Languages, Literature and Composition

The Bachelor of Arts in English and the English minor prepare students with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century information economy--from reading and writing to analyzing and producing creative and professional writing in a variety of print and digital media. Core courses expose students to the full range of English studies, including creative and professional writing, linguistics and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), literary study of Shakespeare and the classics, as well as cultural difference and diversity in literature. Students also choose their own personalized set of advanced English courses focused on literature or film, creative or professional writing and rhetoric, linguistics and English for Speakers of Other Languages or a combination of these. Popular courses include Writing in the Fantasy Genre, Adolescent Literature, African American literature, the Harlem Renaissance, Mythical, Classical, and Biblical Backgrounds, Postcolonial Literature, Women Writers, and Writing in Fantasy Genres, and Freelance Publishing. Find examples of great student writing in English courses in the English Literary File, undergraduate student journal. 

Our alumni have used their degrees to become published authors, journalists, grant writers, lawyers, government leaders, non-profit administrators, public relations writers, business owners, college professors, K-12 teachers, and teachers of English in Spain, China, Mexico, and around the world.

Current students can find tips for success in English courses, guides to pursuing a career in English and more in our Department site under "The Dome."

Students in creative writing minor enjoy the benefits of small classes and one-on-one attention to practice and perfect their skills in writing autobiography, creative nonfiction, drama, novels, poetry and stories in a range of genres. 

• Workshop writing in small classes with a 12:1 student-faculty ratio
• Work with award-winning authors on novels, short fiction, genre fiction, creative non-fiction, and memoirs 
• Intern with the literary magazine, outstanding student organization winner

Dr. Thomas McConnell, professor of English, most recently won the Porter Fleming Literary Competition. His latest novel, The Wooden King, will be published by Hub City Press in spring 2018. 

Prof. Brock Adams, senior instructor of English and director of the Writing Center, was awarded the SC First Novel Prize for 2016, and his novel, Ember, was released in fall 2017. The novel is set in Upstate South Carolina, and offers a thrilling view of an apocalyptic world in which a dying sun ushers in a cold, dark reality. 

 Dr. Marilyn Knight, author of the horror novel Baby Doll, advises the literary arts magazine, Writers Inc. Interested students may enroll in a one-credit internship to work with the magazine throughout the year. 

USC Upstate students can open new worlds of opportunity at home and abroad by studying one of our five languages: American Sign Language, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish. Current students may find out more about the world language placement test and which world language courses are right for you on our Department site under "The Dome."

As our largest world language program, the Spanish major and minors prepare students to communicate in Spanish and to connect Spanish with various professions in the competitive global marketplace of the Upstate and beyond. Students pursuing a B.A. in Spanish focus on the language, literature, and culture of Spanish and Latin American countries and communities both past and present. Literature, film, and culture courses as well as study abroad opportunities in Spain, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica immerse students in the life and experiences of the Spanish-speaking world.

Throughout the US Spanish studies are quickly growing, and the Spanish major ranks as the most popular second major nationwide. Students who cannot double major in Spanish can pursue a range of minors that can help build skills and show employers that you have the global and intercultural competencies they demand. The annual New Global South Summit brings together faculty, students, community members, and worldwide experts to explore the future of our interconnected world. 

The Minor in Global Studies combines intermediate-level study of Chinese, French, German, or Spanish with a broader exploration of global cultural interactions, including a study abroad experience. This minor also meets the cultural and language requirements of USC Upstate’s Peace Corps Prep Program.

Many USC Upstate are bilingual by the time they enter the University. Minors in Spanish translation/ interpreting learn both theory and practical applications of translation and interpreting in healthcare, legal, business, and education professions. Advanced coursework in translation, interpretation, and Spanish for the professions helps students prepare for careers in a bilingual marketplace, while internships and service learning opportunities in translation and teaching English to speakers of other languages demonstrate the way Spanish can help make a real difference in many lives.

