HomeMy WebLinkAboutHIS-101 1
Bergen Community College
School of Arts, Humanities, & Wellness
Department of History & Geography
Course Syllabus
HIS101-Western Civilization to the Reformation
Basic Information about Course and Instructor
Semester and year:
Course and Section Number:
Meeting Times and Locations:
Instructor:
Office Location:
Phone:
Departmental Secretary: [optional]
Office Hours:
Email Address:
Course Description
This class is a study of the Western world from ancient times to the end of the Middle Ages. Major cultural, social,
economic, political, intellectual, and religious developments in the history of the West and its interactions with other
global regions are surveyed. Students will also be introduced to historical methodology and historiography. Students will
acquire a solid understanding of historical facts and interpretation while gaining a sense of the broad scope of history as a
discipline.
3 credits
General Education Course – Humanities Elective
Student Learning Objectives: As a result of meeting the requirements in this course, students will be able to
1. Identify the major periods in the history of western civilization from antiquity to the end of the Middle Ages.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the narrative framework and factual basis of western history.
3. Identify and analyze the important political, economic, social, intellectual, and religious forces that shaped these
periods.
4. Summarize and interpret the continuity and change that occurs between successive civilizations.
5. Demonstrate the ability to develop a thesis and support it with historical evidence both in writing and orally.
6. Demonstrate basic research skills by locating and using source materials.
7. Summarize, paraphrase, and quote historical information in properly cited written analyses
8. Demonstrate the ability to state and support their own interpretation of historical issues concisely, coherently, and
logically.
Course Content
This course is a survey of the history of Western Civilization from antiquity to the late Middle Ages. The class
covers a broad geographic and chronological range which includes Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and
Medieval Europe. A variety of approaches--political, social, economic, religious, cultural—will be used to
illuminate historical context and themes. Students will improve their knowledge and understanding of historical
content and methods while gaining an appreciation for the role historical processes play in the development of
the human condition.
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Course Texts
The required text for this course is Judith G. Coffin & Robert C. Stacey’s Western Civilizations—Volume 1 (Norton,
17th edition)
Assessment and Grading
In pursuit of the foregoing goals, the course is based on the reading and discussion of historical writings for
both primary and secondary sources; the techniques of historical research and writing are reviewed, and
students are expected to use subject specific resources in their preparation for active participation in class and
for writing assignments. Students are required to do a substantial amount of expository and critical writing in
response to the material presented in the course and by conducting outside research.
Because HIS-101 is a General Education course, it requires students to complete a variety of critical thinking
and writing assignments. These assignments may include class discussions and debates requiring the application
of critical thinking skills, short in-class essays, out-of-class writing projects (journals, research papers,
argument-analysis papers, book reviews, etc.), tests and examinations containing essay components, and so
forth. Instructors will respond to and comment on students' writing in detail.
Grading Policy
A student's final grade for the course is based primarily on his or her performance on the required work for the
course (writing assignments, examinations, class presentations, etc.) and on his or her overall mastery of the
material covered in the course. A student's class participation may also be evaluated, and the grade thereon may
be used as a factor in determining the student's final grade for the course; but a class participation grade will
count for no more than fifteen percent (15%) of the final grade. Examinations can consist of objective questions
such as multiple choice and short answers, but an essay of some form should also be evaluated as part of the
test. A sample grade distribution is as follows:
1st Mid-Term Exam
20%
2nd Mid-Term Exam
20%
Final-Exam (non-comprehensive)
20%
Writing/Research Assignments
30%
Participation/Collegiality
10%
Total
100%
BCC Attendance Policy:
All students are expected to attend punctually every scheduled meeting of each course in which they are registered.
Attendance and lateness policies and sanctions are to be determined by the instructor for each section of each course.
These will be established in writing on the individual course outline. Attendance will be kept by the instructor for
administrative and counseling purposes.
History and Geography Departmental Attendance Policy:
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It is imperative that students attend class on a daily basis in order to secure the knowledge necessary to succeed in the
course. Coming to class on time and staying for the entire class period is expected. Excessive absences will have a
detrimental effect on your performance in this course. Attendance will be taken at each class session. It is expected that
class will be conducted such that students will benefit in their written work by the lectures and class discussion. If students
occasionally arrive late, they should be encouraged to enter quietly, not disturbing the class. If students miss class, they
should be encouraged to use the course calendar to stay abreast of material. It is probably a good idea for students to find
study partners and to exchange telephone numbers. Make-ups for examinations should be allowed by the instructor if, in
the instructor's judgment, the student has presented a good excuse for missing the work. Instructors may penalize wo rk
which is late; however, the instructor's policies for make -ups and late work must be clearly specified on the student guide.
Collegiality is expected at all times during the course.
Academic Dishonesty (From BCC Handbook):
Bergen Community College is committed to academic integrity—the honest, fair, and continuing pursuit of
knowledge, free from fraud and deception. Students are responsible for their own work. Faculty and academic
support services staff will take appropriate measures to discourage academic dishonesty. The college recognizes
the following general categories of violations of academic integrity whenever a student does one of more of the
following: uses unauthorized assistance in any academic work, copies from another student’s exam, gives
unauthorized assistance to other students, fabricates data in support of an academic assignment, inappropriately
or unethically uses technical means to gain academic advantage, and commits plagiarism.
Student and Faculty Support Services
The Henry and Edith Cerullo
Learning Assistance Center
Room L-125
of Pitkin
Building
Includes the Tutoring Center, English Language
Resource Center, and Writing Center. 201-447-7489
The Distance Learning Office –
for any problems you may have
accessing your online courses
201-612-5581
psimms@bergen.edu
The Tutorial Center Room S-118
of Pitkin
Building
201-447-7908
The English Language Resource
Center
Room 126 in
Ender
Hall
For students whose native language is not English.
The Writing Center Room L-125
of Pitkin
Building
201-447-7136
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) www.bergen.edu/owl This website will help students
with all aspects of the writing process in every
discipline.
The Office of Specialized Services
(for Students with Disabilities)
L-115 of
Pitkin
Building
Students with documented disabilities who require
accommodations by the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) can request support services from the
Office of Specialized Services.
www.bergen.edu/pages/5175
The Sidney Silverman Library 2nd Level of
Pitkin
Building
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Sample Format for Course Outline and Calendar
Note to Students: The following Course Outline and Calendar is tentative and subject to change,
depending upon the progress of the class.
Date
Lecture Topic Learning
Objectives
Assignments/Events
Introduction: course
information & prehistory
Ancient Mesopotamia: states,
society, economy
Ancient Mesopotamia:
chronology
Ancient Egypt
Bronze Age Near East
Ancient Israel & Judaic
Scriptures
Iron Age Near East
Archaic Greece
Writing/Research Paper
Workshop
*1st Mid-Term Exam
Classical Greece: 5th Cen.
B.C.
Classical Greece: 4th Cen.
B.C.
Hellenistic Kingdoms: legacy
of Alexander
of Alexander
Hellenistic World: culture &
science
Early Rome to Middle
Republic
Late Roman Republic
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Roman Empire
Greek-Roman Philosophy &
Religion
*2nd Mid-Term Exam
Christianity & Germanic
Kingdoms
Civilization of Byzantium
Civilization of Islam
Early Middle Ages
Medieval Economic History
Crusades
High Middle Ages: Politics,
Society, Law
High Middle Ages: cultural &
intellectual history
Late Middle Ages: Crisis
**Final-Exam**