ENGL 203
Readings in American Literature (GE)
1. Catalog Entry
ENGL 203
Readings in American Literature (GE)
Credit hours (3)
Study of selected works in American literature with emphasis on the development of
critical reading skills within a historical, cultural, and ideological national context.
Note(s): General Education and Humanistic or Artistic Expression designated course.
2. Detailed Description of Course
Close reading and critical analysis of selected major works of American literature
from its beginnings to the present day; such works to be drawn from different periods
of American history and to represent a variety of literary genres.
3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
ENGL 203 uses a wide variety of instructional strategies which may include any number
of the following: lecture; discussion; PowerPoint or web-enhanced instruction; collaborative
group work; individual or group student reports; student PowerPoint or web-enhanced
presentations; informal writing-to-learn activities including in-class focused writing,
readers' logs, double-entry reading journals, or discussion questions; formal writing
activities including essays, reviews, critical analyses, research reports with peer
writing groups on drafts; individual or group conferences with the instructor on drafts;
creative writing projects including short fiction, poetry, dramatic sketches.
4. Goals and Objectives of the Course
This course satisfies the University Core B, U.S. Perspectives requirement described
as follows:
Goal 10: Radford University students will understand how social and cultural (for
example, political, historical, economic, environmental, religious, or geographic)
forces shape the American experience.
Radford University students will be able to:
1) Identify diverse influences that have shaped the American experience;
2) Apply course material to a relevant issue in the United States
In addition, English 203 has the following departmental goals:
1) that students develop an understanding of literature as an art form;
2) that students develop the ability to become skillful and thoughtful readers
of literature;
3) that students become knowledgeable about a representative sample of the major
works of U.S. literature;
4) that students learn to apply their engagement with literary texts to an examination
of their own lives and worlds.
5. Assessment Measures
Either alone or in collaboration with others, students will demonstrate their understanding
of the art of literature and their ability to interpret thoughtfully what they have
read by participating in discussion and by formulating written analyses of the reading
in their journals, in their papers and on examinations. Students will demonstrate
in discussion and in their writing their mastery of the texts assigned for reading.
Students will be expected to make personal connections to the literature and express
those connections through discussion, writing, creative projects, class presentations
or performances.
6. Other Course Information
None
Review and Approval
June 20, 2015
March 01, 2021