Courses
See also Adult Basic Education (ABE) Upgrading Courses.
University Courses
The following courses are offered through the English department.
The English department offers courses required to complete VIU's Bachelor of Arts Major or Minor in English.
Some English courses are offered every year while others are offered on a rotational basis. Alternating offerings allow students to select from a wider variety of courses during their second, third, and fourth years. Information on the annual course selection and detailed descriptions of the courses may be obtained from the English department or from the Advising Centre, normally by the beginning of April.
Note: Students may register in more than one first-year English course concurrently with the permission of the Chair
Course offerings vary from year to year. Check Generate a Timetable for available course offerings.
Students looking at options for first year English courses are advised to also consider LBST 111 and 112, or INTR courses with a first year English component.
ENGL 107 (3) Computer-Mediated Communication
An exploration of writing and communicating on and via the internet. Students explore the nature of computer-mediated communication, learn technical skills and programs to participate in virtual learning communities, and gain practical experience composing multimedia texts. ENGL 107 was formerly called ENGL 290,ENGL 207; credit will not be granted for both courses. (1:0:2)
Prerequisite: Min. "C" in English 12 or equivalent.
ENGL 115 (3) University Writing and Research
An introduction to critical thinking and reading, academic writing, and research skills, consistent with the conditions and expectations students encounter as readers and writers at university. Note: Students are not permitted to register in more than one first-year English course concurrently. Credit will only be granted for one of ENGL 117 or ENGL 115. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. "C" in English 12 or equivalent.
ENGL 117 (3) University Writing and Research: Indigenous Focus
An introduction to critical thinking and reading, academic writing, and research skills, consistent with the conditions and expectations students encounter as readers and writers at university. Curriculum will focus on Indigenous issues and writers. Note: Students are not permitted to register in more than one first-year English course concurrently. Credit will only be granted for one of ENGL 115 or ENGL 117. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. "C" in English 12 or equivalent.
ENGL 125 (3) Literature and Culture
An introduction to the concept of literary genres that explores the relation between literature and its historical and cultural contexts. This course emphasizes reading, research, and writing. Note: Students are not permitted to register in more than one first-year English course concurrently. Credit will only be granted for one of ENGL 127 or ENGL 125. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. "C" in English 12 or equivalent.
ENGL 127 (3) Literature and Culture: Indigenous Focus
An introduction to the concept of literary genres that explores the relation between literature and its historical and cultural contexts with a focus on Indigenous literatures. This course emphasizes reading, research, and writing. Note: Students are not permitted to register in more than one first-year English course concurrently. Credit will only be granted for one of ENGL 125 or ENGL 127. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. "C" in English 12 or equivalent.
ENGL 135 (3) Literature and Criticism
An introduction to different ways of approaching and analyzing literary works to develop awareness of the relation between literature and criticism. This course emphasizes reading, research, and writing. Note: Students are not permitted to register in more than one first-year English course concurrently. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. "C" in English 12 or equivalent.
ENGL 203 (3) Intermediate Academic Writing
An exploration of compositional technique through detailed attention to writing. The course makes use of distinctive themes and linked readings. Students write diverse short papers, discussing them in seminar and workshop formats. ENGL 203 was formerly called ENGL 215; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses with a min. "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a min. "C" in both.
ENGL 204 (3) Business and Technical Writing
An introduction to business and technical communication skills with a focus on documents (such as letters and reports) and presentations. Topics may include planning, outlining, summarizing, presenting data, handling references, and editing. The course comprises several practical assignments, including a formal report and an oral presentation. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: A first-year English course with a min. "C" or one of LBST 111 or LBST 112 with a min. "C".
ENGL 208 (3) Introduction to Public Speaking: Communication
An introduction to public speaking that focuses on the creation, organization, and delivery of speeches for non-dramatic purposes. It provides the rhetorical principles of effective and ethical public speaking, offers opportunities to become familiar with different speaking situations, and attempts to instil a sense of the importance of public speech. ENGL 208 was formerly called THEA 203; credit will not be granted for both courses. (1:2:0)
Prerequisite: A first-year English course with a min. "C" or one of LBST 111 or LBST 112 with a min. "C".
