloomington and fulfilling the Elementary Composition I (W131) requirement at IUPUI
Contesting Grades and Other Student Complaints
Introductory Writing Student Complaint Form
One of the goals of IUPUI’s introductory writing courses is to introduce students to strategies for and expectations about identifying, evaluating, and integrating source material into written work. Classmates, friends, and teachers may offer advice or reactions that help to shape writing and thinking. Published writers similarly influence writers, both in terms of ideas, style, and form. As students move through their writing courses, they should become more skilled at acknowledging both types of influence.
Each core writing course has a textbook with sections on adapting source use to writing, avoiding plagiarism, notetaking, and citing conventions. Citing sources is a technical issue (involving guidelines for format and punctuation), but more importantly a rhetorical issue (involving matters of ethics, persona, and credibility).
The information below raises important issues for students to consider, while respecting institutional and program guidelines about plagiarism and acknowledging sources.
Writers handle others’ ideas in almost every type of writing, even the most personal and reflective (since other texts or people often influence what and how we remember). Students deal with this element of writing by acknowledging the influences on their texts by identifying what texts or people affected the composition process. Such acknowledgments offer readers valuable information that helps them judge a writer’s credibility and the soundness of conclusions. Acknowledgements of important texts allow readers to look up further information on a subject, should they be so inclined. The prefaces, footnotes, parenthetical notations, and bibliographies in published works can be a valuable resource for any researcher.
Plagiarism, the term generally applied to violations of academic expectations about citing sources, can range from cheating to incomplete source documentation. The Indiana University Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities provides a fuller explanation of plagiarism and institutional penalties. The information below separates cheating, or fraud, from issues of plagiarism. The actions and consequences are described below and summarized in a table at the end of this section.
Members of the Writing Coordinating Committee are available to consult with students about issues of plagiarism if information from the teacher is not sufficient to answer questions. Generally speaking, SLA and IUPUI policies require that the instructor prepare a written account of the information that led to the suspicion of cheating, and offer the student a chance to respond to the allegations, via either conference or letter. In the original contact of this matter bewteen student and teacher, the student should be made aware of the penalty that may be imposed. If the student does not refute the charges within the specified period, the penalty can be imposed, with notification made to the Dean of Student Affairs.
Act | Description | Possible Consequences |
Intentional Plagiarism or Cheating | Turning in work written by someone else
Including - purposefully - long passages of someone else’s writing in the student’s essay without using any form of in-text citation | Lowered or failing grade on portfolio or course
Need to redo the assignment
Decreased credibility with readers |
Unintentional Plagiarism | Using passages from readings without any in-text documentation, and without intent to deceive | Instructor intervention on a draft or early revision
Lowered or failing grade on portfolio or course
Need to revise
Decreased credibility with readers |
Appropriate Use of Sources | Telling readers where information comes from, using signal phrases and appropriate in-text citations and works cited list | Increased credibility with readers
Readers can pursue writer’s sources |
Rebecca Moore Howard’s "Plagiarisms, Authorships, and the Academic Death Penalty," College English 57.7 (1995): 788-806, was a useful resource in the preparation of this policy statement.
There are a number of sites that provide helpful information about plagiarism. Here are just a few:
Understanding Plagiarism, at Indiana University School of Education, provides information and a quiz you can take to aid in your understanding of plagiarism.
Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It, at Indiana University’s Writing Tutorial Services, includes examples of plagiarism, such as acceptable and unacceptable examples of paraphrasing, plus strategies for avoiding plagiarism.
Is It Plagiarism Yet?, at the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL), offers tips and exercises for students.
At times, students may have a need to discuss complaints and concerns about their instructors, courses, or assignments with another faculty. The Writing Program treats student concerns with respect, although we encourage students and faculty to try to resolve any problems between them before requesting any outside help.
Members of the Writing Coordinating Committee are available to consult with students informally. Faculty addresses and those of writing program administrators are available in the directory; if you cannot contact the instructor, start with the course coordinator. If informal contact does not resolve the problem, formal procedures are available. A version of the Student Complaint form is below. Return the complaint form to Vicki Hale in the Writing Program office, CA 423.
To address a concern about your grade in a writing class, you should first discuss the issue with your instructor. If for some reason you are unable to resolve your concerns by working with your instructor, you may submit a Student Complaint Form. Download the form, fill it out, and return it to the Writing Program Office (CA423). Attach the form to your portfolio (or other assignment) along with the written response you received from your instructor, including the grade and any evaluation sheets that indicate how the grade was determined. Course coordinators and other Writing Program administrators review student complaints. Although your instructor will not be involved in reviewing your complaint, he or she may be consulted. You should receive a response in 2 - 3 weeks.
Please read this page before registering. Do not register for the online class if you are unable to attend the required orientation meeting (see class information in OneStart).
When you enroll in an online section of W131, you and your classmates will meet the same goals and experience the same teaching and learning practices as students in every other W131 classroom except that your experience will take place in a virtual classroom. Just as other students in W131 work in writing groups, spend much of their classroom time in collaborative activities, and share their writing with others, you will use the features of Oncourse to participate in these same activities in an online section of W131. Visit the W131 Course Overview page for information about the W131 curriculum.
Some online sections require in-person orientation meetings. This information is available when registering for the course.
In a virtual classroom, all communication between you and your classmates and between you and your instructor will be written communication rather than a combination of verbal and written exchanges. Every week you will post to discussion forums.
In a virtual classroom, you and your group members will collaborate and respond to one anothers’ papers using Oncourse.
In a virtual classroom, you will have more time for reflection as you think about and respond to the ideas and questions that come up in class discussion since you will write and post your responses rather than responding on the spot.
English W150 is the second honors writing course, open to students who receive special credit (exemption) for W131, receive a grade of C or better in W140, or secure the permission of the instructor. This course replaces either the W132 or W231 requirement for most schools.
W150 allows students to develop the processes and skills required for independent research within a certain academic field. Students experience both primary and secondary research as they explore a topic and report those findings in ways specified both by the instructor and the academic area being investigated.
Students successfully completing W150 in will be able to:
Honors writing courses start with the same assumptions that govern all our writing courses, with additional assumptions added to shape the honors writing program. English W140 and W150 are designed on these principles:
W140 generally follows the same set of writing assignments as in W131. Those assignments are enriched, however, by instruction and experience in research and a more extensive use of primary and secondary resources, plus additional emphasis on stylistic elements of writing.
Students in W140 should meet the goals of W131. Goals may be added that are more directly related to research and to style. Students might be responsible for evaluating their sources for credibility, for instance, and for demonstrating their awareness of the relationship between form and function at the sentence level.
As in W131, W140 uses a rhetoric and a nonfiction book to create a theme but those books may be different from those in W131.
Professional Writing Skills (W231) is a Writing Program course for students in diverse majors. It fulfills a second writing class requirement for students in the Schools of Liberal Arts, Public and Environmental Affairs, Physical Education, Tourism, Convention, and Event Management, and Social Work, among others. It also carries elective credit under the English Major. Students are required to complete W131 (or a comparable composition class) with a grade of C or higher before enrolling in W231. Depending on enrollment figures, around 15 sections are offered each semester, with all sections meeting in computer classrooms every other class session.
W231 introduces students to writing in workplace settings and focuses on the development of research skills that will be of value not only in the workplace, but also in upper-level courses in the student’s major. The course assignments integrate previous writing experience with the discovery of the conventions of workplace writing, while a collaborative climate supports student responsibility for learning as they analyze and work within the constraints of various rhetorical situations typically encountered on the job.
During the first part of the semester, students complete one or two writing projects, each graded individually. (The number of early projects assigned depends on their complexity.) These assignments introduce students to the various genres in professional writing before they move on to learn research methods and to practice research-based writing through an extensive applied research project. The project allows students to put the writing principles learned in the first part of the course into practice by addressing a current problem in a local business or organizational setting.
With an emphasis on information retrieval skills, analysis, interpretation, and application of findings, the project is done in collaborative teams, allowing students to develop expertise in team dynamics, an important qualification for personal growth and advancement in many careers. The focus of the project is a current significant problem within a local professional community for which alternative solutions are possible. Writing in a "real-world" situation helps prepare students for the challenges they will encounter when writing on the job. Teams choose their target organizations by contemplating their majors, jobs, volunteer work, student organizations, and local communities, determining the problems experienced within each. Next, students conduct secondary and primary research to identify potential solutions.
Sequenced to promote student success, the written assignments include a research proposal, an interview guide, an annotated bibliography, a literature review, a primary research instrument, and a recommendation report. The approach to problem solving taught in W231 not only emphasizes the value of teamwork and information retrieval skills, but it also prepares students for the creative and independent thinking expected in the workplace.
W231 is not available as an H-Option. Honors W150 replaces either the W132 or W231 requirement for most schools.
By the end of the course, successful students will have the ability to:
W231 instructors may choose from the following two books:
English W132, Elementary Composition II, is the required second writing course for students in the School of Liberal Arts and one of the most frequently elected courses for the second semester requirement in the School of Science. The course introduces students to research writing as a process of inquiry that culminates in an informed position. Such work is not only the work of scholars but the work of responsible citizens, for it fosters thoughtful decision making and the ability to speak to important issues with authority based upon credible information.
Today’s technological environment, with its easy access to information, makes evaluation of information an essential element of the research process; W132 students gain practice at applying basic criteria to the resources they discover. Using those resources presents students with the ethical concerns of research as well: the responsibility to consider varied viewpoints, the responsibility to represent others’ ideas fairly, and to use academic documentation systems to acknowledge the ideas of others. As students read and write, they gain practice with the documents of academic research and with the issues of research as an activity.
Students also participate in the self-analysis of metawriting in writer’s statements, portfolio arguments, and revision plans. Students document their work in three portfolios throughout the semester; the first and second each count for 25% of the semester grade. The first portfolio documents work on argumentation, analysis, and summary in a literature review, critical annotated bibliography, and research proposal; the second documents independent research in critical annotations, a mini-literature review, and a draft of a researched argument. The final portfolio, which counts for 50% of the semester grade, documents revising, polishing, and developing the researched argument.
W132 is not available as an H-Option. Honors W150 replaces either the W132 or W231 requirement for most schools.
Students who successfully complete this course will learn to:
Students demonstrate successful achievement of these goals in the three portfolios.
W132 uses James D. Lester and James D. Lester, Jr.‘s Writing Research Papers, 10th edition, and Lawrence Behrens, Leonard Rosen and Bonnie Beedles’ Sequence for Academic Writing, both published by Longman. In addition to the textbooks, a central document of cultural significance and a packet of contextualizing materials are used, all of which must be approved by the Writing Coordinating Committee.
English W131, Elementary Composition I, is required of almost every Indiana University and Purdue University undergraduate student.
In the W131 standard curriculum, students write a series of papers, exploring various forms of prose writing. Generally, a nonfiction book provides an anchor around which students, in collaboration with their instructor, pursue a set of related ideas, each grounded in the overall thematic focus of the book. Paper assignments are based on these ideas and allow students to choose a topic within the common dialogue about the book.
In addition, because paper assignments promote experience with different kinds of writing for various audiences, students learn to develop important rhetorical skills, such as developing a purpose, identifying a viable audience, writing to appeal to that audience, and negotiating the language requirements for success with selected genres.
