Shaw University

Humanities Department

HUM 200: Introduction to Humanities

Professor: Dr. Désiré Baloubi

Office: OLD EDU, R # 6

Phone: 546-8307/8254

E-mail: dbaloubi@shawu.edu

Office Hours:

Required Text: Tita, Charles, ed. Humanities Reader. Acton: Tapestry Press, Ltd. , Littleton, MA, 2004.

Recommended Readings:

Cunningham, Lawrence and John Reich. Culture and Values. 4^th Edition, Vol. I & II. Harcourt Brace Publishers.

Fiero. The humanistic Tradition. 3^rd Edition, vols. 3-6. McGraw Hill.

Course Description:

As the editor clearly defines it in the preface, “Humanities 200 is a core curriculum course required of all students at Shaw University.” This literature course explores a few aspects of the Renaissance in Europe with emphasis on moral values, customs, and beliefs. It also touches on twentieth-century African and African-American literature. In short, HUM 200 exposes students to different worlds and gives them an opportunity to engage in fruitful class discussions, which will lead to interesting cross-cultural analyses.

Course Objectives:

· To learn about significant dates and events in the humanities

· To understand the forms, content, and significance of artistic and literary works

· To engage in critical thinking and do comparative and/or contrastive analyses

· To develop and/or improve upon fundamental academic skills such as reading, note taking, writing, and collaborative learning.

Specialty Area Standards Based on NC DPI Standards and Indicators:

Core Standard 1: Teachers know the content they teach.

Indicators: 1.1 Teachers have a broad knowledge of content.

1.2 Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty.

1.3 Teachers understand the ways in which their teaching area connects to the

broad curriculum.

1.4 Teachers know relevant applications of the content they teach.

Core Standard 3: Teachers are successful in teaching a diverse population of students.

Indicators: 3.1 Teachers demonstrate their belief that diversity in the classroom, in the school,

and in the society is a strength.

3.2 Teachers treat students as individuals.

3.4 Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs.

Technology Standard 3: Teachers implement curriculum plans that include methods and

strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning.

Indicator: 3.3 Teachers apply technology to develop students' higher order thinking

skills and creativity.

Course Policies:

· Attendance and Missed Work: Unexcused and excessive absences are not advisable, and they will not be tolerated. Such absences, more often than not, adversely affect students’ final grades and may result in failure of the course. Therefore, students will have to provide documentation to the appropriate University authority in order to obtain an authorized excuse for an absence. The authorization must be presented to the professor. However, it is important to note that all students are responsible for their learning. They ought to keep up with the syllabus, class work, and additional assignments. Assignments, quizzes, and exams missed due to an excused absence may be made up within the week of the student’s return to class.

· Requirements: All students taking this course will have to give at least one oral presentation, participate (actively) in class discussions, write a) two papers, b) a midterm-exam, and c) a final, comprehensive exam. The papers should be 4-6 pages in length, typed in a double-spaced format, and margins must be one inch from the top, bottom, and both sides. Times New Roman and Courier are appropriate fonts, while others may be approved upon request, but in no case should a font size be less than 10 or greater than 12.

· Academic Honesty: Please not that plagiarism is unethical behavior; it constitutes a serious academic offense. Plagiarism is when you repeat verbatim or paraphrase other people’s ideas/thoughts as if they were your own. In order to avoid this, you must give credit to all external sources and cite them accordingly for the ideas you borrow from them. Even your classmates should be quoted [personal communication] if any information they share with you is included in your work, but you must get their permission first. Any student who fails to abide by the instructions above in a paper will receive an “F” for that paper. S/he will also be reported to the appropriate authority for disciplinary sanctions.