ENGL 220 (3) Canadian Literature in Context
A topical introduction to Canadian literature in a broader cultural context. The course explores distinctive elements of Canadian literature as well as characteristics shared with other cultures, historical and modern. ENGL 220 was formerly called ENGL 205 and ENGL 206; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 220 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 221 (3) North American Indigenous Literatures
An exploration of indigenous literatures that may range from oral traditions to contemporary writings and may focus on such topics as indigenous knowledge, relationship to the land, family and community, or decolonization. ENGL 221 was formerly called ENGL 213 and ENGL 214; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 221 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 222 (3) Introduction to World Literature
An introduction to the study of world literature written in or translated into English with an emphasis on regions other than Canada, Britain, and the United States. Genre, period, and nationality will vary. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 222 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 230 (3) Literature and Popular Culture
An examination of intersections between literature and popular culture, this course will focus on examples of popular literary works such as sensation and detective fiction, graphic narrative, and the Gothic. The course will explore representative works with some historical background. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 230 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 231 (3) Speculative Literature
An exploration of speculative literature, such as science fiction, fantasy, or utopian or dystopian writing, with some historical background. The course might explore a single speculative mode or differences and crossovers between modes. ENGL 231 was formerly called ENGL 210; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 231 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 232 (3) Children's Literature
A topical or chronological examination of children's literature that may range from its roots in mythology, folk tale, and fable to contemporary issues such as censorship and didacticism. May cover novels, picture-books, and poetry. ENGL 232 was formerly called ENGL 261 and ENGL 262; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 232 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 233 (3) Literature and Film
An interdisciplinary examination of literature and film. Topics may include relations between novels, comics, or scripts and cinematic adaptation; the comparative study of themes, national traditions, or theoretical concerns in both media; formal concerns and strategies; genres; or myth. ENGL 233 was formerly called ENGL 271 and ENGL 272; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 233 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 240 (3) Ways of Reading
An overview of theoretical frameworks for analyzing literature, with application of at least three theoretical approaches, which may vary. Students will experiment with approaches in the development of their own critical practice. Some attention will be given to the history of literary theory. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 240 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 273 (3) Ancients and Moderns
An examination of the power of the past in the literary present. The course may focus on the shaping influence of ancient traditions on contemporary literature, on the origins of literature in religious traditions and the continuing power of myth, or on the shift from oral to written culture. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 273 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 274 (3) Literary Traditions
With some attention to pre-1900 literature, the course will focus on a literary tradition, examining its historical roots, how it is recreated or changes over time, and its connections to social and cultural developments. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 274 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 280 (3) Book Club
An alternative experience of reading that caters to our more spontaneous relationship with books. Not bordered by analyses of genre or period, this course invites us to celebrate the pleasures of reading, explore its dangers, or delight in the companionship of voices on the page and in the room. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. 6 credits of first-year university English courses, with at least one literature course, and a minimum grade of "C" in both or completion of LBST 111 and LBST 112 with a minimum grade of "C" in both. Students who have achieved a minimum "B+" in ENGL 125 or ENGL 135 may take ENGL 280 concurrently with their second first-year English course.
ENGL 300 (3) Backgrounds to English Literature
A study of literature and main currents of thought that have helped shape English literature. Topics may include historical, philosophical, theological, rhetorical, and poetic backgrounds. Texts may focus on a specific form such as the epic, myth, fairy tale, drama, biblical narrative, and others. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 304 (3) Advanced Professional Writing
This course will focus on strengthening writing, editing, research, and presentation skills. Topics may include proposals, reports, writing in a digital environment, meeting skills, evaluations and reference letters, and presentations with audio/video components. Assignments may include an experiential learning component. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: ENGL 204 or 6 credits of 200-level English; second-year standing.