The first half of W131 encourages students to explore their responses to readings and to life experiences to understand how those responses can help them to participate in broader discussions of social concern. As they read texts of multiple writers, students also will be asked to consider what makes those texts successful, i.e., what decisions writers make about how to use writing to communicate effectively.
This work during the first half culminates in a midterm portfolio, a body of work that includes the pre-writing, drafts, and final version of one of the papers written to this point, plus a reflective paper. These documents demonstrate, among other things, the process a student is developing to bring a paper to completion and is evaluated based on how well a student is progressing on the six course goals. The grade for this portfolio is worth roughly 1/3 of the semester grade.
The second half of W131 focuses on developing more fully the skills learned in the first half. A key feature is learning to analyze and synthesize instructor-provided outside sources to produce more sophisticated writing that contributes substantively to a discussion of cultural significance. Students should show a range of abilities with different kinds of writing and present their work in a final portfolio that is typically comprised of two papers of the student’s choosing (one of which is from the second half), plus a reflective paper.
This final portfolio is evaluated based on how well the student has met the course goals and is worth roughly 2/3 of the semester grade.
Students completing W131 should be able to demonstrate that they:
The IUPUI Stretch Program, English W130/W131, offers students a yearlong introduction to the demands of college literacy by stretching the traditional W131 curriculum over two semesters.
In W130 and the accompanying section of W131, students write three formal assignments and submit midterm and final portfolios in each course. So students in the W130/W131 stretch program write twice as many essays as students in the traditional W131. Students have more time to practice and reflect as they develop academic literacy skills.
More importantly, because the pace of writing assignments is slower in W130/131, the curriculum provides students with more time to work on acquiring new reading strategies and new uses for reading as part of inquiry and writing. These additional reading assignments in W130 develop students’ abilities to write the formal writing assignments, two of which are the same as in the traditional W131 course.
Ideally, students work with the same instructor for both semesters and stay with the same group of classroom peers, creating a supportive community of writers and learners.
The stretch program, like all the writing courses at IUPUI, supports the Principles for Undergraduate Learning, particularly the core communication skills. In addition, the course sequence implements national outcomes for composition courses described in the Council of Writing Program Administrators’ Outcomes Statement.
Rhetorical knowledge: this covers those things students need to know about the writing situation, such as audience and purpose. By the end of W130/131, students should be able to:
General reading, writing, and thinking skills: this covers general reading, writing, and thinking skills students need to meet the demands of various writing situations. By the end of W130/131, students should be able to:
Processes: this covers the processes students need to follow to produce successful texts. By the end of W130/131, students should know how to use:
Conventions: this covers specific conventions, such as spelling and punctuation, that readers expect writers to control. By the end of W130/131, students should be able to:
More information and instructor resources can be found in the Stretch Program Curriculum Guide.
Functions performed clearly and effectively
Appropriate response to audience/situation
Coherent, with effective use of cohesive devices
Use of linguistic features almost always effective; communication not affected by minor errors
50 Communication generally effective: task performed competently
Functions generally performed clearly and effectively
Generally appropriate response to audience/situation
Coherent, with some effective use of cohesive devices
Use of linguistic features generally effective; communication generally not affected by errors
40 Communication somewhat effective: task performed somewhat competently
Functions performed somewhat clearly and effectively
Somewhat appropriate response to audience/situation
Somewhat coherent, with some use of cohesive devices
Use of linguistic features somewhat effective; communication sometimes affected by errors
30 Communication generally not effective: task performed poorly
Functions generally performed unclearly and ineffectively
Generally inappropriate response to audience/situation
Generally incoherent, with little use of cohesive devices
Use of linguistic features generally poor; communication often impeded by major errors
20 No effective communication: no evidence of ability to perform task
No evidence that functions were performed
No evidence of ability to respond appropriately to audience/situation
Incoherent, with no use of cohesive devices
Use of linguistic features poor; communication ineffective due to major errors
The SPEAK Test is evaluated using the rating scale provided. Students who are considered for an assistantship with direct student contact must have a SPEAK score> 50 in order to have primary instructional responsibility for a class or lab section. Students who do not earn a SPEAK score > 50 are required to take ENG G020 before retaking the SPEAK test. A more detailed placement based on the students’ performance on the test is explained in the letter sent to the students’ department/advisor. View sample letter.
Retesting of the SPEAK Test, with permission from the graduate’s department, is allowed. The department representative would contact the EAP Program Office (274-2188) asking for an appointment time for a SPEAK Test and would, at that time, tell the EAP Program that this is a retesting student. There will be an additional $30 fee for the retest.
If the student is still not satisfied with the SPEAK Test Rating, an appeal can be made to the EAP Program Director to begin the appeal process by requesting an alternate test format. The student, with department permission, can choose to plan and deliver a typical presentation/lecture for the particular class the student would be working with. The audience of the presentation will be two representatives from the English for Academic Purposes Program and a representative from the graduate student’s department. This committee of three will evaluate the presentation and determine the student’s placement.
To register for the SPEAK Test, the department representative (secretary, advisor, etc.) should contact the EAP Program Office (274-2188) to register the graduate student for the next available testing time. There is a $30 test fee, which is charged to the student’s department.
In the SPEAK test, you demonstrate how well you speak English. The test lasts approximately 20 minutes. You will be asked questions by an interviewer on tape. The questions are printed in the test book and the time you will have to answer each one is printed in parentheses after each questions. You are encouraged to answer the questions as completely as possible in the time allowed. While most of the questions on the test may not appear to be directly related to your academic or professional field, each question is designed to tell the raters about your oral language ability. The raters will evaluate how well you communicate in English.
A sample SPEAK Test (which is the same as the Test of Spoken English - TSE) can be downloaded from this link.
IUPUI has established the policy that all graduate students whose first language is not English and who are being considered for graduate assistantships must demonstrate adequate oral English proficiency before assignment to duties involving direct interaction with students. These duties may include classroom and laboratory instruction, tutoring, and in many cases, grading.
Appointments for International graduate students will not be formally approved until their oral language proficiency has been certified. Failure by the department to ensure appropriate language certification of their ITAs may create problems with the ITA appointment, including termination of the appointment.
Results of the placement test will be available from your university advisor or the EAP Program Office within 10 working days from when you took the test. Scores are not given over the phone. Students admitted to IUPUI should follow the instructions in the letter for obtaining orientation and academic advising information.
Graduate students who believe their placement test is inaccurate and who can show good causes to support this opinion (e.g. a previous high TOEFL score), can petition the Director of the Graduate Office for permission to retake the EAP Placement Test before the end of their first semester on campus. Petitions to retake the EAP Placement Test after the first semester on campus will be considered only for exceptional circumstances.
Information for petition:
Dr. Sherry Queener, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, IU Graduate School
Director of IUPUI Graduate Office
Graduate Office
IUPUI
620 Union Drive, Room 207
Indianapolis, IN 46202
e-mail: queens @iupui.edu
Undergraduate students who have been admitted may retest once, but should wait at least one month before retesting. Your test score will be valid for one year from the test date.
The EAP Placement Test is given at the IUPUI Testing Center in the Business Building, room 3003. The Testing Center is open Monday-Friday 8:00am to 8:00pm, and Saturday 8:00am to 5:00pm. You must pre-register to take the test and should do so at least one day prior to the day you wish to test. Bring a picture ID (your passport is acceptable), a number two (#2) pencil, a pen, and your test fee payment ($30.00 - cash, check or money order) when you come to the Testing Center.
NOTE: Students taking the placement test during orientation week in August and January will follow different registration and testing procedures, which will be outlined during orientation.
IUPUI Testing Center
801 W. Michigan Street
BS 3003
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Phone: 317-274-2620
Campus Map to Business Building
Google Map to Business Building
The EAP Placement Test is always given during the fall (August) and spring (January) orientation week sponsored by the Office of International Affairs. Students who have not already taken the EAP Placement Test will be registered for a specific test time during the orientation activities.
Students arriving to the campus early can register to take the EAP Placement Test at the IUPUI Testing Center.
You must register in advance for the EAP Placement Test. You will be required to show your picture identification when you report for the test. The registration process varies depending on your student status.
The fee for the JEAP Placement Test is $30.00. This fee is non-refundable. Pay in person by cash, check or money order at the Testing Center when you arrive to take the test. You will not be permitted to take the test until you have paid the fee.
The EAP Program uses the ACT/Compass ESL Placement Test, which is a computer-adaptive test, along with an essay, to confirm your English language proficiency. The ACT/Compass ESL Placement Test consists of three parts: (1) grammar/usage (2) reading and (3) listening. This test is a placement test; there are no texts that can be studied to improve your score.
There is no time limit on the ACT/Compass ESL sections of the test, but most people take no more than 2 to 2 ½ hours to complete the test. You can get information, including sample questions, about the EAP Placement Test at http://www.act.org/esl/.
The scores you receive on the different parts of the placement test are used to place you into, or exempt you from, IUPUI EAP classes. The EAP classes at IUPUI are designed to provide non-native speakers of English with the academic language support needed to be successful at an American university.
This $150 award honors outstanding writing in English W131 or W140. It is presented each year at the department’s honors ceremony. Download an application and award information here.
This award of $50 is presented to an IUPUI undergraduate student for an outstanding essay originating in an English for Academic Purposes W001 class in the past 12 months. Each student may submit up to 2 pieces.
This award of $50 is presented to an IUPUI undergraduate student for an outstanding essay originating in an English for Academic Purposes W131 class in the past 12 months. Each student may submit up to 2 pieces.
For more student awards and information about how to apply for them, visit the Department of English Student Awards, Grants and Scholarships page.
For faculty in the EAP program, click here.
Neither W132 nor W231 is available as an H-Option. Honors W150 replaces either the W132 or W231 requirement for most schools.
Credit for Writing Courses and Forms / Ethics and Writing / Complaints and Questions
Students entering IUPUI do not take a placement test for writing. Instead, they complete the online Guided Self-Placement process before attending orientation.
The Guided Self-Placement Process consists of two steps:
1. Students review information about the three writing classes on the Guided Self-Placement website and reflect on their skills and experiences with writing.
2. Students choose the appropriate course and submit their selection.
Students are welcome to call the Writing Program office at 317-274-3824 if they have any questions.
Credit by Examination (on the basis of examination - CLEP, DANTES, AP, SAT/ACT)
Special Credit Portfolio for W131
Office of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct
Contesting Grades and Other Student Complaints
Introductory Writing Student Complaint Form
For more information, contact the director, Professor William F. Touponce (wtouponc@iupui.edu), or visit the program website.
Specific questions may be directed to the individuals listed below.
Professor Bill Touponce, Institute for American Thought
(ES0010, 274-0081; wtouponc@iupui.edu)
Professor Jon Eller, Institute for American Thought
(ES0010, 274-1451; jeller@iupui.edu)
Professor Marianne Wokeck, Santayana Edition
(ES0010, 274-5820; mwokeck@iupui.edu)
Professor Nathan Houser, General Editor
ES0010
Professor Marianne Wokeck, Editor
ES0010
Professor Jack McKivigan, General editor
Cavanaugh 531
The teaching faculty of IUPUI’s three resident scholarly editions and the hands-on editing experience that students will gain through study with these projects represents a significant core resource for the graduate certificate in Professional Editing. The consortium consists of:
The editors, teaching faculty, and technical staff of the Peirce and Santayana editions also maintain significant archival holdings and centralized documentary resources on their subject authors.
