2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Literature and Languages Department
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 Return to: College of Arts and Sciences
The Literature and Language Department serves as home to both the English Undergraduate and Graduate Programs (offering A.A., B.A, and M.A. degrees as well as understand minors and graduate certificates) and the World Languages Programs. We offer undergraduate majors in English and English Language Arts (5-12 Certification), minors in Literature, Writing, and Spanish, graduate Master of Arts and Master in Teaching degrees, and graduate certificates in English Language Arts, Literature, and Writing.
The Literature and Languages Department also serves the university by providing the English Composition sequence, World Languages Department also serves the university by providing the English General Undergraduate Curriculum Requirements. The department also supports the “W” courses (see “Special Programs”)and provides specialized classes in writing for other departments and programs.
Mission Statement
The Literature and Languages Department strives to inspire students to bring to the world community original perspectives, inventive strategies, and knowledge that will contribute to the intellectual and creative spirit of our collective human experience. We emphasize two of Heritage University’s Core Themes:
Theme 1 (Access and Equity): We particularly strive to serve students who, because of their location, socioeconomic status, or other circumstances, do not have easy access to higher education. We were the first program at Heritage University to offer online classes, the first program to offer entire degree programs online (English B.A., English M.A., and English Graduate Certificates), and the first program to offer our online courses to students at other small private colleges and universities through our participation as content provider in the Online Consortium of Independent Colleges and Universities (OCICU). In addition, the face-to-face versions of all of our major courses are offered either on the weekends or online so that students who work during the day or have other obligations that make attending weekly in-person classes difficult can still work towards their degree. Finally, we allow those students to move freely from the in-person to online course through our program’s hyflex approach whereby students can attend in person, attend “live” online, or access recordings of the in-person sessions.
Theme 2 (Academic Excellence): We believe that, especially given the importance of Theme 1 for our student body, we must strive to provide a quality education that prepares our students for success in work or further education.
What jobs are available for English graduates?
Some of these will require additional study at the graduate level:
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Teacher
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Editor/copywriter
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Journalist
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Writer
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Lawyer
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Librarian
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Public relations specialist
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Nonprofit director
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Researcher
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Grant writer
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Professional fund-raiser
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Translator
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Museum specialist
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Archives management
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Federal, state, and local official
English Undergraduate Program:
The English Undergraduate Program offers several degree paths for students seeking to study of literature, language, and writing. Students may pursue a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English Language and Literature. Students may also pursue a B.A. in English Language Arts (which includes a WA Initial Teaching Certificate and a WA English Language Arts 5-12 Endorsement). Finally, students may pursue an English Minor in Literature or Writing. We advise students to consider carefully which path would best suit their goals.
English Graduate Program:
The English Graduate Program offers several degree paths for students seeking additional study of literature, language, and writing. Students may pursue a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Multicultural English Literature and Language with additional coursework in a more specialized area of English (“concentration”). Students may also pursue a Certificate in English Language Arts (which includes a stand-alone WA English Language Arts 5-12 Endorsement for students who already hold a Teaching Certificate) or a Certificate in Writing. Finally, students may combine work in Education and English to pursue a Master in Teaching (M.I.T) degree to earn both a WA initial Teaching Certificate and a WA English Language Arts 5-12 endorsement. We advise students to consider carefully which path would best suit their goals.
B.A. and M.A. Program Goals and Objectives
Our primary goal at both undergraduate and graduate levels is to produce graduates qualified (as appropriate) with English/Language Arts Endorsement; and/or credentials to instruct middle school, high school, or college-level courses in writing, language, and literature; and/or preparation to gain admission to graduate programs in English or related fields. In order to do so, graduates must develop the following knowledge, skills, and dispositions:
1. Understand the history, development, and structure of the English language and know how that theory relates in practice to the teaching and learning of language, both spoken and written. Demonstrate knowledge and application of the following:
a. Composition theories
b. Writing across variety of genres, both academic and non-academic
c. Teaching composition
2. Be aware of contemporary approaches to the composition process and able to demonstrate that knowledge in a variety of genres as well as connecting that knowledge and those skills to the pedagogy of writing. Demonstrate knowledge and application of the following:
a. Composition theories
b. Writing across variety of genres, both academic and non-academic
c. Teaching composition
3. Know and appreciate the diversity of voices in both Anglo-American and global literature as well as being able to apply classical and contemporary critical approaches to illuminate texts for colleagues and students. Demonstrate knowledge and application of the following:
a. History of literature and its historical context, both in the American tradition and globally
b. Diverse literatures in both the American and global traditions
c. Use of Critical Approaches in both scholarship and teaching
d. Teaching literature
4. Demonstrate strong research, writing, and presentation skills through the production of works suitable for presentation and publication as appropriate to the student’s concentration, including the Bachelor’s Thesis or Master’s Thesis. Demonstrate knowledge and application of the following:
a. Library Research skills
b. Field Research skills
c. Presentation skills
World Languages
The Heritage world language courses include American Sign Language, French, Latin, Sahaptin and Spanish.
In Spanish, a dual-track program is offered that allows non-native Spanish speakers and native Spanish speakers to gain proficiency with structure, form, history, and culture of the Spanish language and provides the ability to converse in a variety of academic and non-academic settings. An emphasis is placed on attaining fluency in Spanish. Non-Spanish speakers are requested to enroll in the SPAN 101 - SPAN 102 sequence and Spanish- speaking students are requested to enroll in the SPAN 205 - SPAN 206 sequence.
ProgramsBachelor of ArtsMaster in TeachingMaster of ArtsCertificateNon-DegreeCoursesAmerican Sign LanguageEnglishPage: 1
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