Minors in world languages allow students to combine their interest in language and culture with a major in business, health care, engineering, technology, communications, criminal justice, child advocacy, education, or nearly any other field. Our minors prepare students to research, analyze, create, and communicate more effectively across audiences and cultures. These skills can significantly increase career competitiveness. Minors in French, German Studies, Spanish and Spanish Translation/Interpreting prepare students for careers working with companies, organizations, schools, and communities from throughout the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America. Global companies like BMW, Michelin, Dräxlmaier, and others headquartered in the Upstate region seek talented employees who can communicate and work across languages and cultures as they carry on business around the globe.

World language teachers are also in high demand, and students with advanced language skills may use them to gain certification to teach through PACE or other post-graduation certification programs. Our world language faculty are actively involved with state-wide and national associations of teachers of world languages, where they work closely with K-12 schools and teachers throughout South Carolina. Now in its 20th year, the Reflections Workshop for world language teachers, founded by Dr. June Carter, brings dozens of teachers to USC Upstate each year for professional development with national leaders in world language teaching. 

African American Studies Minor includes courses in African American literature, culture, arts, history, social sciences and critical race theory.

The film studies minor introduces students to both film analysis and criticism as well as film and video production. The Upstate region and surrounding areas in North Carolina and Georgia have hosted crews for dozens of feature films, and the film/entertainment industry is growing as a regular avenue of communication for companies, non-profit organizations, education, and other industries. 

Add a film minor to a degree in business, communications, English, non-profit administration, sociology, or computer science to demonstrate your ability to work in a YouTube-centered world. 

Preface, USC Upstate's signature program in first-year reading and writing, has received national recognition for its impact on preparing students for leadership and civic engagement. The Preface First-Year Reading Program Includes readings, cultural events and exhibits designed to bring together the University community and first-year students in discussion of a single text and the issues it raises.

First-year students enrolled in Composition I (ENGL U101) and University 101 discuss the common reading selection in class throughout the semester, then particpate in lectures, film screenings, and other programs designed to help create connections between students, faculty, the University, and the community. Students meet national leaders, award-winning authors, voices from Upstate's social and business communities, as well a USC Upstate faculty from throughout the university in this great introduction to University and academic life. 

Full-Time Faculty in English, World Languages, and African American Studies

Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Chair
Associate Professor of American Literature
Teaching and Research Areas: Modernism, Postmodernism, Postcolonial Studies, Women's and Gender Studies, Literary Theory

Dr. Araceli Hernandez-Laroche, Assistant Chair of World Languages
Assistant Professor of French and Comparative Literature
Teaching and Research Areas: French Language and Literature, Existentialism, Immigration, Francophone Africa, the Global South

Brock Adams
Senior Instructor of English, Director of the Writing Center
Teaching and Research Areas: Writing, Creative Nonfiction, Flash Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Meggan Burton
Senior Instructor of Spanish
Teaching and Research Areas: Spanish, Spanish for Business, Language Acquisition through Video

Dr. Catherine Canino
Professor of English, Director of the Honors Program
Teaching and Research Areas: Shakespeare, Elizabethan England, Shakespeare and Film

Dr. Warren Carson
Professor of English, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Teaching and Research Areas: African American Literature, Harlem Renaissance, Black Masculinity

Dr. June Carter 
Professor of Spanish, Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and Director of the Reflections Workshop for Language Instructors
Teaching and Research Areas: Spanish Language and Literature, Latin American Literature and Culture, Spanish and Social Justice, K-16 Language Learning

Dr. Peter Caster
Professor of English
Teaching and Research Areas: Film Studies, Disney, Masculinity Studies, Prison Studies, Cultural Studies

Dr. David Coberly 
Assistant Professor of Spanish
Teaching and Research Areas: Spanish Language and Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, Language Learning Assessment

Gabrielle Drake
Senior Instructor of Spanish
Teaching and Research Areas: Spanish Language and Spanish for Specific Purposes, Spanish for Criminal Justice

Maria Francisco Monteso
Instructor of Spanish
Teaching and Research Areas: Spanish Language, Translation and Interpreting, Spanish in the Community and the Professions, Study Abroad to Spain

Dr. Esther Godfrey 
Associate Professor of English
Teaching and Research Areas: Victorian Literature, Women's and Gender Studies, Women's Literature