The growing need to recover the history of texts has led to several kinds of scholarly editing. Some academic editors work to recover a damaged text from decades or even centuries of publishing corruption; others work to publish and annotate a neglected manuscript that never made it to press in the author’s lifetime. In general, scholarly editing involves identifying, collecting, recovering, annotating, and presenting an author’s work in a new and reliable version. IUPUI’s Consortium of Scholarly Editions represents a unique concentration of scholarly editing in higher education; it provides most of the expertise, and, through the editing laboratories of the Peirce and Santayana editions, the core learning environment for the graduate certificate in Professional Editing.
The specialized work of scholarly editing leads the way for the technologies that corporate and government editors apply in the general editing community. Because editing is essentially a recursive activity that is integral to all stages of document production, many of the challenges facing scholarly editors of historical authors (text mark-up, archiving, and the management of documents) also concern technical and corporate editors dealing with today’s writers. Areas of concentration offered under the certificate include Technical Editing and Journalism, thus extending the academic program even further into the professional editing community.
minimum of 15 credit hours, which include:
The certificate program focuses on the scholarly editing concentrations directly supported by the major editorial research centers of the School of Liberal Arts (the Frederick Douglass Papers, the Peirce Edition Project, and the Santayana Edition). Experience with the teaching faculty and editing laboratories of SLA’s consortium of scholarly editions provides standardization through at least one consortium-based core course in each concentration. The W609 capstone projects for the Journalism, Technical, and general professional editing students will include opportunities to complete graduate-level research projects in such areas as:
Students in the Scholarly Editing concentrations are not required to develop a W609 project, but may also develop one as an open elective. Advising will be conducted by the teaching faculty resident to the scholarly editions (Professors Eller, Touponce and Wokeck); they will design the W609 projects and will encourage students in professional and technical concentrations to use one elective option to take either an L590 or H543 internship with one of the in-house editions or a selection from the scholarly editing core.
Three courses, 9-12 credit hours. Complete one of the following field concentrations, or (with advisor approval) create a three-course concentration combining relevant courses from the four professional fields:
One or two courses, 3-6 credit hours. Chose one or two courses (depending on the number of hours required to meet the 15-hour certificate minimum after completion of the chosen core concentration). Any of the core options listed above (outside of the student’s chosen field concentration) may be counted as an open elective, as well as any of the following courses:
Other appropriate courses in English, History, Philosophy, Informatics, Library and Information Science, Journalism, and New Media may count as an open elective if approved by the certificate program advisor.
Teachers earn a Certificate by satisfactorily completing five graduate courses, or a minimum of 20 credit hours, in the teaching of writing. The five graduate courses consist of one core course and four elective courses. Major topics include theories and methods of teaching writing; understanding linguistic diversity; uses of technology in writing; social aspects of writing development; non-fiction writing; writing assessment; and teacher research. Four graduate credit hours may be taken at another accredited institution with approval by the Graduate Certificate adviser.
W509 Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies (4 cr.)
W500 Teaching Writing: Issues and Approaches (4 cr.)
W508 Graduate Creative Writing for Teachers (4 cr.)
W510 Computers in Composition (4 cr.)
W531 Designing and Editing Visual Technical Communication (4 cr.)
W553 Theory and Practice of Exposition (4 cr.)
W590 Teaching Composition: Theory and Practice (4 cr.)
W600 Topics in Rhetoric and Composition: Language, Dialects, and Writing (4 cr.)
W605 The Writing Project Summer Institute (4 cr.)
W609 Individual Writing Projects (1-4 cr.)
W615 Graduate Creative Non-fiction Writing (4 cr.)
W697 Independent Study in Writing (1-3 cr.) (Writing Project Advanced Institute)
Admission to the Certificate program requires one of the following:
To facilitate the schedules of grade 6-12 teachers, courses are offered on weekends, weekday evenings, and during the summer.
"Learn more about the IUPUI graduate program and access an online application here." Please note that the Writing Certificate is located under IU Graduate School. On the application in the Intended Program and Plan section, select the following:
Introduces major levels of linguistic inquiry, including phonology, morphology, syntax, pragmatics, and discourse.
Introduces methods of language teaching and assessment with regard to reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Surveys major theories of how second languages are learned from linguistic, psychological, and social perspectives.
Introduces principles of curriculum design and materials development in various contexts.
Provides hands-on teaching experiences in a local setting of the student’s choice.
Explores the relation of language use to social variables such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.
Examines English teaching for particular groups of learners in specific contexts such as the health professions.
Explores the theories, practices, challenges, and benefits of interacting with persons from other cultures.
Examines the implementation and influence of Internet Communication Tools such as chat, email, blogs, Skype, and videoconferencing in second language learning.
Department of English
IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI
502L Cavanaugh Hall
425 University Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Phone: 317.274.2258
Prof. Julie A. Belz
Director, TESOL Certificate
317.274.2190
jbelz@iupui.edu
or
Ms. Pat King
Administrative Assistant
502L Cavanaugh Hall
317.274.2258
patmking@iupui.edu
Students are admitted in both the Fall and Spring semesters. Contact the TESOL Program for information on deadlines. To apply, see online application link.
The Department of English at IUPUI offers two graduate TESOL degrees: a TESOL certificate and an M.A. in English with a TESOL concentration. Learn more about the IUPUI graduate program and access an online application here.
The TESOL Certificate is a 21-credit hour program that can be completed in one calendar year. Students enroll in the following required courses plus an additional four credits of electives:
The M.A. degree is a 36-credit hour program that usually takes two years to complete. Students take all the above TESOL Certificate courses, an additional core course in teaching composition (ENG W509) or literature/literary studies (ENG L506), two to three additional elective courses, and complete an M.A. thesis. See the link on the left for information about the IUPUI English Department M.A. in English.
Students may pursue an optional emphasis in English for Specific Purposes by taking LING T600 as one of their electives and completing their TESOL Practicum (LING L535) in an ESP setting.
Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley
Academic Interests: language learning and technology, pragmatics, learner identity, applied linguistics, telecollaboration
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
Academic Interests: intercultural communication, L2 writing, contrastive rhetoric, health discourse, philanthropic discourse, ESP
Ph.D., University of Delaware
Academic Interests: general linguistics, socio-cultural theory, linguistic semantics
Ph.D., Ball State
Academic Interests: TESOL practicum, linguistics, ESL
Ph.D., University of Arizona
Academic Interests: Second language acquisition and teaching, ESL writing, corpus linguistics, advanced ESL learners, teacher education, program administration.
Ph.D., Stanford University
Academic Interests: sociolinguistics, language and oppression, pidgins and creoles, L1 acquisition, language and gender
Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Academic Interests: ESL, English for academic purposes, teacher education, corpus linguistics, L2 reading, discourse analysis
School of Liberal Arts, Department of English
425 University Blvd. CA 502L
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-274-4025
jacevedo@iupui.edu
Coordinator of ASL Classes
317-493-0364 (direct VP #)
vmasters@iupui.edu
317-274-0090
sshephe@iupui.edu
Undergraduate Program / Certificate Program / Signer vs. Interpreter / ASL Classes
Q. I am interested in the ASL/English Interpreting program. Where can I get more information?
A: We will be happy to meet with you. Any questions not answered on the website should be referred to the Director at jacevedo@iupui.edu.
Q. I was told if I didn’t know ASL and wanted to become an interpreter, I would have to take classes at Vincennes University. I’m confused. Doesn’t IUPUI offer all the classes I need?
A. Students wishing to earn a BS degree or Certificate at IUPUI have two choices:
Q. I am thinking of transferring to IUPUI from another university where I have taken some ASL and interpreting classes. Do I need to start over, or can I receive credit for the work I have already done?
A. You should arrange to meet with the Director to discuss your goals and have your skills and background assessed. A placement evaluation will be used to determine your language proficiency. Be prepared to provide the Director with a DVD of your signing skills and examples of interpreting. Transfer students with little background in ASL will be encouraged to enroll in ASL classes at IUPUI or VU.
Q. ASL is my first language and/or I use ASL regularly with family members or friends. Do I need to take ASL classes, or can I proceed directly to interpreting classes?
A. A placement evaluation will help to determine the appropriate classes for you. Even students who are fairly fluent in ASL may find that studying the language formally gives them an awareness and understanding of differences and similarities between ASL and English that helps them to become better interpreters. Contact the Director to get more information.
Q. Is the coursework in the program enough to prepare me to be an interpreter?
A. Our mission is to prepare students to become entry-level, community interpreters with analytical skills, a breadth of knowledge and the ability to assess and synthesize diverse and complex aspects of human language behavior in contemporary society. Your coursework will provide you with basic interpreting skills. In addition, it is important for you to find ways to use ASL in natural settings. The more you interact with members of the Deaf community, the sooner you will be able to develop the level of competency needed to be a skilled interpreter. Use of ASL solely in the classroom is unlikely to result in the fluency you will need, so we encourage students to use their language skills in additional contexts.
Q: If I complete a degree in ASL/English Interpreting, will I be certified to interpret?
A: Certification at the national level requires an exam administered by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Most students are able to pass the written portion of this exam before graduating. The performance and interview portions of the exam usually require additional experience in the field. The amount of time will vary from individual to individual.
Q. I have RID certification in interpreting and have been interpreting for a long time. I would like to pursue a bachelor degree in ASL/English interpreting. Does IUPUI have something to meet my needs?
A. Some students have decided to complete their degree in General Studies or some other major, taking interpreting classes as electives. We suggest that you discuss the options available with the Director.
Q. Can I minor in ASL/EI at IUPUI?
A. No. The Interpreting Program does not have a minor in place at this time, however, we are exploring the possibility.
Q: Do you offer an M.A. in ASL/EI?
A: At this time we do not offer a master’s degree program at IUPUI in interpreting. The classes we offer are at the undergraduate level.
Q: Is it possible to take interpreting classes in the summer?
A: We offer two interpreting classes during the summer session: ASL I409 Topics in Interpreting is offered during Summer 1 and Performing Arts Interpreting is offered during Summer 2.
Q: I already have a bachelor’s degree, but it is not in ASL. Am I eligible for the certificate program?
A: The certificate program is for students who already posses a bachelor’s degree in any field. You can complete our core interpreting classes at IUPUI. Students without adequate background in linguistics, grammar or Deaf culture will need to take related classes prior to graduating.
Q: How long will it take to complete the certificate program if I am a part time student?
A: The courses are offered in a two-year cycle. If you are accepted into the Certificate Program, you should be able to complete the requirements in two years.
Q. I am interested in taking ASL classes. Does IUPUI offer them?
A. Yes, we currently offer four 5-credit ASL classes: ASL A131, Beginning Intensive ASL I; ASL A132, Beginning Intensive ASL II; ASL A211 Second Year ASL I; and ASL A212 Second Year ASL II.
Q. Do I need to know basic sign language before I can register for ASL A131?
A. No. You do not need to know any sign language to register for ASL A131.
Q. I know basic ASL. Can I test out of ASL A131?
A. You can be given a placement evaluation in order to determine the class that will be best for you. Contact the Coordinator of ASL classes for more information.
Q. Can ASL be used to fulfill the foreign language requirement at IUPUI?
A. Yes.
This course provides an overview of the field of ASL/English interpreting. Emphasis is on exploring a progression of philosophical frames in the development of the profession; exploring models of interpreting process; and identifying requisite responsibilities, skills, and aptitudes for interpreters. (Prerequisite: Director’s permission).
