Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

American Literature II (Face-to-Face)

ENGL 3215-01

Course: ENGL 3215-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: ENGL
CRN: 12165

Course Description

A study of American literature from the Civil War up to World War II. Reading will include both canonical and non-canonical works (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ENGL 2400 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C-

Required Texts

Who Would Have Thought It? (by Maria Amparo Ruiz de Burton, 1872)
Note: additional texts will be required and assigned after Week 2 and based on student input. Examples of possible works include The Awakening, Home to Harlem, The Big Sleep, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, reading from The Poetry Foundation, and others.

Learning Outcomes

To complete this course successfully, you will develop the following four program learning outcomes at a
competent level. These outcomes, which have been introduced to you in your prerequisite coursework,
will be reinforced in this course through instruction, practice, and formative assessment. Your efforts will
be summatively assessed via a number of interrelated assignments and projects, as indicated.

Learning Outcome
Knowledge of Human Cultures:
Demonstrate the ability to identify,
describe, and compare the features of
a variety of genres across different
historical periods and cultures.

Learning Activity
Readings, class lectures and
discussions, and in-class
assignments and activities

Assessment Methods
In-class assignments and submissions

Learning Outcome
Inquiry and Analysis:
Demonstrate the
ability to apply a range of literary
theories and/or critical perspectives
through close reading and analysis.

Learning Activity
Preparing the presentation
and analysis papers

Assessment Methods
Presentation
and analysis papers

Learning Outcome
Communication: Demonstrate the
ability to articulate interpretations
and critical positions through
presentations and academic essays.

Learning Activity
Preparing the presentation
and analysis papers

Assessment Methods
Presentation
and analysis papers

Learning Outcome
Information Literacy:
Demonstrate the ability to
conduct scholarly research.

Learning Activity
Preparing the presentation, group work,
and analysis papers

Assessment Methods
Presentations, Group Project
and analysis papers

Course Requirements

You must complete all the major assignments, fulfill weekly assignments, and submit writing assignments, presentations & portfolios. Failure to successfully complete major assignments may prevent you from accessing further assignments, resulting in a lower or failing class grade. 

Grading
Weekly Assignmeents & Activities 50%
Presentations 15%
Final Literary Analysis 15%
Final Collaborative Project 20%

Important Note: Grades will not be adjusted upon request: concerns about grades must be addressed prior to the last week of class, to allow time to develop a plan, complete, and submit make-up work.

All assignment due dates, detailed descriptions, announcements, calendar, policies, and submission links can be found within our CANVAS course website, where your work must be submitted. Assignments must be satisfactorily completed in full to be considered for passing grades. The class follows a scaffolding model and failure to submit/fully complete assignments may prevent you from moving on to the next assignment, participating in groups, or result in a failing grade. 

You may not submit work in this course that has already been submitted in any other course. Cross-course assignments may be allowed with written approval from each instructor. 

Weekly Assignments, In-class Activities & Genre Analyses (50% of course grade)

Every week there will be short writing and reading assignments where you will post to a discussion thread in response to topics covered in class during that week and responses to readings. This will include notes, reading responses, discussions, group work, and peer review. These assignments will be drawn from weekly readings, responses to student presentations, and reflections on class activities. 

History, Genre, Theory Presentation (15%) 


Each student will be assigned a combination of fiction and theory/nonfiction.  The focus of this presentation will be to give historical and cultural context to the assigned works and to generate informed discussion. The presentation will be prepared for a total of 10 minutes in length, include a reference handout, and must be delivered face-to-face in class. 

Final Literary Analysis (15%)
Each student will write a Final Literary Analysis paper where you consider learning outcomes from over the semester. You will choose a primary text to focus your analysis on, and from there will write an essay that investigates the text using strategies and ideas covered in the class, and importantly, you will draw from your discussion posts to shape your topic and paper. 

Final Collaborative Project (20%) 


The course will conclude with a group project that you will have worked on throughout the semester. The project will include close readings of scenes from assigned texts. Grounding the project will be a theme that your group will decide on, and then you will develop content to explain that theme in different contexts (how it relates to history, stories we have read, social issues, etc).  In class we will discuss length, scope, design of the project to develop an individualized rubric and outline clear expectations that the final project must meet.





Course Outline

Schedule of Work 


Weeks 1-2: Introductory sessions where we do a few preliminary ice-breakers and group workshops to introduce us to each other. Additional short works will be identified for reading throughout the semester, and these will be determined after, as a class, we decide on what major texts to read. 

