In this Department  Writing Courses for First- and Second-Year Students  Writing Courses for Students Beyond the First Year  Other Courses of Interest to Student Writers Catalog  Main Page  General Information   College of Arts and Sciences   Conservatory of Music  Double-Degree Program  Other Links  Registrar's Office Office/Departmental Directory  Arts and Sciences Main Page Rhetoric and Composition The Rhetoric and Composition Program supports the college-wide commitment to the teaching of writing. Writing is one of the primary skills needed at Oberlin and is also necessary for almost any occupation to which an Oberlin graduate might aspire. Beyond these practical values, writing serves as one of the most essential tools for inquiry in a liberal education. All Oberlin students are strongly encouraged to pursue the goal of writing well. Writing Requirement. The writing requirement applies to all students in the College of Arts and Sciences. The requirement also applies to all transfer students and double-degree students. Students changing divisions from Conservatory to College or becoming double-degree candidates are also subject to the requirement. The Rhetoric and Composition Program administers the requirement. The writing requirement is usually satisfied in either of the following ways: 1. By a score of 710 or better on the SAT II Writing Test or by a score of 5 on the English Language/Composition or Literature/Composition Advanced Placement Examination. or 2. By certification of proficiency in writing from two different Oberlin College instructors who have taught the student in specially designated "writing intensive" or "writing certification" courses in two different departments or programs. One of these may be a private reading course or a Winter Term course (by approval of the Rhetoric and Composition Program Director). Under special circumstances students may apply to satisfy the requirement either by submitting work done for writing intensive courses at other institutions transferred for credit by Oberlin College OR by taking a writing proficiency examination provided by the Rhetoric and Composition Program. Members of the Rhetoric and Composition Program will judge whether such work merits writing certification. Students who have unusual difficulty completing the Writing Requirement should contact the Director of the Rhetoric and Composition Program as soon as possible to determine the best means of satisfying the requirement. Students are strongly urged to take at least one step toward achieving writing proficiency as soon as possible, preferably during their first year. Students seeking information about the Oberlin Conservatory writing requirement should consult "Requirements for Graduation" in the Conservatory section of this catalog. Writing Certification Courses. Courses that bear the designation WR are those in which a substantial amount of writing (approximately 15 pages) is required but which do not devote special attention to instruction in writing except at the instructor's option. Instructors will evaluate papers for writing ability and will decide, at the end of the course, whether the student is to receive a writing proficiency credit, independent of the course grade. To fulfill the graduation requirement, students need to earn two certification credits from writing-certification or writing-intensive course work in two different departments. Writing Intensive Courses. Courses that bear the designation WRi are those in which substantial essay writing (approximately 15 pages) is assigned and writing pedagogy is stressed to a significant degree. The normal expectation is that the instructor will introduce the student to the methods of writing papers for the discipline in which the course is offered. Several papers will be assigned during the course; students will receive detailed evaluations of their writing skills as well as content; some time will be devoted to the discussion of student writing, both in class and in conferences; and a certain amount of rewriting/revision will normally be expected. Although there is an emphasis on writing instruction in these courses, students may earn a certification credit if the instructor judges their work to be proficient. A list of criteria for evaluating writing proficiency is available from the Rhetoric and Composition Program Director in King 139. Students