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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
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M / W 12:30 – 1:50 pm FLM Room #208
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Course Title: Introduction to Humanities I (Humanities and Science)
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Course Prefix & Number: HUMA 1301
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Section Number: 500
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Semester: FALL 2019
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Semester Credit Hours: 3
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Lecture Hours: 3
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Lab Hours: 0
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Course Description (NCTC Catalog):
This stand-alone course is an interdisciplinary survey of cultures focusing on the scientific, philosophical, and aesthetic factors in human values with an emphasis on the historical development of the individual and society and the need to create.
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Course Prerequisite(s): None
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REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:
*Darwin, Charles. Evolutionary Writings. Ed. James A. Secord. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN # 978-0-19-958014-9
*Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents. Ed. James Strachey. With an Introduction by Christopher Hitchens. New York: Norton, 2010. ISBN # 978-0-39-330451-0
*Principe, Lawrence M. The Scientific Revolution: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN # 978-0-19-956741-6
*Wells, H.G. The Time Machine. Ed. Roger Luckhurst. New York: Oxford University Press, 2017. ISBN # 978-0-19-870751-6
In addition, there is one film you will be expected to watch outside the classroom: Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1992; directed by Peter Kosminsky). This can be viewed online at Amazon Instant Video, Youtube, or other (unspecified) places. Public libraries might also carry it. There are 2 films we will watch in class: Island of Lost Souls (1932) and Spellbound (1945). Notebook paper and pencil/pens. These are standard tools of students and should always be carried into class for unannounced and otherwise spontaneously produced assignments.
*The TEXTBOOK / HANDOUTS are required on designated days (SEE CALENDAR BELOW). HARD COPIES ONLY. No computers/phones will be allowed once class starts.
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INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
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Name of Instructor:
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Mark Thompson
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Campus/Office Location:
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Room #107 (Office Hours: Mon. and Wed. 11:00 – 12 pm OR by appointment); ONLINE office hours: Tues. and Thur. 9:30 – 10:30 am
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Telephone Number:
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--------------------- (use email)
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E-mail Address:
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mthompson@nctc.edu or CANVAS
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GRADING CRITERIA
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# of Graded Course Elements
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Graded Course Elements
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Percentage or Point Values
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daily
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Attendance / In-Class Assignments / Quizzes
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10 % (100 pts)
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2
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Exams
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50 % (500 pts)
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3
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Discussion Boards
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15 % (150 pts)
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2
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Movie Essays
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25% (250 pts)
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Ever since British scientist and author C. P. Snow delivered his 1959 lecture, “The Two Cultures,” some have affirmed his contention that literature (or the humanities) and science occupy separate spheres. However, this was not always the case. Humanist scholars of the early-modern period—roughly, the 15th through 17th centuries—frequently discoursed on topics such as: human nature, astronomy, metaphysics, ethics, politics, art, and classical literature. During the 1800s, naturalist writers such as Darwin employed literary tropes to popularize science and make it readable for the majority population. His writings also set off an ongoing debate about the relationship between humans and animals. Similarly, British fiction writers such as Jane Austen, Emily Brontë, Thomas Hardy, and H. G. Wells, regularly used contemporary scientific theories to construct their plots, characters, and overall theories about human nature. In the United States, Freudian and behaviorist psychologists attempted to use anatomy and physiology to diagnose the “modern” condition of the human being. Freud’s Civilization and Its Discontents offered one “scientific” analysis. In the post-Darwinian world, various thinkers, novelists, and artists hoped to continue the renaissance-initiated focus on humanity, but developed different ideas by which humans could understand themselves and their brave new world.
CALENDAR
Instructor reserves the right to alter syllabus schedule at ANY time.
AUG.
Ì = Bring textbook or hard copy of handout to class (or 1 pt. deducted for attendance)
UNIT 1: THE RENAISSANCE: THE DIGNITY OF HUMANITY?
M (26th) INTRODUCTION; DISCUSS SYLLABUS; DIVIDE INTO GROUPS
W (28th) Ì Discuss HAND OUT (have read before class): “What is Man?” by MLK
*Reminder: 1ST DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 8/31 at midnight (Part 1: main post)
SEPT.
M (2nd) LABOR DAY: NO CLASS
W (4th) LECTURE: “The Renaissance: Birth of the Modern World?”
