Language Degrees Online

Welcome to La Sierra University and the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program.

La Sierra University’s international emphasis brings students to us from more than 60 nations and nearly every part of the United States. About one-third of our students come from other countries, and we welcome students from every culture and religion. La Sierra University’s international student clubs add to the life and color of our diverse campus, helping students learn more about American culture and develop lasting friendships.

At La Sierra, we teach the skills you need to succeed in the international marketplace. But there is more to learning English than simply studying the language. La Sierra University’s ESL Program wants to help you take the first step on your journey to success.

ENG 107 (F, S)
COLLEGE WRITING I
3 credits
Powers
Instruction in the writing process, in invention, and in necessary grammatical and organizational skills. Emphasis on expository writing.

ENG 108 (F, S)
COLLEGE WRITING II
3 credits
Powers
Instruction in planning and executing writing assignments common to all disciplines. Emphasis on essays about readings and on the library paper. Prerequisite: Waiver of or ENG 107.

ENG 150 (F, S)
THEMES IN LITERATURE AND CULTURE
3 credits
Patterns 1
This introductory course offers a thematic approach to literature in a cultural context and will include the study of works from at least two genres. Topics vary by section. The course is designed to teach students how to read, write, and think about primary texts.

ENG 180 (F, S)
INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY STUDY
3 credits
Patterns 1
Required of all day English majors in lieu of English 150, this introductory course acquaints students with fundamental principles and practices of studying literature, with a general overview of literary periods and genres and theories, and with library and database resources essential for this discipline.

ENG 218 (F, S)
ADVANCED COMPOSITION
3 credits

A course in writing and rewriting skills designed to show students how to write more effectively for different purposes and to different audiences: essays, articles, and reviews. Attention will be paid to a writer’s method and audiences. Prerequisite: ENG 108.

ENG 243
RELIGION AND CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE
3 credits

A study of religion and religious themes in literature. Attention will be paid both to literary critical concern and to religious analysis of poetry, fiction, and drama. Cross-listed as REL 243.

ENG 250 (F, S)
WRITERS AND THEIR WORLDS
3 credits
Patterns 1
In this intermediate literature course, students will read closely the works of three to five writers from various periods and at least two genres in light of their cultural, biographical, and historical contexts.

ENG 261
LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF GREAT BRITAIN BEGINNINGS TO 1700
3 credits
Patterns 1
This survey course considers important authors and works of British literature from its beginnings to 1700 within the context of shifts in British history and culture. Students gain not only an overview of significant works within this time frame, including early Celtic literature, but also a broad understanding of the cultural and aesthetic underpinnings indicated by terms like Medieval literature, Renaissance literature, Early Modern literature, and Restoration literature.

ENG 262
LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF GREAT BRITAIN 1700 – 1900
3 credits
Patterns 1
This survey course considers important authors and works of British literature from 1700 to 1900 within the context of shifts in British history and culture. Students gain not only an overview of significant works within this time frame, but also a broad understanding of the cultural and aesthetic underpinnings indicated by terms like Neo-classicism, Romanticism, and Victorianism.

ENG 263
LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF GREAT BRITAIN SINCE 1900
3 credits
Patterns 1
This survey course considers important authors and works of British literature from 1900 to the present within the context of shifts in British history and culture. Students gain not only an overview of significant works within this time frame, including Irish literature, but also a broad understanding of the cultural and aesthetic underpinnings indicated by terms like Modernism and Post-modernism.

ENG 266
LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF AMERICA BEGINNINGS TO 1860
3 credits
Patterns 1
This survey course considers important authors and works of early American literature from its beginnings to the Civil War. Students gain not only an overview of significant works within this time frame, but also a broad understanding of the cultural and aesthetic underpinnings indicated by terms like the Age of Faith, the Age of Reason and Revolution, Transcendentalism, and the American Renaissance.

ENG 267
LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF AMERICA 1861 TO 1911
3 credits
Patterns 1
This survey course considers important authors and works of American literature from the beginning of the Civil War to the pre-World War I period. Students gain not only an overview of significant works within this time frame, but also a broad understanding of the cultural and aesthetic underpinnings indicated by terms like the Age of Realism.

ENG 268
LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF AMERICA SINCE 1912
3 credits
Patterns 1
This survey course considers important authors and works of American literature from the publication of Poetry magazine in 1912 to the present. Students gain not only an overview of significant works within this time frame, but also a broad understanding of the cultural and aesthetic underpinnings indicated by terms like Modernism, Post-modernism, and New Journalism.

