Professor American Literature; Composition, Screenwriting

Professor Dennis M. Clausen received his B.A. in English at the University of Minnesota, Morris, M.A. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and his Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Riverside. Dr. Clausen teaches courses in all areas of American literature and composition, including U.S. Literature to 1900, U.S. Literature from 1900-1940, Voice and Place in American Literature, Introduction to College Writing, Screenwriting and Literature, and Literature and Composition.

In his literature courses, Dr. Clausen emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches that trace the history of ideas from the beginnings of American civilization to the present day. This approach stresses both the broader thematic issues that American writers often address and the technical considerations (voice, point of view, structure, etc.) all writers must address if they are to produce lasting works of art. In his composition classes, his philosophy is that the key to writing is rewriting and revising.

Dr. Clausen's publications include works in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Many of his publications are set on the Minnesota prairie, where he was born and raised. One of these works, Prairie Son, was the recipient of the Mid-List Press "1997 First Series Award for Creative Nonfiction," and it was also nominated for various national literary awards. Dr. Clausen is presently writing a memoir of his family's journey through a small prairie town in the last half of the twentieth century.