INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES I

Humanities 201.008
Lecturer: Mr. Dabian Witherspoon
Classroom: CC
Time: _____
Phone: 443-885-4262 Email Address: dabian.witherspoon@morgan.edu
Office: ______
Office Hours: MW 8-11 or by appointment
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND OUTLINE
SPRING 2014

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION
Humanities 201: Introduction to Humanities I offers an interdisciplinary study of the literature and philosophy of
ancient and transitional African, Western, and Asian cultures.
Prerequisites: English 101-102 or 111-112

II. COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The general objectives of this course are to make students articulate members of the intellectual community,
interested in the ideas and literary forms reflective of ancient and transitional cultures; to make students aware of the
personal, social, artistic, and literary values of these cultures; and to make students constantly alert and receptive to
opportunities to improve and enlarge their experiences in the humanities.
Students will demonstrate successful completion by completing the following:
1.

will become articulate concerning the humanities, observing the communication standards required of
Morgan students:
a.
students will become more proficient in research skills and write clearer, more effective
documented essays.
b.
Students will write clearly structured essay-type examinations that are focused and effectively
supported.
2.
will recognize (especially in literature) the forms, themes, and movements of the humanities.
3.
will develop a keen understanding of the relationship between cultural movements and historical facts.
4.
will require literary skills, being able
a.
to recognize distinctions among literary forms.
b.
To differentiate specifically among the genres or modes, such as drama, lyric, and narrative.
c.
To discern various modes of presentation within each of the above categories.
5. will acquire increasing sensitivity to womens issues and attitudes and to the roles of women in modern
cultures

III. GRADING SYSTEM AND EVALUATIONS

A. The conventional collegiate grading system will be considered to standardize grades:
The following grading system is utilized in assessing students work:
A
B
C
D

(100-90) Superior Achievement

(89-80) Commendable Achievement
(79-70) Satisfactory Achievement
(69-60) Unacceptable achievement

F (59 or below) Unacceptable achievement

B. EVALUATION AND POLICIES (ASSESSMENTS AND GRADE POINTS)
The students grades will be determined in the following manner:
Reading Response 1: (1-page, single-spaced)
Midterm: Essay (3-4 pages, double-spaced)
Reading Response 2: (1-page single-spaced)
Final Exam: Research Paper (5-7 pages,, double-spaced)

counts once
counts twice
counts once
counts twice

For the reading responses, select any two readings (or sets of readings that are due on the same day).
Each reading response is due during the same class period that particular reading is due.
The midterm essay must compare and contrast The Illiad and Troy or Oedipus Rex and The Gospel at
Colonus.
The final research paper must be on a narrative, drama, or an epic from The Norton Mix or The Norton
Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition. I must approve your selection in
advance.
I will not accept late assignments without a valid excuse. I will not accept any late midterm essay
exams or final papers.
All students are expected to participate in class discussion. Come to class with at least two questions or
comments per reading assignment.

C. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Because ours is a community of scholars, the College of Liberal Arts regards academic dishonesty as a serious
offense. Academic dishonesty (plagiarism) is an act in which a student claims the work of another (without
authorization, attribution, or citation) as his/her own. This includes and is not limited to written, oral, videotape,
audiotape, photograph or web site sources. It is in fact a form of stealing.
A student may not use a direct quote, a paraphrase of anothers idea, or substantive ideas without providing credit
for the source of information. Plagiarism even extends to submitting the same paper or portions of a paper
previously written for two different assignments.
Policy:
If an instructor suspects a student of plagiarizing, the instructor may discuss his concerns with the student first
because often plagiarism often results from carelessness. The student is then advised or reminded of strategies that
safeguard against plagiarism.
If the plagiarism is substantial, the instructor may fail the student, or report the case to the Chair of the Department.
In consultation with the Chair of the Department, the instructor may elect to refer the incident to the Departmental
Student Faculty Adjudication Committee.
See also current edition of the University Catalog.

IV.

