English Undergraduate Program

Our undergraduate program offers courses in literature, creative writing, drama, and film. Our class sizes are small, and we encourage students to interact with their professors. Students have opportunities to make films, participate in dramatic productions, and publish in journals such as QWERTY and The Journal of Student Writing. Students can also join the Albert Ross Society, the English Department's undergraduate club, which hosts events and activities throughout the year.

Policies

Office Hours

All professors establish office hours in which they meet with students to discuss their work. While this is often most relevant in the period before the submission of an essay, students should always take the opportunity to discuss their work with the course instructor at any time. To get the most out of a meeting, it is important to prepare for it and make maximum use of the time: know what it is you want to discuss. If after receiving a piece of work back, you are unclear about anything in the marking, do seek clarification. Instructors are always willing to elaborate on the points they have made in their marking of a piece of work. Their main concern is that you understand what they are suggesting.

Course Comment

The Department has agreed to circulate student opinion questionnaires prepared by the Department at the end of each course. Instructors do not see these comments until after all grades have been formally submitted to the Registrar. In addition to the Department evaluations, University Senate Student Opinion Surveys are also administered.

Women Authors

The Department of English affirms its conviction that the work of women authors should be given its full and rightful place in the Department's courses.

Marking of Papers

It is the responsibility of members of the Department to ensure that written assignments, whether papers or tests, are returned as promptly as possible. Except in unusual circumstances, short papers should be returned before the next assignment is due. Longer papers should be returned within a month.

Deadlines

On January 12, 1982, the University Senate passed the following regulation: "That the term work in a course (excluding any work given in lieu of a final examination) must be submitted by the last day of lectures or earlier as required by the instructor." In all literature courses in the Department of English, all first-term essays will be assigned by the last day of October, and all second-term essays will be assigned by the last day of February.

Procedure for Student Complaints and Student Comments

Students are encouraged to bring before their instructor any complaints or comments which apply to the instructor. The department encourages instructors to receive students. If the student feels that the complaint or comment cannot be brought to the instructor concerned, then the student places the complaint or comment before the Chair, who will immediately inform all parties and act as an arbitrator.