LIBERAL STUDIES PROPOSAL/DELETION FORM
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX(ES)
Distribution Blocks
This is a new course that I want to offer for Liberal Studies Distribution Block credit.
A UCC New Course Proposal Form must also be submitted to the UCC.
This is an existing course that is not currently approved for liberal studies Distribution Block
credit, but I would like for it to be considered for the next catalog year.
This course is already approved for liberal studies Distribution Block credit, but I would like to
realign it with the liberal studies changes that took affect in fall 2007.
This course is already approved for liberal studies Distribution Block credit, but I would like to
make substantial changes to the syllabus, so I am submitting it for re-approval.
Provide details about the change(s) here or on the attached syllabus.
A UCC Course Change Proposal Form may also need to be submitted to the UCC.
This course is already approved for liberal studies Distribution Block credit, but I would like to
delete it from the list of approved courses.
If the course is to be deleted from the catalog a UCC Course Deletion Form also must be
submitted to the UCC
Junior Level Writing
This is a new course that I want to offer as a Junior Level Writing course.
A UCC New Course Proposal Form must also be submitted to the UCC.
This is an existing course that is not currently approved as a Junior Level Writing course, but I
would like for it to be considered for the next catalog year.
This course is already approved as a Junior Level Writing course, but I would like to make
substantial changes to the syllabus, so I am submitting it for re-approval.
Provide details about the change(s) here or on the attached syllabus.
A UCC Course Change Proposal Form may also need to be submitted to the UCC.
This course is already approved as a Junior Level Writing course, but I would like to delete it
from the list of approved courses.
If the course is to be deleted from the catalog a UCC Course Deletion Form also must be
submitted to the UCC
Senior Capstone
This is a new course that I want to offer as a Senior Capstone.
A UCC New Course Proposal Form must also be submitted to the UCC.
080508 Liberal Studies Proposal Form
Page 1 of 11
This is an existing course that is not currently approved as a Senior Capstone course, but I would
like for it to be considered for the next catalog year.
This course is already approved as a Senior Capstone course, but I would like to make
substantial changes to the syllabus, so I am submitting it for re-approval.
Provide details about the change(s) here or on the attached syllabus.
A UCC Course Change Proposal Form may also need to be submitted to the UCC.
This course is already approved as a Senior Capstone course, but I would like to delete it from
the list of approved courses.
If the course is to be deleted from the catalog a UCC Course Deletion Form also must be
submitted to the UCC
Other. Please explain.
PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
Course subject/catalog number: REL 295
Course title: Topics in Comparative Religion
Department chair name, phone, email: Dr. Alexandra Carpino, 523-8801,
Alexandra.Carpino@NAU.edu
College contact name, phone, email: Dr. Jean Boreen, 523-6765 Jean.Boreen@nau.edu
SELECT ONE DISTRIBUTION BLOCK
If a topics course, must apply to ALL sections.
Aesthetic and Humanistic Inquiry
Cultural Understanding
Science/Applied Science
Social and Political Worlds
SELECT ONE ESSENTIAL SKILL TO BE ASSESSED
Critical Thinking
Effective Writing
Scientific Reasoning
Is this a topics course?
Effective Oral Communication
Quantitative Reasoning
yes
080508 Liberal Studies Proposal Form
no
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Approvals:
Department chair:
Department curriculum committee chair:
Dean of college:
When completed, please save this proposal (with the syllabus pasted below) as
a .doc file and email it as an attachment to shelly.pleasants@nau.edu. Please
also send a hard copy, complete with signatures, to Shelly Pleasants at NAU
Box 4122.
_____________________________________________________________________
Date __________
For Liberal Studies Committee
Approved as submitted
Approved as modified
Date __________
For University Curriculum Committee
Approved as submitted
Approved as modified
_____________________________________________________________________
The syllabus below represents a master syllabus, which means that it reflects
elements common among all sections of this course.
For topics courses, the syllabus below identifies the student learning outcomes
that will be found in all topic syllabi, and also explains by what methods
student learning outcomes will be assessed in all topic syllabi offered under this course number.
Click here for a syllabus template.
