The mission of the SDSU Department of English and Comparative Literature is to

1. Read critically across multiple media.

1.1 Maintain a regular schedule of substantial reading in literary, cultural, and scholarly texts.

1.2 Distinguish formal characteristics of literary and cultural expression across genre and media, including digital and illustrated texts and film.

1.3 Evaluate and comprehend major themes and concerns of literary and cultural expression across genre and media.

2. Demonstrate the capacity for sustained, meaningful writing within disciplined professional forms.

2.1 Locate and incorporate primary and relevant secondary sources into written work.

2.2 Demonstrate mastery of Modern Language Association standards for research writing and documentation.

2.3 Acquire and implement techniques of editing and revision.

3. Situate texts within historical and cultural contexts.

3.1 Identify historical periods and features of major movements in literature.

3.2 Identify historical periods and features of major movements in literary and cultural criticism.

3.3 Assess the impact of social history on literary and cultural production.

4. Articulate the value of aesthetic experiences in human culture.

4.1 Acquire a vocabulary of relevant literary and cultural terms.

4.2 Implement vocabulary in written analysis of literary and cultural texts.

4.3 Implement vocabulary in classroom discussion of literary and cultural texts.

5. Engage imaginatively and thoughtfully with diverse literary and cultural perspectives.

5.1 Analyze a variety of literary and cultural texts from non-British and non-Anglophone North American traditions.

5.2 Analyze a variety of literary and cultural texts from minority perspectives within British and Anglophone North American traditions

5.3 Evaluate articulations of “difference” and comprehend their impact on literary and cultural expression.

6. Negotiate complex issues of personal and global significance.

6.1 Acquire conventions of humane discussion and interpersonal exchange in classroom environments.

6.2 Synthesize connections between literary and cultural texts and contemporary global issues.

6.3 Comprehend and articulate in writing and oral discussion connections between literary and cultural texts and lived experience.