ENGL 310 (3) Topics in Rhetoric
A study of rhetoric through a focus on key themes, issues, and controversies that have shaped it. This course may involve an historical approach, with an emphasis on the Western rhetorical tradition, or it may focus on contemporary rhetorical theory and practice. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 312 (3) History of Critical Theory
A survey of the major literary critics and aestheticians from classical times to the 20th century. This course examines broad theoretical issues and underlying assumptions of various critical discourses, the changing definition of literature and criticism, and the interrelationships among politics, poetics, and philosophy. ENGL 312 was formerly called ENGL 320; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 314 (3) Modern Critical Theory
A survey of literary theory including Russian Formalism, Structuralism, New Criticism, Marxism, Feminism, Post-Colonialism, Post-Structuralism, and others. Each theory may be examined for its assumptions, applications, and textual strategies. This course will introduce the tools of criticism and a wide range of critical dispositions. ENGL 314 was formerly called ENGL 321; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 315 (3) Advanced Workshop in Composition
An opportunity to refine skills in academic writing and nonfiction prose that popularizes academic research for general audiences through discussion, practice, editing, and revising. Workshops include examination of the nature of the assignment, the makeup of the audience, the effectiveness of prose models, and the role of advanced language resources. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 325 (3) Topics in Environmental Literature
A study of various genres examining the relationship of writers to their environment. Content may vary from a survey of broad environmental concepts, such as representations of the wilderness or conservation initiatives, to a focus on precise landscapes. ENGL 325 was formerly called ENGL 403; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 326 (3) Topics in Globalization and Culture
A study of literary and cultural responses to globalization. Content may vary from broad issues, such as human rights, multiculturalism, diasporas, and economics, to specific topics, such as food production, terrorism, urbanism, and censorship. ENGL 326 was formerly called ENGL 407; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 327 (3) Topics in World Literature
A study of world literature written in or translated into English with an emphasis on regions other than Canada, Britain, and the United States. Focused on placing the literature in its cultural context, approaches may be conceptual (e.g., national identity or diaspora) or focus on a specific region, culture, or genre. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 328 (3) Gender and Sexuality in Literature
A study of the representation of gender, sexual identities, and/or practices in literature. Topics may include gender and agency, LGBT narratives, pomosexualities, parenting and the changing face of families, and others. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 329 (3) Topics in Children's and Young Adult Literature
A study of texts written primarily for children and young adults. Topics may include picturebooks, fairy tales, the child in nature, the changing constructions of childhood/adolescence, censorship, crossover literature, and others. ENGL 329 was formerly called ENGL 435; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 330 (3) Topics in Speculative Narrative
A study of narrative through speculative fiction, which may include fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, cyberpunk, scientific romance, and alternate worlds. Genres may include short fiction, novels, poetry, graphic narratives, television, and film. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 331 (3) Topics in West Coast Literature
An examination of the literature of British Columbia and the West Coast of North America. Topics may include orality, fusion literatures, Indigenous literatures, exploration and travel, settlement and expansionism, environmentalism, regionalism, politics, culture, identity, and others. ENGL 331 was formerly called ENGL 402; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 332 (3) Topics in Indigenous Literatures
A study of Indigenous cultures, identities, and issues through literature. Genres may include fiction, poetry, drama, film, and oral narratives. Topics may include cultural practices, historical contexts, regional issues, and others. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 333 (3) Topics in Post-Colonial Literatures
An introduction to post-colonial literatures and theories. Topics may include colonization, decolonization, diaspora, ethnicity, migration, ecological imperialism, the politics of language, the relationship between orality and literacy, and others. ENGL 333 was formerly called ENGL 406; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 334 (3) Topics in Canadian Literature
A study of Canadian literature focused on a specific author or topic. Topics may include regionalism, urbanism, landscapes, geographies, eco-poetics, transnationalism, and others. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 335 (3) Survey of Canadian Literature
A broad historical survey of Canadian fiction, drama, and/or poetry. This course will include an examination of cultural and theoretical contexts. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 340 (3) Topics in Medieval Literature