PASTE SYLLABUS HERE
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Northern Arizona University
College of Arts & Letters
Dept. of Comparative Cultural Studies
REL 295 Topics in Comparative Religion
(Secondary Title for this topic) TBA
Instructor: TBA
Office Location: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
E-Mail: TBA
Day/Time: TBA
Location: TBA
3 credit hours
Office Phone: TBA
Course Description
This course is an examination of selected aspects of, or developments in, religious belief, practice, or
history, involving comparative considerations of more than one religious tradition. Each iteration of this
course will address at least one of the three Global Learning Outcomes, namely, Global Engagement,
Environmental Sustainability, and Diversity. The course may be repeated for credit once with a different
title and topic, for a total of 6 credits. Liberal Studies: Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry block;
Essential Skill: Critical Thinking.
Liberal Studies Information
REL 295 is a Liberal Studies course in the Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry distribution block.
(1) This course supports the Mission of the Liberal Studies Program by preparing students to live
responsible, productive, and creative lives as citizens of a dramatically changing world, and helping
students develop their abilities in the following ways:
• To understand the world’s peoples and their diversity.
• To understand the traditions and legacies that have created the dynamics and tensions
that shape the world.
• To practice the habits of an examined or self-reflective life to facilitate ethical and
responsible living.
(2) REL 295 is in the Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry distribution block and supports the intent of the
block by:
• involving students in the study of the human condition through philosophical inquiry
and analysis of the various forms of creative expression.
• helping students develop an understanding of the relationship between context and human
creative expression, in this case, the history of religions in American culture.
• helping students develop an understanding of major conceptual frameworks utilized to make
sense of the creative arts, and how human experience and values are expressed through creative
endeavors, in this case, literary expressions of religious ideals and dilemmas.
• helping students develop their capacities for analysis and ethical reasoning along with an
understanding of the multiple facets of the human condition.
(3) REL 295 will help students develop essential skills as defined in the University’s Liberal Studies
Program. This course will emphasize Critical Thinking as its essential skill, and students will learn to
think analytically (both about their own writing and other works), demonstrated in the following ways:
• articulating the meaning of a statement;
• judging the truth of a statement, keeping in mind possible biases;
• determining whether a conclusion is warranted by the evidence provided.
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Student Learning Expectations & Outcomes for this Course
This course will directly address the Global Learning outcome of Diversity:
• Diversity: Students will learn about and critically reflect upon the nature and consequences of
diversity in both the social (e.g. ethnic, religious, cultural) world and the natural environment, and
develop an understanding of how this diversity both alters and is altered in a world characterized by
increasing global interaction.
Active engagement with the content of this course will enable the student
1. To describe and analyze the various roles played by religious beliefs and institutions.
2. To describe and analyze the historical development of religious thought in diverse cultural settings.
3. To develop ability in the use of interdisciplinary approaches to studying religion.
4. To develop ability in the comparative analysis of diverse religious traditions.
5. To prepare students to critically engage primary and secondary source material in order to become
informed participants in discourse about religion.
Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Readings, response papers, and discussions of those readings will enable the students to demonstrate a
grasp of factual information and various interpretations of the ideas expressed. Students will present their
ideas in class discussions and react to those of their fellow students. Exams and the term paper assess
factual knowledge of readings and various analytic and interpretive frameworks for understanding the
topic. The paper assesses the student’s ability to think critically and write effectively about issues
encountered in the course.
Methods of Assessment
TBA
Requirements and Grading Scale
Grading Scale:
90% + = A
80% + = B
70% + = C
60% + = D
Below 60% = F
Timeline for Assessment: Course Schedule
Please come to class having already read the assigned readings listed for that day.
TBA
Final Exam: At the time designated by NAU.
Course Structure & Approach
Our method is academic inquiry concerning the topic of particular religious traditions. The course will
include lectures and discussions. Films and images will be shown to illustrate aspects of the traditions
studied.
Texts & Required Readings
Texts TBA
Primary documents will be made available via Blackboard.
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Course Policies
Your attendance and attention are both mandatory.
Disability Services: If you have disabilities that require accommodations, you need to notify me as well as
the Disability Center.
Electronics: Headphones are not allowed for any reason. Cell phones and other communication devices
are to be turned off and out of sight before entering class.
Withdrawals and Incompletes:
Deadlines for dropping the course and withdrawing from the course will be posted in the schedule, and
those dates are not negotiable except under extraordinary circumstances. Also, do not disappear from the
course and expect that I will automatically withdraw you; you are responsible for your registration status.
Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus to accommodate the needs of the class.
