Online English Courses

Photo of laptop with English Department collage on it.

The English department offers a wide range of online courses. Below is a list of courses we offer online. It is important to note that while these are courses that have online versions developed, not every offering of these courses will necessarily be online, as many of these courses are still offered on-campus as well. Please consult the Quest or the Schedule of Classes to confirm whether a specific course is being offered online.

To see which courses are being offered this year, see our This Year's Courses page. To see all our English Courses, see the English Course List page.

If you want more information about English online courses or how they can fit into your program, contact the English Advisors.

100-Level

Introduction to Literary Studies (ENGL 101A): An introduction to the study of literature, covering such areas of enquiry as literary history, genre, criticism, analysis, and theory.

Introduction to Rhetorical Studies (ENGL 101B): This course introduces students to rhetoric: the art of persuasion. The history, theory, practice, and impacts of rhetoric will be considered. Students will analyze persuasive artifacts including propaganda, advertisements, political texts, and scientific communications. Students will also act as rhetors (users of rhetoric) to craft persuasive arguments.

Introduction to Academic Writing (ENGL 109): An exploration of a variety of issues in academic writing such as style, argument, and the presentation of information. Frequent written exercises will be required.

Shakespeare (ENGL 190): Designed for students in all faculties, the course examines some of Shakespeare's comedies, history plays, and tragedies. Shakespeare's variety and flexibility in developing characters and dramatic structures are stressed, as are significant themes.

200-Level

Survey of British Literature 1 (ENGL 200A): An historical survey of major figures, types, and trends in British literature from the Middle Ages to the late 18th century.

The Bible and Literature 1 (ENGL 202A): A study of the major stories, themes, and literary characteristics of the Old Testament of the King James Bible (also known as the Hebrew Scripture), and of its influence on other English literature.

Studies in Children's Literature (ENGL 208C): A critical examination of works of children's literature. Specific readings may range broadly, encompassing works as diverse as ancient folk tales and novels and poetry from the 18th century to the present day.

Genres of Business Communication (ENGL 210F): This courses explores the genres of communication in business and other organizations, such as reports (of several kinds), letters, email messages, marketing materials, public relations materials, and any other types of organizational communication.

Literary Theory and Criticism (ENGL 251): What exactly are we doing when we study literature? By examining a selection of critical methods and theoretical approaches, this course will enhance understanding of the many different emphases, values, and priorities critics bring to literature, and the many available perspectives on what constitutes literature's significance.

Rhetorical Theory and Criticism (ENGL 292): This course provides a survey of the multidisciplinary field of rhetorical studies. In addition to introducing key concepts, theoretical frameworks, and critical debates, this course examines the role of rhetoric in a range of academic disciplines and social contexts.

300-Level

Introduction to Linguistics (ENGL 306A): Introduction to linguistics and the principles of linguistic analysis through an examination of English phonology, forms, syntax, and discourse.

Rhetoric, Classical to Enlightenment (ENGL 309A): A study of rhetorical theories from antiquity through the Renaissance to the 18th century, with an emphasis on how these theories reflect changing attitudes towards language, society, and the self.

Contemporary Rhetoric (ENGL 309C): An examination of contemporary rhetorical theory and its relationships to criticism, interdisciplinary studies, and digital applications.

Modern Canadian Literature (ENGL 315): This course focuses on the varied ways in which 20th-century writers of poetry and prose participate in the shaping of Canadian literary culture, with emphasis on the literature of the middle decades.

American Literature in a Global Context (ENGL 345): A study of the ways in which movements of peoples and cultures have shaped American literature. Topics may include colonialism, immigration and migration, literary influence across borders and languages, nativism and internationalism, racial and ethnic styles and exchanges.

Seventeenth-Century Literature 2 (ENGL 350B): An intensive study of Milton's epic, Paradise Lost, in its historical and literary contexts.

Shakespeare 1 (ENGL 362): A study of the plays written before 1599-1600, excluding Julius Caesar.

Shakespeare 2 (ENGL 363): A study of the plays written after 1599-1600, including Julius Caesar.