Language, Literacy, and Culture (LLC)

Language, Literacy and Culture Ph.D. Program

JOANN CRANDALL, Graduate Program Director

Professors
BELASCO, WARREN (American Studies), Ph.D., University of Michigan; Popular and material culture, cultural history, food, future studies
CRANDALL, JOANN (Education), Ph.D., Georgetown University; Literacy, language and public policy, immigrant education, second-language teaching, teacher development
FIELD, THOMAS T. (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., Cornell University; Socio-linguistics, literacy, textual analysis, French studies
HEWITT, CHRISTOPHER J. (Sociology), Ph.D., Brown University; Political sociology, sociological theory, social stratification, violence and terrorism
MCCARTHY, LUCILLE (English), Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania; Rhetoric and composition, writing in the professions, Latin-American literature, discourse analysis
ORSER, ED (American Studies), Ph.D., University of New Mexico; 20th-century American society and culture, community studies, racial change, environment
PINCUS, FRED L. (Sociology and Anthropology), Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles; Race and ethnic relations, sociology of education, higher education policy
RUBINSTEIN, ROBERT L., (Sociology and Anthropology), Ph.D., Bryn Mawr College; Cultural and medical anthropology, anthropology of aging, gerontology, gender, qualitative research methods
SCHAFFER, EUGENE C. (Education), Ed.D., Temple University; Curriculum and instruction, educational leadership
SINNIGEN, JOHN H. (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University; Modern Spanish and Latin- American narrative, ideologies and literature, political economy of culture

Associate Professors
ADLER, MARINA A., (Sociology and Anthropology), Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Social science methodology and statistics, cross-national gender, work and family issues, the welfare state, social policy in international perspective
BERGE, ZANE L. (Education), Ph.D., Michigan State University; Training systems, distance education
KA, OMAR (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign; Socio-linguistics, phonology, African linguistics, Wolof language, French language
LARKEY, EDWARD (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., Humboldt Universtät; German popular culture, German ethnicity, GDR studies, political economy of culture
LEE, DIANE M. (Education), Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Human learning and cognition, research methods
LOTTES, ILSA L. (Sociology and Anthropology), Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania; Research methods, statistics, gender roles, cross-national work on women’s status and reproductive health
LOVIGLIO, JASON W. (American Studies), Ph.D., University of Minnesota; Popular culture, media studies, cultural history of mass media
MCCANN, CAROLE (Gender and Women’s Studies), Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz; Cultural studies of science, feminist theory, discourse analysis
MCDERMOTT, PATRICE (American Studies), Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Discourse analysis, sociology of knowledge, mass media and publishing, contemporary social movements
POGGIO, SARA Z. (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Sociology, Latin-American societies, Hispanics in the United States
RIVKIN, MARY S. (Education), Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Early childhood education, outdoor play, environmental education
ROBINSON, THOMAS N., JR., (Africana Studies), Ph.D., Howard University; Psychology, research methods
SCHWARTZ, ANA MARIA (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Language teaching and curriculum development, learning strategies, media, heritage Spanish speakers
SCULLY, PATRICIA A. (Education), Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Early childhood education, early literacy, environmental education
SHIN, SARAH J. (Education), Ph.D., University of Michigan; Bilingualism, bilingual education, language acquisition, second-language writing, language teacher training
STOLLE-MCALLISTER, JOHN (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., University of Minnesota; Cultural studies, social movements, Latin-American popular culture
TEMPLE, CHRISTEL N. (Africana Studies), Ph.D., Temple University; Comparative black literature, the African diaspora, black cultural mythology, Pan-Africanism, intersections of literature and history
YOUNG, STEVEN (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., University of Chicago; Historical phonology, Slavic and Baltic linguistics

Assistant Professors
CHARD, SARAH (Sociology and Anthropology), Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University; Medical anthropology, urban anthropology, anthropology of gender
GWIAZDA, PIOTR K. (English), Ph.D., New York University; 20th-century poetry, poetic history and theory, American literature and culture
GALINDO, CLAUDIA, Ph.D, Pennsylvania State University; Educational Theory and Policy and Comparative International Education. Educational inequality, sociology of education, education and demographic processes, the Latino population in the U.S.
MAHER, JENNIFER (English), Ph.D., Iowa State University; Rhetoric of technology, cultural theory, professional writing
MALLINSON, CHRISTINE (Language, Literacy and Culture), Ph.D., North Carolina State University; Race, class and gender inequality; regional, ethnic and gender variation in American English; socio-linguistics and social theory; research methodology
MEDINA LOPEZ PORTILLO, ADRIANA (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Intercultural communication, study abroad, conflict resolution, experiential learning
OSKOZ, ANA (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., University of Iowa; Second-language acquisition, technology in foreign language classroom, online chat
PROVENCHER, DENIS (Modern Languages and Linguistics), Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University; French civilization and culture studies, language, gender and sexuality, conversation and discourse analysis, intercultural communication
SHIPKA, JODY (English), Ph.D., University of Illinois-Champaign; Rhetoric and composition, multi-modal discourse, activity theory, play theory
YOUNG, PATRICIA A. (Education), Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley; African- American literacy and technology, culture in instructional technology and design, race and ethnicity in education

