Seminar in Humanities

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Recognize and write in genres appropriate to the humanities, especially philosophy, religious studies, and literature.
• Use informal and formal approaches to writing and multiple drafts to deepen their mastery of the humanities.
• Be introduced to and utilize the Library’s online research resources.
• Become proficient in the use of MLA citation style.
• Gain an understanding of how argument works and develop research and rhetorical skills.
• Become proficient at the use of critical thinking skills such as analysis and synthesis.
• Develop effective reading, research, and writing skills.
• Be introduced to a wide selection of creation myths from around the world and their cultural and historical contexts.
• Explore how the creation stories of various cultures relate to how those cultures define what it means to be human.
• Gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between culture and their creation stories.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Library Research Tutorial Quizzes	10%
Reflection Questions and Online Discussion Forums	30%
Short Essays	30%
Final Project	30%

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
93-100%	A
90-92%	A-
88-89%	B+
83-87%	B
80-82%	B-
78-79%	C+
73-77%	C
70-72%	C-
68-69%	D+
63-67%	D
60-62%	D-
0-59%	F

Work that summarizes, rather than analyzes, synthesizes, and/or evaluates the topic will receive a grade of C+ or lower, even if the summary is excellent.

Work that is moderately successful in analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating the topic will receive a grade of B.

Work that successfully analyzes, synthesizes, evaluates the topic, and persuasively interprets the topic will receive a grade of B+ or higher.

Attendance/Participation:

Students must participate in the course by logging in on a regular basis, participating weekly in Group Discussions, participating in required activities, and submitting required assignments.

Failure to participate in the course constitutes failure to abide by the attendance policy. Students who do not abide by this policy may be withdrawn at the professor’s discretion per instructions from the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Sproul, Barbara. Primal Myths: Creation Myths Around the World. HarperCollins, 1979.