Jason Brandt Schaefer has expertise in creative writing (specifically in writing fiction, personal essay, and poetry) and music (specifically songwriting, live performance, vocal performance, and instrumental performance on saxophone and electric guitar). Schaefer is currently invested in the study of environmental literature and the history of the American West from the perspective of pre-Columbian indigenous peoples, their lifestyles and cultures, and their interactions with settlers during the era of westward expansion. As a musician, Schaefer is learning best practices in the development and leadership of a performing rock band, and contemporary conventions in the development, creation, sale, and distribution of music and merchandise in the recording industry. Schaefer is also currently studying the styles and lyrics of contemporary cross-genre singer/songwriters working in the funk, folk, rock, jazz, and blues genres.
keywords
Fiction, Novel, Creative Non-Fiction, Literary Journalism, Personal Essay, Memoir, Environmental Writing, Live Music, Guitar Performance, Saxophone Performance, Singing Performance, Songwriting, Interdisciplinary Art, Text-Based Visual Art, Concrete Poetry, American History, Texas History, American West, Environmental Literature, American Western Migration, Westward Expansion
Teaching
courses taught
CAMW 2001 - The American West
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2026
Students tour the cultural, social, and natural features of the American West, based on readings and presentations by guest speakers from the CU faculty and from important professions and positions in the West. Designed as the foundation course in the Western American Studies certificate program.
ENGL 1001 - Writing, Reading, Culture
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2023 / Summer 2025 / Fall 2025
This course provides training and practice in writing and critical thinking with a focus on literary and cultural studies. We will emphasize reading, the writing process, the fundamentals of composition, and the structure of arguments. There will be varied writing assignments with opportunities for revision.
ENGL 1191 - Introduction to Creative Writing
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024
Introduces techniques of fiction and poetry. Student work is scrutinized by the instructor and may be discussed in a workshop atmosphere with other students. May not be taken concurrently with ENGL 2021 or ENGL 2051. May not be repeated.
ENGL 1230 - Environmental Literature
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2023 / Spring 2025
This course explores the conjunctions of literature and environments: natural, built, and/or virtual. Students consider literary confrontations with issues such as ecological crises, climate change, human impact on the planet, technics and indigeneity, non-human animals and inhuman agencies, future natures, and environmental justice. Readings may include novels, non-fiction, short fiction, poems, graphic novels, and more.
ENGL 1320 - The Short Story
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2025
Short stories offer writers the freedom to build new worlds, create new characters, try out new narrative voices and structures, and explore new ideas-again and again. You will read a range of authors and genres as you consider this dynamic, powerful, and widely varied form.
ENGL 1420 - Poetry
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2023 / Fall 2024
Introduces students to how to read a poem by examining the great variety of poems written and composed in English from the very beginning of the English language until recently.
ENGL 1600 - Introduction to American Literature
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2025
Introduces students to the American literary tradition through intensive study of centrally significant texts and genres.
ENGL 4206 - Writing for the Real World
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2026
Trains students in advanced techniques of writing with a view toward "real world" application-that is, usefulness after graduation. Emphasis on writing for a variety of audiences and techniques for achieving conciseness, clarity, expressiveness, logic, and appropriateness of diction and evidence. Readings include classic and contemporary writings about writing and exemplary professional essays from a variety of fields. Previously offered as a special topics course.
WRTG 1150 - First-Year Writing and Rhetoric
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024 / Fall 2024 / Spring 2025
Rhetorically informed introduction to college writing. Focuses on rhetorical analysis, argument, inquiry and information literacy. Taught as a writing workshop, the course emphasizes practicing writing strategies for all phases of the writing process. For placement criteria, see the arts and sciences advising office. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours.
