Senate Document #7 (APC Document #9) Literature and Language/Communications Curricular Revisions Effective Fall 1984 1) To catalog page 89 (1983-84), add the following new elective: Communications 281 Film History and Criticism (3) An introduction to the major developments, theories and trends in feature and documentary film production with particular attention paid to the movie classics and the great directors who have strongly influenced the development of new techniques and approaches to cinema. RATIONALE: We have offered this course twice in the last two years as a special topics course. Enrollment has been high. We have three instructors who are qualified to teach the course. We feel it's necessary and appropriate to balance the communications curriculum by offering one course in film. 2) To catalog page 90 (1983-84), add the following required course to the Communications major: Communications 495 Senior Seminar (1) Each student will produce an in-depth project--either a news or feature series for print, a series of television news or feature tapes, a series of radio news or feature tapes, an advertising campaign, another media-oriented project of a creative nature or an in-depth research paper. Prerequisite: Senior standing. RATIONALE: Since communications is a professionally oriented major, we want graduates to demonstrate their competency by producing a large work of professional quality. 3) To catalog page 88 (1983-84), make the following changes in Communications requirements to reflect the change proposed in number 2 above: Page 2 I. Required courses in the major - 36 hours, distributed as follows: 24 hours in Communications including Communications 221, 305, 401, 405, 495; 2 hours in Communications 395, 396 and/or 397, plus 9 hours elected from Communications; 12 hours in Literature with at least three hours from courses numbered above 300. Under Roman Numeral IV, make the following change: Other departmental requirements -- a demonstration of competency exam to be administered as part of Comm. 495, Senior Seminar. Rationale: In order to incorporate Senior Seminar into the curriculum, we have reduced the practical experience requirement of working on the campus newspaper, radio or television from three semesters to two. This seems sensible since we are substituting a more advanced and professional form of practical experience. In order to more efficiently administer the senior comprehensive examination, we have made it the concluding element of the Senior Seminar. This is only for adminis- tration purposes, i.e., it prevents us from having to contact seniors at the beginning of the year, set up exam dates that fit varying schedules, etc. The exam is not part of the course. It is comprehensive and covers their complete educational experience in education. Students will demonstrate: 1) their ability to handle grammar, spelling and the rules of journalism writing; 2) an ability to understand and critique fine writing acquired through taking literature courses; and 3) a knowledge of the basic principles of communications history, theory, law and ethics. 4) To catalog page 138 (1983-84), add the following elective course: Language 461 Independent Study in Creative Writing (1, 2, 3) Individual work in poetry or fiction for advanced writing students. Prerequisite: Language 361 or 363 and permission of the instructor. RATIONALE: Although the Creative Writing track remains small (13 majors) each semester one or two students desire to continue their efforts as individual study. We believe better students should have the opportunity of doing so Page 3 under the guidance of an instructor. This course can be compared to students doing independent work under Physics 495 or to individualized instruction that is offered under varying Music department numbers. 5) To catalog page 135 (1983-84) make the following additions (in caps) under Roman Numeral I. Required courses in the major - 36 hours, including 201, 202, 203, 204, 331, 332, 333, 480, 491, and nine additional hours in literature at the 300 level or above, which may include 3 hours selected from LANGUAGE 361, 362, 342 OR DRAMA 355. RATIONALE: A single course in Creative Writing or in the History of the English Language is often a requirement in English departments at other universities. We feel that we should encourage our own literature majors to take such courses by counting them as part of the major. The actual number who elect to do so will probably be small, but we do have requests each semester from students who would like to take such courses. Drama 355 is now specified because it is actually the only course offered by Drama which fits the former description of "dramatic literature." 6) On catalog page 137 (1983-84) eliminate Language 341 The Teaching of Modern Grammar and Linguistics. RATIONALE: This course is no longer required for State certification in the "Teaching of English" track. Small portions of it will be incorporated into Language 323 (see change below in #7). 7) On catalog page 137 (1983-84) make the following change in the title and course description of Language 323: Language 323 The Teaching of Writing and Standard Grammar (3) Studies in approaches to teaching writing, improving the students own writing skills, learning self- evaluation and methods of evaluating others and demonstrating a working knowledge of standard grammar and usage. Page 4 RATIONALE: To meet State education requirements, this course must now include the teaching of standard grammar. In other ways the course will continue to cover most of the same subject matter as before. 8) On catalog page 136 (1983-84) make the following change in requirements under Program C The Teaching of English, Roman Numeral I. Drop Language 341 and substitute Language 342 (History of the English Language). RATIONALE: Language 341 has been dropped from State certification requirements and Language 342 has been added.