Clinical Associate Professor
BLUNCK, SUSAN M. (Education), Ph.D., University of Iowa; Science education, curriculum, systemic reform, science education professional development

Clinical Assistant Professor
NELSON, JOHN, (Education), Ph.D., McGill University; Adult language learning, ESOL testing, measurement and evaluation, linguistics and ESOL teaching, ESOL instruction in K-12 education

Research Assistant Professor
BICKEL, BEVERLY (American Studies), Ph.D., University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Globalized communication and culture, critical discourse analysis, critical pedagogy, qualitative research

Lecturers
BRYAN, KATHY S. (American Studies), Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Education history and policy, gender equity in education, curriculum transformation, cultural conflict and transformation, literature and society
CARPENTER, KAREN (Language, Literacy and Culture), Ph.D. University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Computer-assisted writing theory, visual and technological literacy, new media, science writing
HASEGAWA, KAZUMI (Continuing and Professional Studies), Ph.D., Michigan State University; Quantitative methods, survey development, intercultural communication, culture and marketing
HODELL, CHARLES K. (Professional Education and Training), Ph.D., University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Instructional systems design, labor education
KRICHMAR, DIANE MALONEY (Language, Literacy and Culture), Ph.D., University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Online communities, human-computer interaction
OLIA, NEZHAT (Continuing and Professional Studies), Ph.D., University of Oklahoma; Educational evaluation, multi-cultural education, instructional program design, development

Degree Offered

Ph.D.

Program Description

The Ph.D. in Language, Literacy and Culture is an interdisciplinary program of study of language, culture and human interaction offered by the departments of Africana Studies, American Studies, Education, English, Modern Languages and Linguistics and Sociology and Anthropology and the Gender and Women’s Studies Program at UMBC. Through courses and seminars, internships and research, students in the program investigate ways in which social structure, social and cultural assumptions and language use affect interactions among members of different social and cultural groups and impact educational and training programs, communications systems, public policy formation and organization and management. The goal of the program is to provide research and application that will enable professionals in education, health, business, government and other public and private organizations to:

Engage in substantive analysis of discourse, human interaction and the relationships between language, literacy and communication and text
Research and address linguistic, cultural and other diversity issues in communication and interaction
Re-design organizations (schools, businesses, community organizations, non-governmental organizations and governmental entities) to maximize the contributions of linguistic, cultural, racial, gender, social class and age diversity and to increase the participation of under-represented individuals, while minimizing the challenges arising from intercultural misunderstandings and miscommunication. (Courses are offered in the evenings and during summer and winter sessions to facilitate participation by part-time students.)

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. in Language, Literacy and Culture requires completion of 12 hours of core curriculum, 12 hours of coursework in a major program of study or concentration, three to six hours of an internship, 12 hours of research methods courses and 12 hours of dissertation research. In addition, students must successfully complete written comprehensive examinations, write and defend a dissertation and, where appropriate, demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. Core courses consist of LLC 600: Introduction to Language, Literacy and Culture, which all students must take, as well as LLC 601: Intercultural Pragmatics; LLC 606: Social Inequality and Social Policy; LLC 610: Theorizing Identity in Multi-cultural Contexts; LLC 611: Constructing Race, Class and Gender; LLC 616: Cyberspace, Culture and Society; LLC 635: Socio-cultural Theories of Learning and Human Interaction; LLC 640: Multi-disciplinary Approaches to Race, Society and Culture; and LLC 641: Community, Literacy and Computer-Assisted Writing.

Students develop their program of study in consultation with an advisor, in one of four major areas:

Language, Culture and Learning
Technology, Text and Interpretation
Cross-Cultural Interactions in Professional and Disciplinary Contexts
Language, Culture and Power in Organizations and Communities

The 12 hours of research methods courses include quantitative and qualitative research, as well as the required course LLC 890: Research Proposal Seminar on Language, Literacy and Culture. In the proposal seminar, students explore potential research areas related to their concentration and internship and begin developing a draft dissertation proposal.

The internship is an integral part of the core course of study. It may be a specially designed project related to the organization where the student is employed or in another agency or organization that complements and extends the student’s research and experiential background. Internships may take place in local, national or international organizations; nonprofit organizations; government agencies; businesses; educational institutions; or other community contexts. Upon completion of the core courses and concentration, students take a written comprehensive examination on the core areas. Students have two opportunities to complete the comprehensive examination successfully. The dissertation is focused on preparing degree candidates to identify, research and help resolve issues related to language, literacy and culture. Candidates will be encouraged to link research to problems or issues related to helping ethnically and linguistically diverse populations in schools, organizations, colleges and universities and businesses and industries. Students must defend their dissertation research proposal successfully to their dissertation committee. They also will be expected to defend their completed dissertation.