This course is designed for student interpreters to continue improving their fluency in American Sign Language (ASL). Emphasis is on the ability to appropriately compose and produce a variety of discourse genres in ASL such as narratives, explanations, descriptions, expository talks, procedural talk, and others. There is an equal emphasis on comprehension of and response to the same discourse types. Students will begin to focus on features of language such as prosody, discourse markers, rhythm, accents, variations, cohesive devices, involvement strategies, and others. (Prerequisite: Director’s permission).
ASL L340 - Discourse Analysis: English (3 credits)
This course focuses on the analysis of language use in different genres of spoken English so that interpreting students become explicitly aware of the features of language used in everyday life. Students collect, transcribe, and analyze features of conversations, lectures, explanations, interviews, descriptions, and other types of speech genres while reading and discussing theoretical notions underlying language use in English. Students identify features of cohesion, involvement, discourse markers, coherence, structure, rhythm, prosody and others. (Prerequisite: Director’s permission).
ASL L342 - Discourse Analysis: ASL (3 credits)
This course continues the introduction to discourse analysis, focusing on discourse in American Sign Language (ASL). Topics will include general discourse issues such as approaches to analysis, natural data analysis, technology for research in signed languages, and topics specific to ASL, including transcription in ASL, use of space and spatial mapping, involvement strategies, discourse structures and genres, cohesion and coherence, framing, and interaction strategies. One on-going question throughout the course will be the relevance to interpreting. (Prerequisite: Director’s permission).
This is the first course that begins the professional skills preparation for interpreting. In this course, students begin practicing the language skills necessary to interpret, and are evaluated not only in terms of effort but also in terms of quality. Students begin by analyzing texts for purpose, audience, linguistic features and discourse structure. Students are taught discourse mapping, reproducing texts in the same language, and then preparing translations of texts. Emphasis is on creating interpretations that are accurate in content, socially appropriate, and linguistically appropriate. As students learn to analyze, they also learn how to evaluate adequate interpretations as well as continuing to improve their linguistic abilities in both languages. (Prerequisite: Director’s permission).
This is the second course that prepares students for the analytical skills needed to interpret. In this course, students continue their practice with inter-lingual mapping exercises, working with texts whose meaning they have already mastered towards unfamiliar texts. Again, students are evaluated not only in terms of effort but also in terms of quality. Students continue to analyze texts for purpose, audience, linguistic features and discourse structure. The greatest change is from an unlimited to a limited time for preparation and production of texts. Again, emphasis is on creating interpretations that are accurate in content, socially appropriate, and linguistically appropriate. As students produce consecutive interpretations, they also learn how to evaluate adequate interpretations as well as continuing to improve their linguistic abilities in both languages. (Prerequisite: Director’s permission).
ASL I365 - Interpreting Community Texts: Simultaneous (3 credits)
This is the third course to prepare students for the professional skills needed to do interpreting. In this course, students continue their practice with mapping exercises, working with texts whose meaning they have already mastered and working towards unfamiliar texts. Again, students are evaluated not only in terms of effort but also in terms of quality. Students continue to analyze texts for purpose, audience, linguistic features and discourse structure. The greatest change is eliminating the pauses in the source text. Emphasis is on creating simultaneous interpretations that are accurate in content, socially appropriate, and linguistically appropriate. As students produce simultaneous interpretations, they also learn how to evaluate adequate interpretations as well as continuing to improve their linguistic abilities in both languages. (Prerequisite: Director’s permission).
ASL I405 - Practicum (3 credits)
This course is an extensive practicum experience . Students will be placed at sites to experience interpreting during the 15 week course. Students will be required to maintain a journal of their experiences and to meet with onsite practicum supervisors and program faculty regularly throughout the semester.
ASL I407 Professional Seminar (2 credits)
This course is taken in conjunction with Practicum and provides an opportunity for advanced level interpreting students to safely discuss practical work experiences, ethical decision making and professional communication. Students will be able to assess how they can be most effective in their practicum experiences, as well as in the community upon graduation from the program. Students will be required to engage in self-reflection activities and discussions that will lead them to a better understanding of the complex world of ASL interpreting. While the expectation of their practicum is to be able to reflect objectively on their experiences, the discussions in the class and through OnCourse will allow for a more subjective inquiry and assessment, taking into account individual factors that can affect the interpreting scenario.
A Certificate in ASL/English Interpreting is available to students who have already completed a baccalaureate degree. Contact the Director for further information.
The graduate English program has been designed to prepare students for careers in the analysis and production of texts. The program covers issues and skills in reading and writing, in the richest sense of these words-in order to prepare students to address these issues and to teach these skills. Graduates of the program should be prepared for such careers as teaching writing and literature; teaching English as a second language; and writing for business, government, and other professions. In contrast to traditional M.A. programs, which place heavy emphasis on literary history, the IUPUI program focuses on the application of English studies to contemporary situations and problems. Download a copy of the MA advising guide.
M.A. students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B).
Students, including those already enrolled in the English MA Program, may select one of the two options outlined below after consulting with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in English and/or other faculty advisors in English. Students will then submit a brief written statement to the DGS that presents a rationale for their choice. As can be seen in the following outline of the two alternative courses of study, students who choose not to write a thesis will be required to take eight additional credit hours of course work, for a total of 40 credit hours.
The three core courses, which carry 4 credit hours each, provide an introduction to three major areas in the discipline of English: language (G500 Introduction to the English Language), writing (W509 Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies), and literature ( L506 Introduction to Methods of Criticism and Research). Students are required to take two of the three core courses, preferably at the beginning of the graduate program.
There is no foreign language requirement, but M.A. students going on for the Ph.D. are encouraged to validate their reading proficiency in a foreign language according to University Graduate School standards.
Download the advising guide above or contact Pat King: O - CA 502L | P - 317-274-2258 | E - patmking@iupui.edu.
The Writing Program provides students with a foundation of skills for writing in college and beyond. The program is made up of the core undergraduate "gateway" writing courses - English W130/W131 Stretch, English W131, English W132, English W231, English W140, and English W150.
Diverse in content and purpose, yet united in quality, these courses support the University’s mission and its Principles of Undergraduate Learning in unique and exciting ways.
Steve Fox, Director of Writing, handles general policy matters. CA 423B; 278-2054; sfox@iupui.edu.
Julie Freeman, Associate Director of Writing, handles course staffing, scheduling, comparable credit petitions, grade complaints, and general policy matters. CA 423D; 274-0092; jfreema@iupui.edu.
Scott Weeden, W130 and W131 Course Coordinator, consults on staffing of W130 and W131, orients new W130 and W131 faculty, leads professional development for all W130 and W131 faculty, monitors and updates features of the course (curriculum, textbooks, assignments, etc.), and handles student concerns about their experience in W130 and W131. CA 423C; 274-9670; sweeden@iupui.edu.
Anne Williams, W132 Course Coordinator, consults on staffing of W132, orients new W132 faculty, leads professional development for all W132 faculty, monitors and updates features of the course (curriculum, textbooks, assignments, etc.), and handles student concerns about their experience in W132. CA 504Q; 274-0089; awilliam@iupui.edu.
Gail Bennett-Edelman, W231 Course Coordinator, consults on staffing of W231, orients new W231 faculty, monitors and updates features of W231 (curriculum, textbooks, assignments, etc.), handles student concerns about their experience in W231. CA 429E; 278-8583; gcbennet@iupui.edu.
Tere Molinder Hogue, University Writing Center Director, staffs the University Writing Center, orients new tutors through W396, leads professional development for the center, monitors and updates the services the center provides, and handles student concerns about their experience in the center. CA 502J; 274-5650; tmhogue@iupui.edu.
Mel Wininger, W140 and W150 (Honors Writing) Coordinator, consults on staffing of W140 and W150, orients new W140 and W150 faculty, monitors and updates features of each course (curriculum, textbooks, assignments, etc.), and handles student concerns about their experience in both courses. CA 343E; 278-8581; mrwining@iupui.edu.
Vicki Hale, Writing Program Secretary, handles general inquiries as well as faculty payroll/employment papers. CA 423; 274-3824; vhale@iupui.edu.
Check the list of writing program faculty for campus contact information (email, campus phone number, office location). Writing instructors can also be located through the English department main office (CA 502, 274-2258 for full time faculty) and the associate faculty office (CA 313, 274-0570 for part-time faculty).
The Bachelor of Science program in American Sign Language/English Interpreting strives to prepare students to enter the profession of interpreting upon graduation.
For students who already possess a bachelor’s degree, a certificate program is offered. The certificate program consists of the eight core courses of the Interpreting major plus nine (9) credits of pre-requisite courses in Linguistics, Grammar and Deaf Culture.
The ASL/EIP is designed to prepare students to become entry-level community interpreters who possess:
Interpreting for people who do not speak a common language is a linguistic and social act of communication. An interpreter relays messages and manages the process of talking back-and-forth for two people who speak different languages. An interpreter’s role is an engaged one, aimed at an overall understanding of the entire communicative situation, requiring fluency in the languages, the ability to know how meaning is constructed, and skills in managing the cross-cultural flow of talk.
The curriculum sequence is designed to teach interpreting as a face-to-face process that is conversational in nature and prepares students as community interpreters in medical, legal, social welfare, and educational settings. Completing the BS degree does not mean a graduate is a certified interpreter. Certification at the national level requires an exam administered by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Most students are able to pass the written portion of this exam before graduating. The performance and interview portions of the exam usually require additional experience in the field. The amount of time will vary from individual to individual.
Students who plan to enter this program are expected to have a high level of proficiency in ASL. In addition, knowledge of the Deaf Community and linguistics is required to benefit from the core classes in the Interpreting major. All students interested in the ASL/EIP must meet with the Director of the program before being admitted.
IUPUI currently offers four 5-credit classes in ASL. All sections of these classes are taught by native users of the language. If you are interested in taking ASL because your goal is to become an interpreter, you need to speak with the Director of the ASL/EIP regarding the classes you should be taking.
In addition, we have a 2 + 2 arrangement with Vincennes University’s American Sign Language Studies Program, located on the campus of the Indiana School for the Deaf in Indianapolis. At VU, students can take classes in American Sign Language proficiency, linguistics and Deaf culture, in addition to satisfying some of the liberal arts requirements to meet both VU’s AA degree in ASL Studies, and IUPUI’s BS degree in ASL/English Interpreting. Graduates from VU’s program enter IUPUI’s ASL/EIP with relative ease.
Cavanaugh Hall, Suite 341
425 University Blvd.
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN 46202
esl@iupui.edu
317-274-2188
The Graduate Certificate in Teaching Writing is a 20-hour program of study for certified middle school or high school teachers, part-time university writing faculty and lecturers in other disciplines, and M.A. students interested in earning a certificate in writing to enhance their professional teaching careers.
Major topics include theories and methods of teaching writing; understanding linguistic diversity; uses of technology in writing; social aspects of writing development; non-fiction writing; writing assessment; and teacher research.
The Certificate requires completion of five graduate courses consisting of one core course and four elective courses. Graduate credits earned can be applied toward the M.A. in English upon acceptance into the M.A. For further information, please contact Professor Steve Fox (278-2054) or Professor Kim Brian Lovejoy (274-2120). Please note: If you have already submitted an application for a graduate or certificate program in English at IUPUI, you will need to use a new pin and password when applying. If this is the case, please contact Pat King so she can waive the application fee.
