Tentative Course
Syllabus
Fall
2009
|
Instructor:
Dr. Harry S. Coverston |
Phones:
Departmental Office (407) 823-2273 |
|
Office: PSY 227 |
Class
Meeting: MWF 10:30 – 11:20 |
|
Hours: Real live human
being office hours |
Email: WebCT Course Mail ONLY |
|
MWF 1:30 – 2:20 p.m. T 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. |
Virtual Office Hours nightly by 10 p.m.
(Su-R) -
this means I check your coursemails by 10 p.m. |
Course Description: An interdisciplinary,
multicultural study of the arts and sciences contributed by diverse human
traditions to world civilization. Focus is on ancient civilizations and the cultural
heritage stemming from them. Primary sources (in
translation) are emphasized(UCF Course Catalogue 2005-6)
.
Course Objectives
|
1.
To analyze, evaluate and discuss the chronology and significance of major
events and movements in western, U.S. and world civilizations in each of the
periods studied (Stone Ages,
Bronze Age, Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, Reformation) (SACs specific
objective 2)) 2.
To understand, interpret and discuss how those ideas and developments are
reflected in the art, music, drama, literature, religion and philosophy of
each period 3.
To develop skills in critical and creative exploration of different cultures,
traditions, and depth dimensions of the human spirit through readings,
discussions, debates, group research and presentations, written and creative
art work 4.
To develop a better understanding of myself and my place in human history
which can be formed, reflected upon critically and articulated in verbal,
written and non-verbal form. |
Required Texts:
*
Henry M. Sayre, The Humanities: Culture,
Continuity & Change, Vol. I, Prehistory to 1600 (Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson, 2008)
*
Henry M. Sayre, The Humanities: Culture,
Continuity & Change, Vol. I, Prehistory to 1600 Music CD: Volume 1
NOTE: The UCF Bookstore may stock the CD separately from the texts.
You will save yourself a lot of headaches if you buy the text and
CD set in the bubble wrapped package
*
Other assigned materials as provided
Students
are required to bring all materials with them needed for each class session.
This includes texts and provided materials.
Students
are required to have the required texts by the first class after drop period.
Friday, Oct. 16, 5 p.m. |
Course Grading
1. ENGAGEMENT
This class requires
active engagement of all students.
If you do not wish to engage the course materials, the
learning process and the members of this learning community, this is not the
course for you.
Students can earn
up to 275 total points in the following manner:
·
Group
Presentations and Evaluations
·
Class
Activities as noted on Schedule
·
Attendance (1 pt/class)
·
End
of Term Self-Evaluation
ENGAGEMENT
COMPONENT TOTAL = 275/750 total points
(37%
of total grade)
2. GORDON RULE WRITING COMPONENT
This is a Gordon Rule course.
Florida's
Gordon Rule (as
applied at UCF) requires a passing score
(60% or >) on a minimum of four
papers per class. Additionally, students
must earn at least a C- in the class as a whole for Gordon Rule credit.
Failure to attain a passing score on all four Gordon Rule Papers will mean that
students cannot make a grade higher than a D+ for the course.
Students can meet
the Gordon Rule requirement through the following assignments:
A.
Gordon Rule Papers - 3 @ 35 points = 105 total pts.
Students are required
to obtain a passing score on three structured assignment Gordon Rule Papers.
These will include
·
Original Sin/Human Nature
·
Universitas
·
Moral Reasoning/Medieval Philosophers
Students
may opt to complete a fourth paper, Utopia, for up
to 25 points extra credit. Both prep quiz and paper must be submitted to
receive extra credit.
This paper may NOT be substituted for a Gordon Rule
Paper.
Gordon Rule Paper assignments will include
·
reading of assigned
materials (usually found at the preparatory assignment link)
·
taking
prep quizzes on the readings to
insure reading and to test comprehension,
·
completing
a prep assignment designed to
prepare students for writing,
·
writing the Gordon Rule
Paper within the 24 hour window,
·
uploading the paper to Turn-it-in.com
and the Assignments tool
·
submitting the paper in hard copy in class
on the due date
·
discussing the paper in class
·
Papers
which are not properly formatted per Ground Rules or which do not meet college
level writing will be returned for rewriting and resubmission.
·
Papers
which do not obtain a passing score must be rewritten and resubmitted to count
toward Gordon Rule credit.
B.
Summary Reflection Paper
(Required) – 45 points paper (10 writing
+ 20 content) + 15 points Discussion = 45 total points
Students must obtain
a passing score on this mandatory final assignment, one of four total required
Gordon Rule assignments.
WRITING COMPONENT TOTAL
= 4 papers @ 150/750 points
(27%
of total grade)
3. EXAMINATIONS
A. CONTENT QUIZZES - 25 quizzes @ 5 pts. = 125 total
The
purpose of content quizzes is to insure students read assigned readings. They
will close prior to class time.
Students
may miss up to five content quizzes of the 25 total and still earn up to the
125 points possible. Students may take any or all of the five remaining content
quizzes for up to 25 total points extra
credit.
B.
EXAMINATIONS - 2 @ 100
points = 200 points total
Students
will take three examinations each covering
approximately 1/3 of the course material. The examinations, worth 100 points
possible, will be objective exams requiring identification and comprehension of
artifacts and artists, literature and writers, musicians and their compositions
and thinkers and their ideas as well as familiarity with class notes.
Two
of the three exams will also test knowledge and comprehension of musical
selections from each period as found on the course musical supplement CD.
·
Students will drop the lower grade of the first
two examinations.
·
The higher of the two exams will be
added to Exam
·
All students will take some version of
Exam
·
There will be no comprehensive
mid-term or final examination.
·
Students
who make at least an A- on
the first two exams will take an
open book, open note Alternative Exam
·
There
will be no makeup exams given.
Two exam
scores @ 100 points each = 200 points
EXAMINATION
(43%
of total grade)
EXTRA
CREDIT
Extra Credit - Students are
encouraged to suggest extra credit possibilities available to all students. Extra credit may only be earned by
submitting a written report of the event observed. If Extra Credit is offered,
a format will be provided.
Bear in mind that
up to 50 points extra credit are available through completing the Utopia
extra credit paper and taking the five extra content quizzes beyond the
25 required.
GRADING
SCALE
|
93
- 100 = A |
88-89
= B+ |
78-79
= C+ |
68-69
= D+ |
Below
60 = F |
|
90-92
= A- |
83-87
= B |
73-77
= C |
63-67
= D |
|
|
|
80-82
= B- |
70-72
= C- |
60-62
= D- |
|
for an explanation of what these grades mean, see So,
what does my grade mean?
FINAL GRADES (Out of 750 possible points total)
|
698 -750 = A |
652-674 = B+ |
577-599= C+ |
502-524= D+ |
Below 450 = F |
|
675-697 = A- |
623-651 = B |
547-576= C |
472-501= D |
|
|
|
600-622 = B- |
525-546= C- |
450-471= D- |
|
All borderline cases will be decided upon participation
and attendance grades at discretion of instructor.
Final Comments: If something arises
unexpectedly that will affect your attendance and/or performance in this class,
please contact the instructor. While your instructor is a fairly understanding
man, he's a lousy mind reader. To be human means to face unexpected problems,
illness and the death of loved ones. That includes all of us and we can
generally work through such problems together. The worst thing you can do in
such situations is simply disappear.
·
Any departure from this syllabus is in
the discretion of the instructor.
·
Any class-wide changes in syllabus
requirements or scheduling will occur with notice to students.