Please see the additional page of policy statements from NAU appended to the syllabus.
Recommended Readings
A bibliography of recommended readings will be provided to students in the course website. Such works
may be useful for the papers as well as lifelong learning in this area.
Example of a fully articulated syllabus:
Northern Arizona University
College of Arts & Letters
Dept. of Comparative Cultural Studies
REL 295 Topics in Comparative Religion
(Secondary Title for this topic) Religion in America
Instructor: TBA
Office Location: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
E-Mail: TBA
Day/Time: TBA
Location: TBA
3 credit hours
Office Phone: TBA
Course Description
This course is an examination of selected aspects of, or developments in, religious belief, practice, or
history, involving comparative considerations of more than one religious tradition. Each iteration of this
course will address at least one of the three Global Learning Outcomes, namely, Global Engagement,
Environmental Sustainability, and Diversity. The course may be repeated for credit once with a different
title and topic, for a total of 6 credits. Liberal Studies: Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry block;
Essential Skill: Critical Thinking.
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This iteration of REL 295 presents a historical survey of the development of religious traditions in
America. There are many ways in which the story of American religious history can be told. Many of us
are familiar with stories that begin with the first Thanksgiving and end with a happy and astonishing
religious pluralism; this is a narrative that applauds America’s capacity to accommodate, usually
peacefully, the greatest spectrum of religious diversity in the world. This narrative is not without some
merit and truth, but it is by no means an accurate depiction of American religious history.
This semester we will approach American religious history through the lens of encounter with the “other.”
As we examine key historical events, personages, and ideas involved in the life of the many religious
groups that comprise the tapestry of religion in America, we will turn a critical eye to the many ways in
which historical actors have responded to religious diversity – to the presence of the “other.” The value
of this approach is that it seeks to tap into the present by making us aware of our own present-day
encounter with religious diversity. As we survey the development of the religiosity of a wide variety of
communities (Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Spiritual but not Religious, and many
shades in between), we will not only parse out who believed and practiced what but we will also consider
why such beliefs and practices were vital for the maintenance of identity for religious “insiders” and
“outsiders” alike.
Liberal Studies Information
REL 295 is a Liberal Studies course in the Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry distribution block.
(1) This course supports the Mission of the Liberal Studies Program by preparing students to live
responsible, productive, and creative lives as citizens of a dramatically changing world, and helping
students develop their abilities in the following ways:
• To understand the world’s peoples and their diversity.
• To understand the traditions and legacies that have created the dynamics and tensions
that shape the world.
• To practice the habits of an examined or self-reflective life to facilitate ethical and
responsible living.
(2) REL 295 is in the Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry distribution block and supports the intent of the
block by:
• involving students in the study of the human condition through philosophical inquiry
and analysis of the various forms of creative expression.
• helping students develop an understanding of the relationship between context and human
creative expression, in this case, the history of religions in American culture.
• helping students develop an understanding of major conceptual frameworks utilized to make
sense of the creative arts, and how human experience and values are expressed through creative
endeavors, in this case, literary expressions of religious ideals and dilemmas.
• helping students develop their capacities for analysis and ethical reasoning along with an
understanding of the multiple facets of the human condition.
(3) REL 295 will help students develop essential skills as defined in the University’s Liberal Studies
Program. This course will emphasize Critical Thinking as its essential skill, and students will learn to
think analytically (both about their own writing and other works), demonstrated in the following ways:
• articulating the meaning of a statement;
• judging the truth of a statement, keeping in mind possible biases;
• determining whether a conclusion is warranted by the evidence provided.
Student Learning Expectations & Outcomes for this Course
This course will directly address the Global Learning outcome of Diversity:
• Diversity: Students will learn about and critically reflect upon the nature and consequences of
diversity in both the social (e.g. ethnic, religious, cultural) world and the natural environment, and
080508 Liberal Studies Proposal Form
Page 7 of 11
develop an understanding of how this diversity both alters and is altered in a world characterized by
increasing global interaction.
Active engagement with the content of this course will enable the student
1. To describe and analyze the various roles played by religious beliefs and institutions in America.
2. To describe and analyze the historical development of religious thought in America in diverse cultural
settings.
3. To develop ability in the use of interdisciplinary approaches to studying religion.
4. To develop ability in the comparative analysis of diverse religious traditions.
5. To prepare students to critically engage primary and secondary source material in order to become
informed participants in discourse about religion in American life and culture.
Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Readings, response papers, and discussions of those readings will enable the students to demonstrate a
grasp of factual information and various interpretations of the ideas expressed. Students will present their
ideas in class discussions and react to those of their fellow students. Exams and the term paper assess
factual knowledge of readings and various analytic and interpretive frameworks for understanding the
topic. The paper assesses the student’s ability to think critically and write effectively about issues
encountered in the course.
Methods of Assessment
There will be a mandatory “Syllabus Quiz” during the first week of class to ensure that you have read and
understand the syllabus. In order to retain your seat in this course, you must score a 9/10. Failure to do
this will result in your withdrawal from the course. This is a fast paced course, and it is essential for you
to keep up and pay attention to its developments. This score will not count toward your final grade.
Two Mid-term Exams and One Final Exam:
Everything discussed in class or assigned to be read from either text or blackboard will be fair game.
Exams will be focused on basic ideas, concepts and terms taken from our main text and class lectures.
These exams will be part multiple choice, part true/false, and part matching. Exams cannot be made up. If
there is going to be a problem or conflict of time, you need to let me know ahead of time so we can work
something out. The final exam is comprehensive. (3 exams at 100 points each = 300 points)
Critical Reflection Paper (optional for exam make-up):
One Critical Reflection paper will be optional in replacement of a missed mid-term exam. (For those who
choose this option, you will need to come to my office during office hours to discuss it – I will likely not
bring this up in class, as it is here stated.)
Response Paper Assignments
You will be expected to write at least a full two-page synopsis and analysis on each primary document
posted on Blackboard: double space, 12 point font, and standard margins. The point of this is to reflect
upon these documents in ways that reveal that which is “hidden in plain sight.” This is not just to
summarize, but to think critically about a historical moment. These intellectual exercises will help
cultivate critical reasoning skills that will reveal that which is invisible to the average reader. There will
be a new document(s) posting on blackboard every week, so you will need to check this consistently. You
will need to engage every one of them carefully and thoughtfully. However, I will only collect 10 of them
for grading. They will be randomly picked either at the beginning of class, in the middle, or at the end of
class. There are no makeups if you miss class or leave early or arrive late, or even if your printer did not
work that morning. Please do not email these to me, as it quickly gets too burdensome on my end to
accommodate. (10 assignments, each 20 points = 200 points)
Questions to respond to while reading Primary Sources: (Who, when, what, why, how)
Who is talking and who is their audience?
When are they talking?
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What are they talking about and what are their assumptions?
Why are they writing this?
How is this relevant to American religion?
Follow this simple format in writing your summaries and analysis. You do not need to read outside of
what is assigned in class. You may not be able to find all the information you want from the selected
documents, but you should do your best to figure it out without referring to Wikipedia. These documents
are not always intuitive, and it may take several days of rereading to figure them out. Some are long, so
give yourself plenty of time. For that reason, do not procrastinate on it. Start early on these assignments.
Requirements and Grading Scale
Attendance will be monitored, and will affect your final grade ( = 30 points).
Two mid-terms and one final exam (comprehensive) will each be worth 100 points
of your Final Grade. (Cannot be made up or retaken) ( = 300 points)
10 primary document response paper assignments
( = 200 points)
Grading Scale:
477-530 points……………………………………………A
424-476 points……………………………………………B
371-423 points……………………………………………C
318-370 points……………………………………………D
Below 317 points………...……………………………….F
Timeline for Assessment: Course Schedule
Please come to class having already read the assigned readings listed for that day.
Section I: 1500-1700
Topic 1: Introduction: “American Religious History and Historiography”
Assigned Readings: Lippy, Preface; Primary document on Blackboard
Topic 2: A “New World”?
Assigned Readings: Lippy, chapters 1; primary document on Blackboard
Topic 3: European Prologue
Assigned Readings: Lippy, chapters 2; primary document on Blackboard
--------------------------------------------------------------Section II: 1700-1800
Topic 1: European Religions in the ‘New World’
Required Reading: Lippy, chapter 3; Primary documents on Blackboard
Topic 3: Religions of All Sorts: “Heretics, Infidels and Others.”