The aims of the Certificate program are as follows:
Student Consumer Information About this Program
TESOL is an exciting, in-demand and interdisciplinary field, with nearly endless job opportunities around the world. TESOL graduates can find employment both domestically but most readily internationally as teachers, administrators, materials developers, editors, cultural liaisons, and language program directors. They work in such diverse settings as schools, non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, community and faith-based centers, and international businesses.
Our faculty are internationally recognized, award-winning scholars whose areas of expertise span an impressive array of disciplines, including:
In addition, the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program, which provides English for academic purposes instruction to IUPUI students, and the Indiana Center for Intercultural Communication (ICIC), an internationally recognized research center that also offers English for specific purposes programs, are both housed on the IUPUI campus. ELS Language Centers also has a site at IUPUI. Along with many community-based operations (e.g., Literacy Volunteers), there are many opportunities to gain experience in TESOL as a student at IUPUI.
The Professional Editing Certificate provides an interdisciplinary range of core and elective courses designed for graduate students who want:
The certificate is a stand-alone graduate professional credential, but it also represents an interim stage of professional education within the larger framework of the M.A. in Professional and Technical Editing (students should not assume availability of the M.A. until institutional approval of funding is certain).
Courses cover the fundamental theories and methods involved in the practice of scholarly editing and other more general applications of professional editing. The program is taught in a laboratory-style environment and includes related technological applications found at the center of commercial and scholarly publishing today. The interdisciplinary curriculum also supports other established graduate and research programs in specific disciplines: English, History, and Philosophy as well as Library and Information Science, Journalism, and New Media. Although it is a free-standing graduate program, Professional Editing can easily complement and enhance any of the affiliated graduate programs. Learn more about the IUPUI graduate program and access an online application here. Please note: If you have already submitted an application for a graduate or certificate program in English at IUPUI, you will need to use a new pin and password. If this is the case, please contact Pat King so she can waive the application fee.
Concentration in W & L / Minor in W & L / Minor in Business and Professional Writing / Previous Requirements
Please note that the first set of requirements below will apply to all new majors. Students who started under the old system may choose which set of requirements to follow. Download a pdf for a printable copy of the guidelines for new majors. Non-concentration course requirements can be found within the undergraduate advising guide.
English majors must take at least 15 hours of 300/400 level courses in the major. A minimum grade of C is required in each course in this concentration.
Understanding Literacy and Language (6 cr.)
Choose two (At least one must be a W course):
The Practice of Writing (12 cr.) (No more than 6 TCM credits):
Group 1: Writing in Context (at least 3 cr.):
Group 2: Editing, Teaching, and Publishing (at least 3 cr.)
Choose one:
Choose one:
The minor in writing and literacy is designed to help students develop their abilities to write for a range of purposes: personal, civic, professional, and academic. Students pursuing this minor should work with a faculty advisor in planning their courses and developing their writing portfolio.
The minor requires 16 credit hours. At least 9 hours must be at the 300-400 level, and at least 10 hours must be in the English Department. Students must have a 2.5 or higher average in the 16 hours of the minor, and a minimum grade of C in each course for the minor.
English W131 and a second writing course that counts in the student’s degree program, such as English W132, W231, or W290; TCM 220; or Business X204 (both with a grade of C or higher).
Choose 15 credit hours from the following:
One-credit portfolio course, English W411 (until a new course number is approved). Each student doing the minor will work with a faculty advisor to develop a writing portfolio. Students should sign up for this course in the semester they complete the minor, or the following semester; students may work with the faculty advisor informally before taking the portfolio course.
A business and professional writing minor equips you to function effectively as a writer within occupations ranging from business and industry to applied sciences, education, environmental affairs, government, health fields, and law. This minor represents cooperation among the School of Liberal Arts, the School of Engineering and Technology, and the School of Journalism.
The minor requires 16 credit hours. At least 9 hours must be at the 300-400 level, and at least 10 hours must be in the English Department. You are encouraged to take 3-6 credit hours outside of English. You must have a 2.5 or higher average in the 16 hours of the minor, and a minimum grade of C in each course for the minor. You should work with a faculty advisor in planning your courses and developing your writing portfolio.
W131 with a grade of C or better, and a second writing course, such as English W132, W231, Technical Communication TCM 220, or Business X204.
Choose 15 credit hours from the following:
One-credit portfolio course: English W411 (until a new course number is approved). You will work with a faculty advisor to develop a writing portfolio. Sign up for this course the semester you complete the minor; you may work with the faculty advisor informally before taking the portfolio course.
For more information, contact Steve Fox, at sfox@iupui.edu.
One 3-credit course each, at the 200 level or above, in linguistics (including W310 Language and Study of Writing), literature, and either creative writing or film studies.
Choose one:
Choose one:
Choose from two or three areas below:
The term ‘literacy’ comprises multiple aspects and degrees of culture, learning, and language. Literacy, then, is more than the ability to read and write: it encompasses, among other things, analysis, synthesis, text production, creative thinking, and understanding how language works. Rapid-changing technology-which is producing new ways to communicate, to learn, and to view the world around us-opens up new meanings for literacy, as well.
The Writing and Literacy track provides students with expertise in such matters of literacy, and it allows students to apply that knowledge to dramatic and exciting new literacy opportunities.
As a result, students who complete a concentration in Writing and Literacy have a number of options open to them. Some alumni become professional writers for corporations; others work as proofreaders, editors or copy-editors for book publishers. Some hold technical writing jobs, or they work as freelancers, writing in such genres as film review. Others apply their communication expertise to work in professions like human resources and public relations.
Some graduates may adapt the literacy practices of critical creative thinking to gain entry into high-level professional positions in which the ability to connect with colleagues across cultures and socio-economic boundaries is key.
Others view the concentration as an important foundation for graduate or law school, or simply to prepare them for diversity in their community and workplace. Here is what a few students, alumni, and faculty say about the Writing and Literacy concentration.
"The writing and literacy track has given me the understanding of how to promote acceptance, diversity, and education. G204 and English W366 have allowed me to understand the differences there are in cultures and dialects and how important it is to understand how language evolves. I have become experienced in writing for publications, research, entertainment, and interviews. The classes have given me a diverse palate to use when writing for any audiences or situation. The writing and literacy track shows how to apply English to everyday life and how to accept lingual diversity."
A double degree-seeking student, Whitney received her BA in Psychology in December 2009, and will receive a BA in English in May 2010.
W210 Literacy and Public Life: An introduction to the uses of literacy in public and civic discourse, with connections made to theories of writing and professional prospects for writers; serves as the required gateway course for the Concentration in Writing and Literacy and as an exploration of this concentration for other English majors and students considering the possibility of an English major.
W231 Professional Writing Skills: Focuses on expository writing for the student whose career requires preparation of reports, proposals, and analytical papers. Emphasis on clear and direct objective writing and on investigation of an original topic written in report form, including a primary research project. Evaluation is based on student projects.
W262 Style and Voice in Writing: Voice pulls readers into a writer’s world, the "sound" of that writer’s voice "speaking" to readers. This course focuses on recognizing, developing, and sharpening your written voice. But how do you recognize that voice? What are its characteristics? How do you challenge yourself to experiment with language? How do you adapt to the plethora of writing you do as a student, in the workplace, or on your own, while maintaining the unique stamp that is your own? This course examines a variety of published authors’ works, identifying the stylistic choices that shaped those works, thereby building awareness of the variety of stylistic choices available to you as a writer. You will apply that awareness to your own writing, and examine the decision making processes that equip you to "voice" your ideas in vivid and concise language, "speaking" on the page in your unique voice.
W301 Writing Fiction: An intermediate course in the theory and practice of fiction writing with seminar study of relevant materials and criticism of student work in class and conference. May be repeated once for credit.
W302 Screenwriting: A practical course in basic techniques of writing for film and television. Covers the essentials of dramatic structure, story development, characterization and theme, scene construction, dialogue, and, briefly, the practicalities of working as a screenwriter today.
W303 Writing Poetry: An intermediate course in the theory and practice of poetry writing with seminar study of relevant materials and criticism of student work in class and conference. May be repeated once for credit.
W305 Writing Creative Nonficiton: An intermediate course in the theory and practice of creative nonfiction prose, with seminar study of relevant materials and workshop discussion of student work in progress. May be repeated once for credit.
W310 Language and the Study of Writing: A course about writing using linguistic perspectives. Some of the topics discussed are writing systems and their history, a comparison of speaking and writing, the analysis of texts and their structure, the writing process and its development, and orality and literacy.
W313 The Art of Fact: Writing Nonfiction Prose: Students will read and analyze professional and student work as they prepare to practice the art of fact by combining the tools of a researcher with the craft of a novelist. The final portfolio includes a stylistic analysis of the student’s and others’ nonfiction works as well as two illustrated nonfiction texts based on the student’s primary and secondary research.
W315 Writing for the Web: Introduces students to new forms of writing beyond word processing and desktop publishing made possible by computers-hypertext, electronic mail, and computer conferencing-and explores what impact these new forms have on literacy skills for writers and readers of such computer-delivered texts.
W320 Writing in the Arts and Sciences: Introduces students to scholarly reading and writing in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, focusing on the similarities and differences in the ways academic writers share knowledge in their respective fields. Using as a course text a set of scholarly articles and book chapters, the course examines how writers in different disciplines define problems, how they investigate these problems, and how they report their findings.
W331 Business and Administrative Writing: W331 teaches students the rhetorical principles and practices necessary for producing effective writing and collaborative projects in professional contexts. Students will learn to plan, produce, and mange short- and long-term writing projects, gaining experience with various writing technologies. This course emphasizes the challenges of meeting readers’ needs while simultaneously representing the best interests of the writer and his or her employer. W331 focuses on writing ethically and responsibly as an employee and as a member of society. By the end of the semester, students should see a marked improvement in their writing and level of professionalism. Completion of W231 Professional Writing Skills is strongly encouraged before taking W331.
W365 Theories and Practices of Editing: Instruction and practice in the mechanical, stylistic, and substantive editing of English nonfiction prose, from a wide variety of genres and on a wide variety of subjects.
W366 Written Englishes: Living Cultural Realities: Is standard written English fixed and immutable or a living language variety? This course explores the definition, history, and politics of standard written English, the influence of home and community languages, and the uses and representation of linguistic diversity in both fiction and non-fiction texts.
W390 Topics in Writing (as appropriate): Topics will vary each time this course is offered, and the department will specify which area of the concentration in Writing and Literacy each offering will count toward. May be repeated once for credit.
W396 Writing Fellows Seminar: Focuses on the writing of IUPUI students. Emphasis on questioning, strategies, problem solving, and self-analysis. Apply in spring for fall enrollment.
W400 Issues in the Teaching of Writing: Focuses on the content of rhetoric and composition and considers fundamental theoretical and practical issues in the teaching of writing. Reviews rhetorical and compositional principles that influence writing instruction, textbook selection, and curriculum development.
W401 Advanced Fiction Writing: Study and practice in the writing of fiction. Analysis of examples from contemporary literature accompanies class criticism and discussion. May be repeated once for credit.
W403 Advanced Poetry Writing: Study and practice in the writing of poetry. Analysis of examples from contemporary poets accompanies class criticism and discussion. May be repeated once for credit.
