Heartland Community College
Division of Fine Arts and Humanities
Course Syllabus: Religion In American Society
Course Title: RELI 230
Section 01
Smmer Term, 2011
Course information:
Credit Hours: 3
Course days and times: 9:00 – 11:50 AM M/W
Course location: ICB 1705
Instructor Information:
Instructor: Ed Schupbach
Phone: (309) 268-8639
e-mail: ed.schupbach@heartland.edu (Please use your Heartland email account and avoid WebCT email).
Office: SCB 2308 – by appointment
Textbook (both required):
Religious Literacy by Stephen Prothero; Harper SanFrancisco, 2007
Pocket Guide To World Religions by Winfried Corduan; InterVarsity Press; Downers Grove; 2006.
Course Description:
A survey of the various religions found in America, and the many roles which religion has taken to help shape
American culture. This course examines the contributions of major world religions to American culture, the
development of religious freedom, the history of religion in American society, and the emergence of new forms of
belief and practice, as well as the escalating religious issues confronting American society today.
Course Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to …
Gen. Ed.
Outcomes
Possible Methods
Of Assessment
demonstrate understanding of the religious beliefs that have shaped American
culture and their affect upon American life
DI 3
Tests, Quizzes
Discussion
analyze the relationship between social issues in America and solutions
which are based in religious beliefs offered to address these problems
PS 5
Short Papers, Tests
Oral report
identify some of the more critical national and political values and institutions
which have developed from or been associated with religions in America.
CT 2
Tests, Quizzes
Discussion
explain the nature of more central social and national conflicts arising from
beliefs that have shaped American culture and society (D-1).
PS 2
Tests, Papers
Group project
compare and contrast the religious beliefs that underlie foundational American
values with those religious beliefs that betray or do not support those values
CT 4
Research papers
Journaling,
Discussion
compose and present a brief research paper reflecting the objectives of this
course and actively pursue course goals beyond the experience of the class
CO 4
Papers, Term projects,
Interview reports
demonstrate willingness to engage adherents of various world religions in
American and world culture today.
DI 6
Interviews, dialogue,
other methods
General Education Outcome Key
CO – Communication
CT – Critical Thinking
DI – Diversity
PS – Problem Solving
Heartland Community College
Division of Humanities and Fine Arts
Course Syllabus: Religion In American Society
Methods of Instruction and Assessment of Student Learning:
Note:
All of the following are weighted by instructor to student advantage in determining final grade.
Student login at my.heartland.edu for Gmail, IRIS and Blackboard will supplement this course.
1.
Participation:
Student participation in class sessions covering assigned materials for assessment purposes:
Note: This means students must demonstrate that they have completed the reading prior to class.
 Class sessions will take an open and inquiring format to invite student comments and questions.
 Be advised: participation cannot be made up apart from your involvement in class sessions.
 Make-up work, exams or quizzes will not be helpful due to the dialogical nature of this class.
 Therefore make-up work will not be offered. If you miss class, your make-up work is next class!
(3) Students will do well in this course who have come prepared to participate in discussion.
2.
Religious Dialogue Globalization Report:
Student interview project for assessment purposes:
(1) Students will find and interview a person from a religious view other than their own during the term.
(2) The interview process is intended to be relational and friendly; not an opportunity for proselytism.
(3) The interview is to be an on-going series of interactions, not just one-time experience.
(4) The interview is to be with someone who is local, not long-distance or ‘over-the-electronic-media’.
(5) Students will write one 8 page paper on this interview experience.
(6) Interview subjects must be approved by the instructor. All interviews will be private and not public.
The content of this paper should reflect and include at least the following from your interview…
(1) The nature of your first meeting, and the development of your friendship thereafter.
(2) The person’s beliefs, religious background and experiences as they shared with you.
(3) Their reasons for adhering to their religion, what is important, enjoyable to them about their beliefs.
(4) The current place and significance of their religion in our American pluralistic society.
The Writing Center is open to all HCC students for help with their papers.
Faculty help available at the Tutoring/Testing center. Visit or call for an appointment: 268-8231
3.
Assessment through Quizzes and Exams:
Student quiz and test scores for assessment purposes:
1. Quizzes on sections/religions studied may occur at any time during the course of the study: Be ready!
2. Quizzes are intended to be instructive for the student, not simply reflective to the instructor.
3. Quizzes will be given to provoke the student to more dynamic learning in class participation.
4.
