HTH 101: Freshman Humanities Colloquia
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:45am – 12:00 pm, SciBldg D-135
Fall 2013, Section 90090
Prof. Schweigert
Email: pschweigert@gc.cuny.edu
Office: Klapper Hall, Room 316
Office Hours: T, 12:15-1:15pm
Ms. Chung
Email: rchung@schools.nyc.gov
Office: Room 336 at THHS
Office Hours: M-F (except lunch bands) by
appt.
Course Description:
HTH 101. Freshman Humanities Colloquium. 3 hr.; 3 cr. each sem. Prereq.: Open only to
Townsend Harris High School seniors, with permission of the THHS Assistant Principal for
Humanities. Selected readings from the classic texts of the Western Tradition, from the Bible and
the Greeks to the present. The course emphasizes critical reading & writing and student-led
discussion. For Townsend Harris High School graduates who matriculate at Queens College,
HTH 102 fulfills one Reading Literature (RL) course requirement under the PLAS General
Education system, or one College Core course literature requirement under Pathways. HTH 101
counts as three elective credits towards graduation.
Course Objectives:
Practice close reading and critical interpretation of works with divergent historical, geographic,
and cultural contexts to illuminate how texts address social, political and cultural concerns
Evaluate how texts of different genres establish arguments, present evidence, and employ
rhetorical strategies
Engage in collaborative exchange and intellectual inquiry through student-facilitated discussion
and written expression
Make use of the writing process (including prewriting, brainstorming, planning, outlining,
drafting, revising and editing) to develop academic analyses with complex ideas, coherent
organization, and relevant evidence.
Required Texts:
Sophocles, The Oedipus Cycle
Plato, Five Dialogues
The Bible, New Revised Standard Version
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Machiavelli, The Prince
Shakespeare, Richard II
Shakespeare, Macbeth
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Grading:
Four Papers (40% of Final Grade [10% per paper]). Students will be assigned approximately
5,000 words (twenty double-spaced typewritten pages or the equivalent) of written work which
will be corrected and graded. This work will be divided into four individual papers, and the final
paper will be an in-class essay. The papers (including the in-class essay) should be based entirely
on the assigned readings, detailed with one particular work or with a comparison of two or more
works. Students will be responsible for coming up with their own topic for each paper, but each
topic must be improved by the instructors. The final exam topics will be provided. Papers are due
on the date assigned; for every class meeting after the due date one letter grade will be deducted.
Papers more than 3 classes late will not be accepted.
Paper 1: Topics are due on September 19, and papers are due on October 1.
Paper 2: Topics are due on October 24, and papers are due on November 5.
Paper 3: Topics are due on November 21, and papers are due on December 5.
Paper 4: To be written in-class during the final exam period.
Journals (30% of Final Grade). Each student will write regular entries in a “journal.” These
short papers (1-2 pages each in length, double-spaced, 12-point type, with 1-inch margins on all
sides) provide opportunities for students to address their own concerns when reading the
texts. These exercises should focus on a specific passage from that day's assigned reading that
strikes you as particularly interesting or curious or puzzling, something startling that may have
challenged your initial expectations of the text. After identifying the important features of the
passage and what makes them so unusual, go on to examine the meaning and significance of
these features, and then explain their implications and consequences, their purpose and function
within the text. Journals should be uploaded to Blackboard and a paper copy brought to class.
They will be collected at the beginning of each class and graded on a pass/fail basis. Students
may be asked to read them aloud in class. Throughout the semester, students will also be asked
to respond in writing to prompts provided at the beginning of class. On these days, this in-class
assignment will take the place of the journal written at home.
Class Participation (30% of Final Grade). This is a class based on collaborative discourse. As
such, being prepared to participate in discussions is a course requirement. This entails having
read, annotated, and thought about the complete assignment carefully before class starts.
Furthermore, you must bring your copy of the text to class every day. Since we will be engaged
in closely examining the texts we read and the language that they use, if you don’t have your text
then you aren’t prepared for class, even if you have read the assignment. Naturally, this
admonition applies to the texts that you will find online. More broadly speaking: Ask questions.
Be curious. You are more than welcome to have a different interpretation of a text than a
classmate or me; just be sure to share your perspective in a productive and supportive manner.
Since the course will be conducted as a seminar-and not a series of lectures-the substance of our
class meetings will primarily consist of your responses to the course texts (such as general
questions, impressionistic responses, or interpretations of particular passages) and, secondarily,
the instructors’ engagement with your responses. Your thoughts and questions will provide the
starting point for our discussions. Your active participation will be consequently factored into
your final grade for the course. If you’re reluctant to speak up, please talk to one of the
instructors and we’ll figure out a way for you to participate.
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Additional Requirements:
Facilitating Two Discussions. Each class discussion will be led by two student facilitators.