enrolled in the two-semester sequence of Rhetoric and Composition 100 followed by another Rhetoric and Composition course, other than RHET 107, will earn one of their two required proficiency credits by virtue of passing both courses. In all other cases, a passing grade will not necessarily result in a writing proficiency credit; certification will depend on the instructor's appraisal of the student's writing ability. Major. No major is offered in Rhetoric and Composition, but students with such interests might consider majoring in English or Creative Writing. The Individual Major is another alternative. Minor. Students may earn a minor in Rhetoric and Composition by completing approved programs of study. Such programs will consist of at least 15 credit hours, including: one Rhetoric and Composition colloquium, one 200-level Rhetoric and Composition course, RHET 481, a course in English language history or linguistics, and a private reading in a topic of rhetoric and composition of the student's choosing. Interested students are advised to consult the director. Tutor Training. Students interested in training to be peer tutors in writing should consider taking RHET 481, listed below. Seeking Writing Assistance. Members of the Rhetoric and Composition Program will be glad to consult with students interested in working on their writing at any level or with any faculty member seeking advice about working with students to improve their writing. Winter Term. Staff members will be available to sponsor Winter Term Projects in writing. Writing Courses for First- and Second-Year Students RHET 100 and the Rhetoric and Composition Colloquia (RHET 111-119) are intended for first- or second-year students desiring an introduction to college-level writing. The use of writing as a tool for learning and communication is emphasized through a combination of paper-writing, class discussion, draft workshops, and individualized instruction. These courses are not open to juniors, seniors, or fifth year students, except by special consent of the instructor. See also courses offered by Rhetoric and Composition Program faculty members in the First-Year Seminar Progam (FYSP) section of this catalog. back to top Writing Courses for First- and Second-Year Students 100. Basic Writing 3 hours 3HU, WRi First and Second Semester. A course designed to help first- or second-year students who feel they lack experience in using basic writing skills in English. Instruction focuses mainly on methods of composing and revising, as well as critical reading and thinking skills. This course is recommended for students with an SAT-V score below 580. Note: Students who pass both RHET 100 and another Rhetoric and Composition course other than RHET 107, or an FYSP course taught by Rhetoric and Composition faculty will receive one of their two required proficiency credits. Notes: This course is not open to students who have taken a Rhetoric and Composition colloquium (RHET 111-119) or 200-level course except by consent of instructor. CR/NE grading. Enrollment Limit: 14. Ms. Cooper, Ms. McMillin 111-119. Colloquia in English Composition for First- and 3 hours Second-Year Students 3HU, WRi First and Second Semester. For first- or second-year students seeking an introduction to college writing. These courses focus on a variety of topics, but they all offer substantial attention to the process of writing and to critical thinking and reading. Most sections are interdisciplinary and employ a workshop/discussion format. Recommended for first- and second-year students who have passed RHET 100 or who have an SAT-V score above 580 but who do not feel prepared to take other Writing Certification or Writing Intensive courses across the curriculum. For full course descriptions, see catalog section entitled "Colloquia for First- and Second-Year Students." Note: CR/NE grading. Enrollment Limit: 15. 112. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Issues in Writing Ms. Cooper, Note: This section is CD 113. Writing for College and Beyond Ms. McMillin 115. Entering Discourse Communities: Writing for College and Beyond Mr. Podis back to top Writing Courses for Students Beyond the First Year 201. Writing in the Sciences 3 hours 3HU, WRi Second Semester. A course designed for students interested in developing their composing/revising skills for writing in natural science and mathematics disciplines or interpreting science topics for readers of general science issues. Notes: This course is not open to first-year students except by consent of the instructor. CR/NE grading. Enrollment Limit: 15. Ms. Cooper 202. Advanced English Composition 3 hours 3HU, WRi First Semester. A workshop designed for students who wish to develop their writing and rhetorical skills. This course invites students to study and practice a number of prose forms, including narratives, descriptions, and various kinds of essays. It will also explore issues of process and style. Notes: The course is not open to first-year students. CR/NE grading. Enrollment Limit: 15. Ms. McMillin back to top Other Courses of Interest to Student Writers 107. Practicum in Journalism 1 or 2 hours 1 or 2HU First and Second Semester. This course is open only to students who will be working for an approved journalistic publication on campus. Interested students should consult with the instructor or with the editor of the respective publication. Students can earn a maximum of 4 hours credit toward graduation (a maximum of 6 hours credit for editors). Note: CR/NE grading. Consent of instructor required. Enrollment Limit: 90. Ms. Cooper 481. Teaching and Tutoring Writing Across the Disciplines 3 hours 3HU, WRi First and Second Semester. A course in which students will tutor at the writing center in the library or assist one of the writing-intensive courses offered in various disciplines while studying composition theory and pedagogy. In the process of learning how to help educate others, students work toward a fuller understanding of their own educational experiences, particularly in writing. Juniors or seniors who write well, regardless of major, are encouraged to apply. Identical to ENGL 399. Consent of instructor required. Enrollment Limit: 12. Students enrolling in RHET 481 or ENGL 399 should also enroll in RHET 483, Tutoring Lab. Ms. Trubek, Mr. Podis 483. Tutoring Lab 0 or 1 hour 0-1HU First and Second Semester. Students working in the Peer Tutoring Program will meet monthly to discuss tutoring experiences, logistical issues and occasional readings. Tutors will further develop their skills, help to shape the Program, and participate in the larger community of Peer Writing Tutors. Required for all Peer Writing Tutors, including those currently enrolled in RHET 481 or ENGL 399. The 1-credit hour option is for tutors who wish to implement a project to improve resources for or awareness of the Peer Tutoring Program. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in, or prior completion of, RHET 481 or ENGL 399. Tutors may repeat this course for a maximum of 4 hours toward graduation. CR/NE grading. Consent of instructor required. No Enrollment Limit. Ms. Trubek 995. Private Reading 1-3 hours 1-3HU Consent of instructor required. back to top The following are Writing Certification courses offered in various disciplines during 2002-2003. This list is as complete as possible at the time of publication. For more current information students should check the primary course listings in specific departments or ask the instructor. African American Studies 118 The New World - First and Second Year Colloquium 120 The Caribbean and the Wider World - First and Second Year Colloquium 131 Traditional African Cosmology 181 Education in the Black Community 203 African History from Earliest times to the 19th Century 204 African History 208 Slavery and Freedom in the Western Hemisphere 209 Society and Politics in the Modern Caribbean 1838-1970 215 African American Women's History 219 The Freedom Movement: Civil Rights and Black Power 231 African American Politics 235 Government and Politics of Africa 244 Modern African Literature 248 Resistance and Voice: Literature of the African Diaspora 321 Black Feminist Thought: An Historical Perspective 336 Pan-Africanism Political Perspective 343 Langston Hughes and the Black Aesthetic Literature: 1960-Present 385 Black Pedagogy 450 Senior Seminar 500 Junior Honors Project 501, 502 Senior Honors Anthropology 266 Emergence of Urban Societies 286 Culture, Symbol and Meaning 288 Immigrant America: Then and Now 292 Museum Anthropology 353 Culture Theory 408 Seminar on Current Issue in Anthropology: Postmodernism Art 267 Global Art Since 1970 361 Modern Seminar: Biology 013 Colloquium: Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Biology, History, and