*Reminder: 1ST DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 9/7 at midnight (Part 2: responses)
M (9th) LECTURE: “Machiavelli and Human Nature”
W (11th) “ “ “ “
M (16th) LECTURE: “Renaissance Art”
W (18th) LECTURE: “Before the Scientific Revolution”
M (23rd) Ì Group Quiz: (have read: Principe, The Scientific Revolution, Introduction and Chs. 1 and 2)
W (25th) Ì LECTURE: “Before the Scientific Revolution”
M (30th) EXAM 1 (Bring BLUE BOOK and PENCIL OR PEN). NO NOTES ARE ALLOWED
UNIT 2: ENLIGHTENED AND ROMANTIC SCIENCE?
OCT.
W (2nd) LECTURE: “The Scientific Revolution”
M (7th) Ì Discuss TEXT (have read before class): Principe, The Scientific Revolution, Chs. 3 and 4)
W (9th) LECTURE: “The Enlightenment: Humanity’s Maturity?”
M (14th) LECTURE: “Romanticism: A ‘Return” to the Irrational?”
W (16th) “ “ “ “
(Be sure to watch Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights [1992; directed by Peter Kosminsky] and have Movie Essay #1 completed by Monday, 10/21) MOVIE ESSAY DUE : MONDAY at 12:30 pm (Either bring hard copy to class OR Upload to “Turnitin.com” through CANVAS link under “Assignments”)
M (21st) REMINDER: MOVIE ESSAY #1 DUE (hard copy brought to class OR uploaded into CANVAS link (under “assignments”)
M (21st) LECTURE: “Biology in the 19th Century”
W (23rd) Ì Discuss TEXT (have read before class): Darwin, Evolutionary Writings, pgs. 107-111; 132-147; 173-185 (On the Origin of Species)
*Reminder: 2nd DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 10/26 at midnight (Part 1: main post)
M (28th) Ì Group Quiz: have read before class): Darwin, Evolutionary Writings, pgs. 236-254; 288-309 (The Descent of Man)
W (30th) LECTURE: “Darwinism vs. Creationism”
*Reminder: 2nd DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 11/2 at midnight (Part 2: responses)
NOV.
M (4th) EXAM 2 (Bring BLUE BOOK and PENCIL OR PEN). NO NOTES ARE ALLOWED
REMINDER: Begin reading H. G. Wells’s The Time Machine (Introduction, pgs. vii-xxv and Chs. 1 – 8, pgs. 7-49)
W (6th) LECTURE: “H. G. Wells and Science Fiction”
REMINDER: Finish reading H. G. Wells’s The Time Machine (Chs. 9 – 16, pgs. 50-87)
M (11th) Discuss text (have read before class): H. G. Wells, The Time Machine
W (13th) Watch in class: “Island of Lost Souls”
*Reminder: 3rd DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 11/16 at midnight (Part 1: main post)
M (18th) LECTURE: “Freud and the Science of the Soul”
W (20th) Ì Discuss TEXT (have read before class): Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, pgs. TBD
*Reminder: 3rd DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 11/23 at midnight (Part 2: responses)
M (25th) Ì Group Quiz: (have read before class): Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, pgs. TBD
W (27th) THANKSGIVING BREAK: NO CLASS
DEC.
M (2nd) WATCH FILM (in class): Spellbound (Part 1)
W (4th) WATCH FILM (in class): Spellbound (Part 2)
FINAL EXAM WILL BE MOVIE ESSAY #2 (Date/Time to be Announced Later)
Discussion Board Dates to Remember (due by MIDNIGHT): Discussion Board 1 Due (Saturday) 8/31 and (Sat) 9/7; Discussion Board 2 Due (Sat) 10/26 and (Sat) 11/2; Discussion Board 3 Due (Sat) 11/16 and (Sat) 11/23
You can earn a maximum of 1,000 pts. in this course:
In-Class Discussion and Assignments 10 % 100 pts.
Discussion Boards (3) 15 % 150 pts.
First Exam 25 % 250 pts.
Second Exam 25 % 250 pts.
1st Movie Essay 10 % 100 pts.
2nd Movie Essay 15 % 150 pts.
FAQ
- The In-Class Group Quiz will occur during the first 15-20 minutes of class (see calendar). Each student will be part of a small group of students (4-5) in which these conversations will take place. The aim of these discussions will be to go over the assigned material and prepare a written response. Each group will be collectively assessed by the professor.