Douglas Jackson
Senior Instructor of Spanish
Teaching and Research Areas: Spanish Language, Spanish for Specific Purposes, Spanish for Nursing and Health Professions, Peace Corps Prep Program, Study Abroad in Central America

Dr. Cassandra Jones
Assistant Professor of African American Studies, Director of the African American Studies Program
Teaching and Research Areas: African American Studies, Women's and Gender Studies, Afrofuturism, Game Culture, Speculative Fiction

Dr. Beth Keefauver
Instructor of English
Teaching and Research Areas: Composition, Creative, and Professional Writing, Women's and Gender Studies, Environmental Literature

Dr. Marilyn Knight
Associate Professor of English, Faculty Advisor for Writers Inc.
Teaching and Research Areas: Creative Writing, Short Fiction, Gothic and Horror Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, Southern Literature, Women's and Gender Studies

Dr. Thomas McConnell 
Professor of English
Teaching and Research Areas: Creative Writing, Novel, Long Story, Autobiography and Memoir, Contemporary Literature

Dr. David Marlow 
Professor of English, Director of the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement
Teaching and Research Areas: Linguistics, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Dialect Diversity, Service Learning, Study Abroad in Nicaragua

Dr. Richard Murphy 
Associate Professor of English
Teaching and Research Areas: Irish Literature, Postcolonial Literature

Dr. Colleen O'Brien 
Associate Professor of English
Teaching and Research Areas: American Literature, African American Literature and African American Studies, Women's and Gender Studies

Dr. Shannon Polchow 
Associate Professor of Spanish
Teaching and Research Areas: Spanish Language and Literature, Golden Age Spain, Study Abroad in Spain and Costa Rica

Wayne Robbins 
Senior Instructor of English
Teaching and Research Areas: Composition, Creative, and Professional Writing, Song Writing

Hans Schmidt
Instructor of German
Teaching and Research Areas: German Language and Literature, German for the Professions, German Language Acquisition

Dr. Monika Shehi 
Associate Professor of English, Director of the First-Year Writing Program
Teaching and Research Areas: Rhetoric and Composition, Discourse Analysis, Intercultural Studies in Composition

Tasha Thomas 
Senior Instructor of English, Director of the Spartanburg Writing Project
Teaching and Research Areas: Composition and Creative Writing, English Education, Young Adult Literature, Teaching with Technology, Digital Storytelling

Dr. George H. Williams 
Associate Professor of English
Teaching and Research Areas: 18th Century British Literature and Culture, History of the Book, Digital Technologies, Digital Humanities, Disability Studies

• USC Upstate Welcomes Dr. Guimei Li, Confucius Institute Visiting Scholar, from Beijing University
• USC Upstate's Preface First-Year Reading and Writing Program received a grant from Campus Compact's Fund for Positive Engagement. Students Rachel Forrest and Otis Thompson III were featured in a news story about the impact of the program published on GoUpstate.com.
  
• Spanish Instructor Maria Francisco Monteso joins the team to launch a new partnership with the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria Madrid in Madrid, Spain. 
• Mother Emanuel Pastor from Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC, shares insights to better race relations as part of USC Upstate's Preface First-Year Reading and Writing Program. The Greenville News story about the event features photos and quotes from Rev. Eric S. C. Manning's address. Notices about the event appeared on NPR, the New York Times, the Associate Press, the Charleston Post and Courier, the Greenville News, and throughout South Carolina.
• English major Mason Turner speaks at Spartanburg's College Town panel on Brain Drain. 
• English Senior Instructor Brock Adams publishes Ember, a post-apocalyptic thriller set in the Upstate and winner of the 2016 SC First Novel Prize. Hub City Press hosted a launch party and the Spartanburg Herald Journal ran a story in the print newspaper.
  