Misery 014 Colloquium: Biological Advances and Ethical Dilemmas 016 Colloquium: Field Based Writing: Ecology of the Vermilion River Watershed 017 Colloquium: Everyday Evolution 019 Colloquium: Ecology and Evolution of Birds 201 Invertebrate biology 205 Community Ecology 206 Population Ecology 212 Behavioral Ecology 302 Developmental Biology 325 Principles of Vascular Plant Taxonomy and Systematics 326 Vascular Plant Diversity and Systematics 411 Seminar: Conservation Biology Cinema Studies 221 Framing the Real: Documentary Forms in Cinema 225 New German Cinema 241 History of German Cinema 272 American Cinema: The Possibilities of Art in the Entertainment Business 320 Documentary Production: Theory and Practice 340 Technology and Contemporary American Culture 373 American culture and Literature in the 1930's 413 Questions of Authorship in Cinema: Woody Allen and Spike Lee 436 Movies and Melodrama 498 Cinema Studies 499 Cinema Studies Classics 100 Myth and Hero in the Greek Epic 206 Greek and Roman Drama in Translation 210 Greek and Roman Mythology 215 Ancient Literature and the Meaning of Life Comparative Literature 265 Anglophone Literatures of the Third World Creative Writing 201 Poetry/Prose Workshop 310 Poetry Workshop 320 Fiction Workshop 330 Playwriting Workshop 380, 381 Intermediate Writing Projects 480, 481 Advanced Writing Projects East Asian Studies JAPN 116 Traditional Japanese Literature in Translation JAPN 118 Modern Japanese Literature in Translation JAPN 120 The Writings of Women in Japanese Culture JAPN 310 Love, War, and Gender in Japanese Literature EAST 241 Living with the Bomb EAST 263 War, History and Memory in Post-cold War Asian EAST 362 The Korean War EAST 121 Chinese Civilization EAST 122 Modern China EAST 131 Traditional Japan to 1868 EAST 132 Modern Japan, 1868 to Present Economics 138 Global Economic Policy Analysis 210 Economic Development 219 Labor-Management Relations 224 Law and Economics 320 Labor Economics 410 Seminar: Economic Development in Latin America 419 Honors Program English 201 Chaucer 204 Selected Shakespearean 208 Shakespeare and Film 209 Seventeenth-Century Poetry and the English Civil War 211 Milton 212 London in Eighteenth-Century Literature 220 Romantic Literature 221 Framing the Real: Documentary Forms in Cinema 223 Sign, Self, & Text in 19th Century American Fiction 228 Modern British and Irish Fiction 232 Traditions of Metamorphosis 238 Contemporary American Fiction 239 History and Structure of the English Language 255 In Search of America: The Concept of Nature in Early American Writing 257 The Re-making of "America" and "Americans:" American Literature at the Turn into the Twentieth Century 263 The Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz Age 264 Coming to America 265 Anglophone Literatures of the Third World 271 Form, Style, and Meaning in Cinema 272 American Cinema: The Possibilities of Art in the Entertainment Business 282 Drama Survey: Shifting Scenes 284 The Irish Short Story 302 Medieval Literature 309 Shakespeare in Dialogue 315 Eighteenth-Century Novel 317 Late Nineteenth-Century British Fiction 320 Documentary Production: Theory and Practice 328 Modern Drama II: Brecht to Pinter 329 Contemporary Irish Poetry 331 Modern Poetry I: Symbolism to Imagism 333 Poetry Since 1945 338 Modern Fiction and Sexual Difference 340 Technology and Contemporary American culture 355 American Women Writers and Feminist Literary Criticism 372 Contemporary Literary Theory in American Culture 373 American Literature and Culture in the 1930s 374 Western Representations of the Colonized Subject 389 Selected Authors: J.M. Cetzee 390 Selected Authors: William Faulkner 395 Poetry Workshop 396 Non-Fiction workshop 397 Fiction Workshop 398 Playwriting Workshop 413 Seminar: Questions of Authorship in Cinema: Woody Allen and Spike Lee 426 Special Topic: Making a Place, Making a Play; Studies in Early Modern Theater 431 Special Topic: Blake, Wordsworth, and the Literary Response to Crisis 436 Seminar: Movies and Melodrama 443 Seminar: Modern African Novel 449 Senior Project 453 Honors Project 455 Honors Project 926 It's About Time; Time in Literature and Physics 927 Acting Up: Theatre in London German 321 German Jewish Women Writers: Between Traditions 325 New German Cinema 341 History of German Cinema 429 Contemporary German Literature History 105 Chinese