English 600 is a proseminar in the discipline of literary study, intended for students entering the graduate program. The aims of the course are to explain how the profession and the department work, to provide an overview of leading trends in literary theory, to explore research methods and facilities at Penn, and to examine critical issues confronting the discipline and the academy. The course combines intellectual inquiry with a hands-on development of research skills. Students will also be introduced to a number of faculty members invited to participate in class sessions.