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Creative and Professional Writing Concentration

The English department is dedicated to fostering students’ original analysis and interpretation of literary works, including film, as well as students’ individual voices as creative writers. Training in clear, effective writing is fundamental to all three concentrations within the department, which are offered as both majors and minors:

Literature

Film Studies

Creative and Professional Writing

In the literature and film concentrations, a progressive sequence of courses develops students’ fundamental skills in writing and critical analysis, including approaching literary and cinematic texts in social and historical contexts and in light of theory and criticism; a senior research thesis caps these two concentrations. (Double majors in English and secondary education complete a slightly adapted version of the literature concentration.)

Creative writers hone their craft in a sequence of workshop courses, complemented by literature courses; a senior writing portfolio caps this concentration. (An accelerated BA with concentration in creative and professional writing/MA in Writing is also offered; see Dual Degrees section of catalog for details.)

All English majors take part in a capstone Senior Seminar that emphasizes integration of skills, reflection upon the discipline of study, and the application of learning to professional goals, through the preparation of an individual ePortfolio. Seniors also orally present their theses and writing portfolios to the department faculty.

The study of literature not only enables students to become proficient in analytical reading and critical writing about literature; it also cultivates a capacity for verbal expression, logical argumentation, and close analysis of language that translates into many disciplines and careers. English majors excel in such diverse fields as law, business, medicine, journalism, film, public relations, corporate communications, editing, publication, and teaching.

Faculty

Jeff Bens – Director of Creative and Professional Writing; courses in fiction and screenwriting

Caralyn Bialo – Medieval and Renaissance literature, Shakespeare

Nada Halloway – International literature in English, Asian literature, African literature

Van Hartmann – Neoclassical and romantic literature, American literature, history of the novel, comedy, film

David Lugowski – Director of Communication Studies Program; film, media studies, gender studies

Mark Nowak

–

Director of the MFA Program in Creative Writing; graduate courses in poetry and non-fiction

Patrick Redding – American literature

Adjunct Faculty

Andrew Bodenrader, Sally Bliumis-Dunn, Elizabeth Eslami, Joseph Fasano, Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, Katie Gilbert, Kristopher Jansma, Paul Levitz, Greg Olear, Jeff Pearlman, Tony Rudel

General Requirements and Opportunities

Minimum grade for major or minor requirements: Only courses in which the student receives a grade of "C" or better may be used to satisfy major or minor requirements. The Creative and Professional Writing concentration requires a "C+" or better in ENW.1013 (formerly ENW.2030) Approaches to Creative Writing.

Early literature requirement: Each English major must complete a 1000- or 2000-level course in literature before 1800

Students who declared a major or minor in English before fall 2012

should meet with their advisor or the department chair to plan their program completion, given the department’s changes in curriculum and course offerings. All ENG and ENW courses taken before fall 2012 will be accepted towards completion of the major and minor.

Students may opt to major in one concentration and minor in another

as long as no courses are double-counted.

Credit towards the major or minor for courses taken outside the department is determined by the department chair. Online courses are generally not accepted for major or minor credit. Students who have received a grade of B or better in Composition and Literature 102 at an area Community College and students who have passed the Advanced Placement English Literature Exam with a score of 5 are exempt from one 1000-level literature class.

ENC (English composition) courses are not accepted towards any English major or minor.

Independent studies (ENG.4495 and ENW.4495) are permitted only with full-time members of the department.

Internships related to the major (ENG.4497 and ENW.4497) must be supervised by a full-time member of the department and should be arranged through the Center for Career Development Office.

On-campus publications that welcome submissions from and involvement of students include the campus newspaper,

Touchstone

, and literary magazine, Graffiti. Internships are also available with

Inkwell Magazine

, Manhattanville’s national journal of fiction and poetry.

English Department Writing Awards: Each spring, the English Department invites all undergraduates to submit pieces of critical and creative writing for consideration for the Eileen O’Gorman Undergraduate Prize in Fiction, the Robert O’Clair Undergraduate Prize in Poetry, the Sr. Margaret Williams Prize for Literary Criticism, the Dan Masterson Prize for Screenwriting, and the William K. Everson Prize for Writing on Film.

Distinction in the English major is granted to seniors who receive one of the department’s writing awards.

Honors in the English major is granted to students with exceptional (A level) performance on their senior thesis or senior writing portfolio; their oral presentation of their senior work; and their senior seminar ePortfolio.

Literature Concentration

The English major with concentration in literature requires the following courses (total 42-45 credits):

1000-level introduction to literature (4 credits)

2000-level course on literary traditions (3 credits)

>>One of the 1000- or 2000-level courses must be in literature before 1800.