W412 Technology and Literacy: Literacy and technology have multifaceted relationships with each other. This course explores the effects of technologies ranging from clay tablets to the printing press to computers on literate practices and the teaching of reading and writing. It prepares students to think critically about the possibilities and limitations associated with different technologies and their impact on literacy over time, and to analyze educational uses of technology connected with literacy.
W426 Writing Nonfiction for Popular and Professional Publication: "I’ve been writing constantly for years but I don’t have any idea how to make the transition from academic to workplace writing." Sound familiar? If so, let the experiences of W426 help you to integrate and apply the academic writing skills you have gained during your undergraduate work in multiple disciplines. Write for Liberal Arts publications to gain experience and writing samples for your job portfolio. And, meet an array of professionals who bring their experience and expertise to the classroom to help you understand the current job market for students with strong writing skills.
G204 Rhetorical Issues in Grammar and UsageG310 Social Speech Patterns: An introduction to English grammar and usage that studies the rhetorical impact of grammatical structures such as noun phrases, prepositional phrases, and different sentence patterns. This course considers language trends and issues, the role of correctness in discourse communities, and the relations between writing in context and descriptive and prescriptive grammars and usage guides.
ANTH L300 Language and Culture: This course explores the relationships between language and culture, focusing on research methodology and surveying various theoretical frameworks. Topics to be discussed include linguistic relativity the Sapir- Whorf Hypothesis, ethnographies of communication, interview techniques, and methods of data collection and analysis.
ANTH L401 Language, Power, and Gender: This course investigates sociocultural aspects of language use, focusing on the interaction of power and gender with language. Topics include differences in men’s and women’s language use, discourse patterns and power relationships, and identity and language use. To what extent does the language we speak sustain the dominance of certain groups in our society?
COMM R310 Rhetoric, Society, and Culture: Development of theory of oral discourse; the influence of public address; historical and current problems in rhetoric of conflict, in freedom of speech, and in propaganda and persuasion.
COMM R350 Womenspeak: American Feminist Rhetoric: To understand the ideological development of American feminist rhetoric, we examine: 1 speeches by well-known ‘Great Women’ from the 1600s to the present; 2 non-traditional rhetorical forms of ‘ordinary women,’ including diaries, fiction, photography, reading groups; 3 intersections among race, class, ethnicity, sexual preference, and gender in public discourse.
TCM 32000 Written Communication in Science and Industry: Analysis of current writing practices in technology and science, especially in organizational settings. Practice in designing and preparing reports for a variety of purposes and audiences.
TCM 34000 Correspondence in Business and Industry: The development and application of strategies and skills for writing letters for business and industry in technology and engineering. Applications may include resumes and letters of application, informational and persuasive letters, and in-house memoranda.
TCM 35000 Visual Elements of Technical Documents: Methods and principles of illustrating technical reports and manuals, the role of the technical writer in the company, basics of visual design, visuals for manuals, visualization of technical data, and modern technology available to technical writers.
TCM 42500 Managing Document Quality: Examines and applies principles of creating technical publications with a focus on quality management of the process. Students will create effective publications by identifying and intervening at crucial points in the documentation cycle - planning, researching, designing, drafting, reviewing, testing, editing, and revising.
TCM 45000 Research Approaches for Technical and Professional Communication: Examines quantitative and qualitative research techniques practiced by professionals working in technical and business communication. Explores both primary (i.e., field) and secondary (i.e., library) research approaches for learning about content, audience, and publication design.
E398 Internship in English: A supervised internship in the use of English in a workplace. Apply during semester before desired internship.
E450 Capstone Seminar: This senior capstone for all English majors integrates students’ undergraduate study through writing and reading projects, faculty and student presentations, and creation of capstone portfolios. Students apply linguistic, literary, and rhetorical knowledge in culminating projects and learning portfolios. The course looks back at accomplishments and forward to postgraduation planning.
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Concentration in Literature / Minor in Literature / Previous Requirements
Please note that the first set of requirements below will apply to all new majors. Students who started under the old system may choose which set of requirements to follow. Download a pdf for a printable copy of the guidelines for new majors. Non-concentration course requirements can be found within the undergraduate advising guide.
English majors must take at least 15 hours of 300/400 level courses in the major. A minimum grade of C is required in each course in this concentration.
Choose one:
The minor in literature introduces students to the skills of interpretation and critical thinking and provides some familiarity with British and American literature.
L115 with a grade of C or higher
A total of 15 credit hours (five courses), including:
One 3-credit course each, at the 200 level or above, in linguistics (preferably G205, G206, or G301), writing (excluding W396 Writing Fellows Seminar, E398 Internship in English, and creative writing courses) and either creative writing or film studies.
Choose one of the following four options:
Choose one of the following or take another course approved by the department chair:
L433 Conversations with Shakespeare.
Two literature courses at the 300 - 400 level: one must be at the 400 level
This course is intended for non-majors and introduces the specific reading demands of poetry, drama, and short fiction. Rather than write papers, students complete a number of workshops which build an experiential connection with literature and place it in context with other humane arts. Students should complete the class with a better understanding of the communal and personal influences which help them make meaning from text.
This course teaches prerequisite skills for subsequent English courses, and may be centered around literary themes more than generic reading demands. Students are expected to complete written assignments which may include individual essays or comprehensive portfolios. In addition to poetry, drama, and short fiction, the course also introduces the novel.
L202 introduces students to the values, habits, and best practices of interpreting literary works in conversation, class discussions, and written assignments. It encourages and guides students in examining how literary works engage and illuminate issues and events that constitute contemporary experience. In the end the course wants students to take literary interpretation seriously as a source of value for their academic careers and for their lives. The course uses “conversation” as the organizing concept for what constitutes literary interpretation and so asks students to develop their insights into literary texts through conversation in the class with peers. Those conversations lead to a mapping of individual strengths and predilections in approaching texts and the development of interpretive prowess in reading and placing texts in relevant and significant contexts. Students put together a portfolio which includes the exercises they have completed in their move toward interested and engaging interpretive practices as well as a paper demonstrating their success in literary interpretation and their sophistication in approaching literary texts.
The purpose of this course is to help students become more perceptive readers and audience members of drama and to learn, from drama, how other people have viewed the world. Our emphasis will be on drama in performance, and so we will view a number of taped performances, as well as one or more live performances if possible. The course will require the reading of six or seven plays, weekly one-page writing assignments, a group project, and a final exam.
This class introduces students to the elements and history of drama in a range of plays from ancient Greece, through Shakespeare and up to the moderns. Informally graded (pass/fail) assignments check student understanding of literary terms and the cause-and-effect in plays. Creative exercises ask students to combine theory and dramatic examples with their own imaginative use of dramatic method. Analytical short essays on topics are narrowly selected to illustrate dramatic analysis (such as providing the interior monologue of a character in a particular scene). Peer review, group exercises, and discussion forums involve students with each others’ ideas. Class will be conducted through Oncourse.
Representative works of fiction; structural technique in the novel, theories and kinds of fiction, and thematic scope of the novel. Readings may include novels and short stories from several ages and countries. Some sections have a thematic focus: see IUPUI Schedule of Classes.
This online version of L204 is delivered through Oncourse, IUPUI’s web teaching and learning environment, and requires basic computer skills such as word processing, use of the Internet, capacity to use or learn how to use discussion forums, Oncourse mail, and occasionally chatrooms. Students should be attentive readers, able to read and follow text instructions as well as capable of working at a regular pace in a course which requires consistent and regular submission of work as a substitute for class attendance. One required orientation meeting will take place on Sat. Jan. 15th, though you may make arrangements with the instructor to orient online. Not recommended for freshmen.
L205 is a comprehensive introduction to the forms, styles, and statements of poetry. Students will learn strategies for approaching poems not as hermetic structures with single hidden meanings but as multifaceted expressions that form a part of an ongoing cultural conversation. Students will learn to identify and understand such elements of poetry as sound, metaphor, line, denotative and connotative word choice, irony, closed and open form, meter, and theme. Students will write close-reading analyses of poems and comparative essays, as well as short weekly responses to readings via Oncourse. Students will also venture out to the world of poetry on their own by attending public poetry readings and investigating contemporary poetry on their own or in groups. Students should prepare to be active members of the class discussion, participating in group work and leading our conversations about course readings and topics. Text: An Introduction to Poetry (Dana Gioia & X.J. Kennedy)
This course will center on discussion and writing on literature by women. We will explore several types of writing: 1) three life stories, including a graphic work by an Iranian woman (“graphic” = pictures, like funnies) and a book by a graduate of IUPUI; 2) a historical progression of novels, so that we can see how the tradition of women’s fiction in English grew; 3) two “what if” novels about different organizations in society. Students will keep journals, do an oral report, write a midterm paper and a final exam, and have fun.
This course provides you with an opportunity to become familiar with great works that are foundational for modern Western culture. These ancient works still have an up-to-date impact on our lives since our core beliefs are still built, to a larger extent than is often realized, on a foundation established by these ancient, medieval, and Renaissance classics. Among the material we’ll read is the following: • Selections from The Iliad and The Odyssey, Homer’s great epics of love, war, and return. • Two Greek tragedies: Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, the drama of a man overthrown by his own devouring need to discover the dreadful secret of his past and Euripides’ Medea a powerful tragedy of love, betrayal, and violent revenge • Plato’s Apology of Socrates, a first person account of Socrates’s bold defense of honest philosophical enquiry before the court which condemned him to death for practicing it. • Selections from Virgil’s epic Aeneid, about the founding of Rome and the clash between love and duty. • Selections from Dante’s The Divine Comedy. A powerful poetic depiction of a soul’s journey through hell, purgatory and heaven • The course will conclude with the rich and often ribald storytelling of Boccaccio’s Decamaron and Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. Emphasis will be placed on making the literature accessible and interesting, relating it to historical events and contexts, and working on important reading and writing skills. Students will actively involved in class discussion through group work and prior responses to "exploratory" questions. Graded work will include two essays and two exams. Textbook: The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, Vol. 1 (7th ed.)
This online version of L213 is delivered through Oncourse, IUPUI’s web teaching and learning environment, and requires basic computer skills such as word processing, use of the Internet, capacity to use or learn how to use discussion forums, Oncourse mail, and occasionally chatrooms. On campus orientation meeting will take place Sat. Jan. 15th, though you may make arrangements with the instructor to orient online. Not recommended for freshmen. This course provides you with an opportunity to become familiar with great works that are foundational for modern Western culture. These ancient works still have an up-to-date impact on our lives since our core beliefs are still built, to a larger extent than is often realized, on a foundation established by these ancient, medieval, and Renaisance classics. For a list of readings, see the course description for the classroom version. The online course will also include web lectures delivered in the Impatica format, interactive forum postings, self-assessment quizzes, two papers and two exams.
Literary masterpieces from Homer to the present. Aims at thoughtful, intensive, analysis, appreciation of aesthetic values, and enjoyment of reading.
This course will provide students with an introduction to several of Shakespeare’s major plays. Our main goals will be (a) to discuss the ideas and messages in these works and their historical contexts; (b) to analyze and appreciate aesthetic qualities such as characterization, imagery, allusions, and symbols; (c) to improve students’ skills in interpreting and writing about literature; (d) to analyze visual, aural, and other features of the plays in performance through viewing of selected video productions. Students will write two essays of 5 7 pages, and a number of shorter 2-3-page position papers. Course grades will be assessed according to the following percentages: Attendance and Participation 10% Position Papers 40% Essays 50% The plays covered will include: Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, and The Tempest.
