3. Disciplinary currency: integrated English studies
model with literature, cultural studies, and writing in
positive, productive relationship.
1. Disciplinary Currency
4. 2. Institutionally Appropriate Offerings
Offerings appropriate to SCU, a liberal arts college
with a social justice mission (literature and cultural
studies, wgst, multi-ethnic and global literatures)
5. 3. Offerings Appropriate to Location
Silicon Valley location: new media, science,
technology and society, document design and
technical communication. Information
literacy=digital content production.
SCU Strategic Plan 2B: “Strengthen distinctive
academic niches that will allow us to meet the needs
of Silicon Valley, both locally and in its global
outreach."
6. 4) Grow enrollment & communicate
offerings better
A) We might grow the major
and minor by making
them simpler, more
appealing and less
arduous for students and
faculty.
B) The survey suggests that
elective enrollment might
grow with clearer
communication of
offerings
This could mean:
fewer courses overall
fewer requirements
more choices
better communication of
opportunities
offerings framed to
address student concerns
about careers and
postgraduate life.
7. 5. Balance Reading and Writing.
The curriculum is one location to help us address
issues of department culture, power and resource
allocation.
It can help reflect our commitment to balance between
literary consumption and analysis (reading) and
textual production (writing).
9. We can make progress without
resolving all of our issues:
• How does our vision of the renovated curriculum
relate to our hopes to establish a writing program?
• In what ways can/should CTW classes serve as an
introduction to the possibilities of the renovated
major and minor?
• How can we support greater integration of digital
literacy in first-year writing?
Again: these are questions that we might have
addressed, but ARE NOT addressing at this time.
11. 1. Concentrations
We agreed to explore concentrations as one way of
reorganizing, opening, and renovating the
curriculum. Yes, the major, but especially the minor:
diversifying the appeal or “branding” of both.
(More about
“concentrations” vs “tracks”
in a minute!)
12. 2. Courses in Common
We agreed on the importance of foundation courses
and shared experiences like capstones.
13. 3. Flexibility
We are a discipline in a moment of exceptional
transition. We are looking for a solution that works
both with who we are/what we can do and will allow
us to move toward our (evolving) goals.
Data point: All disciplines have lost ground in the percentage of
faculty that are tenure-track. Most have held steady or gained in
absolute number of tenure lines, however. English is unique in
losing ten percent of the absolute number of lines in ten years
1995-2004, a trend almost certainly continuing in the five years
since. Also factor in the massive growth in hiring in various
English fields (writing, new media, eg) and what does that
suggest about tenure-track LCS hiring? Our department is caught
up in significant long-term disciplinary change.
14. 4. We can do better with writing.
We agree that writing is an underdeveloped area of
curriculum, and that to improve we require
additional resources: tenure track lines, lab facilities,
funds for faculty development, etc.
15. 5. We Seek a One-Department Solution.
• Concentrations vs. Tracks: writing tracks within
traditional depts have been in place for 20 years or
more. The possibility of tracks is where this
conversation began.
• More recently, the most successful curricular
change in the past ten years (Syracuse, St. John's,
MSU, MIT) has been in stand-alone writing
programs, new depts, or renamed/reorganized
departments.
• Stand-alone units allow writing faculty to address
the steadily evolving and growing number of
16. Places to look at curricular change
• NCTE study of Writing Majors: 80-100, but very
limited sample, just a fraction of the total (none of
the many UC efforts, eg).
• Use a search engine: “writing minors -creative”
• MLA JIL: description of cutting edge curricular
change targeted to top young faculty, eg UK's new
division of Writing, Rhetoric and Digital Media
(full year of required writing integrating digital
media), UCF's stand-alone dept featuring all full-
time faculty teaching writing and PhD in “Texts
and Technology,” etc
17. Key Thought 1
There are clearly some advantages for maximizing
gen-ed curricular change in the more radical 2-
department solutions.
It is much less clear, however, that this arrangement
benefits majors & minors.
We feel that an integrated English studies model (one
department) is superior for students, far more
efficient and unquestionably the best fit for our
institution.
18. Key Thought 2
We didn't go looking for the most radical solution; we
went looking for the most conservative solution
that was still a solution.