(The Dilemma of Religious, Racial, and Gender Pluralism)
Required Reading: Lippy, chapter 5; Primary documents on Blackboard
Topic 2: The Great Awakening and the American Revolution
Required Reading: Lippy, chapter 4; Primary documents on Blackboard
Exam I: TBA
--------------------------------------------------------------Section III: 1800-1900
Topic 1: Religious Revival and Social Reform in Ante-Bellum America
Required Reading: Lippy, chapter 6; primary documents on Blackboard
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Topic 2: African Americans, Native Americans, Catholics, Jews, and Others During the Evangelical Era
Required Reading: Lippy 7, 8; Primary document on Blackboard
Topic 3: Utopian, Restorationist, and Millennial Religious Movements during the Evangelical Era
Required Reading: Lippy, chapter 9; Primary document on Blackboard
Exam II: TBA
--------------------------------------------------------------Section IV: 1900-1950
Topic 1: The Religious Response to Modernity, Industrialization, and Urbanization
Required Reading: Lippy, chapters 10, 11; Primary documents on Blackboard
Topic 2: The New Intellectual, Academic, Social and Theological Climate
Required Reading: Lippy, chapters 12; Primary documents on Blackboard
Topic 3: Variant Religious Responses
Required Reading: Lippy, chapters 13; Primary documents on Blackboard
--------------------------------------------------------------Section V
Topic 1: Into the Contemporary Era
Required Reading: Lippy, chapters 14, 15; Primary documents on Blackboard
Topic 2: Religion, Ethics, Politics, the Courts, and the New Pluralism
Required Reading: Lippy, chapter 16; Primary documents on Blackboard
Topic 3: Contemporary Issues
Primary documents on Blackboard
Final Exam: At the time designated by NAU.
Course Structure & Approach
Our method is academic inquiry concerning the topic of American religious traditions. The course will
include lectures and discussions. Films and images will be shown to illustrate aspects of the traditions
studied.
Texts & Required Readings
Charles H. Lippy, Introducing American Religion (New York: Routledge, 2009)
Primary documents will be made available via Blackboard.
Course Policies
Your attendance and attention are both mandatory. An attendance sheet will be passed out and picked up
during the first 15 minutes of class. It is your responsibility to sign it before I collect it. Leaving class
early (as happens in larger classes) may cause me to send another roster around. If you are late, do not
come up after class seeking to sign it. Unless you are ill, active class engagement is expected. Due to the
importance of being here, both physically and mentally, both are factored into your grade, and both are
point based. Upon grade day, those who have been present and who have positively contributed will be
taken into account. This is especially helpful when your grade comes close to a higher grade. However,
engaging in any unrelated reading, homework, texting, talking, sleeping, etc., during class will lead to the
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opposite effect. It will be your responsibility to be up with the readings and in class to receive these helps.
Lastly, I reserve the right to fail any student having more than 5 unexcused absences. You don’t get points
for excused absences, but it is important in how I formulate your ultimate grade. (1 point x 30 classes =
30 points)
Disability Services: If you have disabilities that require accommodations, you need to notify me as well as
the Disability Center.
Electronics: Headphones are not allowed for any reason. They are proof that you don’t want to be in class,
and evidence that you want me to erase your attendance/participation points. Cell phones and other
communication devices are to be turned off and out of sight before entering class. Class interruptions due
to cell phones or other devises can lead to severe grade deterioration (I reserve the right to erase as much
of your attendance/participation points as seen fit). I will not make an issue of this in class (unless it is a
larger problem), but I will note it and account for it in your grade accordingly. I will also note nonpreparation for class discussion. Translation devices are appropriate for in class use, but please let me
know that that is what you are using so I don’t wrongly mark you down. You may use laptops in class to
take down lecture notes only. I reserve the right to disallow laptops for the entire class if they are used in
any other way, such as to check email, Facebook, Youtube, the news, play games, etc. I understand that
not all in-class talking is unrelated, but please be considerate of those around you attempting to listen to
the lecture.
Withdrawals and Incompletes:
Deadlines for dropping the course and withdrawing from the course will be posted in the schedule, and
those dates are not negotiable except under extraordinary circumstances. Also, do not disappear from the
course and expect that I will automatically withdraw you; you are responsible for your registration status.
Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus to accommodate the needs of the class.
Please see the additional page of policy statements from NAU appended to the syllabus.
Recommended Readings
A bibliography of recommended readings will be provided to students in the course website. Such works
may be useful for the papers as well as lifelong learning in this area.
080508 Liberal Studies Proposal Form
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