Program Admission Requirements

Applicants to the Language, Literacy and Culture doctoral program must have a master’s degree and meet all of the admissions requirements as set forth by the Graduate School. In addition, the following must be submitted directly to the Language, Literacy and Culture program:

A writing sample (for example, a thesis, research paper or report)
Résumé or curriculum vitae

These documents should be sent to the following address:

ACIV A-Wing, Room 402
UMBC
1000 Hilltop Circle
Baltimore, MD 21250

All original application documents must be sent directly to the Graduate School, not to the graduate program. Please note that the Language, Literacy and Culture doctoral program admits new students into the program in fall semesters only. The program deadline for receipt of all application materials is February 1 of the year in which the student intends to enroll. Only those applicants with master’s degrees are considered for admission.

Facilities and Special Resources

Through its six supporting departments and one supporting program, LLC offers a number of special resource collections and facilities, including the Resource Center for Language and Culture and the Maryland State Adult Literacy Center. The departments have a number of local, regional, national and international partnerships that can serve as contexts for internships. Internships can be arranged with public and private schools, community colleges and universities throughout Maryland; nonprofit organizations, non-governmental organizations, governmental agencies, and other public and private institutions around the country; and universities and bi-national institutes and bilingual American and international schools in a number of countries, including Brazil, Chile, China, Ecuador, Mexico and Thailand. Additional internships are available through UMBC’s Shriver Center.

Financial Assistance

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available through the program. Work-study assistantships are also available to citizens and permanent residents of the United States. Students applying for work-study assistantships should submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Applications for work-study assistantships also should be sent to the program.

COURSE LISTING

Core Courses

LLC 600
Introduction to Language, Literacy and Culture [3]
This course is designed to introduce students to the ways in which social structuring, cultural assumptions and language use affect public policy formation and interactions in such areas as the multi-cultural classroom, the professions, government, business and industry and social service agencies.

LLC 601
Intercultural Pragmatics [3]
This course investigates the linguistic and semiotic underpinnings of human communication—the sorts of structuring that communicative codes themselves impose on interaction, the social constraints within which it operates and the role context plays in understanding the complexities of discourse. Note: Also listed as MLL 601.

LLC 606
Social Inequality and Social Policy [3]
This course examines poverty and inequality in modern society. The focus is on describing the extent of poverty and inequality, examining theories that attempt to explain these phenomena and discussing the policies that have been employed to mitigate them. In addition to class inequality, the course also considers racial and gender inequality. Note: Also listed as SOCY 606.

LLC 610
Theorizing Identity in Multi-Cultural Contexts [3]
This course examines the changing dynamics of identity formation and transformation as they are mediated through contemporary experiences of race, gender, ethnicity, class, sexuality and nation. A wide range of personal narratives and case studies are analyzed using different socio-cultural theories of identity. Note: Also listed as AMST 610.

LLC 611
Constructing Race, Class and Gender [3]
This course provides an interdisciplinary examination of the complex array and interplay of structural and cultural limitations on individual and group mobility in contemporary American society. Using a range of approaches, the course defines and clarifies the limitations of these dominant social categories by problematizing and interrogating four important social categories: race, class, gender and schooling. Note: Also listed as EDUC 611 and SOCY 611.

LLC 616
Cyberspace, Culture and Society [3]
The information superhighway, communications revolution and cyberspace are used to describe the contemporary revolution in human communications. This course will explore the cultural and societal implications of computer-mediated communications by addressing such topics and questions as the representations of self and self-identity in cyberspace, interactions in cyberspace, information technology and institutional change, community formation in cyberspace, democracy and collective action in cyberspace and order and deviance in cyberspace. Throughout the course, contemporary technological advances will be compared to and contrasted with the cultural and societal effects of previous technologies, such as the printing press, wireless telephone and television. Note: Also listed as SOCY 616.

LLC 635
Socio-Cultural Theories of Learning and Human Interaction [3]
This seminar examines the process of human learning from an ecological or socio-cultural perspective across diverse contexts, including the effects of differences in cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds of student and teacher; differences in learning styles and educational assumptions; and institutional catalysts or barriers to student achievement. The role of social interaction in learning is also addressed. Note: Also listed as EDUC 635.

LLC 640
Multi-Disciplinary Approaches to Race, Society and Culture [3]
This course explores critical social issues through analysis and discussion of works by contemporary authors who have shaped critical discourse in relationship to issues of freedom, truth and dignity. The course focuses on personal, social, intellectual and aesthetic challenges to modern discourse, as well as the dialectics of change and order. Note: Also listed as AFST 640.

LLC 644
Methods of Language, Literacy and Culture Research [3]
This course is designed to provide you with graduate-level understanding of social science research methods. Our major objectives are to understand the various components and stages of the social science research process; to understand the values, politics and ethics of social science research; and to learn how to design your own manageable research project.

LLC 641
Community, Literacy and Computer-Assisted Writing [3]
This course investigates the impact of technology-rich writing spaces on communication, community and literacy. Students examine and practice the ways community affects the development of writing process. Additionally, they consider the ways electronic writing spaces enable new kinds of communities and the literacy expectations of those communities. Note: Also listed as ENGL 641

Additional LLC Courses

LLC 750
Topics in Language, Literacy and Culture [3]
Topics in specific areas of language, literacy and culture are selected on the basis of the interests of faculty and students. Note: May be repeated for credit.