• English and African American Studies Distinguished Professor, Dr. Warren. J. Carson was awarded the Carolina Trustee Professorship, one of the highest honors for a professor in the state.
• See featured photos of students studying Spanish in Alicante, Spain. Spanish students made up over 25% of the students studying abroad this summer. 
• Spanish Major Rachel Baylor Selected to 2016 ASUN Fall Winners for Life Team
• English Major Theodore Kountourogiannis is named to the ASUN All-Academic Team for 2016-2017
• Spanish Major Rachel Baylor is the first player in USC Upstate history to be named the ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the first to make the All-Academic Team for more than one season 
• Operation Educate Tutoring Program is awarded the Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Agency Partnership
• Sr. Instructor of Spanish, Douglas Jackson, speaks at the announcement of USC Upstate's Peace Corps Prep Program. 
• Dr. David Marlow, professor of English, and Douglas Jackson, senior instructor of Spanish, bring students to Nicaragua and China for service learning and internships in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Spanish. 
• First Four Jail Inmates Earn GED with help of USC Upstate Service Learning Tutoring Program
• Brock Adams wins SC First Novel Prize, Thomas McConnel and Erika Pertell Named Finalists
• English professor Dr. Catherine Canino, along with New Global South Summit Committee members Dr. Araceli Hernandez-Laroche, Dr. Celena Kusch, and a panel of USC Upstate faculty members discussed the history and present of the Upstate's global culture. More details about the event appear in the Spartanburg Herald Journal.
• Beth Keefauver is Harnessing the Power of Advertising for a Good Cause
• Araceli Hernandez-Laroche is Effecting Change, One Tutoring Session at a Time
• Thomas McConnell and Colleen O'Brien help make USC Upstate one of the top producers of Fulbright Scholars in the US. 
• Maria Francisco Monteso is Answering the 'What If' Question
• " Cultivating a Safe Environment for Civic Education" through PREFACE, the USC Upstate First-Year Reading and Writing Program
• " PREFACE Program: University of South Carolina Upstate Promises First Year Success" story at My College Guide
• Dr. Araceli Hernandez-Laroche, assistant professor of French and Assistant Chair of Languages, Literature, and Composition, featured on Spartanburg Community Indicators Project Video, "Build a Better Spartanburg."

Brock Adam's first novel Ember
Hub City Press, September 2017

Winner of the 2016 SC First Novel Prize, Ember, by Brock Adams is an apocalyptic thriller set in the Upstate region. As the sun begins to die, so do the human relationships and the interpersonal warmth that should hold society together. With the sun no more than a dying ember, the characters are left to re-discover what it means to love and to survive in a changed world.

Celena Kusch's textbook Literary Analysis: The Basics 
Routledge, April 2016

Literary Analysis: The Basics offers an introduction to analysing a wide range of literary forms. Providing a clear outline of the methodologies employed in twenty-first century literary analysis, it introduces readers to the genres, canons, terms, issues, critical approaches, and contexts that affect the analysis of any text. It addresses such questions as:

• What counts as literature?
• Is analysis a dissection?
• How do gender, race, class and culture affect the meaning of a text?
• Why is the social and historical context of a text important?
• Can digital media be analysed in the same way as a poem?

With examples from ancient myths to young adult fiction, a glossary of key terms, and suggestions for further reading, Literary Analysis: The Basics is essential reading for anyone wishing to improve their analytical reading skills.

Colleen O'Brien's Race, Romance, and Rebellion: Literatures of the Americas in the Nineteenth Century
University of Virginia Press, October 2013

As in many literatures of the New World grappling with issues of slavery and freedom, stories of racial insurrection frequently coincided with stories of cross-racial romance in nineteenth-century U.S. print culture. Colleen O’Brien explores how authors such as Harriet Jacobs, Elizabeth Livermore, and Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda imagined the expansion of race and gender-based rights as a hemispheric affair, drawing together the United States with Africa, Cuba, and other parts of the Caribbean. Placing less familiar women writers in conversation with their more famous contemporaries—Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Lydia Maria Child—O’Brien traces the transnational progress of freedom through the antebellum cultural fascination with cross-racial relationships and insurrections. Her book mines a variety of sources—fiction, political rhetoric, popular journalism, race science, and biblical treatises—to reveal a common concern: a future in which romance and rebellion engender radical social and political transformation.             

What Are Our Alumni Doing?

Do you have a great alumni story to share? Contact the Department Chair at ckusch@uscupstate.edu or share your news on Twitter @LLC_Upstate