This course will introduce students to the basic themes of Caribbean literature. Specifically, we will examine the ways in which Caribbean writers present a colonial past and its effect on Caribbean culture in their attempts to “write back” to imperialist thought. We will examine the politics of decolonization and how writers construct/(re)construct Caribbean cultures and identities.
L301 is a survey of English literature up to the eighteenth century. This was a period of exciting changes in English society and politics. It also produced some of England’s most renowned writers, including Geoffrey Chaucer, John Donne, Andrew Marvell, John Milton, Daniel Defoe, Alexander Pope, and Jonathan Swift. Emphasis will be on making the literature accessible and interesting to students, relating it to historical events and contexts, and working on important reading and writing skills. Students will write two essays of 5 7 pages, and a number of shorter 2-3-page position papers. Course grades will be computed according to the following percentages: Attendance and Participation 10% Response Papers 40% Essays 50% Required Text: The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. 1 (7th ed.)
Good class for teachers and for preparation for grad school in English. This class samples various literary forms-poems, prose, plays-as it maps the developments of British literature through historical periods roughly defined as Romanticism, Victorianism, Modernism, and Post-modernism. Using writers from John Keats and Mary Prince through Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney, we will explore literary works both as unique productions of individual authors’ minds and as part of the larger literary and historical worlds of their time. In short, we’ll see where our literary present-and to some extent our society-comes from. Requirements: lots of reading, much class discussion and occasional written exercises, two papers, essay final exam.
A close reading of a representative selection of Shakespeare’s major plays.
Have you ever wondered why twentieth-century environmentalists use Thoreau’s Walden like a Bible, or how a mother of five small children who had never traveled south of the Mason-Dixon line could have written the best-selling American novel of the nineteenth century—a novel about slavery? In L351, find out how Walt Whitman inaugurated the sexual revolution and what prompted the author of The Scarlet Letter to call his literary competitors "a damned mob of scribbling women."
L351 examines American voices of dissent in the early national period, covering fiction, poetry, the slave narrative, and the essay. This thematic survey of transcendental, romantic, and domestic writers includes Washington Irving, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Fanny Fern, Henry David Thoreau, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Herman Melville, Edgar Allan Poe, Frederick Douglass, and Walt Whitman. The course reading and lectures will introduce American Transcendentalism; will situate domestic and non-canonical works in historical context; and will relate cultural difference to the formation of literary genres. Be prepared to read a lot of pages - sometimes more than 100 pages between class sessions. Classes will consist primarily of discussion. Written assignments include a series of critical journals and two longer papers. Intermediate to advanced writing skill is assumed. Texts required: The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Volume B, Fern’s Ruth Hall, and Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
An historical survey of American literature from the end of the Civil War to 1920, L352 will address the crisis of consciousness that beset writers in a period of rapid urban growth. We will examine literary Realism and local color; psychological approaches to fiction; the ethical implications of the transition from a community- to society-based literature; and the literary representation of racial, gender, class, and ethnic difference. Authors include Emily Dickinson, Henry James, Mark Twain, Stephen Crane, Sarah Orne Jewett, Charles Chesnutt, Edith Wharton, and Theodore Dreiser. Class sessions will be open discussion forums with occasional lecturing to provide background in literary and intellectual traditions. Texts include The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Vol. C (which includes Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Daisy Miller); Wharton’s Age of Innocence; and Dreiser’s Sister Carrie. Students will be evaluated on a reading journal, two critical essays, and class participation. The journal will constitute 35% of the final grade, the essays 25% each, and participation 15%. Intermediate to advanced critical writing skill assumed. Reading assignments may sometimes exceed 100 pages per class session.
This course begins with the American modernists and examines a representative selection of works in a variety of genres to emphasize the diversity of voices comprising twentieth-century American literature. One of our major goals is to consider the ways in which American literature both reflects and shapes our sense of what it means to be an American. Individual works are analyzed and placed within social, historical and cultural contexts. Although there are occasional short lectures, the primary format of the class is discussion. The primary text is the Norton Anthology of American Literature; in addition, two novels are usually assigned. Any courses in earlier American literature, American history, politics, or any other aspect of American studies would be useful for this class. Requirements: One longer paper of 1800-2000 words; several short writing assignments or tests (depends on the size and composition of the class), class participation, midterm and final exam.
This course considers fiction—both novels and short stories—beginning with the works of the American expatriates of the 1920s and ending in the contemporary period. Course size will determine the format of the class, but as much as is practicable, it will be conducted as a seminar, with a great deal of discussion. Our primary objectives will be 1) to examine the development and diversity of the fictional forms in the twentieth century, 2) to consider the social and historical forces that have affected the fiction writers of the twentieth century, and 3) to consider the achievements of the individual authors whose works we read. Because the twentieth century has seen a great deal of experimentation in fiction (as well as in other literary and art forms), many of the works we will read will be experimental in form and content. We will read the equivalent of eight novels (although at least one of the texts will be a collection of short stories), and the selections will include, among others, works of the expatriates, representatives of the Southern renascence and the African-American resurgence in contemporary literature. Course requirements include two analytical essays of 5-6 pages, class participation, and another major assignment, such as a course journal or a semester project culminating in a class presentation.
This course will examine black American literature written in the latter part of the twentieth century. The literary texts we will read and discuss offer various representations of black life, often resisting stereotypical notions of “blackness.” We will examine the various themes that arise in contemporary black literature as well as examine how these recent works illuminate the traditional themes of an African American literary tradition. Texts may include Walter Mosley’s Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned, Bertice Berry’s Redemption Song, J. California Cooper’s A Piece of Mine, August Wilson’s Fences, Veronica Chambers’ Mama’s Girl, Coleson Whitehead’s The Intuitionist, and Sister Souljah’s The Coldest Winter Ever.
Examination of representative American fiction since 1955 in its social, cultural, and historical contexts. Topics include such issues as the representation of truth in fiction, intertextuality, and the transgressions of genre boundaries.
Philanthropy and Literature Philanthropy and Literature examines both the representations of philanthropy and voluntary action in literature (in works such as Major Barbara, A Christmas Carol The Grapes of Wrath, The Good Woman of Setzuan and others) as well as the creation of literature as an act of giving (for example, Waiting for Godot, Heart of Darkness, “Bartleby the Scrivener,” “Augie Wren’s Christmas Story” [Auster] and others). The course will explore the assumptions and methods appropriate for an interdisciplinary investigation such as literature and philanthropy and the dimensions of giving and voluntary action as they shape the personal cultural lives of people, especially readers of literature. Discussions are likely to pursue questions regarding the values and perspectives that the study of literature and the study of philanthropy share.
First jobs, first cars, first kisses: you’ll find them all in young adult literature. This course will focus on literature of the last fifty years when both modern teenagers and books designed specifically for them emerged. Reading fiction, poetry, graphic novels, and ‘zines, we will address how different genres represent and define the teenage experience. This literature not only reflects teen lives but also responds to concerns about teens’ reluctance to read and their changing literacies. The course will be of interest to those wishing an overview of recent reading, publihsing, and writing trends. While thinking about what roles these books can play in secondary school classrooms, we will primarily analyze them as pieces of literature.
Before 1900 What roles did fiction writers assign to women in American culture from the revolutionary period through the end of the nineteenth century? How were the interactions of men and women in the domestic space represented by nineteenth-century writers? How did the female bildungsroman take shape in the New World? How did early American fiction represent the transition from girlhood to mature womanhood? How did the valuing of marriage and child rearing change over the course of the nineteenth century? How did early fiction writers talk about the sexuality of American women? How did traditional conceptions of love and marriage evolve during the nineteenth century? In L378 we will address these and other questions in a series of texts that include Susanna Rowson’s Charlotte Temple (1794), Catharine Maria Sedgwick’s A New England Tale (1822), Fanny Fern’s Ruth Hall (1854), Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (1869), Elizabeth Stuart Phelps’s Doctor Zay (1882), Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, and a variety of short stories. Students will write four position papers and two longer essays. Lots of class discussion and group interaction. Intermediate to advanced writing level assumed.
This course samples from the multicultural glory that is contemporary fiction in the United States. We will be reading novels by an Afghan-American, a Chicano American, an American Indian, a Korean American, an African American, a Jewish American, and a Latvian American, as well as dipping into a collection of short stories. If you want to know more about our country, you’ll have fun with the writers’ different perspectives and forms. The class will be built around discussion. Students will do oral reports to begin this discussion, do various pieces of writing, along with a midterm and final exam.
An historical survey of American comic art and artists from the 1950’s to the 1990’s. The course is primarily concerned with how comics have developed and matured as a distinctively American art form, reflecting and commenting on post-W.W. II American society in a variety of narrative forms: comic strips, comic books, and graphic novels. But not simply reflecting American culture, comics themselves have often been at the center of debates about the influence of media in shaping the national character. Equally important to the course are issues of content versus social regulation (which structured the discourse of the Congressional debates concerning juvenile delinquency during the 1950’s) and issues involving the Comics Code Authority, which still governs the content of mainstream comics today. Countercultural comics of the 1960’s and 1970’s as well as alternative comics of the 1980’s and 1990’s round out our investigation of comics in American culture by helping us to understand comics as a system of cultural representations. Watterson, The Tenth Anniversary Calvin and Hobbes. Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics The Essential Fantastic Four, Vol. 1. Robert Crumb, R. Crumb’s America. Frank Miller, The Dark Knight Returns. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen. Art Spiegelman, Maus. Daniel Clowes, Ghost World. Peter Bagge, Buddy the Dreamer. Plus materials on electronic reserve (essays on narrative semiotics by Umberto Eco, R. C. Harvey, Martin Barker and others)
A survey of British and American science fiction In the twentieth century will examine the various trends, theme, and subgenres in speculative fiction—from elements of fantasy to hard/technical science fiction. As a class we will discuss 5 traditional novels and one graphic novel. Students will be expected to select one from the list to work on as a class project (report). Some readings will change but this is an example of what to expect. Examples of class Readings: The Book of Dreams by Jack Vance The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick Neuromancer by William Gibson To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer Watchmen by Alan Moore Examples for report: The Anubis Gate by Tim Powers The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Car The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Children’s books present an interesting paradox: they are written by adults for an audience of children. As such, these books often tell us as much about adults as they do about children. Moreover, as the Harry Potter phenomenon suggests, adults enjoy children’s books as much as (and sometimes more than) children. Thinking about the many different audiences of children’s books, we will look at how adults and children read these books. Because reading practices have changed over time, we will consider books of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that highlight what adults thought about the children they were reading to. This course will take a special interest in books that present children as readers and writers. These books are especially helpful in showing the roles that literature plays in children’s lives. Moreover, we will pay particular attention to illustrated books. Like Alice in Wonderland, we will ask, "What’s the use of books without pictures?" Illustrations introduce children to artistic styles and shape their interpretations of books. Just as children’s books serve many audiences, so does this class. On one hand, the English department offers it, so we will be spending a good deal of time analyzing children’s books as pieces of literature. On the other hand, the School of Education requires elementary education majors to take the course, so we will also spend time discussing how children’s literature might be used in the classroom.