Students must serve as a facilitator at least twice during the semester. For more details on
facilitation, see the handout on the College Preparatory Program’s website. Any student who
does not facilitate at least two classes will not pass the course.
Faculty Conference. At least once during the semester, each student will be required to meet
with one of the instructors to discuss their progress in the course. These meetings will ideally
take place during office hours. Students are responsible for scheduling their own meeting. Any
student who does not attend at least one faculty conference (with either faculty member) will not
pass the course.
Course Schedule:
Thursday, August 29: Introduction
Tuesday, September 3: Sophocles, Oedipus Rex (through Ode 2)
Thursday, September 5: NO CLASS
Tuesday, September 10: Sophocles, Oedipus Rex (complete play)
Thursday, September 12: Sophocles, Oedipus Rex (cont.)
Tuesday, September 17: Plato, Euthyphro
Thursday, September 19: Plato, Apology
Tuesday, September 24: Plato, Crito
Thursday, September 26: Bible, I Samuel (Chapters 1-15)
Tuesday, October 1: Bible, I Samuel (Chapters 16-31)
Thursday, October 3: Bible, II Samuel (Chapters 1-13)
Tuesday, October 8: Bible, II Samuel (Chapters 14-24) & I Kings (Chapters 1-2)
Thursday, October 10: Bible, Gospel of Matthew (Chapters 1-16)
Tuesday, October 15: NO CLASS (CUNY operates on Monday schedule)
Thursday, October 17: Bible, Gospel of Matthew (Chapters 17-28)
Tuesday, October 22: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Fit 1)
Thursday, October 24: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Fit 2)
Tuesday, October 29: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Fit 3)
Thursday, October 31: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Fit 4)
Tuesday, November 5: Machiavelli, The Prince (Dedication & Chapters 1-6)
Thursday, November 7: Machiavelli, The Prince (Chapters 7-12)
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Tuesday, November 12: Machiavelli, The Prince (Chapters 13-18)
Thursday, November 14: Machiavelli, The Prince (Chapters 19-26)
Tuesday, November 19: Shakespeare, Richard II (Acts I-II)
Thursday, November 21: Shakespeare, Richard II (Acts III-IV)
Tuesday, November 26: Shakespeare, Richard II (Act V)
Thursday, November 28: NO CLASS
Tuesday, December 3: Shakespeare, Richard II (cont.)
Thursday, December 5: Shakespeare, Macbeth (Acts I-II)
Tuesday, December 10: Shakespeare, Macbeth (Acts III-IV)
Thursday, December 12: Shakespeare, Macbeth (Act V)
Final Exam Period: In-Class Final Exam
Additional Information:
High school expectations, course requirements, and policies are part of the Townsend
Harris High School Student Contract for EES87H and EES88H.
Books. The required books are available from the College Preparatory Programs Office (Klapper
Hall 312-315). It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have received the correct
books and bring the assigned readings to class. Items marked with (BB) are available on the
course Blackboard page and should be printed out and brought to class on the assigned days.
Academic Integrity. Academic dishonesty is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Cheating,
forgery, plagiarism and collusion in dishonest acts undermine the college's educational mission
and the students' personal and intellectual growth. Students are expected to bear individual
responsibility for their work, to learn the rules and definitions that underlie the practice of
academic integrity, and to uphold its ideals. Ignorance of the rules is not an acceptable excuse for
disobeying them. Any student who attempts to compromise or devalue the academic process will
be sanctioned.
Penalties for Plagiarism. Per semester, the first occurrence of plagiarism in a journal will result
in the QC Final Grade being lowered one whole letter grade (i.e. if the final grade earned by the
student is a B+, the student will receive a C+). The first occurrence of plagiarism in a paper will
result in a Failure for the paper and a zero averaged into the Final Grade. The second occurrence
of plagiarism in either a journal or a paper will result in an automatic F for that semester’s QC
Final Grade.
Blackboard. Students should ensure they have access to Blackboard and that the email address
on record in Blackboard is correct. With the exception of the final paper (which is written in
class), all work must be uploaded to Blackboard before it is handed in in class. Work that is not
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uploaded to Blackboard, even if it is handed in during class, will be given a grade of ZERO.
Students needing help with Blackboard should contact the College Preparatory Programs Office.
Students with Disabilities. Students with disabilities may receive assistance and
accommodation of various sorts to enable them to participate fully in courses at Queens College.
To establish the accommodations appropriate for each student, please alert both your instructor
and the College Preparatory Programs Office to your needs.
CPP Contact Info and Useful Links:
College Preparatory Programs
Klapper Hall 312-315
(718) 997-3175
QC.CPP@qc.cuny.edu
CPP: http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/CPP
Queens College: http://www.qc.edu
CUNYfirst: https://home.cunyfirst.cuny.edu
CAMS: https://cams.qc.cuny.edu
CUNY Portal: https://portal.cuny.edu