Department of English

Scott Davis, Ph.D., Chair

Professors: Carroll J., Fuller, Marshall, Schmidt, Stryker, S., Thompson
Associate Professor: Foreman, Paterson, Perrello, Davis, S., Winter
Assistant Professors: Dorsey, Wolfe, Wittman
Lecturers: Barrington-Schmidt, Christiansen, Mester, Simoneau, Sledge, Webb

Office: Vasché Library — L195
Phone: (209) 667-3361

Bachelor of Arts, English , available with a concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Master of Arts, English  with concentrations in Literature (LIT), Rhetoric and the Teaching of Writing (RTW), or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Minor in English 
Liberal Studies degree concentrations in English  and in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) 
Certificate in TESOL 
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Graduate Certificate

The various programs are designed to provide the skills essential for fluent and mature expression in a student’s chosen field. Courses in literature and film familiarize students with important literary works and forms. Courses in Rhetoric and the Teaching of Writing (RTW) prepare students to be excellent writers and editors. Courses in a pre-credential, Single Subject Matter Prepration Program prepare future teachers for the public schools. Courses in TESOL prepare teachers of English as a Second Language and English as a Foreign Language. In all of the English courses, students are encouraged to develop informed and independent critical thinking abilities and the skills to communicate articulately in both oral and written modes.

Master of Arts in English

There are three main concentrations of study leading to the Master of Arts degree in English : (1) a concentration in the literature of Britain and the United States (MA-LIT); (2) a concentration in rhetoric and the teaching of writing (MA-RTW); (3) a concentration in teaching English to speakers of other languages (MA-TESOL). Concentrations may be combined.

Liberal Studies Concentration in English

Please refer to the Liberal Studies  section of the catalog.

Liberal Studies Concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Please refer to the Liberal Studies  section of the catalog.

Teaching Credentials

Single Subject Matter Preparation Program

Those applying for admission to a single subject matter credential program, which is required to become a secondary school teacher, and who are interested in obtaining the required certification of subject matter competency in English, should obtain the description of requirements for certification currently available in the Department of English.

Upper-Division Writing Proficiency

Students graduating from CSU Stanislaus must demonstrate writing competency through satisfactory completion of a Writing Proficiency  course (WP) in any discipline. Passing the Writing Proficiency Screening Test (WPST) is one of the prerequisites for these courses. 

English as a Second Language (ESL)

The Department of English offers courses for students who speak English as a second or foreign language. The courses are designed for students whose proficiency in English is at a high-intermediate to advanced fluency level. The courses are designed to improve the writing and study skills of resident ESL students or newly arrived international students. Students in the courses normally are regularly enrolled students in the University.

Student Learning Objectives

Successful English majors will:

• Master various analytical and critical reading skills, demonstrating the ability to read closely and to comprehend and interpret a variety of culturally diverse literary, non-literary, and visual texts.
• Gain broad knowledge of literature, achieving
  • Familiarity with the development and significant periods and movements of American, British, and World literatures.
  • Knowledge of literary, critical, and theoretical terminology.
  • Understanding of background and contextual knowledge necessary for the well-informed consideration of various texts.
• Demonstrate formal writing skills by composing essays and other documents that
  • Make clear, organized, and well-reasoned arguments.
  • Analyze, develop, and synthesize concepts.
  • Reveal the ability to evaluate, incorporate, and document information.
  • Exhibit a sense of audience and occasion.
  • Display a mastery of grammar and language.
• Develop competent oral communication skills through class discussions and formal presentations.
• Gain understanding of intellectual and professional issues of the academy, including diversity, academic ethics, and canonicity.