Toni Morrison, America’s most recent Nobel laureate in literature, says that her novels aren’t really finished until they’re discussed. Join a group interested in helping to finish those books! Morrison describes herself as "a black woman novelist," sometimes adding "midwestern" let’s see what we think those terms mean for her literature. We will read seven of her novels in the order in which she wrote them, so that we can see her themes develop over time. Ever wanted to know for sure what an author was/is thinking? This course includes a collection of interviews with Morrison. Students will give oral reports to begin discussion, write a paper and a final exam. In addition, graduate students will read and discuss Morrison’s book of literary criticism, Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and Literary Imagination, give oral reports (some on scholarly articles about Morrison’s novels), write an annotated bibliography and a 15-20 page scholarly essay. A Nobel laureate who’s also been on Oprah twice? How could we miss . . . looking forward to hearing from you.
Note: A version of this course is offered as INTG I300, a junior-senior integrator course. South Africa’s tortured history has been a focus of international attention for much of the twentieth century. From the 1948 elections, which inaugurated the period of formal apartheid (apartheid, which means “apartness” in Afrikaner, refers to the National Party’s policies of strict racial segregation), to the 1994 elections, which marked the end of apartheid and the beginning of majority black rule, it has been a history of racism, violence, hope, and struggle. This course aims to integrate historical and political study with the study of South Africa’s rich literary tradition, which includes not only Nobel Prize winners Nadine Gordimer (1991) and, most recently, J. M. Coetzee (2003) but also many other important writers of various ethnic and ideological backgrounds. Goals of the course will include: (a) to develop methods of reading that pay attention to issues of cultural difference, power, resistance, and negotiation; (b) to become more familiar with the history and literature of South Africa by examining a group of narratives and their historical contexts; (c) to improve students’ skills in analyzing and writing about literature through frequent writing and feedback. As we move toward these goals, the course will address all of the IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning, especially Core Communication Skills, Critical Thinking, and Understanding Society and Culture. Response Papers are informal papers of 2-3 pages (double spaced) in which you must make some sort of considered response to the readings. Their main purposes are to facilitate our class discussions, to improve your writing and analyzing skills, and to generate ideas that can be developed further in the longer essays. Response Papers are due in class on the days specified in the reading schedule. You must turn in five (out of a possible six) Response Papers to receive full credit. Please type or word process them—do not turn in handwritten drafts. Two essays of 5 7 pages will be the more formal written work of the course. These are to be analytical papers in which the methods of reading practiced in class will be applied to works from the syllabus. Specific guidelines and suggested topics will be given in later handouts. Course grades will be computed according to the following percentages: Attendance and Participation 10% Response Papers 40% Essays 50%
A course designed for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in English and the Medical Humanities, Literature and Medicine explores the medical world in literature and the arts, in popular culture, and through the institution of the hospital. Coming to terms with this emerging field of academic study will allow students to explore medical subjects across the literary genres of fiction, poetry, and drama, and the medical genres of the case and the pathography. In addition to course reading and written work, students will observe medical education in the IU School of Medicine as well as the doctor/nurse/patient interface. Longer texts include Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818), Abraham Verghese’s My Own Country (1994), Louisa May Alcott’s Hospital Sketches (1863), Anne Fadiman’s The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down (1997), Tim Murphy and Suzanne Poirier’s Writing AIDS (1993), and Bernard Pomerance’s The Elephant Man (1979). Shorter materials will be handed out in class. Students will prepare a short position paper; a thick text description of an imaginary case; a poem or piece of short fiction to explore the positionalities of a patient and a practitioner; and a final project which may include an analysis of one day in the life of a hospital, nurse, physician, or patient; or a multimedia history of a disease or disorder. In addition to these assignments, graduate students will also produce an autobiographical pathography. Students should be prepared to spend time outside of class observing the workings of the Indiana University Hospitals; they will keep informal logs of their observations.
This course is described as "an interdisciplinary and intertextual study of Shakespeare’s work and its influence down to the present day. Students will compare Shakespeare texts with latter-day novels, plays, poems, and films that allude to or incorporate some aspect of Shakespeare’s art." In this offering of the course, we will draw upon theories of chaos and complex systems to study literary works as complex systems and as components of larger complex systems. Regular class attendance, brief weekly essays, and a final group presentation will be required. Our primary texts will be six of Shakespeare’s plays (Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Tempest), as well as such "latter-day" works as Tom Stoppard’s play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Jane Smiley’s novel A Thousand Acres, Eugene Ionesco’s play Macbett, Neil Gaiman’s graphic short story “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” from the Sandman series, Aime Cesaire’s play A Tempest, W. H. Auden’s long poem The Sea and the Mirror, Peter Greenaway’s film Prospero’s Books, and Tony Kushner’s plays Angels in America: Millenium Approaches and Angels in America: Perestroika. We will also read a number of shorter poems and critical essays, see excerpts from a number of other films, and attend the IRT production of King Lear.
A reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, perhaps the most influential novel of the past century. An oral report, brief weekly essays, a longer paper, and regular class attendance will be required. Students planning to take the course are encouraged to read Homer’s Odyssey, The Gospel according to Mark, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man before the semester begins.
These courses, available for 1-3 credits, allow you to pursue an individual interest or topic that is not available through regularly offered courses. You need to develop a proposal, detailing what you want to study or write, and discuss it with a faculty member with some expertise in that area. Remember that faculty members have limited time for directing such independent study; they are most likely to work with a student they have previously had in a class and/or a student who has a well-developed proposal and a strong motivation. Students must be authorized for these courses by a faculty member, who will request a specific section number.
Note: For a complete listing of courses with days and times, refer to the IUPUI Schedule of Classes. These course descriptions are meant as a general guide to aid in your course selection; syllabi, textbooks, and requirements are given on the first day of class. In some cases, an instructor’s name is given, and that means the description that follows applies when that instructor teaches the course.
A group of more than 30,000 literary and cultural scholars from 100 countries who teach English and world languages. The most significant organization in the US governing literary study since 1883, MLA hosts an annual conference in December, where research is presented and search committees meet to interview job candidates. MLA publishes four major journals including PMLA and PROFESSION, publishes about 20 books per year, and produces the MLA Bibliography—the only comprehensive list of studies on language and literature available in print or on-line.
The regional branch of the larger MLA, which hosts an annual conference and consists of about 3,000 memebers. M/MLA is the largest regional territory of the MLA. The organization also sponsors the M/MLA Journal.
An organization of specialists in American literature since 1989, the ALA is dedicated to exploring the diversity of American letters and hosts an annual conference of approximately 800 scholars.
There are at least 30 significant refereed journals in literary and cultural studies. Among the most well known are PMLA (Publication of the Modern Language Association), which is the premiere journal in
literary study; American Literature, the journal of record for path-breaking work in American literature; American Quarterly, a journal devoted to cultural, interdisplinary, and transnational approaches to the study of the Americas; and Critical Inquiry, the premiere journal for literary criticism and theory.
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This course, the newest in the American Film Decades series, will explore one of the most exciting periods in American film, the 1990s, a time when a booming economy, a simultaneous refinement of and backlash against the mass audience blockbuster, and a proliferation of alternative independent filmmakers brought a new phenomenon known as "Indiewood" or "The Two Hollywoods." The class will study the genres, historical and political currents, filmmakers, and "boutique studios" (with special attention to Miramax and the other specialty divisions) that made the films of the decade as diverse, introspective, and creative as the industry and culture from which they spring. Films under study may include Thelma and Louise, Boyz N the Hood, JFK, Unforgiven, Short Cuts, Groundhog Day, Welcome to the Dollhouse, Everyone Knows I Love You, The Ice Storm, Jackie Brown, L.A. Confidential, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, Fight Club, Magnolia, Three Kings, The Matrix, Eyes Wide Shut, among others. Textbooks are American Cinema of the 1990s, edited by Christine Holmlund, American Independent Cinema by Geoff King, Indiewood U.S.A.: Where Hollywood Meets Independent Cinema by Geoff King, and perhaps a handful of BFI Film Classics/Modern Classics books on individual films. Assignments will consist of three 5-page essays, a midterm, and final exam.
This is a full-summer course (May 10-July 26) online except for once-a-week on-campus film screenings. Questions? Email dbingham@iupui.edu.
This course is an introduction to the study of film as an aesthetic, cultural, and historical form. We examine the vocabulary of cinema, and elucidate various aspects of the filmmaking process. A grounding in the concepts of film studies will enable us to explore how cinema represents reality and chart the multi-faceted relationship between cinema and society.
This course will provide students with a broad introduction to the history of French cinema. France has arguably the most avid, energetic, and versatile film culture of any single nation in the world, including our own. The academic discipline of Film Studies would simply not exist without the French; critics such as André Bazin, the "auteur" critics of Cahiers du Cinéma and Positif in the 1950s, and later scholars such as Christian Metz, Raymond Bellour, and Jean-Louis Baudry, who brought semiotics and psychoanalysis in the field were advocates and analysts of the possibilities of film and its meanings in the modern world. Cinema got its formal start in France. The first public film screening anywhere was presented by Pierre and Auguste Lumière in Paris on December 28, 1895. Among other French contibutions to film culture were the first science fiction/fantasy films (of Georges Méliès), the wide-screen lens, the idea of film noir, the Auteur Theory, and the Nouvelle Vague (New Wave), which revolutionized film style around the world in the 1960s. Students will learn the important styles, periods, and directors of French cinema. They will develop an appreciation for the philosophical and aesthetic ideas informing French film, the cultural and political cultures out of which the films are produced, and the unique cross-pollenation between the French and American cinemas.
African Americans and Film is an historical overview of the dynamic role African-Americans have played in American cinema. From its beginnings with independent filmmakers George and Noble Johnson’s Lincoln Motion Picture Company, and the films of Oscar Micheaux, early race cinema created an alternative to the racist stereotypes often represented in the Hollywood film. This course will begin with discussions about how African Americans were represented in early motion pictures, and how an emerging race cinema industry developed in response to these ugly images. As Hollywood discovered the race film, African Americans moved more into the mainstream. The struggle remains, however, to find opportunities to represent dignity and to control the images seen by a mass audience. In addition to looking at the historical contribution these films make to American popular culture, African-Americans and Film offers a forum to discuss issues of race, class, and gender, and will perhaps help us come to a deeper understanding of American cultural institutions.
The rise of film studies in the university has been accompanied by the prominence of theories, sometimes endemic to film, but frequently adapted from other disciplines. What the often divergent theories all have in common is a desire to make strong statements about what this complex new medium does and how it works. Film theory has ranged from debates over realism, formalism, and authorship, hypotheses about film as a sign system like language, and how the medium changes with digital technologies and premonitions of the end of cinema (warnings that pop up whenever there is a change to the delivery system, for instance, when sound came in, when widescreens arrived, when video loomed, and now that digital video threatens to eclipse celluloid. Film theory borrows from Marxist political thinkers, psychoanalysts, and literary reception scholars. Feminists have found the cinema to be a major site of gender construction. Accordingly, this course will provide an introduction to the rapidly evolving field of film theory as a part of film study. It will also show how theory is helpful to an understanding of a spectator’s relation to the movies he or she sees, as well as how the development of film has spurred theorists’ constant scramble to keep up with a rapidly changing entertainment and artistic medium.
Assignments consist of weekly journal entries, take-home midterm and final, and a final term paper in which students apply a selected theory to a film of their choice.
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