Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Introduction to Critical Theory (Face-to-Face)

ENGL 2700-01

Course: ENGL 2700-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ENGL
CRN: 32262

Course Description

An introductory course in the reading and application of literary theory, which provides a survey of major critical methodological approaches. (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ENGL 2010 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C-

Required Texts

Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory, Peter Barry, 4th edition.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to apply specific theories or theoretical approaches to literary texts in class discussions and academic writing.

SUU ELO: Communication: Students develop and express ideas and will be able to do so in a variety of ways, namely in writing, by speaking, visually, kinesthetically, through design or aurally.

 

2. Students will be able to identify and articulate key concepts and theories that fall under the broad term: critical theory. 

SUU ELO: Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.

 

3. Students will apply a range of critical theories and perspectives to literary and other texts through close reading and analysis.

SUU ELO: Inquiry & Analysis: Inquiry: Students systematically explore issues, objects or works through the collection and analysis of evidence that results in informed conclusions or judgments. Analysis: Students break complex topics or issues into parts to gain a better understanding of them.

 

4. Students will evaluate how perspective and background inform reading and interpretive experience.

SUU ELO: Intercultural Knowledge and Competence: Students demonstrate that they possess a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.

 

Course Requirements

Participation and Attendance: 15%

Group Presentation: 15%

Midterm Exam: 15%

Paper 1: 15%

Reflective Analysis of Paper 1: 5%

Paper 2: 15%

Reflective Analysis of Paper 2: 5%

Final Exam: 15%

Course Outline

Week 1 – Introductions

W 8/27

Course Introduction and Welcome

 

F 8/29

Course Introduction Continued

 

 

Week 2 – Understanding Theory

M 9/1 – No Class Meeting

 

W 9/3

Read: Devin M. Garofalo “Critical Theory: A Brief Guide” (Canvas)

 

F 9/5 

Read: Peter Barry “Theory before ‘theory’” (Beginning Theory, pgs. 11-38)

 

 

Week 3 – Structuralism

M 9/8  

Read: Peter Barry “Structuralism” (Beginning Theory, pgs. 40-60)

 

W 9/10

Read: Ferdinand de Saussure “Course in General Linguistics” (Canvas)

 

F 9/12

Structuralism Check In!

 

 

Week 4 – Poststructuralism

M 9/15

Read: Peter Barry “Post-structuralism and deconstruction” (Beginning Theory, pgs. 61-95)

 

W 9/17

Read: Jacques Derrida “Structure, Sign, and Play” (Canvas)

 

F 9/19

Read: Roland Barthes “The Death of the Author”

 

 

Week 5 – Psychoanalysis

(Note: Group presentations begin this week.)

M 9/22

Read: Peter Barry “Psychoanalytic criticism” (Beginning Theory, pgs. 97-120)

 

W 9/24

Group 1 Presentation!

Read: Sigmund Freud from “The Interpretation of Dreams” (Canvas)

 

F 9/26 

Read: Jacques Lacan “The Mirror Stage” (Canvas)

 

 

Week 6 – Materialist Theory

M 9/29  

Read: Peter Barry “Materialist Criticism” (Beginning Theory, pgs. 159-173)

 

W 10/1

Group 2 Presentation!

Read: Karl Mrrx from Capital (Canvas)

 

F 10/3 

Paper 1 + Reflective Analysis Due on Canvas

Read: Louis Althusser “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses” (Canvas)

 

 

Week 7 – Feminist Studies

M 10/6

Read: Peter Barry “Feminist Criticism” (Beginning Theory, pgs. 123-138)

 

W 10/8

Group 3 Presentation!

Read: Annette Kolodny “Dancing Through the Minefield” (Canvas)

 

F 10/10

Theory check-in day!

 

 

Week 8 – Midterm Exam

M 10/13 – Fall Break

 

W 10/15

Midterm Exam Review in Class

 

F 10/17  

Midterm Exam (Covers Weeks 3-7)

 

 

Week 9 – Queer Theory

M 10/20

Read: Peter Barry “Queer Theory” (Beginning Theory, pgs. 141-155)

 

W 10/22

Read: Judith Butler from Gender Trouble

 

F 10/24 

Theory check-in day!

 

 

Week 10 – Ethnic Studies

M 10/27

Read: W.E.B. DuBois “Criteria of Negro Art” (Canvas)

Read: Toni Morrison from Playing in the Dark (Canvas)

 

W 10/29

Group 4 Presentation!

Read: Paula Gunn Allen “The Sacred Hoop” (Canvas)

 

F 10/31

Read: Gloria Anzaldúa “To live in the Borderlands means you” and “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” (Canvas)

 

 

Week 11 – Critical Race Studies + Theory

M 11/3

Read: Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic “C R T: Introduction” (Canvas)

 

W 11/5

Group 5 Presentation!

Read: Tara J. Yosso “Whose culture has capital?” (Canvas)

 

F 11/7

Read: Kimberlé Crenshaw “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color” (Canvas)

 

 

Week 12 – Postcolonial Studies

M 11/10

Read: Peter Barry “Postcolonial Criticism” (Beginning Theory, pgs. 194-203)

 

W 11/12

Group 6 Presentation!

Read: Edward Said from Orientalism (Canvas)

 

F 11/14

Read: Gayatri Spivak “Can the Subaltern Speak?” (Canvas)


 

 

Week 13 – Ecocriticism  

M 11/17

Read: Peter Barry “Ecocriticism” (Beginning Theory, pgs. 248-275)

 

W 11/19  

Group 7 Presentation!

Read: Ursula Heise “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Ecocriticism” (Canvas)

 

F 11/21

Read: Laurence Buell “Ecocriticism: Some Emerging Trends”

 

 

***Thanksgiving Break***

 

 

Week 14 – Wrapping Up + Final Exam

M 12/1

Final Paper Workshop

 

W 12/3

Final Exam Review in Class

 

F 12/5 Last Day of Class

Final Exam (Covers Weeks 9-13)

 

 

 

Paper 2 + Reflective Analysis Due on Canvas December 12

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

I offer extensions without any grade penalty, but an extension request must be sent to me by email or Canvas message before the assignment is due. Work that is submitted late (with no extension request) will lose ten points per day that it is late. 

Attendance Policy

Your success and the success of this course depend on your active participation; therefore, your regular attendance is required. A student whose absences are excessive may run the risk of receiving a lower grade or a failing grade, regardless of their performance in the class. You are allowed two unpenalized absences from class; every absence after that drops your class grade by 5 points. Missing more than five classes puts you at risk of failing the class. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get the assignments, class notes, and course changes from a classmate. 

 

Please note: Zoom accommodations related to Covid restrictions for face-to-face classes have ended. There will be no live streaming or recording of class sessions.

Course Fees

N/A

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.