This course is the study of popular prose fiction from the 19th century to the present, with a focus in any given semester on a specific genre to be determined by the instructor. Genres for selection include, but are not limited to, gothic, historical, science fiction, mystery, and women’s fiction. Students will develop an understanding of the ideas, social movements, historical contexts, and literary conventions that influenced selected works and will demonstrate informed literary analysis and proper use of appropriate terminology through oral presentations and written essays.