A study of medieval literature within the broader social, political, philosophical, and cultural contexts of the age. Topics may include chivalry, courtly love, Arthurian tradition, mysticism, allegory, alchemy, theology, and others. The focus may be on a single author or genre. ENGL 340 was formerly called ENGL 340; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 342 (3) Topics in Renaissance Literature
A study of 16th-century literature within the broader social, political, philosophical, and cultural contexts of the age. Topics may include lyrical poetry, drama, courtly love, humanism, utopian literature, and others. Focus may be on a single author or genre. ENGL 342 was formerly called ENGL 359; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 344 (3) Topics in Shakespeare
A study of the works of Shakespeare. The course may focus on various representations of particular Shakespearean plays or on a variety of Shakespeare's works. Topics may include performance, the London Stage, film adaptations, transformations of identity and power, public freedom, and others. ENGL 344 was formerly called ENGL 367; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 346 (3) Topics in 17th-Century Literature
A study of 17th-century literature within the broader social, political, philosophical, and cultural contexts of the age. Genres may include poetry, prose, non-Shakespearean drama, and others. The focus may be on a single author, theme, or genre. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 348 (3) Topics in 18th-Century Literature
A study of 18th-century literature within the broader social, political, philosophical, and cultural contexts of the age. Topics may include neo-classicism, satire, the novel, the gothic, abolitionist literature, the Revolutionary period, Romanticism, and others. The focus may be on a single author or genre. ENGL 348 was formerly called ENGL 378; credit will not be granted for both courses. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 350 (3) Topics in 19th-Century Literature
A study of 19th-century literature within the broader social, political, philosophical, and cultural contexts of the age. Topics may include Romanticism, American Renaissance, medievalism, the gothic and neo-gothic, fin de siècle, scientific romance, and others. The focus may be on a single author or genre. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 352 (3) Topics in 20th-Century Literature
A study of 20th-century literature within the broader social, political, philosophical, and cultural contexts of the age. Topics may include Modernism, Post-Modernism, the Harlem Renaissance, 1960s activist literature, and others. Focus may be on a specific author, genre, or literary movement, with texts primarily from outside of Canada. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 390 (3) Topics in Word and Image
A study of the relationship between words and images within literary texts. Topics may include graphic narratives, comic books, manga, picturebooks, illustrated fiction and poetry, illuminated manuscripts, photographs, and other image-based approaches. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 392 (3) Topics in Digital Humanities
An introduction to and overview of the digital humanities focused on technology and its link to literature. Topics may include software applications, digitizing texts, Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), digital textual analysis, the concept of the digital edition, implications of digital transmission, and others. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or permission of the instructor.
ENGL 394 (3) Topics in Television Narrative
A study of narrative developed for television. Discussion may involve analysis of genre, plot, characters, themes, symbolism, and ideologies. The course may focus on one particular genre, series, or creator or on a particular theme or topic as illustrated through a variety of television productions. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 396 (3) Literature and Film
A study of the interrelationships between literature and film. Focus may be on a particular author, director, genre, theme, or region. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 398 (3) Film Studies
A study of narrative developed for film. Discussion may involve analysis of genre, plot, characters, themes, symbolism, cinematography, mise-en-scène, editing, sound, acting, and ideologies. The course may be structured as a broad survey or with a focus on a single director or theme. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 408 (3) Advanced Public Speaking: Communication
An advanced course on the civic nature on public speaking. Emphasis is placed on effective listening, ethical principles, audience and speech analysis, and appropriate technologies. Course focuses on professional presentations to different audiences and may include an experiential component. (1:2:0)
Prerequisite: Third-year standing.
ENGL 480 (3) Research Methods
An opportunity to enhance research skills, explore a variety of literary critical approaches and their theoretical foundations, and consider the impact of digital technologies on our discipline. May include proposal writing, rhetorical issues, varieties of collaboration, information literacy, and scholarly communication. [Literature and Criticism III] (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Six credits of second-year English, third-year standing, or by permission of the instructor.
ENGL 490 (3) Capstone Project
An extended written project developed in consultation with a supervisor. The project may take the form of a traditional essay; however, it may also take a non-traditional form, such as a digital blog or multi-media portfolio. For information, consult the English Department Chair. (3:0:0)
Prerequisite: Min. average of "B" in the 15 most recent credits of English or permission of the English Chair.