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The English Department at Lewis is committed to the university's Mission Values of Knowledge, Fidelity, Wisdom, Justice, and Association. From the foundation of
these precepts, the department builds a unique statement of principles that guide the two subjects that engage us, composition and literature. Whenever possible, the department fosters a
holistic attitude to both that connects the two activities.
CompositionThe English Department is committed to excellence in the teaching of writing. It perceives writing as a means and an end: it is both an art form which gives pleasure to the writer and reader, and its also serves as the principal form of communication between peoples. While the English Department recognizes its obligation to teach writing skills to students of diverse backgrounds and competence, it does so willingly. The English Department sees its task as preparing students for a literate world of commercial and professional endeavors where communication skills are ever more important; indeed, the international language of business and politics is today English, the new lingua franca replacing French and Latin.Literature The English Department at Lewis University strives to impart an appreciation for literature as a means of understanding human experience in its wholeness. In responding to course texts, students are encouraged to read analytically and to respond in ways that demonstrate awareness of the many aspects of texts: their moral and ethical dimension, their depiction of spiritual understanding, their presentation of emotional truth. In studying texts written in English, students are asked to consider the cultural contexts that produced these works; these may include study of the author, genre, and cultural tradition. While courses are organized in many ways (period, topic, genre), the selection of course texts is guided by two principles: diversity and literary excellence. The department believes that an inclusive representation of works suggests the complexity of human expression. |