ENG 300
THE GRAMMARS OF ENGLISH AND THE WRITING PROCESS
3 credits

This course introduces students to the systematic structures of English sentences and the practical applications of these systems in writing. Students investigate the meaning of a “language standard” and the controversy surrounding it, with emphasis placed on sentence combining and generative rhetoric as well as the contributions of traditional, structural, and transformational-generative studies to our understanding of English “grammar.”

ENG 301
HISTORY OF THE LANGUAGE/WRITING TEXT AND CONTEXT
3 credits

Open to all students, this course is especially designed to allow educators to fulfill the complementary state competency requirements in history of the language and in the teaching of writing. Using literary texts drawn from the Old, Middle, Early Modern, and Modern periods of English, students will look at how language change has dictated the ways in which we read, examine, and write texts, both our own and those of others. Further discussions will include theories of composition, approaches to the writing process, and guidelines for the use of literary texts from the historical periods studied in this course to design and evaluate writing assignments for students at the middle and secondary school levels.

ENG 302
LANGUAGE AND PREJUDICE
3 credits

This course studies how language affects the way we view ourselves and others in our culture. Case studies of language in relation to sexism, racism, and politics will be supplemented by discussions of introductory concepts of language systems and stylistic analysis.

ENG 303 (F, S)
WRITING FOR BUSINESS
3 credits

By providing instruction in planning and executing effective business writing, this course helps students learn to write the documents required of them as professionals: letters, resumes, memos, proposals, abstracts, and reports.

ENG 305
FICTION WRITING I
3 credits

An introduction to the writing of fiction.

ENG 306
POETRY WRITING
3 credits

A workshop in the writing of poetry.

ENG 307
PLAYWRITING
3 credits

A study of the art of playwriting from the traditional and contemporary point of view. Guided writing of a one-act play.

ENG 308
Legal Writing
3 credits

Legal Writing is a challenging yet practical course in the reading, planning, and writing of effective legal documents (legal letters and memoranda, briefs, contracts, and personal statements for applications to law schools). It is designed for students planning careers in areas such as law, business, communication, and media studies.

ENG 310
EDITING AND PUBLISHING
3 credits

Workshop approach to provide students with experience in judging manuscripts, proofreading, typographical design, and production of short documents: e.g., forms, resumes, flyers, brochures, and newsletters. Introduction to and use of desktop publishing software.

ENG 315
YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
3 credits
Concentration Option
In this course, attention will be paid to the reading and discussion of contemporary young adult fiction representing a variety of themes and genres. Other topics include adolescent psychology, the history and development of young adult literature, current trends in young adult literature, and the young adult in film and other mass media. Aimed at preparing prospective and actual teachers, librarians, and parents to understand and to direct the reading of young adults.

ENG 316
LITERARY THEORY AND CRITICISM
3 credits

Readings and discussion of major critical texts in their historical setting, emphasizing the critical theories of the last several decades.

ENG 324 (F, S)
SHAKESPEARE
3 credits
Concentration Option
This course considers selected poems and plays, including tragedies, comedies, history plays, and romances, exploring the literary, dramatic, and historical dimensions of Shakespeare’s art.

ENG 330
WEB DESIGN
3 credits

Web Design is an introduction to the practice of World Wide Web document design, grounded in an understanding of the Web’s development and theories of graphics and communication. The course focuses on researching, creating, revising, and editing Web sites, using “hard code” and applications-based layout and editing. Not to be taken with DART 230.

ENG 335

WOMEN WRITERS
3 credits
Concentration Option
This course examines women’s literary traditions by surveying works of women writers from several historical periods.

ENG 336

ETHNIC AMERICAN LITERATURE
3 credits
Concentration Option
In this course, although topics vary from section to section, students read and discuss American ethnic writers, including, but not limited to, ethnic groups such as African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans. Primary texts span American history, while secondary readings include contemporary critical theory.

ENG 337

WORLD LITERATURE, THE WESTERN TRADITION
3 credits
Concentration Option
This course surveys the literature of Western Europe from the ancient Greeks to the modern period, emphasizing drama and narrative in their many forms. Literary works will be studied in relationship to their historical and cultural contexts.