The Final Exam will be comprehensive, and will be in two sections:
(1) Written aspect will be during the last week of class (see course calendar, attached and online)
(2) Oral/Discussion aspect graded on participation will take place the final week of class.
Grades will be determined upon the following grading scale:
92 to 100% = A
83 to 91% = B
74 to 82% = C
65 to 73% = D
Below 65% = F
Assessment values and percentage ranges will be assigned according to the instructor’s assessment preference.
Discussion/participation
10 – 70%
Writing: Papers, research papers, short papers, journals 10 – 70%
Quizzes
10 – 70%
Tests
10 – 70%
Other assignments
0 – 60%
Heartland Community College
Division of Humanities and Fine Arts
Course Syllabus: Religion In American Society
Course Calendar
Follow this calendar guide and materials from Blackboard to stay up-to-speed this term
June 5
6
Intro:
7
Little things to
note to do well in
this class…
Bacon:
On Truth
8
13 India –
15 Prothero –
14
Hinduism:
Corduan
19
20 India –
27
Asia –
Taoism
Confucius
4
21
28
16
17
18
Interview subject
found
22 Prothero –
23
24
25
Interview
experience begun
29 Prothero –
30
July 1
2
7
8
9
The Past:
Three:
Eden
5
11
11
Interview subject
search
The Past:
Three:
Eden
No Classes
10
10
The Problem
One – Illiterates!?
Two – Religion!?
Corduan
3
9
The Claim
to Truth
Jainism
Buddhism:
Corduan
26
Discuss:
Lewis:
Meditation
6
Interview
Projecrt paper
begun
Out of class
Short reflection:
My interview
subject…
12
13 Prothero –
14
15
16
21
22
23
Interview Project
paper due
Judaism
The Past:
Four:
The Fall
Corduan
17
18
19
20 Prothero –
Christianity
The Proposal
Five:
Redemption
Corduan
24
25
26
27 Prothero –
Islam
Review
Corduan
28
29
30
Final Exams Final Exams
Heartland Community College
Division of Humanities and Fine Arts
Course Syllabus: Religion In American Society
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transferability:
RELI 230 fulfills 3 of the 9 semester hours of credit in Humanities/Fine Arts required for the A.A. or A.S. degree. It
satisfies the Humanities component of this requirement. RELI 230 should transfer as part of the General Education
Core Curriculum described in the Illinois Articulation Initiative to other Illinois colleges and universities
participating in the IAI. However, students should consult an academic advisor for transfer information regarding
particular institutions. Refer to the IAI web page for information as well at www.iTransfer.org
Notice of Canceled Class Sessions
Cancelled class sessions will be noted under Cancelled Class Meetings (A-Z Index and Academic Information in the
Current Students page). Go to http://www.heartland.edu/classCancellations/) to view class cancellations for any day
of the upcoming week, and note the last column for a message from the instructor.
Academic Integrity. Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of collegial life at Heartland Community
College and is essential to the credibility of the College’s educational programs. Moreover, because grading may be
competitive, students who misrepresent their academic work violate the right of their fellow students. The College,
therefore, views any act of academic dishonest as a serious offense requiring disciplinary measures, including course
failure, suspension, and even expulsion from the College. In addition, an act of academic dishonesty may have
unforeseen effects far beyond any officially imposed penalties.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to cheating, aiding or suborning cheating or other
acts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, misrepresentation of data, falsification of academic records or documents
and unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records or systems. Definitions of these
violations may be found in the college catalog.
Plagiarism. Plagiarism is the presenting of others’ ideas as if they were your own. When you write a paper, create a
project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all the work, except for that which is
attributed to another author or creator, is your own. Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offense and may
take the following forms:
1 Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source credit.
2 Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
3 Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own.
4 Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source.
5 Paraphrasing someone else’s line of thinking in the development of a topic as if it were your own.
6 Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another project as if it were your own.
Note that word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism.
The penalties for plagiarism may be severe, ranging from failure on the particular piece of work, failure in the
course or expulsion from school in extreme cases. [Adapted from the Modem Language Association’s MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. New York: MLA, 1995: 26]
Students should access this link - http://intranet/cas/docs/studentsyllabuspacket.pdf for general information
supplementing this Student Syllabus including the following:
Handout of General Information
Testing Services
Library, Tutoring Services, Disability Support Services, Open Computing Lab,
Writing Services
Academic Advising, Career Services, Counseling Services, Financial Aid Office,
Transcripts
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
Philosophy of Grades