Introduction to Humanities Professor Will Adams • Wadams5@valenciacollege.edu

Office hours by appointment • Building 1, Room 104 Mondays & Wednesdays, 7:30 – 8:45 AM

hum1020-0730-fa.blogspot.com

I think it would be a good idea - Mahatma Gandhi, when asked about western civilization

Course Description Introduction to Humanities is a three credit hour course that familiarizes the student with the

world of humanities. Students will explore the essential concepts, historical evolution, and fundamental nature of art, religion, architecture, music, language, politics, and philosophy.

These concepts will be presented and dissected by the professor so that the student will understand how they continue to impact the contemporary world.

Course Objectives To understand the continuation and evolution of the human experience by thinking

critically about humanity’s artistic, cultural, and intellectual development. To learn of diverse civilizations’ contributions to the spheres of politics, religion, and art; as

well as to analyze how and why those contributions helped shape the contemporary world.

To learn skills essential to critical thinking and synthesis of thought by carrying out scholarly research and authoring thoughtful essays.

To attend cultural events in order to recognize the continued relevance of the sometimes-ancient ideas being discussed throughout the class’s duration.

To analyze the philosophical development of humankind as a civilization and how that may apply to today’s societal ideals.

Required Textbook Gloria K. Fiero, Landmarks in Humanities

Additional readings as assigned by instructor

Evaluation Formula 1. Attendance & Class Participation 25%

Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class meeting, and count as part of the attendance & participation grade.

The professor should hear each student’s voice at least once per class meeting.

Tardiness of more than 15 minutes after the scheduled beginning of class constitutes an absence.

Please be aware that, under Valencia’s Attendance Policy, there is no such thing as an “excused absence”.

2. Cultural Event with Written Evaluation 10% You will be required to attend one cultural event throughout the class’s duration. The instructor, throughout the class’s duration, may suggest various events to you, but

it is ultimately your own responsibility to find and attend an approved cultural event. Proof of attendance at said event must be furnished (i.e. ticket stub, program, souvenir,

etc). A two-page “reaction” (i.e. non-research) paper is required. Be sure to answer the

following questions: What did I do? What did I think of it? What did I learn? 3. Research Project 20%

One four-five page written research project is required. Proper MLA style citation should be used for all written assignments. One draft may be turned in for the professor’s review two weeks prior to the due date. Wikipedia = A grade of zero. No exceptions. All research projects should be stapled or bound by the student. This is not the

professor’s responsibility. A detailed research project description will be distributed at a later date.

4. Quizzes 15% Four short-form quizzes will be administered throughout the course of the class. These quizzes will not be announced beforehand The format in which the quizzes are presented may vary.

5. Examinations 30% Four long-form examinations will be administered, once at week 3, once at midterm,

once at week 11, and once at final class meeting. Examinations will not be cumulative in their subject matter. You will be given a study guide for exams, at the instructor’s discretion.

Grading Scale 100 – 90% = A 89 – 80% = B 79 – 70% = C 69 – 60% = D 59 – 0% = F

Schedule of Class Meetings DATE TASK

Monday , August 26 Introduce class Distribute & discuss syllabus Proust Questionnaire homework

Read for next class: Pages 1 – 5

Wednesday , August 28 Connecting with the Cosmos: Art of the Stone Age lecture Cave art class activity Read for next class: Pages 6 – 13

Monday , September 2 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY

Wednesday , September 4 What The Water Gave Us: Ancient Mesopotamia & The Invention of Writing lecture Translation in-class activity. Read for next class: Pages 13 – 20

Monday , September 9 Architecture of the Afterlife: Embalming & Tombs in Ancient Egypt lecture Sarcophagus Lid homework assignment Read for next class: Pages 29 – 35

Wednesday , September 11 Enthroned Upon Olympus: The Mythology of Ancient Greece lecture

Monday , September 16 EXAM #1 Begin watching O Brother, Where Art Thou? Read for next class: Pages 41 – 58

Wednesday , September 18 Conclude watching O Brother Where Art Thou? For Love of Wisdom: Ancient Greek Philosophy lecture Read for next class: Pages 73 – 83

Monday , September 23

We Who Are About To Die Salute You: The Coliseum’s Bloody History & Its Legacy lecture Watch Where Did It Come From? Ancient Rome & The Modern Stadium Read for next class: Pages 130 – 137

Wednesday , September 25 The Calm Before the Storm: Feudalism, The Manor, & Medieval Cities lecture Read for next class: Pages 147 – 156

Monday , September 30 Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Black Death lecture Read for next class: Pages 125 – 157

Wednesday , October 2 The Majesty of Monasticism: Preserving the Past for Perpetuity lecture Read for next class: Pages 167 & 170

Monday , October 7 The Inquisition: Investigating the Human Soul lecture Read for next class: Pages 157 – 165

Wednesday , October 9 Notre Dame: Crown Jewel of Cathedrals lecture Stained glass activity Gargoyle homework

Monday , October 14 EXAM #2

Wednesday , October 16 RESEARCH PROJECT ASSIGNED & LIBRARY VISIT Read for next class: Pages 173 – 182

