English department introduces structural changes
In the next three years, the English department will undergo significant changes to its program, adjusting the curriculum requirements and course offerings in response to student interest and changes in faculty.
Johnnies and Bennies studying English in the class of 2029 will begin under a restructured curriculum that is designed to provide clearer organization and better align with student interests.
The restructuring of the English curriculum is the result of a three-year process in which faculty in the English department surveyed students and alumni, examined similar departments at other institutions and performed a self-study, according to English Department Chair Jessica Harkins.
The changes to the English curriculum stem from a departmental-led effort in which they strove to adapt to changes at the institutions and to student interests.
“Reflecting on retirements, changes in curricula and changing student needs, we wanted our department to draw on its strengths and also showcase what we have to offer to a wider range of our contemporary students,” Harkins said.
As a part of the restructuring, the English department is now known as the Department of English and Creative Writing.
According to Harkins, the threeyear long process to revamp the curriculumfocused on emphasizing why students should study English at CSB+SJU.
As the transition to the new curriculum begins students, currently studying in the department of English and Creative Writing will have the option to choose which curriculum they follow.
“There will be a period of time where current students can stay on the current track or adopt the new one,” Harkins said. The details of that grace period are being finalized with academic advising.
Students registering for classes in the Department of English and Creative Writing will notice a less cluttered course catalog.
“Part of my job as chair this last year and a half has been clearing out the course catalog of courses that haven’t been offered in ten years, because we want students to read that and think, ‘those are the classes I can take while I am here,’” Harkins said.
New offerings to the course catalog include “Pirates and Puritans” and “Affairs of the Heart.” The structure of the 200-level courses will be adjusted to provide clearer organization throughout the major. The major will remain 40 credits.
English 201 will be a new requirement for the English major. This class will serve as a cohortbuilding class in which students will gain an understanding of the field of English Studies and get to know faculty members in the department.
Themes for English 201 draw inspiration from current student interest. Currently, professor John Kendall is teaching “AI in Literature” which examines the word “robot” and its connotations in literature. In the fall of 2025, Harkins will teach a class about games that examines the role of gamification. This class draws inspiration from the increased attention of games in popular culture such as Hunger Games and Squid Games.
Harkins acknowledges that restructuring the curriculum has not come without its challenges.
“It’s a tricky time to be revising your department and trying to really offer substantive opportunities to students with humanities kind of seen as less than and the cost of higher education,” Harkins said.