Civilization 106 Modern China 107 Russian History I 108 Russian History II 117 National Schizophrenia in Japan and Sub-Saharan Africa 125 American Mixed Blood 131 Jewish History From Biblical Antiquity to 1492 132 Jewish History From Spanish Expulsion to the Present 140 Religion, Politics, and Ethnicity in South Asian History 145 Medieval Iberia: Cultural Interactions from the Visigoths to 1492 159 Traditional Japan to 1868 160 Modern Japan, 1868 to Present 201 History of Science from Antiquity through the Scientific Revolution 204 Medieval Intellectual History 205 Theology, Science and the Secularization of Europe (1200-1800) 233 Jewish Memoirs and Memory: Writing The Self In Jewish Society 234 Good & Evil: Decision-Making in the Holocaust 235 East European Jewry: 1772-1939 237 Women in Jewish Society, Antiquity to Modernity 252 American Environmental History 253 Recent America: the United States Since World War II 263 The American Civil War and Reconstruction 265 American Sexualities 270 Latina/Latino Survey 285 Intellectual History of the Meiji Period (1886-1912) 287 Islamic South Asia: Roots and Emergence of India 293 Dirty Wars and Democracy 294 The United States and Latin America 300 Science and History from the Middle Ages to the 17th Century 306 German and Jews 316 Cultural Reaction to Modernization 317 Witches, Saints, and Visionaries: Popular Religion in Europe 323 Liberty and Power, Slavery and Democracy in Jacksonian America 340 China's Path to Revolution 356 The British Empire in Asia and Africa 357 Non-Violent Opposition to British Imperialism: M. Gandhi 360 History of Vietnam 365 Peasants, State, and Rebellion in Latin America 312 Museums and the Shaping of Knowledge 316 The Body as Historical Subject 367 Narrating the Nation: Historical and Literary Approaches to Nationalism 395 Method in Modern European History 453 Research Seminar in post-1945 Japanese History Jewish Studies 131 Jewish History from Biblical Antiquity to 1492 132 Jewish History from the Spanish Expulsion to the Present 208 The New Testament and Christian Origins 233 Jewish Memoirs and Memory: Writing the Self in Jewish Society 234 Good & Evil: Decision-Making in the Holocaust 235 East European Jewry: 1772-1939 237 Women in Jewish Society, Antiquity to Modernity 255 Theology, science, and the Secularization of Europe (1200-1800) 258 Introduction to the Talmud: Argument & Interpretation 306 Germans and Jews 338 Seminar: Selected Topics in Early Judaism and Christianity 354 Seminar: Spinoza, heresy, Modern Judaism London 926 It's About Time: Time in Literature and Physics 927 Acting Up: Theatre in London Philosophy 105 Philosophy and Values 206 Theory of Knowledge 208 Metaphysics 210 Existentialism 223 Topics in the Philosophy of Science; Philosophy of Biology 225 Environmental Ethics 226 Social, Political, Legal Philosophy 245 Nineteenth-Century Philosophy 250 Twentieth-Century Philosophy 310 Philosophical Classics: Nietzsche 358 Seminar: Philosophy of Perception Politics 105 American Government: Institutions, Policies, and Politics 111 Colloquium; Third Way Politics: Left Governments in Power in Europe and North America 120 Introduction to International Relations 122 Colloquium: Israel-Palestine Conflict 132 Colliquium: Explaining Social Power: Classical and Contemporary Theories 202 American Constitutional Law 203 Congress: Policy-Making 207 Electioneering: Theory and Practice 213 The Political Economy of Gender in Advanced Capitalism 216 The Political Economy of Advanced Capitalism 218 Marxist Analysis of Society and Politics 221 Third World Political Economics 305 Seminar: The Presidency 317 Seminar: The Transformation of the Welfare State 323 Seminar: Democratization in the Twenty-first Century Psychology 122 Educational Psychology 216 Developmental Psychology 303 Laboratory in Cognitive Psychology 500 Teaching Assistant Religion 144 Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr 103 Introduction to Religion: Material Religion 104 Introduction to Religion: Perspectives on Religious Narratives 208 The New Testament and Christian Origins 250 Introduction to Judaism 251 Modern Jewish Thought 255 Theology, Science and the Secularization of Europe (1200-1800) 258 Introduction to the Talmud: Argument and Interpretation 321 Seminar: Buddhism and Orientatism 322 Seminar: Selected Issues in Buddhism 336 Seminar: Selected Topics in Early