Lower Division
for Freshmen and Sophomores
World Literature 1 & 2 All freshmen at Lowell take
either World Literature 1 or 2 in their first semester and the students who
do not enroll in English Honors program take the other course in the second
semester of the freshman year.
The two courses together serve as an introduction to world mythology
and literature.
World Literature 1H & 2H All Lowell freshmen take
the English Honors Test during their first semester.
Those who pass this test and earn an “A” grade in
English their first semester enroll in either World Literature 1H or 2H in
the spring semester. The
honors classes are more demanding and faster-paced and offer more
challenging reading and writing assignments than the regular classes.
Ethnic Experience in Literature 1 Sophomores read novels,
short stories, plays, and poems about the experiences and themes of
adolescence, such as loss of innocence, initiation into adulthood and
self-discovery.
Ethnic Experience in Literature1H Sophomores in Honors English
in the fall semester cover some of the reading in Ethnic Experience in
Literature1, as well as more difficult reading, at a faster pace and in
greater depth than their counterparts in the regular classes.
Ethnic Experience in Literature 2 Sophomores read poems,
novels, plays, and short stories by writers from different ethnic and
cultural backgrounds to learn about the great diversity of human
experience.
Ethnic Experience
in Literature 2H (American Doubters and Dreamers) Sophomores in Honors English in
the spring semester read classics of American Literature from the
eighteenth through the twentieth centuries.
English 71H (Introduction to Expository Writing and
Critical Reading)
Second semester sophomores who have earned a minimum of two semester
A’s and one B have the opportunity to enter the honors program by taking
this class. Students
polish their writing skills while reading some of the works covered in 2H
above. Students
who pass this course with a final grade of B or better will move into
junior Advanced Placement English to prepare for the Advanced Placement
Examination in Language and Composition.
Upper Division
Electives in Literature for Juniors and Seniors
American Literature 1 Students read poems, novels, short stories, and
plays by American authors who span the history of American Literature.
American Literature 2 (The American Short Story) Students study a range
of works of short fiction by American authors to hone their critical
reading skills.
Comedy and Satire This course offers a comprehensive survey of
comic and satiric material from its origins in classical drama to its
modern expressions in poems, stories, novels, and film.
English and European Literature 1 (from Beowulf to Shakespeare) Students
read poetry and drama from early English and European Literature along with
some modern works based upon the earlier models.
English and European Literature 2 (Gothic Fiction) Students
survey the classical origins of modern horror fiction by reading stories
and novels primarily in the Gothic tradition and comparing them with modern
adaptations in literature and film.
Epic and Myth Students read epics and myths from classical and
world literature containing mythological themes and allusions that permeate
Western thought and literature.
Film as Literature Students survey the history of film and study it as
both an art form and a form of communication.
Literature and Psychology Students study basic
Freudian theory and terminology in order to gain a common conceptual basis
and language for the examination of character development and motivation in
literature.
Literature and Philosophy Students gain specific skills
in reading, analyzing and writing about a variety of philosophical texts
and examine how stories, poems and novels reflect different philosophical
views.
The Novel (History and Development) Students read
a variety of novels from different cultures and periods of history to
examine this genre in its various forms.
Poetry Students read major poets and study the various
forms of poetry. Not U.C. approved
Science Fiction and Fantasy Seniors who have taken Epic
and Myth can further explore their interest in fantasy literature by
reading science fiction novels and stories that embody both social
criticism and mind stretching speculation about the future.
Shakespeare Students can pursue their love of our greatest writer
by reading intensively comic, tragic and history plays and sonnets not
covered in their other English classes.
Upper Division
Composition Courses
Expository Writing Juniors in the regular English program are required
to take this one semester course to polish their writing skills for upper
division courses and to prepare for college writing. They write expository essays that
develop a thesis statement using approaches and diction appropriate to
particular audiences.
Advanced Composition Students polish their skills in writing
persuasive and argumentative essays.
Argument Students study the arguments of great
speakers and writers to perfect their argumentative writing and
speaking. They are required to
present their arguments orally as well as in writing and refine their use
of voice in writing. Not UC
approved.
Advanced
Placement Electives for Juniors
These semester courses prepare juniors the Advanced
Placement Language & Composition Exam.
Advanced Placement English 74 (The Knight in
Not-So-Shining Armor) This is a course in English literature, unified
thematically in its treatment of the relationship between the real and the
ideal.
Advanced Placement English 75 (Twentieth Century
American Writers) This
course focuses on modern American poets, dramatists, and fiction writers
from different regions, ethnic backgrounds, and historical circumstances.
Advanced Placement English 72 (Comparative Themes)
In this course students read and compare great European literary
works—epics, plays, poems, and novels—from different countries and
historical periods.
Advanced Placement English 73 (Literature and Philosophy) Students
read fiction, poetry, and drama in light of philosophical approaches to
discover how philosophical concepts come into play in literature.
Advanced Placement English 77 (The Heroine in
Literature) Students read poems, plays, short stories, and novels from
different countries and historical periods that focus on the female
protagonist in her various forms.
Advanced
Placement Electives for Seniors
Advanced Placement Language and Composition 1& 2 This two- semester course is
for seniors who have done well in the regular program and wish to take an
Advanced Placement course in their senior year. It focuses on the close reading of non-fiction works to
analyze the rhetorical strategies the authors use and on writing persuasive
and analytical essays. Students take the Advanced Placement Language and
Comp. Exam.
These semester courses prepare seniors for the
Advanced Placement Literature and Composition Exam.
Advanced Placement English 80 (Heroes, Comic and
Tragic) Students read
poems, plays, stories and novels from different historical periods and
cultures that focus on both tragic and comic heroes.
Advanced Placement
English 83 (The Individual in the Universe) Students read literature
from different historical periods and countries to examine the individual’s
perception of his place in the universe.
Advanced Placement English
84 (Portraits of the Artist)
Students
read plays, novels, short stories and poems that share a focus on the part
that art and the artist play in society.
Advanced Placement English 86 (Masterworks of
Literature in English) Students
read and compare the elements of literary classics in English from various
historical periods and English-speaking cultures.
Advanced Placement English 89 (Poetry) Students learn techniques of
close and careful reading of various forms of poetry in English.
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