Our proposal combines the virtues of the one-
department solution with some of the nimbleness of
the 2-department solutions.
Our ambitions are exclusively additive: we do not want
to alienate any part of our current clientele. We want
to serve them better and attract some new students as
well.
20. Tracks
• Few, large, aggregative, stable.
• More like mini-majors with required courses.
• Changing course requires substantial effort.
• Tend to brand students: "I'm in the writing track.”
• The agglomeration of items in big tracks is only
modestly effective at communicating the full range
of possibility and choice, esp. in evolving fields.
21. Concentrations
Many, small, flexible.
New concentrations easily added; failing
concentrations easily pruned.
Work well with changing menus of courses.
Similar to the current system of crafting an
individual concentration, but communicates those
possibilities to students in advance.
22. Concentrations
Would not prevent students from crafting an entirely
unique concentration with an advisor.
Allow students to be interested equally in LCS and
writing. (A very substantial benefit for students as
well as faculty, not to mention administration.)
24. 1) How many courses overall?
How many courses should we have in the major
overall? What about the minor?
25. 2. Courses in Common?
How many courses should majors have in common?
What about minors? What should they be?
26. 3a. How to Frame Options?
What kind of concentrations can/should we offer?
What size should they be?
How many can/should students elect?
27. 3b. Types of Frames
We discussed many options, including:
a) four-six big standard agglomerated tracks with 5-7
classes each (where we began, but concluded not a
good fit for dept or location).
b) two groups (Writing and LCS) of smaller, purer
concentrations of as few as 3 courses each: pick one
of each for majors, pick one for minors.
28. 4. What Distribution Requirements Will
We Impose on Electives?
Currently there's a huge imbalance between
majors (lots of distribution reqs for electives)
and minors (none).
Can we do without
many of the current requirements?
30. Concentrations in Two Groups:
Literature and Cultural Studies
Writing, including Creative Writing
31. Major in English
12 courses overall, including 2 foundation classes:
– Intro to LCS (theory and methods course)
– Literacy and Technology (theory, research and issues
in comp-rhet—counts as Advanced Writing)
• From the available electives, choose 1 course
before 1800, a capstone, and two concentrations.
Recommended but not required: choose one
concentration from LCS and one from Writing.
32. Minor in English
5 classes, including one foundation course
One concentration
35. LCS concentrations
Lit. for Young Readers
Cinema and Screenwriting
Women, Sex, & Gender
MELUS/Literature of the
Americas
Classical and
Contemporary Rhetoric
Medieval and Early
Modern Studies
Spirituality and Literature
Lit. & the Environment
Contemporary World
Literature and CS
American Lit and CS
Critical Theory and the
Profession
British Literature & CS
Literary History (5 courses)
Lit and Social Change?
Genre Studies? Cal Lit?
36. Writing concentrations
Digital Culture and
New Media
Science and technical
communication
Creative Nonfiction
Advocacy, Public
Discourse & Social
Change
English Education and
Pedagogy
Business
Communication
Creative writing minor
Literacy and
Community
Legal & medical
communication?
37. Survey of Student Response
to Potential Concentrations
Students from all majors are interested in current LCS
offerings, especially to fulfill a requirement or as a
free elective.
38.
39. Interpreting Expressions of Interest
Most respondents are first year, first term
students.They are reacting to descriptors, not to the
fields of study themelves! Some ways to interpret the
most popular answer in all concentrations, 1-3
classes for personal interest or to fulfill a
requirement: a) It's the status quo
b) The way we are communicating department
offerings makes a difference, positively and
negatively.
Either way, in the concentrations format, we aren't
looking at these expressions of interest as relative to
each other, or competing.
40.
41.
42. In LCS, the top 4 choices >20 for career value, about
10 for consider a minor, and about 5 for consider a
major.
All majors are also interested in writing.
Notice the intensity of interest in writing
43.
44. All Majors' Interest in Writing is Intense
The intensity of interest in writing varies from field to
field, but is substantial across the board.
In terms of intensity, respondents expressed roughly
double the interest expressed in LCS:
Top choices for career value are >40
Top possible minors 15-20
Top possible majors about 10.
45.
46.
47. Current English Majors
Have a different profile than other majors in terms of
LCS interests (though sample is too small).
They also have much more intense interest in LCS
(not surprisingly).
