NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Course title: World Civilizations I
Course prefix, number, and section number: 2321 0301
Semester/Year of course: Fall 2025
Semester start and end dates: Aug 25 – Dec 12 2025
Modality (Face to face/Synchronous or Asynchronous online/Hybrid): Online
Class meeting location, days, and times: N/A
Lab meeting location, days, and times: N/A
Semester credit hours: 3
Course description: A survey of the social, political, economic, cultural, religious, and intellectual history of the world from emergence of human cultures through the 15th century. The course examines major cultural regions of the world in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania and their global interactions over time. Themes include the emergence of early societies, the rise of civilizations, the development of political and legal systems, religion and philosophy, economic systems and trans-regional networks of exchange. The course emphasizes the development, interaction and impact of global exchange.
Course prerequisites: None
Required course materials: Bently and Ziegler. Traditions & Encounters. 7th edition. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9781265826635.
The web-based material is unique to NCTC. You must purchase it from the NCTC bookstore or directly through your Canvas course. Instructions on how to purchase and set up access to your textbook can be found here: https://www.mheducation.com/highered/support/support-at-every-step/connect/first-day-of-class/canvas-ltia
Name of instructor: Kevin Pyle
Office location: Corinth, Suite 331
Telephone number: 940 668-7731
E-mail address: All correspondences through Canvas
Office hours for students: Tues/Thurs – 11:30-12:30, Sat = 10:30-12:00 (virtual)
SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER
The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.
SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
List of graded assignments:
Discussions = 12
Exams = 4
Research Paper = 1
Final grade scale:
A = 100-89.6 B = 89.5-79.6 C = 79.5-69.6 D = 69.5-59.6 F = 59.5-0
Late work policy:
Due to the nature of our course length, late work will not be accepted. Exceptions will be considered and at the discretion of your Professor with proper documentation
SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Integrity Policy:
We will adhere to the policies stated in the NCTC Student Handbook as well as the AI statement found below.
Attendance Policy:
his is an online class so I will not be taking roll in the conventional sense. However, attendance will be determined by participation in assignments, quizzes, essay, and Final
Withdrawal Policy
A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.
Last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is: November 4th 2025
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
Create an argument through the use of historical evidence.
Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.
Analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on this period of United States history.
Core Objectives:
Critical Thinking
Communication
Personal Responsibility
Social Responsibility
COLLEGE POLICIES
ADA STATEMENT
NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodation. See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.
AI STATEMENT
Absent a clear statement from a course instructor, use of or consultation with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other similar technologies shall be treated analogously to assistance from another person, agency, or entity. In particular, using generative AI tools to substantially complete an assignment or exam is not permitted. Students should acknowledge the use of generative AI (other than incidental use) and default to disclosing such assistance when in doubt.
When students use generative AI to replace the rigorous demands of personal engagement with their coursework, it runs counter to the educational mission of the college and undermines the heart of education itself. Artificial Intelligence, large language models, and other such technologies hold promise for deploying knowledge in service to others and accelerating the discovery of new knowledge. However, such technology poses new challenges to pedagogy and to integrity. Within the context of the teaching mission of the college and consistent with the Student Code of Conduct, the authority defines the appropriate use, study, and deployment of these technologies’ rests with the faculty.
Individual course instructors, in coordination with their divisions, set policies regulating the use of generative AI tools in their courses, including allowing or disallowing some or all uses of such tools. Course instructors will set such policies in their course syllabi and clearly communicate such policies to students. Students who are unsure of policies regarding generative AI tools are encouraged to ask their instructors for clarification.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all the rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
STUDENT SERVICES
NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students. See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
The student should contact the instructor to deal with any questions, concerns, or complaints specific to the class. If the student and faculty are not able to resolve the issue, the student may contact the chair or coordinator of the division. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may proceed to contact the instructional dean.
Name of Chair/Coordinator: Charles Adams
Office location: Flower Mound Campus, room 107B
Telephone number: 972-899-8361
E-mail address: cadams@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean: Crystal Wright
Office location: Denton Exchange, room 204
Telephone number: 940-380-2504
E-mail address: cwright@nctc.edu