The English program is a four-year sequence that encourages students to become actively-engaged, thinking persons in a complex, dynamic world. The curriculum offers an opportunity for students to develop their language potential in courses that are challenging but commensurate with their abilities. All English courses emphasize the acquisition and development of the skills of disciplined reading, discussion, and oral presentation as well as mastery of the various forms, modes, and strategies of written composition. From the richness of ideas explored in the study of literature, the student can recognize and empathize with the variety of the human experiences and gain an understanding of the enduring power of the human mind and spirit.