Survey in European Culture and History
John I. Brooks III, Ph.D., Instructor
SYLLABUS

Objectives | Readings | Assignments | Brooks Home Page

Note: The official syllabus for this class is this web site, NOT any printed version. The general objectives and expectations described below will not change during the term. However, specific readings and due dates may vary. Any changes will be posted, and students are responsible for visiting the site frequently to make sure they have the most current information.

Objectives and Expectations

Description and Objectives: This course examines the origins and development of European culture from ancient times to the beginning of the modern era. The course examines the Greco-Roman foundations of European society and their transformation into medieval civilization. It studies the economic, social, political, and cultural developments that created modern European civilization. At the end of this course, students should have the following knowledge and skills:

Knowledge

• concepts historians use to think about culture and change;
• legacy of European culture in the Middle Ages and Renaissance;
• nature and causes of modern European culture;
• major historical events of European history

Skills

• ability to analyze historical documents in context;
• ability to analyze historical causation;
• ability to compare different periods and places in European history

Required Texts (Available at the bookstore):

• Spielvogel, Western Civilization: Comprehensive Edition (West Publishing);
• Diana Hacker, A Writer's Reference, or comparable style manual
• The web sites linked through the Readings below are also required reading.

Grading

• Three (3) short papers (3-4 pages) 60%
• Midterm assessment 20%
• Final assessment 20%
• Attendance and participation may affect grade: poor attendance and participation can lower the grade one-half letter grade, good participation can raise the grade one-half letter grade.
• More about grading policies and procedures

Late Work, Rewrites: All work for this course must be turned in on the announced dates. Late work will be penalized one letter grade unless you have a good excuse, and no assignments will be accepted more than one week late. You may rewrite up to three (3) workbook exercises. Rewrites are due one week after I return the original assignment. Attendance Attendance is required. I will take attendance each day, and poor attendance (more than 4 absences) can hurt your grade. Being late twice counts as one absence.

Preparation: You should complete assigned readings before class. If you have questions about the readings, you should write them down and ask me to explain during class. You should take notes on the readings and on class lectures. I reserve the right to give unannounced quizzes to test whether students are doing the readings.

Participation: You are at Teikyo Loretto Heights in part to learn English and in part to receive an American-style education. For these reasons, I will ask you questions in class, and I encourage you to ask me questions. Students who participate by asking questions and contributing to discussions will be rewarded. One way to do this is to write down a question before class and ask me the question during class, as mentioned above under "Preparation."

Academic Honesty: There are two kinds of assignment in this class—individual and group. I expect you to do individual assignments by yourself. You may not copy from other students, and you may not let other students copy your work. For group assignments, I expect you to contribute to the group. If you do not, you are getting credit for work you did not do. For all assignments, you should use quotations and ideas from written sources to support what you say in written assignments. If you quote or use specific information from a text, you must state where you found it—that is, you must CITE YOUR SOURCES. Failure to follow these rules is academic dishonesty. I penalize academic honesty as follows: for the first offense, you must rewrite the assignment; for the second offense, you get an F (0) for the assignment, with no opportunity to rewrite; THE THIRD TIME, YOU FAIL THE COURSE.

Incompletes: I give an incomplete only if a student is unable for good reasons to complete a small portion of the assignments for a course. Good reasons include illness or accident; generally speaking, too much work in other courses is not a good reason. I will not give an incomplete simply because a student is afraid of getting a low grade.

Computers: Everyone in this class has an IBM-compatible laptop computer with Windows95, Microsoft Office, e-mail software, and a web browser. I expect students to bring their computers to class and to use them for taking notes, getting homework assignments and turning them in, sending e-mail, and other class-related activities. Class materials will be available at S:\European Survey.

Schedule of Class Meetings and Readings Objectives | Assignments Note: Because this is a new class, the readings may change. Check this web site often!

Objectives | Readings | Assignments | Teaching | Brooks Home Page

LastUpdate: February 5, 1998

Created by John I. Brooks III. Last updated 01/01/04.
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