Independent Study

LLC 892
Independent Study in Language, Literacy and Culture [2-3]
This course provides the student with the opportunity to study independently any aspect of language, literacy and culture relevant to the student’s program concentration that is not covered by regular course offerings.

Internship

LLC 891
Internship in Language, Literacy and Culture [3-6]
The internship is a specially designed project related to the student’s major concentration. The internship provides the opportunity to research issues in language, literacy and culture in real-world contexts and to apply results of that research to practical-world problems and issues. Internships may be related to the student’s current employment context or will be developed in agencies or organizations that complement the student’s research and experiential background and contributes to the major program of study.

Specialization Courses

LLC 612
Language, Race and Ethnicity [3]
This course explores language as a mechanism in the construction and institutionalization of race and ethnicity. Topics covered include the construction of standard language ideologies, the significance of racial and ethnic dialects in individual and group identities, the “English only” and “Ebonics” controversies and linguistic profiling. Students will propose original research projects to further examine language, race and ethnicity.

LLC 642
Visual Literacy [3]
This course focuses on the impact of new media, including an evolving visual and technological literacy. The course examines literacy development and expectations, both visual and textual, across cultures. For both readers and writers, technology is reshaping our literate practices; literacy definitions are expanding; and literacy expectations are increasing, requiring new skills and a changed composing process. Note: Also listed as ENGL 488/688.

LLC 647
Online Voice and Community [3]
This course examines culturally specific online communities and the ways in which these strengthen social capital. Students analyze and participate in online communities, examining text, voice, ethics, language and structure. They consider the importance of valued voice in the design, engagement and outcome of successful online communities. Note: Also listed as ENGL 447/647.

LLC 648
Research Writing and Design
The course focuses on three aspects of academic writing: participating in the scholarly community, writing for conference presentation and publication and writing for the dissertation. Students identify leading publications in their field and assess the expectations, read deeply within one journal series and prepare a paper for publication. They also prepare a paper for a conference presentation, while developing a fuller text for publication. Finally, they review successful dissertations and their dissertation requirements and design a reasonable process for dissertation writing and management.

LLC 649
Genre Analysis [3]
Taught in an electronic classroom, this course is guided by the theory and methodologies, primarily of Swales and Bakhtin. Students conduct “textographies” or studies of text and situation and examine the rhetoric of academia, science, media and law, both print and electronic, using multi-methodologies, including observation, discourse analysis, interview and think-aloud protocols. They also investigate academic writing and the development of academic language and literacy.

LLC 650
Advanced Qualitative Research [3]
This course provides a systematic overview of qualitative methods in social science research. Students will cover theoretical perspectives, research techniques, research design, data management, data analysis and ethical questions relevant to qualitative research. During the course, students will propose and conduct original, short-term qualitative research projects pertaining to language, literacy and culture

AMST 620
The Production of Culture [3]
This course looks at the manufacture and consumption of mass culture. Who creates, processes, distributes and buys the dreams and ideals that influence our daily lives? How are values, insights, information and myths converted into marketable commodities? What are the political implications of culture production? Taking a variety of interdisciplinary approaches, the course examines a number of culture industries.

AMST 622
Seminar in Mass Media [3]
An intensive research seminar that investigates specific problems in mass media. Topics include children and television, television news and advertising.

AMST 630
Cultural Policy and the Politics of Culture in the United States [3]
This course examines the historical development of cultural policy in the United States, especially in relation to the practical problem of achieving cultural equity within the public and private institutions of a multi-cultural political democracy. Special attention is paid to the cultural dynamics of certain periods and to interactions between the cultural systems and characteristics of various racial and ethnic groups, of cultural areas and regions and of occupational groups and socio-economic classes.

AMST 680
Community and Culture [3]
An interdisciplinary examination of the nature and varieties of community in American culture, past and present, focusing upon the analytical conceptions of community as place, social structure and culture. The course will consider classic and contemporary literature of community studies, including perspectives from sociology and anthropology, social and cultural history, social psychology, creative writing and related interdisciplinary fields.

EDUC 605
The Adult Learner [3]
This course is concerned with the relationships of established theoretical models for adult education to diverse settings within the instructional framework. Special emphasis is applied to characteristics, motivation, skill retention and learning enhancement strategies and models. Note: Also listed as EHS 605. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 610
Principles of Computer-Based and Web-Based Instructional Systems [3]
The purpose of this course is to apply the principles of instructional systems development to the design, development and evaluation of computer-based training (CBT)/Web-based training (WBT) materials. Computer-based models of commercial CBT/WBT products are investigated. Laboratory tasks will focus on the production of a CBT/WBT lesson of instruction using a powerful authoring language and graphics software. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 612
Message Design [3]
This course is concerned with the theory and practice of designing instructional messages. Emphasis is placed on combining the basic message components, purpose, text design, typography, graphics and color to create effective visual and oral messages. The student will design, present and critique a variety of messages for cognitive, psycho-motor and affective domains. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 620
Developing Computer-Based and Web-Based Instructional Materials [3]
The purpose of this course is to design, develop and manage production of interactive computer-based training (CBT)/Web-based training (WBT) instructional materials. Computer laboratory tasks will include producing a complete unit of instruction using a powerful authoring language and graphics software. Lessons contained in the instructional unit will be designed using acceptable CBT/WBT guidelines. Students will participate on a production team, building skills in CBT/WBT project management. Prerequisites: EDUC 610 and consent of department.

