At the end of this course, you should be able to

1. Deeply and critically read complex literary and academic texts
2. Write college-level essays on personal and professional topics, demonstrating a solid command of standard English grammar and usage
3. Use textual evidence to support your own original claims about issues raised in the readings, without dismissing or oversimplifying views which differ from yours
4. Demonstrate the ability to engage intellectually with peers in both formal and informal environments
5. Write a college-level research paper that appropriately uses primary and secondary sources (including basic literary theory)