Introduction to Comics and Graphic Novels (ENGL-290)

Remember how you felt when you were a kid and you read your first comic? You know, that excited feeling that you were looking at pictures (and reading words, too), but also following along with a story? Well, now you’ll get that feeling from some of the best comics and graphic novels ever published. And, you’ll get to talk to other people who remember that feeling. Enroll in ENGL-290 – it’s what your inner kid wants you to do.

Believe it or not, comics aren’t just about superhero-types punching their way to the ending. Well, yeah, they are that of course, but they’re not only that any more. Now, some of the best storytelling is happening with words and pictures. Personal stories, sad stories, hilarious stories – they’re all comics these days. Enroll in ENGL-290 to read and talk about the best comics and graphic novels in print.

Creative Writing 2 (CRWT-102)

Yeah, you don’t have to take a class to be a creative writer, but you’ll be a better creative writer sooner if you do. CRWT 102 will make you a better creative writer. Guaranteed!*
_{*Guarantee doesn’t mean you’ll get your tuition money back if you don’t become a better creative writer. But, you know, you’ll get a credit whether you’re a better creative writer or not – just as long as you pass. So, enroll, attend class, submit some poems and a short story, and BOOM, you’ll get credit for your creative writing.}

Ever find yourself typing jokes into the notes app on your phone? Ever find yourself sending very long, well-punctuated text messages with a beginning, middle, and end to your friends? Ever been on social media and find yourself thinking “yeah, that’s a good point, but my take’s better?” Well, friend, you should enroll in CRWT 102 because you’re already writing creatively, so why not get credit for it?

Introduction to Poetry and Drama (ENGL-101)

English 101 is not your traditional poetry and drama course. There is no Shakespeare here! (Well, except for one sonnet.) The course primarily focuses on texts written within the past 100 years (so no old English) that engage with themes related to love, relationships, Canadian culture and society, gender, class, sexuality, and much, much more. A portion of the course’s readings are decided by the students as we vote on what plays you want to read (they range from comedic farces to gothic murder mysteries). I then build our reading list in response to your interests. And did I mention that the readings are short and free? 

As a bonus, we go on two local field trips. The first is a tour of the Stage Door’s performance space courtesy of Cranbrook Community Theatre. Later in the semester, we will go see Cranbrook Community Theatre’s production of The Real Inspector Hound (a collection of one act plays).

ENGL 101 is an underrated gem of a course, and I hope to see some of you there next semester.

An Introduction to Philosophic Inquiry 2 (PHIL-102)

If you’re interested in exploring the minds of many of the greatest minds through history, Philosophy 102 is the perfect course for you.  It explores three foundational areas of the discipline: what is the reality (metaphysics), how do we acquire knowledge (epistemology), and does God exist (the philosophy of religion). To do this, we study Plato, Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and many more, in addition to the insights and perspectives of Indigenous, Eastern, and Feminist thought.  Some of the questions explored are, is there more to reality than sense experience, do we have free will, is the mind more reliable than the senses in acquiring knowledge, and does God exist?  This course prepares you for further courses in philosophy and satisfies many of the elective requirements for various college programs.

The Search for Meaning (PHIL-180)

Examine the question, “what is meaning in life?”, especially in a modern setting of science, technology, and the decline of religious institutions. With the dissolution of a shared cultural meaning, the proposition of a universe without objective or intrinsic value poses significant questions for individuals: Can we rely on the meanings provided from the past?  What role does God, spirituality, nature, science, and society play?  Is meaning merely subjective?  After exploring the context that structures the question of modern meaning, solutions from a variety of perspectives are examined (atheistic, spiritual, religious, psychological, sociological, Indigenous, Eastern, etc.).  Resources include Friedrich Nietzsche, Soren Kierkegaard, Leo Tolstoy, Karl Marx, Albert Camus, Carl Jung, Hermann Hesse, Viktor Frankl, and Vin Deloria Jr.  This course introduces you to modern philosophy, prepares you to address meaning in life and find sound answers to this challenge.  This course also satisfies many of the elective requirements for various college programs.