Explore online education in Tennessee

UNIV 3580 Syllabus

Course Syllabus

UNIV 3580 - Hebrew and Greek Legacy

3 Credit Hours

Course Information

Course Description:

This is an interdisciplinary Humanities course. This course uses a variety of Humanities disciplines, most notably history, literature, philosophy and religion, to examine the themes of Hebrew and Greek thought. These two cultures have had a profound influence on nearly all aspects of Western thought, so we will be examining the ancient roots of our own culture.

Course Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:

  • Have an appreciation for ways of thinking that may differ from his or her own.
  • Have a better understanding of the nature of the Humanities and some of its various disciplines.
  • Understand how to read and analyze texts for what they say, without preconceptions as to what they "mean."
  • Have a better appreciation of how major texts in the Humanities both reflect and shape our understanding of ourselves.
  • Have a high degree of skill in conveying your analyses through written essays and online discussions.
  • Understand how his or her ways of thinking have been shaped by Hebrew and Greek thought.
Prerequisites & Co-requisites:

None

Course Topics:

Course topics will be listed in the course calendar and in the content modules.

Specific Course Requirements:

In order to locate class materials and complete the assignments, you will need to know how to use the Internet, navigate WebCT, use email, and use a word processor.

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Required Textbooks:

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."

Supplementary Materials:

None.

Hardware and Software Requirements:

Minimum hardware requirements can be found here.

Minimum software requirements can be found here.

Common applications you might need:

Web Resources:

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab (for APA, MLA, or Chicago style)

The Writing Center Online Writer's Handbook

Student Resources:
  • Technical support information can be found on the TN eCampus Help Desk page.
  • Smarthinking virtual tutoring is available FREE of charge. to access Smarthinking, visit the course homepage and select Smarthinking under Course Resources. You also view sample sessions to see what Smarthinking offers and how it works.
  • Information on other student issues or concerns can be located on the TN eCampus Student Resources page.

Instructor Information

Please see "Instructor Information" in the Getting Started Module for instructor contact information, virtual office hours, and other communication information. You can expect to receive a response from the instructor within 24-48 hours unless notified of extenuating circumstances.

Participation, Assessments, & Grading

Testing Procedures:

Testing procedures are described more fully below, in the section Grading Procedure/Examinations. All examinations are essay format and open book. The dates will be specified in the course calendar. Prepare your examination answers in Rich Text Format, Microsoft Word format, Corel WordPerfect format, or as text, and click on the "Dropbox" tab, and browse for the file, and upload the exam to the instructor by the due date.

Grading Procedures:

Reflective Essays:

You will be required to write three reflective essays, one for each of the three main sections of the course. These essays will test your understanding of the material covered in each section, by giving you the opportunity to reflect on the major themes and questions raised by your readings. They are not research papers, so they should not report "just the facts," though you must have a solid factual basis for your reflections. They must not consist of unsupported "opinions" about general issues--they must clearly depend upon the texts under consideration in the course. Aim for a judicious balance of facts and genuine interpretative reflection on your part. You should expect to write 800 to 1000 words for each of these essays. (You must have at least 800 words.) Less than 800 words automatically is graded from 105/150 (70%). That means your grade will be a C or less. You may choose one topic for each essay from the lists in Assignments, found on the Course Content page, or you may write on another topic if you receive the instructor's approval in advance of writing. At the end of your essay, be sure to include a list of the "Sources Used" to write the paper. The due dates are marked on your course calendar. The essays should be prepared in a Word processing program. Click on the Dropbox and browse for the file and upload it to the instructor. Each of these three reflective essays will count as 150 points, for a total of 450 points of your overall final grade.

Examinations:

You will be required to write two examinations, one covering all the material up until mid-term, the other covering all the material from mid-term to the end of the course. These examinations will test your understanding of the material covered in each half of the course, by giving you the opportunity to reflect on and integrate the major themes and questions raised by your readings. You should expect to write somewhere around 1500 to 2000 words for each of these examinations. The instructor will provide you with the questions some 5 to 7 days before the examinations are due. The due dates are marked on the course calendar. The examinations should be prepared in a word-processing program. Click on the Drop Box and browse for the file and upload it to the instructor.

Each of these examinations will count as 200 points, for a total of 400 points of your overall final grade.

Discussions:

You will be required to participate actively in the discussions on the Discussion Board. Be sure to read: Discussion Board Grading Criteria listed in the instruction section of the Discussion Board.