EDUC 625
Teaching Reading and Writing to ESOL/Bilingual Students, Part 1 [3]
An investigation of literature containing approaches and techniques to teaching reading to the bilingual student will be provided through lectures, class discussions, film, video presentations, research and field observations. Psycho-linguistic models of the bilingual reader will be reviewed. Information concerning techniques and activities for teaching reading and writing in the content areas will be examined. Methods of evaluation and assessment will be demonstrated. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 627
Instructional Strategies for Teaching Foreign Languages in Secondary Schools [3]
An investigation of the traditional and modern techniques in teaching foreign languages will be provided through lectures, class discussions, demonstrations, research and field observations. The nature of language and theories of first- and second- language acquisition/learning will be studied. The students will analyze current theory, research and classroom practices of foreign-language methodology and curriculum to develop instructional strategies. Prerequisites: EDUC 601 and consent of department.

EDUC 639
Interactive Video Systems and Conferencing [3]
This course builds skills for delivering successful interactive video courses and seminars. Hands-on exercises and role modeling facilitate individual practice sessions. Information will be provided about common configurations of distance-learning systems, including auxiliary hardware and support equipment. Site planning, production issues and instructional materials development for this medium also are addressed.

EDUC 640
Programming Computer-Based and Web-Based Instructional Materials for Implementation [3]
This is a lab-based course in which the students will gain first-hand experience in using various multi-media software tools such as Macromedia Dreamweaver, Macromedia Author-ware, Microsoft FrontPage and Adobe Photoshop. A product representative or expert user will provide a demonstration of each of the software tools. The demonstration will include lab-based exercises, which will provide the student an opportunity to practice using the products. The student also will evaluate each product, particularly for classroom use. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 641
Online Classroom [3]
In this course, various aspects of computer-mediated communication and instruction will be examined. A broad range of distance education issues and applications will be explored from a theoretical and practical standpoint. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 643
Principles of Distance Education [3]
This course provides students with a foundation in the history, theory, organization, technologies and instructional procedures used in distance education. Students will gain experience with several distance education delivery systems. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 649
Best Practices in ISD in Training and Development [3]
This course offers strategies to use instructional systems development in solving training and development problems. Designed for students to explore Multiple perspectives of real-world applications and the skills required to be a practitioner in the field of training and development. Prerequisite: Consent of department

EDUC 650
Education in Cultural Perspective [3]
Graduate-level seminar that will focus on the research and theory relating to cycles of educational reform from the Colonial period to the present. The emphasis will be on the historical shift in attitudes toward children, women and minorities; on the rise of and challenges to a tradition of common schooling; and on teachers, teacher training and professionalization. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 655
Teaching Reading and Writing to ESOL/Bilingual Students, Part 2 [3]
This course analyzes theories, research and approaches to teaching writing to second- language learners. Included are discussions of academic, professional and expressive writing; cultural contrasts in rhetorical styles and tradition; and the use of modern technology (computer, e-mail and Internet) in teaching writing.

EDUC 685
The Teaching of Writing [3]
An introduction to theories and techniques of writing instruction. Current theory and research are applied to development of a repertoire of approaches to writing instruction and curriculum development. Students examine research that analyzes writing from linguistic, psychological and developmental perspectives. Direct experience in personal writing will reinforce theoretical study of the processes of composition and enable prospective teachers to improve their own writing skills. Each student will design a model writing program or course, including rationale for choices made and will demonstrate how specific features of the course or program will be taught. Prerequisites: A course in literature or education and consent of department.

EDUC 688
Methodology of Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language [3]
The course investigates traditional and modern approaches and techniques for teaching English as a second or foreign language; theories of second-language acquisition and learning; curriculum and materials design of ESOL/EFOL for academic, social, survival and professional purposes. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 693
Media Technology Seminar [1-3]
An in-depth study of selected topics concerned with theories, principles, trends, use, selection and/or evaluation of media technology. Note: Topics subject to change each semester. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 796
Human Performance Technology [3]
This course will focus on a synergistic examination of the current issues related to designing, developing, deliving and evaluating of training systems for employee training in industry and business. Corporate organization and financial, social and political factors will be analyzed in terms of their effect upon the efficacy and efficiency of such training programs. The student will be expected to research such factors and their synergistic effect upon corporations’ internal efforts to respond to training needs. Prerequisites: EDUC 602 and consent of department.

