University Curriculum Committee Proposal for New Course 1. Is this course being proposed for Liberal Studies designation? If yes, route completed form to Liberal Studies. You may need to right-click Yes boxes to check/uncheck → No Then Select ”Properties” 2. New course effective beginning what term and year? (ex. Spring 2009, Summer 2009) See effective dates schedule. 3. College Arts & Letters 5. Course subject/catalog number Fall 2011 4. Academic Unit /Department REL 295 Comparative Cultural Studies 6. Units/Credit Hours 3 7. Long course title Topics in Comparative Religion (max 100 characters including spaces) 8. Short course title (max. 30 characters including spaces) Topics in Comparative Religion 9. Catalog course description (max. 30 words, excluding requisites). An examination of selected aspects of, or developments in, religious belief, practice, or history, involving comparative considerations of more than one religious tradition. 10. Grading option: Letter grade Pass/Fail or Both (If both, the course may only be offered one way for each respective section.) 11. Co-convened with 11a. Date approved by UGC (Must be approved by UGC prior to bringing to UCC. Both course syllabi must be presented) 12. Cross-listed with (Please submit a single cross-listed syllabus that will be used for all cross-listed courses.) 13. May course be repeated for additional units? Yes No a. If yes, maximum units allowed? 6 b. If yes, may course be repeated for additional units in the same term? (ex. PES 100) 14. Prerequisites (must be completed before proposed course) 15. Corequisites (must be completed with proposed course) No None None 16. Is the course needed for a new or existing plan of study (major, minor, certificate)? Name of plan? Yes Yes No B.A. in Comparative Cultural Studies, Minor in Religious Studies Note: If course is required, a new plan or plan change form must be submitted with this request. 17. Is a potential equivalent course offered at a community college (lower division only) Yes If yes, does it require listing in the Course Equivalency Guide? ) Yes No No Please list, if known, the institution and subject/catalog number of the course Revised 12/10 1 18. Names of current faculty qualified to teach this course: Professors BeDuhn, Donnelly, Sullivan, or staff 19. Justification for new course, including unique features if applicable. (Attach proposed syllabus in the approved university format). This course, with variable topics, will allow diversification of the curriculum in Religious Studies. We anticipate having visiting instructors with varying areas of expertise. This course will enable us to offer a lower-division course in an area in which we do not have an existing course. 20. Person(s) to contact for questions about details of this proposal: Prof. Alexandra Carpino, Chair, CCS For Official AIO Use Only: Component Type Consent Topics Course 21. Approvals Signed: Department Chair (if appropriate) Print Last Name Date Signed: Chair of College Curriculum Committee Print Last Name Date Signed: Dean of College Print Last Name Date Signed: Curriculum Process Associate Print Last Name Date For Committee’s use only For University Curriculum Committee Action taken: Date _____Approved as submitted _____Approved as modified Please attach Syllabus here. Revised 12/10 2 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: Revised 12/10 3 • 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 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 Revised 12/10 4 Texts TBA Primary documents will be made available via Blackboard. 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. 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 Revised 12/10 5 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 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 Revised 12/10 6 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? 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 Revised 12/10 7 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 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 Revised 12/10 8 --------------------------------------------------------------- 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 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. Revised 12/10 9 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. Revised 12/10 10