Their interest in LCS is more intense than their interest
in writing.
48.
49. English Majors are
Interested in Writing.
Respondents expressed interest in nearly all of the
potential writing concentrations at a level placing
them in the middle of the interest range of LCS
concentrations.
50.
51. All Non English Majors (182)
Interest in top 4 or 5 LCS choices
Career value: about 15
Possible minor: about 5
Possible major: 3-5
Sharp drop after top choices
57. Non-English Majors:
Serious Interest in All Writing Fields
Out of 181 respondents,
Career value in most fields: 30-50
Possible minor in most fields: 10-20
Possible major in most fields: about 10
Nearly across the board, writing concentrations attract
at least 2-3 times the expression of interest in the top
four LCS concentrations.
58. Opportunity: First Year Students
Intending to Declare a Business Major
Peter Drucker:
Management is a liberal art;
administrators are cultural workers,
the artists/great communicators of intentional
workplace culture.
59.
60.
61.
62. First-year students intending to declare
a Science Major
Least interested in both LCS and Writing of all
respondents, but some potential for coursework in
Science, Technical and Medical Communication.
(Writing program leadership might communicate
with Writing Program at MIT, etc.)
63.
64.
65. Engineering Majors
Meaningful interest in digital culture & film (streaming
media in organizational content management?),
business, science, and technical communication.
Given the high level of regimentation in Engineering
curriculum, an opportunity best explored by WPA in
consultation/coordination with Engineering
leadership?
And: As a department, are we getting the full benefit of
offering courses staffed by lecturers?
(Apparently not.)
66.
67.
68. Humanities Other Than English
Preferences most closely resemble English:
Largest opportunities are in already-established
interdisciplinary programs: Creative Writing, Film,
WGST, eg, with possible exception of Critical
Theory and the Profession(s?)
Interest in writing concentrations is broad and intense,
with particular interest in Advocacy, Business, Legal,
and Medical Communication.
69.
70.
71. Summary by Major, 1
English: substantial interest in formal writing
concentrations, across the board roughly equivalent
to 2nd
choice LCS concentration.
Business: Managers' first responsibility is
organizational culture and communication; more
interested in public interest & advocacy than we
might expect.
72. Summary by Major, 2
Other humanities majors: more interest in LCS than
business major, but mostly in established programs;
like business majors. Substantial additional interest
in English for writing concentrations addressing
public, professional, organizational culture &
communication.
Engineering and Science: real opportunities, but
leadership-level coordination and further research
recommended.
73. Some Possibilities
• Concentrations can vary in size (3-5?); free
electives can be increased by increasing courses
for the major (from 2 to 4, eg, by requiring 14)
• Reqs. can all be recs or v.v; recs can vary
according to student primary interest; role of
advising.
• As we might offer them, some concentrations fit
both LCS & W, or might be housed on the side
where fit is currently best: eg, Cinema &
Screenwriting in LCS; Creative Nonfiction, Digital
Culture and New Media in Writing
74. Some Possibilities 2
• Would it be desirable to have major genre
concentrations on LCS side (Fiction, Poetry), or
possibly just Drama? Or Poetry also?What about
just Genre Studies? Similar question for British
Lit/Literary History?
• Some CTW & C&I classes might count for some
concentrations (and thus work as lead-ins to
minoring/majoring): perhaps encourage
concentrations to permit this (and count 1 section)?
• Each concentration might be overseen by one
person, who will coordinate with curr. Comm.
75. Some Possibilities 3
• We should be able to list 2 concentrations on
official transcripts.
• Would it be practical to provide majors with a form
letter attesting to their concentrations? It could be
kept on file in electronic form (secure pdf) and sent
on request to employers/internship opportunities.
• Connect some of the writing concentrations to
internships—this needs support to get off the
ground. Another area for coordination and
leadership.
76. Some Possibilities 4
• Curricular changes that are unlikely to impact
other departments require only departmental
approval. This may come into play now/in future
depending on what we decide & when we decide
it. Either way, it will be useful for department and
WP leadership to consult with the dean & associate
dean for obvious reasons, others (core, provost,
IT, Media Services, Tech Training.)
• WP & “strengthening distinctive academic niches
in Silicon Valley”