ENGL 631
Contemporary Issues: Texts and Concepts [3]
Focuses on an issue of current importance and examines its representation in selected works of modern and contemporary literature. Topics, which vary from semester to semester, may deal with such problems as ethos and action, politics and culture, the representation of the natural environment, contemporary self-consciousness, masculine and feminine in modern fiction, relativity in art or science and society.

ENGL 648
Seminar in Literature and Culture [3]
Study of the relationships between literature and culture, with emphasis on literature as a product and manifestation of cultural forces. Topics are announced each semester.

ENGL 686
Teaching Composition: Theory and Practice [3]
This course examines a changing understanding of the teaching of composition during the past 30 years by tracing key theories and pedagogies across this period. These sometimes-conflicting approaches to teaching writing include the following orientations: cognitive, expressivist, social constructionist and political. The course is intended for current and prospective teachers of elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels.

ENGL 690
Topics in the English Language [3]
A study of the various aspects of the English language. These might include a historical survey of the structure of the language from Old English through Middle English to Modern English; contemporary varieties of English, both standard and nonstandard; and the development of new Englishes around the world.

ENGL 692
Topics in Rhetoric and Composition [3]
Emphasizes one of two ways for students to examine theories of speaking and writing. The first, historical in emphasis, traces current models of the writing process to their traditional sources in Greek and Latin rhetoric. The second, contemporary in emphasis, examines present trends in writing research, the problems of different methodologies and new developments that influence how researchers study writing. Focus may be on teaching writing with computer-assisted instruction, including pedagogical background and theoretical support for CAI, as well as hands-on, online work.

MLL 602
Ethnography of Communication [3]
At the intersection of linguistics and anthropology, the ethnography of communication has as its goal an understanding of the patterning of communicative behavior within culture. Topics to be covered in the course include what it means to talk in different cultural contexts, the functions of literacy in the United States and elsewhere, the symbolic organization of the world in writing and speaking, language attitudes and social prestige, and how languages and cultures are acquired and reproduced. Readings will include case studies drawn from work on a wide variety of cultures.

MLL 603
Political Economy of Culture [3]
A study of the economic, social and political forces conditioning cultural identity and production. Special attention is paid to questions of race, gender, social class and international relations.

MLL 612
Linguistics and Bilingualism [3]
Bilingualism is a part of everyday life for many people around the world, yet in some ways it is still a poorly understood phenomenon. In this course, we will examine bilingualism, first as a characterization of individual human beings and then as a factor in social patterning. In particular, we will be interested in the structures that constitute human linguistic knowledge and the broader abilities of communicative competence and the ways bilinguals may differ from monolinguals in these areas.

MLL 625
Intercultural and Cross-Cultural Communication [3]
The purpose of this course is to study communication within the context of the cultural setting. The three main goals are: 1) to provide the students with materials, both cognitive and experiential, with which they can develop an awareness of their own cultural identity; 2) to increase their knowledge of the special communication problems to be expected in a cross-cultural situation; and 3) to offer students the opportunity to apply new insights to cross-cultural encounters.

MLL 670
Second-Language Acquisition and Learning: From Theory to Practice [3]
This course examines issues in second-language acquisition and learning from the perspective of teaching and learning in ESOL and foreign language classrooms. Topics covered include a review of past and current learning theories, an exploration of the range of factors (physiological, cognitive, affective, environmental) affecting first- and second-language acquisition, the role of input and output in second-language development, the role of learning styles and strategies in language learning and language processing in reading and listening. These topics will be explored through readings, class discussions and a variety of individual and collaborative projects and assignments.

SOCY 601
Organization and Management [3]
This course is an examination of the internal structure of large private, public and nonprofit organizations. Variations in structure are analyzed for their causes and consequences for organizational functioning. The role of management in designing structures to achieve organizational goals is stressed.

SOCY 602
Power and Policy Formation [3]
An examination of the relationship between power and policy formation. The course analyzes how power is manifested in social structure, including social classes, class segments and organizations, and how political coalitions emerge to exercise power and influence policy formation.

SOCY 606
Social Inequality and Social Policy [3]
This course examines poverty and inequality in modern society. The focus is on describing the extent of poverty and inequality, examining theories that attempt to explain these phenomena and discussing the policies that have been employed to mitigate them. The course also considers racial and gender inequality. Note: Also listed as LLC 606.

SOCY 609
Sociological Theory [3]
Classical and contemporary sociological theorists are studied and compared, as are different schools of theory. Also, the course surveys and critiques different types of theory and metatheory.

SOCY 614
Evaluation of Educational Policy [3]
This course applies research findings from the sociology of education to some key issues of educational policy, focusing on primary and secondary education. Both issues of educational quality and equality are considered, including school quality, choice proposals, school desegregation, compensatory education, tracking, mainstreaming and bilingual education. The course includes an introduction to the nature of educational policy, an overview of the policymaking process at the local level and a critical assessment of policy research, with special attention to problems of measurement and study design.