ENG 338

WORLD LITERATURE, THE NON-WESTERN TRADITION
3 credits
Concentration Option
This course considers primarily 20th- and 21st-century readings in selected works from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim, emphasizing literature as a reflection of its cultural background.

ENG 354

CONTEMPORARY FICTION
3 credits
Concentration Option
This course considers novels and short fiction from roughly 1950 to the present, focusing on works that may include both Western and non-Western authors.

ENG 355

CONTEMPORARY DRAMA
3 credits
Concentration Option
This course considers developments in world drama from roughly 1950 to the present, including works performed on and off Broadway, in London’s West End, fringe theaters, and innovative regional theaters. Special attention may be given to emerging third-world, minority, and women dramatists.

ENG 356

CONTEMPORARY POETRY
3 credits
Concentration Option
This course considers trends and significant achievements in poetry from roughly 1950 to the present. Although its emphasis is on poetry written in English, poems in translation may be included.

ENG 357

LIVING AMERICAN WRITERS
3 credits
Concentration Option
Students read from the works of 4 to 5 well-known American writers who visit the class to discuss their work. Although topics of discussion will vary according to the writers being studied, consideration will be given to such matters as canonicity, the role of the writer in the broader culture, literary form, theme as it evolves over the course of an author’s career, and the business of publishing.

ENG 360 (F)
WRITING AND THE UNIVERSITY
3 credits

The study of peer-tutoring strategies and the rhetoric of academic prose. Application required for this course.

ENG 370-379
SPECIAL TOPICS
3 credits
Concentration Option
Specially designed courses in literature built around a topic chosen by the instructor. Topics vary from semester to semester.

ENG 402
TOPICS IN CREATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING II
3 credits

Special topics in advanced writing, including memoir writing, magazine writing, advanced business writing, advanced poetry writing, and writing about the environment. May be repeated for credit.

ENG 405-406
ADVANCED FICTION WORKSHOP
3 credits

Workshop format in the writing of fiction. Prerequisites: ENG 305. May be repeated for credit.

ENG 409
TECHNICAL PUBLISHING
3 credits

Directed practice in writing popular technical and scientific articles, technical reports and proposals, abstracts, and in using technical reference materials.

ENG 410
ELECTRONIC AUTHORING
3 credits

Electronic Authoring and Publishing explores the relationship between print and online media. Students hone their editorial and design skills as well as their computer skills and knowledge of several applications. While it is at once an advanced course in the practice of desktop publishing and in pre-print software, such as Quark Xpress, it also introduces students to non-print publishing concepts and practices, such as those of the World Wide Web.

ENG 435

WOMEN, LITERATURE, AND CULTURE
3 credits
Concentration Option
A study of feminist literary theory and an application of feminist literary criticism to a major writer, coterie, movement, or era.

ENG 451
STUDIES IN BRITISH LITERATURE TO 1500
3 credits
Concentration Option
In this course, students intensively study Medieval British literature. Although topics may vary from section to section, this course concentrates on selected authors from this time period, examining them in light of their historical and cultural contexts, as well as continental traditions.

ENG 452
STUDIES IN BRITISH LITERATURE 1500 – 1800
3 credits
Concentration Option
In this course, students intensively study British literature from the early modern period. Although topics may vary from section to section, this course concentrates on selected authors from this time period, examining them in light of their historical and cultural contexts, as well as continental traditions.

ENG 453
STUDIES IN BRITISH LITERATURE 1800 – 1900
3 credits
Concentration Option
In this course, students intensively study 19th-century British literature. Although topics may vary from section to section, this course concentrates on selected authors from this time period, examining them in the light of their historical and cultural contexts, as well as continental traditions.

ENG 454

STUDIES IN BRITISH LITERATURE SINCE 1900
3 credits
Concentration Option
In this course, students intensively study British literature from 1900 to the present. Although topics may vary from section to section, this course concentrates on selected authors from this time period, examining them in the light of their historical and cultural contexts, as well as continental traditions.

ENG 456

STUDIES IN AMERICAN LITERATURE TO 1900
3 credits
Concentration Option
In this course, students intensively study American literature from its beginnings to 1900. Although topics may vary from section to section, this course concentrates on selected authors from this time period, examining them in the light of their historical and cultural contexts.