ATTENDANCE POLICY
ATTENDANCE POLICY AT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend every class. In the event of unavoidable absence, the student will submit
written verification of the reason for the absence. The student is responsible for all work whether or not he or
she is present. If a student accumulates more than three unexcused absences, the student will receive an F
for the course.
Students are expected to attend all classes and assigned activities during the semester. They may be excused from
class or assigned activities if they participating in a university-sponsored activity or if a medical emergency arises
(including the death of an immediate relative). In case of excused absences (as described above, students will be
permitted to do make-up work. In the case of a university-sponsored activity, students are required to make
arrangements to make up missed work prior to the absence and to complete make-up work expeditiously (within a
week) thereafter. In the case of a medical emergency, they must arrange to do make-up work immediately upon
(within a week after) their return to class. In cases where the number of classes missed, even for excused absences,
is substantial, the professor will determine if students should attempt make-up assignments or drop the course.
Absences which do not result from university-sponsored activities or medical emergencies shall be considered
unexcused absences. In these cases, students are not eligible to complete make-up work, and they will receive grades
of 0 for the assignments missed.
Excessive absences in a course can seriously threaten your academic progress and can result in the students
administrative withdrawal from that course. More importantly, however, every absence represents a risk to the
students investment, both financial and intellectual, in a course. If you have to miss a day, make sure that you
provide third party documentation in order to be considered as an excused absence. Moreover, faculty is under no
obligation to offer extraordinary assistance to students who are persistently absent.
TARDIES: Students who report to class more than 15 minutes after the class begins or who leave more than 15
minutes before the class ends will be considered absent (unexcused) for that class period.
Excessive tardiness will result in a final grade deduction of up to 10%. Students are expected to remain in class for
the entire period. Any student who must be absent, arrive late, or leave early must consult with the instructor in
advance, if possible.

V. TEXTBOOKS / MATERIALS
1.

Humanities 201 Bundle:

The Norton Mix (custom made for morgan state university)
The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
Purchase this bundle from the Morgan State University Bookstore.
THESE TEXTBOOKS ARE MANDATORY.
YOU WILL NOT PASS THE COURSE WITHOUT THEM.

2.

Access to the online databases via the Morgan State University library website

3.

Student Studyspace at wwnorton.com/nawol (free)

4.

Access to www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica (free)

VI. PROCEDURES:
Students who have disabilities and/or special needs must meet with me as soon as possible, preferably during the
first week of class.
Students must use their Morgan State e-mail accounts when contacting professors via e-mail. If you have not
already received your Morgan e-mail address or if you have difficulty with gaining access to your Morgan email or Blackboard accounts, contact the IT Department at 443-885-4357 as soon as possible, preferably during
the first week of class.

VII. CONDUCT
Department of English and Language Arts
CODE OF CLASSROOM CONDUCT
This course introduces students to the college culture, and it requires students to engage in mature, serious and
sophisticated study and to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the purposeful and serious pursuit of
knowledge.
To these ends, this course will require that students and the professor observe the following rules of classroom
conduct, which rules aim at ensuring a positive atmosphere for academic scholarship:
(1) Students and the professor shall be punctual in class attendance. If students must enter class late, they
shall do so without calling attention to their arrival or otherwise disrupting the class proceedings. They
shall never, when entering class late, walk between the professor and the class. They shall not enter
class more than 30 minutes after the class has commenced.
(2) Students and the professor shall not eat in class. They shall be permitted to drink beverages, provided
that doing so does not create a visual or auditory distraction to the class proceedings.
(3) Students and the professor shall not engage in private conversation with one or more other students
when the class is in progress. Students shall observe rules of civility in doing so.
They shall not be rude and disrespectful by speaking while others are speaking or speaking in tones
that are loud or hostile.
(4) Students and the professor shall respect the opinions of others and accord to their classmates and the
professor the academic freedom to express those opinions in an atmosphere which is not doctrinaire,
prohibitive, or intolerant.
(5) Students and the professor shall avoid personalism and maintain objectivity and disinterestedness in
comments made in class. They shall respect and not make pejorative references to cultural,
educational, or individual differences.
(6) Students may not use telephones and other electronic devices in the classroom, nor use them outside of
the classroom during examinations, unless explicitly authorized by the teacher. Students who
repeatedly violate this policy may be subjected to the following penalties including written reprimand
from the teacher to lowering the final grade, and suspension from the class.
Violations of these rules of conduct may result in removal from the classroom or more serious penalties, including
but not limited to proceedings for dismissal from the class, suspension from the University, or dismissal from the
University.

Note: Yelling, verbally and/or physically threatening behavior, and other abusive behavior will not be tolerated.
Such behavior will result in your immediate dismissal and an unexcused absence.
You must respect the instructor as the authority figure. You must follow the instructor's rules and instructions. If you
have a problem or a concern regarding the instructor or the course, you must address the instructor privately and
outside of the classroom. Do not be confrontational or make a scene in the classroom. If you do, you will be
dismissed from the classroom immediately and charged with an unexcused absence.
If I dismiss you from class for disrespecting me or one of your classmates, you will not be allowed to return to class
without submitting a written apology to me and/or your classmate and giving an oral apology in front of the class.
Cell phones, iPods, and other technical devices should not be turned on or even be visible in the classroom during
class. Students who use these devices in class will be immediately dismissed from class and charged with an
unexcused absence for that class period. Turn off these items before entering the classroom.
Students must not wear clothing which is inappropriate for the classroom. Sagging pants, hats, do rags, muscle
shirts, shades, pajamas of any type, and revealing attire of any kind must not be worn to class. Dress in a manner
that demonstrates self-respect and respect for others.
Reminder: If you violate classroom policies, you will be dismissed immediately, and you will be charged with an
unexcused absence for that day. In addition, the department and the university have instructed me to call the police
if a student refuses to cooperate, or if a disruptive student refuses to leave after I have asked her or him to leave.
I also reserve the right to penalize your grade in the course, up to one full letter grade, for your improper conduct
and/or your failure to cooperate with me as your instructor. This includes your failure to follow instructions.