SOCY 615
Higher Education and Social Inequality [3]
A sociological analysis of the impact of higher education on social inequality in the United States. Topics include a discussion of problems of attaining a representative student body, missions of different types of institutions, developing programs for different types of students and the effects of affirmative-action policies.

SOCY 620
Social Epidemiology [3]
Basic concepts and methods of epidemiological investigation, with special emphasis on the social environment and its influence on health.

SOCY 629
Aging in Cultural Context [3]
Drawing upon readings about contemporary peoples from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States, this course examines the process of aging and what it is like to be old in a worldwide context. Using case studies, life histories, readings and films, an analysis will be made of the way culture affects the aging process and is linked to variation in religion, family organization, social networks and beliefs about the life cycle. Global research on aging is used to discuss specific issues, such as ethnicity, long-term care, community roles of the aged, urban development and homelessness.

SOCY 630
Sociology of Aging [3]
Changing work, family and other sociological roles of the elderly; the subculture of the aged; economic, health, medical care and other social problems of the elderly.

SOCY 631
Family and Aging in Society [3]
An analysis of human development and aging as they relate to the institution of the family. Using a family life-cycle perspective, the course examines demographic trends, historical changes in the family, stages of family life, changing family roles and inter-generational relations. Particular attention is paid to the mutual effects of changing family structure and social policy in shaping the status of the aged in society.

SOCY 633
Gender, Work and Family in Cross-Cultural Perspective [3]
This course examines the intersection of work and family as affected by gender stratification in various countries. The topics covered include the separation and interdependence of work and family, gender wage differences, occupational gender segregation, division of household labor and child care, dual-earner families and the impact of national policies (child care, parental leave, affirmative action) on women and men.

SOCY 651
Sociology of Health and Illness Behavior [3]
Analysis of health needs and demands of the population. Examination of health and illness behavior and utilization patterns, taking into account socio-demographic variations and trends. Topics include mortality and morbidity, health attitudes and behavior, social psychology of illness and patient-professional relationships.

SOCY 672
Issues in Aging Policy [3]
This course addresses salient issues in aging policy and provides students with a context for understanding the public policy process. The course will explore theoretical models of public policy and apply them to aging policy, examine major public policy controversies facing the aging society, study the role of organizations in the policy process, provide tools for analyzing social policies in aging and expose students to the key literature in aging and social policy. Note: Also listed as PUBL 672.

SOCY 698
Advanced Selected Topics in Sociology [3]
The specific topics will be announced in advance of the semester the course is offered.

GWST 680
Theories of Feminism [3]
This course examines the major theories of feminism through the study of works by central feminist thinkers in historical and intellectual contexts. Topics include reproduction and sexuality; the sexual division of labor; political rights and the intersection of class, race and gender.

GWST 695
Research Seminar in Women’s Studies [1-3]
This seminar includes discussion of methodological issues central to conducting research about gender and strategies for evaluating research and methodologies used by other disciplines in terms of their appropriateness for women’s studies scholarship. Students complete a research or internship project of their design that focuses on gender.

IS 629
Human Factors in Information Systems [3]
This course is designed to introduce the student of information systems management to the current research literature and controversial issues regarding the impact of human factor interventions as applied to the ever-increasing human-computer interaction.

IS 760
Human-Computer Interaction [3]
This course examines and analyzes cognitive and software concepts that underline human-computer interaction. The concepts include cognitive theories of memory organization, problem-solving strategies and linguistic comprehension. Interaction software technologies that are examined include menu-selection systems, command languages and direct manipulation techniques. This course in intended to introduce students to the current literature, prepare them for conducting independent research and for designing appropriate interaction software.

PHIL 445
Philosophy of Language [3]
A study of philosophical problems concerning the nature of language. This course considers, among other things, what communication is, what it is for a word or name to refer to something and what the relationship is between language and thought.

PHIL 640
Scientific Reasoning [3]
An introduction to the methods of scientific reasoning, inductive inference, statistical methods and decision and risk analysis. The course also examines moral problems that arise in using statistical techniques; problems of measuring and comparing different values; the use and abuse of analytic methods and the problems of communicating information regarding risks and other forms of technical scientific knowledge to patients, subjects of experiments and the general public.

PHIL 652
Topics in Contemporary Ethical Theory [3]
Intensive study of a contemporary ethical theory, such as consequentialism, contractarian or care ethic, exploring its strengths and weaknesses as a basis for personal morality, social policy and professional conduct. In opposition to the impartial application of abstract principles stressed in mainstream “justice” ethics, “care” ethics stresses personal responsibility and solicitude for identified others. Associated with a feminine philosophical perspective, “care” ethics is claimed by some health professionals to be particularly applicable to biomedical ethical issues.

PSYC 785
Adult Intellectual Development [3]
This course focuses on the theories and controversies concerning the course of intellectual development in adulthood. The role of biological, affective and social factors in intellectual functioning are carefully examined.

PSYC 787
Schooling and Development [3]
The primary focus of this course is on the relationship between formal cognitive socialization, principally schooling and the cognitive development of individuals being socialized. The course will review both micro-structural analyses (such as cross-cultural differences or the effects of literacy on thought).