Weeks 3-12: These weeks will consist of reading and discussing our assigned works, giving and watching presentations, and working in groups to produce the final collaborative project. 

Each week one or two students (depending on enrollment) will present on historical context for that week’s reading assignment.

Additionally, there will be brief lectures guided by our readings, and this will follow a general cadence of one class-presentation day followed by a lecture-discussion day, allowing for flexibility to adjust the schedule according to our critical inquiry. 

These weeks will also include short critical responses that you will post and that we will incorporate into our class discussions.

Lastly, once a week you will work in your groups to develop your collaborative project. 

Weeks 13-14: Group-work presentation days where students will present their final collaborative work based on their final literary analyses. 

**Please note this is a student-driven and collaborative-based course, where the weekly schedule may venture into unplanned literary topics, and therefore subsequent class lectures may be adjusted to further explore and continue class discussions. 


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


Late Work, Feedback, & Help

All work is due 11.59pm (Utah, Mountain Time) on the indicated Due Date

If you are having difficulty submitting an assignment, it is your responsibility to contact the instructor before the assignment is due. Review assignments ahead of time and ask questions before the day of the deadline so that you have adequate time to work on the assignment.

For Canvas issues, if the assignment is emailed with required attachments before the posted deadline then it will be accepted. Work submitted late without instructor permission or without an assignment area on Canvas will not be accepted.

All assignments list a “Due Date” and an “Available Until” date in the Assignments tab.
“Due Date” – the day the assignment is due
“Available Until” date – after the “Due Date” the assignment will remain open for penalty-free submission until the “Available Until” date (typically 4-5 days after the “Due Date”). See below.

Late Work Conditional Grading:
Work submitted on time by the “Due Date”:
Will generally receive written feedback and is eligible for full credit/points
Work submitted after “Due Date” but before assignment closes (Available Until date): 
Eligible for full credit/points, will not receive written feedback (for feedback please make an office hours appointment with the instructor)
After the “Available Until” date (assignment closure date): 
Accepted only if pre-arranged before assignment closes (Available Until date)
Late work will be discussed on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed
Only up to 2 weeks’ worth of in-class & written late work will be accepted 
OTO/On-time-only assignments: Cannot be submitted late or after the posted Due Date. Failure to complete these assignments will result in a grade of “0”, and there will be no exceptions. 


Attendance Policy

Attendance & Participation Policy

In-Class Attendance is Required: Your success and the success of this course depend on your active participation and, therefore, your regular attendance is required. You should communicate with your instructor about your absences. Your attendance is recorded under “Roll Call” in “Assignments.” If you are in class, you must actively participate in class activities in order to be marked present. 

Excessive absences from the class may result in a lower or failing grade, regardless of class performance. You run this risk if you exceed six (6) total absences, including any Absence Waivers. It is your responsibility to get class notes from a classmate and to contact the instructor for missed work. There is a reduction in attendance points for arriving late. In order to be marked ‘present’ (or ‘late’) you must arrive within 15 minutes of the class start time and remain until the end of class. 

Note: you DO NOT need to provide documentation for missing just one class.  If you have an issue that requires you to miss several classes for an extended period of time, you may be asked to meet with the Dean of Students’ office to consider accommodations or withdrawal options. 

Absence Waiver Policy: Each student will be granted 3 excused absences. Near the end of the semester, your first 3 absences will be converted to “Waiver/Excused” and no questions asked. After the waivers, absences will begin to impact your grade and you should meet with your instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to check absences and to email the instructor with any discrepancies within one week of the discrepancy. Note: you may not use excused absences during Presentation Days. 

Lengthy Planned Absences: Use your Absence Waiver and recover at home for brief illnesses or other personal reasons. If you know you will need to miss more than 4 class days you should meet with your instructor and may be referred to the Dean of Students or Disability Resource Center for medical/emergency withdrawal, or other accommodation.

Excessive Absences:  If you miss more than 6 class days in total your absences will count as excessive and you will be unable to pass the class. A failing grade is issued once you have missed your 7th class, including any absences excused under the Absence Waiver policy. If you are excessively absent you will be advised to seek medical/emergency withdrawal options through your advisor or other university entities depending on the nature of your absences and communication with your instructor

Exceptions will be made for students who receive accommodation from the Dean of Students or Disability Resource Center. It is the student’s responsibility to coordinate such accommodation and you should do so before the start of class and/or as soon as reasonably possible. 

Student Resources: If you are struggling to attend class, please seek help. In addition to communicating with your instructor, you may find the following links useful:



Course Fees

Content for this section will be provided by the instructor.

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.