Courses

First-Year English is comprised of a two course sequence:

• English 101: Critical Reading and Composition
• English 102: Rhetoric and Composition

The primary purpose of these courses is to develop our students’ abilities to write and read. These courses engage students in analyzing texts, generating ideas, assessing audiences and rhetorical situations, and crafting effective discourse in various genres (most frequently, argumentative).

Students write often, and teachers intervene in their writing processes, allowing for and requiring revision. While the program recognizes the rich diversity of approaches that can be used to teach writing, we encourage rigorous standards, selective and strategic teacher commentary, portfolio-style grading, peer editing, and interactive classroom teaching.