Do this by addressing the discussion questions that are found at the end of the introductions to various subjects. You should also feel free to comment on other aspects of the readings or simply raise questions of your own. You should not wait for the instructor to begin a discussion topic, but the instructor may raise issues if students do not, and the instructor will probably participate freely in the discussions.

One venerable way of learning in the Humanities is by exchanging ideas with others. You are therefore strongly encouraged to respond freely to the comments and questions of your fellow students and the instructor. You may have an insight into the readings that others have missed, or someone else may see a flaw in your reasoning that you had not recognized. Because there are no simple right or wrong answers to many questions, it is certainly permissible to present your opinions. Opinions should be more than mere expressions of personal preference or feeling, however--it is always helpful to provide some support for them. Don't be afraid to put forth opinions of which you yourself are not entirely certain. Such opinions may stimulate the thinking of others and lead to more productive discussion.

Always keep in mind the Guidelines for Communications, found later in this syllabus, particularly about being respectful of other's ideas and not making insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group.

Your overall participation in discussions will be weighted at 150 points of your course grade. Postings will be graded for each period and are worth 5 points each, for a total of 50 points for each period. Postings for each period close when each of the three essays are due. Post your answers to the Discussion Board do not send them to me in an email.

Participation in discussions for each period -- 50 points for a total of 150 points. (Note additional instructions below for the Discussion Board Postings)

Grading Scale:

First reflective essay -- 150 points

Second reflective essay -- 150 points

Third reflective essay -- 150 points

First examination -- 200 points

Second examination -- 200 points

Hebrew Period Discussion Postings -- 100 points

Early Greek Period Discussion Postings -- 50 points

Late Greek Period Discussion Postings -- 50 points

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS -- 1050 points

Less than 630 Points -- F
630-734 -- D
735-839 -- C
840-944 -- B
945+ -- A

Assignments and Projects:

A sequenced list of assignments is provided in the course calendar.

Class Participation:

Students must participate actively in the discussion board and may participate in one of the chat rooms (chat room participation is not required and is not considered in grading). Students must check the course homepage and discussion board frequently for announcements. The instructor encourages all students to contact the instructor to ask questions or receive information.

Late Policy:

Students need to check the course calendar frequently so that they are aware of the dates for all assignments. Although online courses allow students to work at times of their own choosing, there are due dates, and students are expected to complete all assignments by the due dates.

Course Ground Rules

The following two statements (1., 2.) were derived from the TBR System-wide Student Rules document, released January 2012:

RULES OF THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS STATE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OF TENNESSEE SYSTEMWIDE STUDENT RULES CHAPTER 0240-02-03 STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

Read the document in its entirety here.

1. Standards of Conduct:

  • Students are required to adhere to the same professional, legal and ethical standards of conduct online as on campus. In addition, students should conform to generally accepted standards of "netiquette" while sending e-mail, posting comments to the discussion board, and while participating in other means of communicating online. Specifically, students should refrain from inappropriate and/or offensive language, comments and actions.

2. Review the TN eCampus Academic Integrity/Academic Honesty Policy:

  • In their academic activities, students are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited.

Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • an attempt by one or more students to use unauthorized information in the taking of an exam
  • to submit as one's own work, themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, computer programs, or other products prepared by another person,
  • or to knowingly assist another student in obtaining or using unauthorized materials.

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.

Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are subject to disciplinary action through the regular procedures of the student’s home institution.  Refer to the student handbook provided by your home institution to review the student conduct policy.

In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed, the instructor has the authority to assign an "F" or zero for an activity or to assign an "F" for the course.

Other Course Rules:

Students are expected to:

  • Participate in all aspects of the course
  • Communicate with other students
  • Learn how to navigate in Brightspace
  • Keep abreast of course announcements
  • Use the assigned course management (Brightspace) email address rather than a personal email address
  • Address technical problems immediately:
  • Observe course netiquette at all times.

Guidelines for Communications

Email:

  • Always include a subject line.
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members

Discussions:

  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
  • Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in TN eCampus programs and courses. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading will be included within the course modules. To access the Virtual Library, go to the course homepage and select the Virtual Library link under Course Resources.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this syllabus is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep this information up-to-date and accurate, there may be some discrepancies between this syllabus and the one found in your online course. The syllabus of record is the one found in your online course. Please make sure you read the syllabus in your course at the beginning of the semester. Questions regarding course content should be directed to your instructor.


Last Revised on May 16, 2017