English

Collection Development Policy Statement

Library's Collection Development Objectives

LSU Libraries seek to support teaching and research in English language and literature, providing material and support for faculty research, as well as for undergraduate majors and minors, masters and doctoral programs in English. The policy seeks primarily to support the curriculum of the Department of English; however, there are numerous related courses of study spanning multiple departments (Comparative Literature, Jewish Studies, Linguistics, and Women’s and Gender Studies, for example) that the library also supports through its collections. Undergraduates from all colleges will make use of these materials in fulfilling their General Education requirements. The First Year English or English Composition requirements of General Education are also administered through the Department of English.

Curriculum Program Descriptions

LSU offers the B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English and the M.F.A. in Creative Writing. English majors in the B.A. program have the option of selecting from three different concentrations: literature, creative writing, or writing and culture. A special curriculum leading to the B.A. degree with departmental honors in English is also offered. An English minor is available.

While the Department of English is strong in most traditional fields of study, modern literature, criticism, and theory (with emphases on American and southern letters and modernism) are special strengths of the M.A. and Ph.D. programs. Special areas of concentration include rhetoric and composition, Modern Literature, African-American literature, women’s studies, and popular culture. M.F.A. students have the option of working in a variety of creative genres.

There are currently more than 115 undergraduate courses offered in the English curriculum. 15 of these fulfill general education requirements for any undergraduate student. The department offers more than 65 graduate-level courses.

The number of faculty in the Department of English varies due to the varying workload of Freshman English and other undergraduate courses. There are currently 110 total faculty in the Department. 52 of these are graduate faculty.

Degrees Awarded

Areas of Specialization/Major Faculty Research Interests

• American literature
• Modernism/modern literature
• Victorian and Romantic literature
• Criticism
• Literary theory
• Rhetoric and composition
• Creative writing
• Southern letters
• African-American literature
• Women’s studies
• Popular culture
• Eighteenth Century
• Medieval & Renaissance

Treatment of Subject Depth / Delimitations

LSU Libraries generally attempt to collect in all areas of English language and literature at the level of instructional support. Research level support is provided for the areas noted above. Collecting is primarily of in-print monographs published in the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, and selectively from Europe. Periodicals and reference works are collected selectively. The Special Collections of LSU Libraries (Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections and Rare Books) will collect more extensively in the language and literature of Louisiana and the South.

CD ROMs, Electronic Books, Remotely Accessed Texts

LSU Libraries will purchase CD ROM works on a case-by-case basis when requested by faculty members or graduate students in need of enhanced capabilities afforded by CD ROMs. The LSU Libraries recognizes that electronic information, e-books, electronic paper, etc. merit attention. The purchase of access to remote data and texts, such as J-STOR and others, will be pursued when the ownership of remote products will benefit the greatest number of students, staff, and faculty at the best possible price. Purchase of remotely accessed texts must follow the policy and procedures set forth in Procedures for Acquiring and Processing Electronic Resources.

Overlap with Other Subjects or Collections

Some aspects of the following areas may have relevance to the faculty and curriculum of the Department of English:

• Folklore
• Literature
• Comparative literature
• Film studies
• Foreign languages and Francophone studies
• History
• Jewish studies
• Linguistics
• Philosophy
• Religious studies
• Speech communication
• Theatre
• Women’s and gender studies

English Language and Literature

Classed Analysis

Revised: September 25, 2001
Updated: March 15, 2003

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