Christianity 338 Seminar: Selected Topics in Early Judaism and Christianity 342 Seminar: Selected Thinkers in Modern and Contemporary Religious Thought 365 Seminar: Selected Topics in Women and Religion 385 Seminar: Selected Topics in American Religious History 401 Senior Honors Russian 113 Us/Them: Russian and American Mutual (Mis)Perceptions 126 The Meaning of Life: Dispatches from Nineteenth-Century /Russia 212 Alternative Sexualities In Russian Literature 214 Delusions and Grandeur: The Myth of Petersburg 321 Tolstoy and Dostoevsky 322 Russian Decadence in its Western Context 325 Literature of Revolution 326 Literature of Dissent from Stalin to the Present 328 Literature and the Woman Question in Nineteenth Century Russia 329 Literature and the Land: Writing Nature in Russia and America 330 Russian Theater: Imperial to Improvisational Sociology 118 First Year Seminar: Through the Looking Glass: The Intersection of Race, Ethnicity and Gender with Social Class in Contemporary America 123 Deviance, Discord, and Dismay 124 Classics of Sociology 211 Social Research Methods 233 Gender, Social Change, and Social Movements 235 Gender Stratification 271 Sociology of Law and Legal Institutions 273 Criminology, Delinquency, and Legal Policy 282 Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory 330 Global Feminisms 331 Torts, Trials and Trouble 436 Seminar in Sexualities and Collective Action 446 Seminar on the City, Environmental and Social Policy Theater and Dance 271 Queer Acts 150 Dance History: Cross-Cultural Approaches to Dance 190 West African Dance Forms in the Diaspora I 191 West African Dance Forms in the Diaspora II 194 Blues Improv 195 Jazz Improv 250 Dance History: Dance in the 20th Century 332 Continuing Contact 350 Dance History: Contemporary Dance Women's Studies 100 Introduction to Gender and Women's Studies 215 African American Women's History 233 Gender, Social Change, and Social Movements 238 Gender and Sexuality in the Middle East and North Africa 241 Living with the Bomb 300 Feminist Research Methodologies 321 Black feminist Thought: An Historical Perspective 330 Global Feminisms 402 Seminar: Visible bodies and the Politics of Sexuality The following are Writing Intensive (WRi) courses offered in various disciplines during 2002-2003. This list is as complete as possible at the time of publication. For more current information students should check the primary course listings in specific departments or ask the instructor. Please also see First-Year Seminar Program (FYSP) in this catalog. Many FYSP courses are designated as WRi. African American Studies 157 Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr Creative Writing 340 Nonfiction Workshop East Asian Studies JAPN 320 The Avante-Garde in Japanese Literature English 399 Teaching and Tutoring Writing Across the Disciplines History 112 The Bourgeoisie and the Making of Modern Europe 113 The French Revolution and the Origins of Modern Europe 132 The Body in Environmental History 141 The Gilded Age 145 Water in American History 147 Women's lives, Women's Activism in American History 308 Heresy and Orthodoxy in Medieval Europe 310 Marx and Nietzsche 327 Borderlands 338 Colloquium in U.S. Urban Environmental History 377 Russia in Asia 353 Seminar: Moses Maimonies; Philosophy & Law Neuroscience 332 Neuroendocrine Research Methods Religion 124 Seeing War and Peace through Religious Traditions 118 Immanence and Transcendence in Buddhism 151 The Religious Thought of Mohandas Gandhi 329 Seminar: Research Methods 340 Seminar: Ethical Issues in Death and Dying 341 Seminar: Christian Economic Ethics 353 Seminar: Moses Maimonides: Philosophy and Law 354 Spinoza, Heresy and Modern Judaism 371 Seminar: Islam and Modern Social change 372 Seminar: Southeast Asian Religious Systems Rhetoric and Composition 100 Basic Writing 111-119 Colloquia in English Composition for First- and Second-Year Students 116 Field-Based Writing: Ecology of the Vermilion River 129 Issues and Themes in Colonial and Postcolonial 201 Writing in the Sciences 202 Advanced English Composition 481 Teaching and Tutoring Writing Across the Disciplines Sociology 406 Seminar: Gender and the State in the Middle East Women's Studies 300 Feminist Research Methodologies 402 Seminar: Visible Bodies and the Politics of Sexuality 406 Seminar: Gender and the State in the Middle East and North Africa back to top