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Syllabus SampleCollege of Arts and Sciences Department of History Georgia State University Summer 2008 Anthony Clark Vines Office: Room 804 Phone: 404-413-6387 Office Hours: T-TR 11-12 p.m. or by appointment. E-mail: avines4@student.gsu.edu HIS 1111: SURVEY OF WORLD HISTORY TO 1500. CRN #: IMPORTANT: Please read the “Georgia State University Policy Statements” in the GSU Student Handbook (available online at http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwcam/incept/successtips.html ) before the first class. Class Meetings: T-TR 10:55 a.m.-1:40 a.m., Classroom Bldg., Room # *PLEASE NOTE* Concerning course withdrawal, July 1, 2010 (07/01/2010) is the last day to withdraw and possibly receive a "W". Please see me PRIOR to that date if you have any concerns regarding your grade.
Students with Disabilities Students with disabilities requiring accommodations must be registered with the Office of Disability Services before an instructor can modify instruction or expectations. The Office of Disability Services may be contacted at 404-651-1487 (TDD 404-463-9048). Any student with a disability who may require special accommodations is requested to make an appointment with the instructor at the beginning of the semester. Students must self-identify so that arrangements can be made according to University policy. Course Requirements: This is an introductory course and as such, there are no prerequisites. However, a general desire to learn will be infinitely useful. Course Description This course will trace the evolution of the world from an assemblage of relatively isolated regions through 1500. The focus will be on tracing the origins of globalization and its relation to European hegemony through invasions and colonization. Additionally, we will consider the contributions of the non-western world to this effect and how the assemblage of these factors helped shaped the early modern world. By examining the interconnectedness of global histories and analyzing the social, cultural, political, economic, demographic, and ecological implications that created it, an understanding of this history may be obtained. Class lectures and readings will emphasize issues of power imbalances, diversity, and the active effects of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and nationality. The course will draw upon materials and pedagogical approaches from other disciplines, such as political science, sociology, anthropology, literature, and art. Themes The primary theme within the course will be considerations of the diversity of the human experience. Lectures and coursework will follow along this line. Students are encouraged to consider how gender, race, ethnicity, class, religion, community, and nation contribute to our current understanding of history in a global sense. Consideration will be given to technological developments and their impact in history. Additionally, the course will attempt to explain how technology impacted numerous social groups and societies from the past in a various ways. Looking at global interactions across time and space, this course will also examine how environmental awareness shaped human interactions with their natural world. Essential Skills In order to complete this course, the follow essential skills will be called upon and otherwise, utilized: critical thinking and reading, ethical reasoning, concise, effective grammatical skills, and general oral communicative skills. Course Objectives The course will promote understanding of different cultures as they have developed in global, political, social, cultural, economic, and environmental contexts. It will provide the opportunity for students to study historical development of local and regional societies, and to cross disciplinary and geographical boundaries to appreciate an increasingly interdependent and multi-cultural world. This pedagogical approach will emphasize the interconnectedness and uniqueness of all peoples. It will explain the contributions of culturally diverse groups to the formation of the modern world, while highlighting their achievements. The course's potential is exemplary for instilling the skills and values of world citizenship and for relating to people different from oneself. At the successful conclusion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Recognize, define, and relate examples of the diversity of the human experience as it concerns global history. 2. Identify, explain, describe, and discuss different cultures as they have developed in global, political, social, cultural, economic, and environmental contexts. 3. Interpret the major events in world history (within the scope of this course), and demonstrate understanding through applied written exercises. 4. Analyze and critique different interpretations of historical world events. 5. Propose, design, and compose a final written work based on knowledge gained and personal interpretation of a significant world event. 6. Support and argue for personal interpretive positions within course discussions. Course Structure This is the first course in a two semester sequence on World History at GSU. These courses are intended to be large surveys that evolve into smaller discussion sections. The two course sequence utilizes the common themes of (A) the globalization process; and (B) cultural change resulting from this process. The general format of the course will be: interactive lectures, audio-visual materials, intensive reading and writing, and small group discussions. Course Requirements
Course Grading Grades for the course will be calculated as follows: Class Discussion/Participation 10%; Quizzes 10%; Writing 20%; Mid-term Exam 30%; Final Exam 30%. Total for Course 100% GSU utilize the (+) and (-) [plus/minus] scaling in addition to the aforementioned grading scale. Grades shall be adjusted as following. 94 – 100 = A 90 – 93 = A - 87 – 89 = B + 84 – 86 = B 80 – 83 = B – 77 – 79 = C + 74 – 76 = C 70 – 73 = C – 60 – 69 = D 59 – 0 = F If more explanation is needed, please consult with me before or after class, during office hours, or by appointment if none of the aforementioned arrangements may be made. Rubrics for Grading All course requirements shall be graded based on the following criterion. Participation Each activity, or project will be assigned a grade of 0 (Absent), 1 (Beginning), 2 (Progressing); or 3 (Understanding).
