To develop in every student, including the English major

1) a sensitivity to the dynamics of language and an ability to communicate in an articulate, persuasive, and accessible manner

2) a recognition of writing as a reflective and a communicative process by which one discovers oneself, humanity, and the world at large

3) a rudimentary understanding of responsible methods of research

4) an ability to think critically in written and oral discourse

5) an appreciation of the pleasures and powers of literary texts as works of art and as historical and cultural artifacts

6) an ability to relate one's readings to social currents in the evolution of Western and non-Western thought

7) an exposure to and appreciation of differing cultural values and social constructs

B) To develop specifically in the English major with a literature concentration

1) an understanding of British, American, and Anglophone literary traditions and their antecedents

2) an ability to discriminate among a variety of literary forms

3) a capacity to do literary research, using bibliographical resources and appropriate documentation style

4) an awareness of a variety of methods of literary criticism, the current debate over canon formation, and a rudimentary awareness of literary theory

5) a sense of the interdisciplinary context of literature and literary study

C) To develop specifically in the English major with a writing concentration

1) an ability to produce quality writing within a variety of genres

2) an awareness of the literary traditions which have led to current trends in writing

3) an ability to excel in at least one form of expression

4) a familiarity with professional opportunties in writing and related fields

5) the capacity to fully understand the means by which writers produce quality work