- For Discussion Board Participation students will reply once to the professor’s prompt and twice to 2 other students (in that student’s group). The first reply should be at least 200 words and will be due 1 WEEK before the first deadline (see calendar above); the second and third should be at least 100 words each (400 words total). The first reply is 28 pts; each 2nd response to a classmate is 11 pts (max. total of 50 pts.) Each discussion board thread will open on a Monday and remain open for 2 weeks (closing on Saturday night at MIDNIGHT). The 1st response is due the 1st week; the 2 classmate responses are due the following week.
- The First and Second Exams will occur in class (blue book and pen/pencil required). Both essays will have a prompt given at the beginning of class, which will relate to the assigned readings and material covered in class. Students will have 1 hr. and 15 minutes for each exam.
NOTE ON COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR PROFESSOR: You must use your NCTC-based email (either CANVAS or your @nctc.edu email account) to communicate with me. If you miss class, you do not need to email me. Any excused absences will need documentation.
If you miss class, it is a good idea to check the syllabus/calendar to see what you missed. Finding a small group can relieve stress throughout the semester. You can communicate with your group to locate any missed notes, and set up a bi-weekly/monthly study session. As mentioned before, any in-class assignments cannot be made up.
During the week (Monday – Thursday), my policy is to respond to emails within 24 hours. During the weekend (Friday – Sunday) and on holidays, I generally do not check work email, so an email sent to me on those days/times might require a few days before getting a response. IF ONE IS NEEDING A QUICK RESPONSE, TRY THE ONLINE HOURS (Tues. and Thurs. 9:30-10:30 am via email).
NOTE ON ATTENDANCE: Students who arrive 20 or more minutes after the start of class will be considered absent for that day, as will students who attend without a hard copy of the required text / handout. Similarly, any student who leaves early will be penalized 1 pt. These habitual behaviors are avoidable and are distracting to your fellow classmates.
NOTE ON TECHNOLOGY: The use of electronic devices—phones, laptops, e-readers, etc.—are prohibited. Such devices should be put away during class time. AT NO TIME may you take, record or broadcast audio, video, or photographs during the class, nor may you "live-tweet" or "live-blog" or "snapchat" class discussions, nor may you offer real-time commentary on the class or on your classmates' participation on any online or social media platform, public or private. No Snapchat, no Twitter, no Insta, no photographs of the Powerpoint slides or the professor, and absolutely no recording of the course for rebroadcast in any form (UNLESS PERMISSION IS GIVEN). Let this classroom be one place where you and your classmates can feel free to explore ideas without being subject to broad public scrutiny and/or the backlash critique that comes from making oneself or others "internet famous."
Students must bring materials (paper and pen) with which to take notes and work on any in-class assignments. After the first few weeks, students who fail to abide by these policies will be given a warning. Each instance after the 2-week grace period will result in the student being counted as absent. Students who persist may be subject to disciplinary actions (SEE HANDBOOK BELOW)
Campus Behavior (Academic Catalog: “Student Responsibilities”)
North Central Texas College reserves the right to take disciplinary measures appropriate to any violation and in keeping with its own best interests and the interests of other students. Such disciplinary action may result in a student being placed on probation or suspension from the College. In the latter case, a student will be given the opportunity to show his or her innocence or mitigating circumstances in a hearing before a Student Services Committee. This committee may uphold previous decisions or refer the case to the Chancellor of the College for final review. See handbook: https://www.nctc.edu/_documents/academics/student-handbook.pdf, specifically “Responsibilities” 2. d.
ABSENCES/MAKEUPS:
There are no makeups for in-class assignments. EXAMS ARE TAKEN IN CLASS ON THE ASSIGNED DAYS (SEE CALENDAR/SCHEDULE). If student is absent they need to bring medical/legal/funeral documentation for why they were not able to make it to class. Student should contact professor via email ASAP. If makeup exam is approved by professor, it will need to be taken within 1 week or a zero will be recorded.
Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Friday, November 1st
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Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College.
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DISABILITY SERVICES (OSD)
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209. Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209.
North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112). http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://nctc.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2014-2015/Catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog)
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At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
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Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
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Articulate how these works express the values of the individual and society within a historical and social context.
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Articulate an informed personal response and critically analyze works in the arts and humanities.
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Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the influence of literature, philosophy, and the arts on cultural experiences.
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Demonstrate an awareness of the creative process and why humans create.
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CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA______________________________