ENG 457

STUDIES IN AMERICAN LITERATURE SINCE 1900
3 credits
Concentration Option
In this course, students intensively study American literature from 1900 to the present. Although topics may vary from section to section, this course concentrates on selected authors from this time period, examining them in the light of their historical and cultural contexts.

ENG 461-462 (F, S)
INTERNSHIP
3 credits

Students may intern at a variety of sites including advertising and public relations firms, publishing and broadcasting companies, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and social service and health care agencies. Working under professional supervision 12 to 15 hours a week (3 credits) or 24 to 30 hours a week (6 credits), students learn how to apply their education to the everyday demands of the world of work. Required: junior or senior standing, 2.75 grade point average both overall and in the major, and recommendation of the internship coordinator.

ENG 480 (S)
SEMINAR
3 credits
Concentration Option
A capstone course, focusing on a particular author or group of related authors, in which students will do advanced work and complete a substantial seminar paper. Subject matter varies from semester to semester.

In every major career field, the ability to write and think clearly and creatively is becoming a more precious human resource. If you haven’t thought about minoring in English, you should know that it is one of the most constructive ways to make your education a more marketable commodity. Corporate employers are experiencing a need for employees who, besides their specialized training, have broad communication and analytical skills, the skills emphasized in liberal arts courses. With its broad variety and scope as a subject, English offers a host of minoring options that can fulfill your career needs and interests. Choosing an English minor program at La Salle is easy! Why is an English minor helpful?

Does your major require you to write? Does it require you to read? Then your major demands a thorough knowledge of English skills. With a minor in English you’ll be taught how to read with greater comprehension and insight and write with more confidence and clarity. What’s your major?

Business Major?

Try some of our courses designed specifically for business students. Courses in business, professional, and technical writing prepare you for the kind of writing skill the business world will demand of you.

History Major?

Literature makes history come alive in stories and poetry. We offer over twenty courses in American and English literature, spanning the Middle Ages to the twentieth century.

Whatever your major is, the writing, reading, and oral skills you can learn with an English minor will help prepare you for the future. Whatever that future is, it will likely demand those skills along with the specific ones of your field. Employers will be impressed by the broader range of skills and knowledge an English minor lends to your education. And unlike business training and computer technology, English skills never become obsolete.

Still, perhaps you think,”I’m just not good at English.” Maybe you just aren’t aware of all of the courses La Salle offers in English: oral communication, women’s studies, language theory, editing and publishing, creative writing and playwriting workshops, and business, professional, and scientific writing-courses that are challenging yet manageable, and which require no prerequisites.

Mastering a second language is a necessity as business, technology, and nations become more interconnected. Proficiency in a second language gives you an advantage in today’s complex world, expanding your ability to understand cultures beyond your own.

As you study another language and develop communicative skills, you also learn about the people who speak the language. By studying their literature, films, and music, you will develop intercultural skills that will broaden your career options and increase your appreciation of life and other peoples.
Degree Options

Lafayette offers majors and minors in French, German, and Spanish. You may also study Hebrew, Japanese, Russian, and classical Greek and Latin. You may also major in interdisciplinary studies programs with a strong foreign language component such as:
Asian Studies
Government & Law and Foreign Language
History and Foreign Language & Cultures
International Affairs
International Economics and Commerce
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Russian and East European Studies

Engineering majors may pursue a two-degree program in which they earn a B.S. in an engineering field and an A.B. in international studies. Students who choose this double degree select a language as part of this program.

The department also offers minors in comparative literature, classical languages and literatures, and classical civilization. Hebrew language courses may be applied to the Jewish studies minor.

As chair of La Salle University’s Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, I invite you to peruse our home on the Internet. The Department aims to expand the potential of our students by equipping them with a second and, for many, a third language. We recognize that although the world has grown smaller through globalization, those who are adept in additional languages are leaders of their chosen fields. In addition to fluency, students gain knowledge of the historic development of a given language and its literature and culture. Our curriculum offers rigorous preparation for the myriad of careers that exist for multilingual graduates. We, the professors and students, work as a team to ensure that each graduate utilizes every opportunity to master his or her chosen language.

The Department’s faculty upholds globally recognized standards of academic excellence. Our professors are active researchers and publish books and articles on a regular basis. They are also active in local and national organizations that support and promote various linguistic communities. In the classroom, our faculty use well-honed teaching methods and the latest technology to provide the best learning experience for the students. We consistently produce graduates that have good control of the mandatory language skills of comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing the foreign language. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me directly at

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