Monday , October 21

Fooling the Eye: Brunelleschi, Alberti, & Linear Perspective lecture Two-point perspective activity Two-point perspective homework Read for next class: Pages 183 – 188, 219 – 222

Wednesday , October 23 Will in the World: Shakespeare & Elizabethan Theatre lecture

Monday , October 28 Begin watching A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Wednesday , October 30 Conclude watching A Midsummer Night’s Dream Read for next class: Pages 226 – 235

Monday , November 4 The Noble Stillness: Baroque Still-Life Painting lecture Still-life homework Read for next class: Pages 269 – 275, 277 – 280

Wednesday , November 6 The Palace of Versailles: Seat of an Absolute Monarch lecture

Monday , November 11 EXAM #3 Begin watching Marie Antoinette

Wednesday , November 13 Conclude watching Marie Antoinette Read for next class: Pages 293 – 303

Monday , November 18 “L’Etat C’est Moi”: Louis XIV’s Absolutist Rule lecture Ballet activity

Wednesday , November 20 RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTATIONS Read for next class: Pages 306 – 308

Monday , November 25 The Triumph of Liberty: The Enlightenment, Modern Democracy, and the American & French Revolutions lecture

Wednesday , November 27 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Monday , December 2 The Triumph of Liberty: The Enlightenment, Modern Democracy, and the American & French Revolutions lecture cont’d Read for next class: Pages 326 – 337

Wednesday , December 4 CULTURAL EVENT DUE Seeking The Divine: The Three Major World Religions Compared lecture

Monday , December 9 FINAL EXAM – 7:30 AM

GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN WORK All written work should be set in Times New Roman 12 point font, with double spacing and

standard 1” page margins. Additionally, each written assignment (with the exception of the research project) should

begin with the following header, placed at the top, left side of the first page:

Your First & Last Name HUM1020 – 7:30 AM Prof. Will Adams Assignment Due Date (MM/DD/YYYY)

Minimum page totals for any written assignment require that the written page be filled in

its entirety to count as one page. In other words, if a written assignment requires 2 pages, but the student only writes 1.5,

the student will not earn all possible points for the assignment. Finally, the student must staple assignments of more than one page; the instructor will

not provide a stapler.

EXTRA CREDIT POLICY

Each quiz or test throughout the class’s duration will include one extra credit question equal to 10% of the quiz or test’s total point value (i.e. A five point extra credit question for a fifty point test).

In addition, extra credit may be earned by writing more than the required number of pages for any written assignment. Extra credit for extra written work will be given up to a maximum of 15% of the assignment’s total point value.

No other extra credit opportunities will be available.

LATE WORK & MAKE-UP POLICY No late work will be accepted. Quizzes or exams must be taken on, or before, the date assigned – and only with the

instructor’s explicit consent. The final exam must be taken on the date published for final exams.

ATTENDANCE Students are expected to attend every class. Attendance will be taken and will count as a

portion of the final grade. After the FOURTH absence, a student has missed two full weeks of class. A notice of Excessive Absences may be issued and the student may be withdrawn at the professor’s discretion.

It is always the student’s responsibility to contact the professor about issues that may lead to excessive absences.

It is also the student’s responsibility to arrange to receive class notes or handouts from missed classes from the blog or fellow students. Do not contact the instructor for this information without viewing the blog or contacting your classmates first! Please note that there is no such thing as an “Excused Absence” (even with a doctor’s note, death in the family, etc.) under Valencia’s Attendance Policy.

ACADEMIC HONESTY Plagiarism is intellectual theft and will not be tolerated. Presentation of the ideas and words of others as if they are your own work constitutes plagiarism. Direct use of another author’s words or ideas, as well as paraphrasing must be cited. Plagiarism in any work will result in a

grade of zero for that assignment.

CLASS CONDUCT Conduct yourselves with maturity and respect for others.

COMPUTER & EQUIPMENT USE POLICY Use of computers in the Business, IT, and Public Service classrooms at Valencia Community College is restricted to those activities designated by the instructor to enhance

the class materials. Any other use is strictly forbidden. Inappropriate use includes, but is not limited to:

Use of computer to send E-mail or access Internet sites not specifically assigned in class.

Use of computer for job, internship, homework or other activities not assigned in class. Modifying any hardware or software system configuration or setting. Use of computers in the departmental open lab is limited to those activities involved with

preparing homework or coursework in this department and is subject to the same restriction as listed above.

Computer use is remotely monitored; any student using computers inappropriately may be subject to dismissal from class or banishment from the lab. Subsequent offense may be sent to the campus administration for further disciplinary action.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a

notification from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the professor, preferably during the first two weeks of class.

The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities.

DISCLAIMER This outline may be altered, at the instructor’s discretion, during the course of the term. It is

the responsibility of the student to make any adjustments as announced.

Introduction to Humanities

I, ____________________________________, have read the course syllabus for

Fall/Spring/Summer semester 20_____, understand my responsibilities as a student in this course, and agree to abide by the policies and deadlines outlined herein.

_______________________________________ Signature _______________________________________ Date