Research Courses

LLC 644
Methods of Language, Literacy and Culture Research [3]
This course is designed to provide you with a graduate-level understanding of social science research methods. Our major objectives are to understand the various components and stages of the social science research process; to understand the values, politics and ethics of social science research; and to learn how to design your own manageable research project

LLC 645
Quantitative Research Methods I [3]
This is a course in the application of basic statistics in a variety of educational research settings. Emphasis is placed upon the use of descriptive statistics, the interpretation and construction of data collection instruments and the application of basic research paradigms. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

LLC 646
Quantitative Research Methods II [3]
Special problems arising in the implementation of educational research designs are examined. Instrumentation to measure attitudes and the collection of questionnaire data are part of the course content. Statistical procedures in addition to those taught in EDUC 645 and appropriate to the analysis of educational research designs are introduced. Problem experiences in instrumentation construction and analysis, as well as research design are emphasized. Prerequisites: EDUC 645 and consent of department.

LLC 684
Qualitative Research Methods in School and Communities [3]
This course focuses on the application of selected field research methods to problems of educational practice. Students will study issues pertaining to the role and responsibility of the field investigator working in schools and in other community groups. Students will plan and conduct a field study using qualitative field techniques. Prerequisite: Consent of department.

EDUC 651
Intermediate Statistics in Education [3]
Review of t-tests, chi-square analysis, distributional theory, one- and- two-way analysis of variance and introduction to multiple correlation and regression. Prerequisites: EDUC 646 or equivalent and consent of department.

EDUC 771
Research Designs in Education [3]
This course provides an overview of designs used in educational research. Topics include, but are not limited to, experimental, quasi-experimental, historical, ethnographic and phenomenological modes of inquiry. Emphases are on the assumptions, applications, tools and procedures associated with each of the varied designs. For example, study of experimental and quasi-experimental design will attend to issues such as validity, randomization and multi-variate statistics. Prerequisites: EDUC 601, EDUC 602 and/or consent of department.

SOCY 600
Research Methodology [3]
A course designed to advance graduate students’ knowledge of the modes of inquiry in the social sciences and to familiarize them with research methods and techniques. Prerequisite: Evidence of undergraduate-level understanding of research methods and consent of instructor.

SOCY 604
Statistical Analysis [3]
An introduction to the concepts and methods of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Bi-variate and multi-variate statistical techniques will be discussed. Note: Also listed as PUBL 604. Prerequisites: SOCY/PUBL 600 or their equivalents and consent of instructor.

SOCY 605
Advanced Research and Evaluation Techniques [3]
Components in research design and strategy, problems in and approaches to the application of research and statistics to program evaluation and policy decision-making based on research data. Note: Also listed as PUBL 605. Prerequisites: SOCY/PUBL 600 and SOCY/PUBL 604 or their equivalents and consent of instructor.

SOCY 608
Advanced Statistical Methods [3]
This course focuses on concepts and methods used in multi-variate statistical analysis and on the computer techniques and packages used in this process.

SOCY 610
Sample Surveys in Social Science [3]
An introduction to the techniques of survey research (sample design, questionnaire construction and analysis of survey data) as applied in the social sciences. Students will participate in a survey research project. Prerequisite: A course in social statistics.

SOCY 618
SAS for Social Scientists [3]
This course introduces students to the basic principles of SAS, a widely used statistical software package. Students will learn data entry, data correction and validation, data analysis, combining data sets, rearranging data and macros. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

SOCY 619
Qualitative Methods in Social Research [3]
This course will focus on the styles of research, analysis and epistemologies associated with qualitative research in the applied social and policy sciences. As an increasingly important mode of inquiry, qualitative, multi-method approaches are particularly relevant to the study of social interaction and behavior in natural settings. Qualitative approaches involve collecting and analyzing empirical information from multiple sources, such as first-person accounts, life histories, visual/printed records, semi-structured and open-ended interviews, informal and formal observations and biographical and autobiographical materials. Students in the course will learn how to design, collect and analyze qualitative information by conducting a small, semester-long study. Sections of the research project will be prepared, presented and evaluated throughout the course. Note: Also listed as LLC 619.

SOCY 650
Demographic Analysis [3]
Methods of processing and analyzing demographic data. Measures of mortality, fertility, migration and population projections as applied to census and vital statistics data will be analyzed, and the more general applications of demographic techniques to other classes of data will be illustrated.

LLC 890
Research Proposal Seminar [3]
The goal of this course is to help students develop their own dissertation proposals. To accomplish this, faculty in language, literacy and culture discuss their research from the proposal stage through publication. Students are exposed to a variety of topics and methodologies.

LLC 898
Pre-Candidacy Doctoral Research [1-6]
Research on doctoral dissertation conducted under the direction of a faculty advisor before candidacy.

LLC 899
Doctoral Dissertation Research [6]
Doctoral dissertation research under the direction of the faculty advisor chosen by the student. Note: A minimum of 12 credit hours is required for the doctoral degree.