VIII. MODIFICATIONS OF THE COURSE

The professor reserves the right to modify the content and requirements of the course, when circumstances warrant
doing so. All modifications to the content and requirements articulated in this syllabus will be submitted to students
(or submitted via Blackboard) prior to the last day for dropping the course.
To accommodate unusual circumstances, the instructor reserves the right to make reasonable changes in the syllabus
while the course is in progress. Any understanding between the student and the instructor, including but not limited
to, changes, exceptions, or modifications to course assignments and procedures, must be in writing. Any questions
of interpretation of course requirements or of misunderstandings between a student and an instructor will be at the
discretion of the instructor.

XIX. COURSE EVALUATIONS

Per the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, the online course evaluation is mandatory and must be completed via
Blackboard.

COURSE OUTLINE
WEEK 1
Syllabus & course requirements
"I Can;" "You Must Learn" (YouTube)
African Diaspora artifacts and images
Ancient Africa; origin of humanity and civilization;
Kings and Queens; Inventions (Blackboard - Black Studies folder)
Beginnings of African Literature
Excerpts from African Intellectual Heritage
Ancient African proverbs
"Egyptian Love Poems," pp. 26-32, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
WEEK 2
From "The Babylonian Creation Epic," pp. 3-25, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter
3rd Edition
From "Genesis" (creation), pp. 89-99, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
The Psalms, pp.118-121, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
The Book of Job, pp. 20-42, The Norton Mix
WEEK 3
Fables by Aesop, pp. 6-8, The Norton Mix
From The Poetics by Aristotle, pp. 9-19, The Norton Mix
Apology by Plato, pp. 43-67, The Norton Mix (emphasis on connection with earlier Egyptian wisdom
teaching)
Ancient Greek and Roman music
The Illiad by Homer, pp. 121-178, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
WEEK 4
Troy (in-class film screening)
WEEK 5
Sappho, pp. 467-475, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3 rd Edition
Catullus, pp. 565-572, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
The Aeneid by Virgil, pp. 573-648, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
WEEK 6
Prep for midterm paper (library resources and online databases, etc.)
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, pp. 475-524, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd
Edition
The Gospel at Colonus (in-class screening)
WEEK 7
Ancient India, pp. 677-685, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
The Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 726-746, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
Ancient Indian music and dance
WEEK 8
Midterm Essay Due

Midterm Week: March 17-22

WEEK 9

Spring Break: March 24-29

WEEK 10
From Analects by Confucius (Kung Fu Tzu), pp. 766-779, The Norton Anthology of World Literature,
Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
Martial arts philosophy clips
Chinese opera
Dragon and Lion dance
WEEK 11
Unit IV Introduction, pp. 801-815, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
Parables from The Christian Bible: The New Testament Gospels, pp. 824-826, The Norton Anthology of
World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
Medieval and early Western Christian music
From The Qur'an, pp. 858-884, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
Arabic music: Surah from Qur'an; sample from "PIF"
WEEK 12
From The Divine Comedy by Dante, pp. 1049-1053, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I,
Shorter 3rd Edition
WEEK 13
Classical and Medieval Asia
Three Women Poets, pp. 1262-1264, India's Classical Age, The Norton Anthology of World Literature,
Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
"The Song of Lasting Regret" by Bo Juyi, pp. 1321-1330, Medieval Chinese Literature, The Norton
Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
Book 11. Love, pp. 1375-1377, The Kokinsh Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems, Japan's Classical
Age, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
Japanese Kabuki theater and music
WEEK 14
Prepare for final paper
Sunjata: A West African Epic of the Mande Peoples, pp. 1505-1576, The Norton Anthology of World
Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
West African Cultural Legacy (YouTube)
West African music
African proverbs
WEEK 15
Native American folk tales
Niccolo Machiavelli, pp. 1625-1636, The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. I, Shorter 3rd Edition
WEEK 16
TBA
Last day of class: May 14

FINAL EXAM WEEK

Final Exam: Research Paper Due May 14 - TBA

Rev. 1/2014