Department of English and Fine Arts

Antecedent Departments

English and Foreign Languages (1954–1956)
English (1956–1973)
English and Fine Arts (1973–1977)
English (1977–1999)
English and Fine Arts (1999–Present)

Department Heads 1954–1961 Col Peter R. Moody 1961–1963 Lt Col Cortland P. Auser 1963–1965 Col Moody 1965–1977 Col Jesse C. Gatlin Jr. 1977–1982 Col Jack M. Shuttleworth 1982–1984 Lt Col James C. Gaston 1984–1994 Col Shuttleworth 1994–1995 Lt Col Richard W. Lemp 1995–1999 Col Shuttleworth 1999–2002 Col Thomas G. Bowie Jr 2002–2003 Lt Col Howard Swartz Spring 2004 Dr Richard W. Lemp 2004–2009 Col Kathleen Harrington 2009–2010 Lt Col Thomas G. McGuire 2010–2014 Col Harrington 2014–2016 Lt Col Candice L. Pipes 2016– Col Harrington		Permanent Professors Pete Moody Jesse Gatlin   Jack Shuttleworth Tom Bowie   Kathleen Harrington

The Department Today:

The department believes that critical and imaginative thinking and clear, effective communication are the foundations of outstanding leadership, both inside and outside the Air Force. Through studying literary texts spanning three millennia and numerous cultural traditions, cadets grapple with some of the most perplexing questions of the human condition: What does it mean to be human? What are the sources of human greatness and human depravity? Why do we yearn, through literature and art, to share our stories with others? Why is it vital to listen to these stories in a complex and interconnected world? Ultimately, the aim is to develop warrior-scholars whose conceptions of leadership are buttressed by wisdom—a wisdom captured and communicated by literature and art.

Curriculum:

The department offers 22 English courses and 8 Fine Arts courses.
    Core Courses: 
         English 111. Introductory Composition and Research
         English 211. Literature and Intermediate Composition
         English 411. Language, Literature, and Leadership (Advanced Sociocultural Choice)
    Majors:  English
         Humanities (Interdisciplinary)

Noteworthy:

The department enriches the intellectual experiences of cadets through a variety of opportunities, including sponsoring and coaching an internationally ranked cadet Forensics Team and providing studio opportunities to explore the visual, musical, and dramatic arts. Additionally, faculty and cadets participate in the Air Force Humanities Institute, a forum for exploring a broad range of intellectual traditions and paradigms that enrich one’s understanding of the human condition. The department publishes the journal War, Literature, and the Arts, which is a cornerstone of the new Digital Humanities Center.