Writing Each written assignment will be given a grade of 1-100 based on the following criterion: Each defined category will receive a number of points based within the noted specified range, resulting in a final cumulative grade average for each assignment.
Quizzes and Exams Quizzes and exams shall be graded based on direct corollary knowledge (identification, short answer, fill-in-the-blank, matching, etc.) and written portions of the exam. All exam and quiz responses requiring formal writing shall be based on the above exampled writing rubric. IMPORTANT! Please see the section under attendance and punctuality regarding make up policy. Required Texts (1) World History: Volume 1 Before 1600: The Development of Early Civilizations. 2nd Ed. Ushur, Terry, Holoka, Goff, Casar, Lowry. (2) Before European Hegemony: The World System A.D. 1250-1350, by Janet L. Abu-Lughod Other required or recommended readings (if necessary) will be placed on reserve at the library. All lecture outlines, and other materials will be made available through postings on the uLearn site of GSU, which is accessible via the internet at www.gsu.edu. How to access this site will be covered in the class introduction. Course Policies Missed Coursework, exams, etc: ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE IN CLASS. Electronic submissions ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. If a deadline is to be missed, it should be discussed as soon as possible with me. Extensions are at my discretion. Papers turned in late will be reduced by one letter grade per day late. No paper more than 3 days late will be accepted without prior approval. Missing an exam is highly discouraged. However, life is not always obliging. If an exam is to be missed with prior knowledge, it should be discussed with me to make alternate arrangements. There must be EXTREME EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES for such an extension. If an exam is missed without prior knowledge, the student should contact me as soon as possible. Extensions on exams are NOT generally given without prior approval and, again, there must be extreme extenuating circumstance to miss an exam. PLEASE NOTE: All extensions, incompletes, or make-up exams, are administered within the limits of University Policy.
Plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in any of the assignments, and will result in failing the course. Please consult the section on “Academic Integrity” (Academic Honesty Section 409) in the GSU Policy Statements in the student handbook for further details. NOTE: It is the students' responsibility to familiarize herself/himself with these matters as defined by the university. Attendance and Punctuality I will take regular roll. Frequent and repeated absence and/or lack of punctuality can (and most likely will) effect your grade. As noted above 10% of class grading will depend on participation in the various class discussions assigned in the syllabus. Arrangement for make up exams and missed assignments are the responsibility of the student. PLEAE NOTE! All quizzes shall be given in the FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF CLASS. Students will have exactly 5 minutes to complete these mini-tests. There will be NO make up for quizzes. NOTE: The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary. June 10 Class begins. Introduction and syllabus distribution
World History pages 17-47. Early Civilization of West Asia, Africa, Aegean, and Western Hemisphere June 17
World History pages 51-84. Early
Civilization of South and East
World History pages 89-132.
Flowering of Great Faiths and
World History pages 137-187. Age of Great Empires
World History pages 193-240.
Disruption and Renewal in West
Mid-Term Exam.
Lecture and discussion on
Abu-Lugod’s Before European July 8
World History pages 245-286.
Disruption and Renewal in South
July 10 Papers will be discussed and evaluated. A FILM!
World History pages 283-335. Developing Civilizations.
World History pages 339-385. Three
Continents: Conflict and
World History pages 389-437. Emerging Global Interrelations
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