3000- or 4000-level literature seminar (3 credits)

ENG.3083: Literary Theory & Criticism (3 credits), in the junior year

elective in literature (3 or 4 credits)

elective in literature, film, or creative/professional writing (3 or 4 credits)

ENG.3998 Senior Thesis Research (1 credit), taken in conjunction with a final 3000-level literature seminar (3 credits)—total 4 credits

Students double majoring in English and secondary education must complete the following courses (total 45-48 credits):

ENG.1016, Intro to American Literature (4 credits)

ENG.1017, Intro to Postcolonial Literature (4 credits)

One of the following courses (each 4 credits): ENG.1012, Intro to Medieval/Renaissance English Literature, ENG.1015, Intro to Shakespeare, ENG.1018, Intro to Neoclassical/Romantic British Literature, ENG.1014, Intro to Victorian/Modern British Literature

ENG.2065 Women’s Writing (3 credits)

2000-level course on literary traditions (3 credits)

3000- or 4000-level literature seminar (3 credits)

ENG.3083: Literary Theory & Criticism (3 credits), in the junior year

elective in film (3 or 4 credits)

elective in international literature (3 credits)

ENW.1013 (formerly ENW.2030) Approaches to Creative Writing (3 credits)

elective in literature, film, or creative/professional writing (3 or 4 credits)

>>One of the 1000- or 2000-level courses must be in literature before 1800.

ENG.3998 Senior Thesis Research (1 credit), taken in conjunction with a final 3000-level literature seminar (3 credits)—total 4 credits

Only English department courses are listed here; see School of Education catalog for additional EDU and ENE course requirements.

Students minoring in literature must complete the following courses (total 17-19 credits):

1000-level introduction to literature (4 credits)

2000-level course on literary traditions (3 credits)

elective in literature (2000 level or above), film, or creative/professional writing (3 or 4 credits)

Film Studies Concentration

The English major with concentration in film studies requires the following courses (total 40-44 credits):

ENF.1001 Introduction to Film Studies (formerly ENG.2083) (4 credits)

1000-level introduction to literature (4 credits)

ENF.2088 History of Cinema I (4 credits) or ENF.2089 History of Cinema II (4 credits)

2000-level course on literary traditions (3 credits)

ENF.3075 Film Theory (4 credits)

elective in film (3 or 4 credits)

>>The following courses may be used as electives in film: ENF.2080 American Film, ENF.2076 Women’s Film, ENF.2088 History of Cinema I (if not taken as a required course), ENF.2089 History of Cinema II (if not taken as a required course), ENG.3026 Shakespeare on Film, ENG.3071 Laughter, ENF.3173 Queer Film and Media Studies, ENF.4010 Major Film Directors, ENF.4020 Topics in Film Genre, ENF.4030 Topics in National and Regional Cinemas, ENW.2040 Writing for the Media, ENW.4003 Screenwriting I, and ENW.4004 Screenwriting II. One elective may, with approval, be a film course from outside the department.

elective in literature, any course level (3 or 4 credits)

>>One of the 1000- or 2000-level courses must be in literature before 1800.

elective in literature, 3000 or 4000 level (3 credits)

ENF.3998 Senior Thesis Film Studies (1 credit), taken in conjunction with a final 3000- or 4000-level film seminar (3 or 4 credits)—total 4 or 5 credits

The English minor with concentration in film studies requires the following courses (total 19-20 credits):

ENF.1001 Introduction to Film Studies (formerly ENG.2083) (4 credits)

ENF.2088 History of Cinema I (4 credits) or ENF.2089 History of Cinema II (4 credits)

ENF.3075 Film Theory

elective in film (3 or 4 credits)

>>See list of electives in film under the requirements for the film major. One elective may, with approval, be a film course from outside the department.

Creative and Professional Writing Concentration

The English major with concentration in creative and professional writing requires the following courses (total 43-45 credits):

1000-level introduction to literature (4 credits)

2000-level course on literary traditions (3 credits)

elective in literature or film (3 or 4 credits)

>>One of the 1000- or 2000-level courses must be in literature before 1800.

ENW.1013 (formerly ENW.2030) Approaches to Creative Writing (3 credits)

ENW.2016 (formerly ENW.3007) Narrative Studies (3 credits)

elective in creative/professional writing (3 credits)

>>The following courses may be used as electives in creative/professional writing. Note that 4000-level courses are repeatable for credit. ENW.4020 Fiction Workshop, ENW.4030 Advanced Fiction Workshop, ENW.4011 Journalism I, ENW.4012 Journalism II, ENW.4009 Poetry Workshop, ENW.4003 Screenwriting I, ENW.4004 Screenwriting II, ENW.2040 Writing for the Media.

ENG.3997 Senior Seminar (2 credits)

ENW.3998 Senior Writing Portfolio (3 credits)

The English minor with concentration in creative and professional writing requires the following courses (total 20 credits):

1000-level introduction to literature (4 credits)

2000-level course on literary traditions (3 credits)

ENW.1013 (formerly ENW.2030) Approaches to Creative Writing (3 credits)

ENW.2016 (formerly ENW.3007) Narrative Studies (3 credits)

elective in creative/professional writing (3 credits)

>>See list of electives in creative/professional writing under the requirements for the creative/professional writing major.