"The objective
of the humanities in a core curriculum is to expand the
students' knowledge of the human condition and human cultures,
especially in relation to behaviors, ideas, and values expressed
in works of human imagination and thought. Through study in
disciplines such as literature and philosophy, students will
engage in critical analysis and develop an appreciation of the
humanities as fundamental to the health and survival of any
society."
Students who successfully complete ENGL 3305
should be able to do the following:
Explain the basic philosophical positions of Augustine and
Boethius on creation, free will vs. predestination, textual
interpretation, and other relevant philosophical issues
Explain the cultural continuities between the late Roman
Empire and medieval Europe that made Augustine and Boethius
relevant to the Middle Ages
Identify the influence of Augustine and Boethius on the
cultural context of Old and Middle English literature,
especially representations of the Benedictine Reform, the Viking
invasions, the Other, the Peasant’s Revolt, the Black Death, and
the rise of a medieval middle class
Course Requirements
Student learning will be assessed as follows:
Active participation - in-class or out-of-class exercises,
homework, quizzes (points, but no letter grade) - 20% of
final grade
Attendance as noted below – 10% of final grade (in class or
being signed in)
Midterm examination, delivered online – 10% of final grade*
Final examination, delivered online – 10% of final grade*
Three 1.5-2 page response papers on texts of your choice; they
can be turned in anytime, but must be done by the deadlines
listed below (10% of final grade apiece)***
Final project: BOTH a) 8-10-source annotated bibliography on a
topic of your interest and b) a 4-5 page explanation of your
findings* – 20% of final grade
The
specific assignments for each class (page numbers, discussion
topics, etc.) will appear on the course website.Remember that the
course website is required reading too!
Contact
me after any individual absence or if you have a
situation that may require frequent or extended absences
(religious observance, serious illness or injury, pregnancy,
military service, etc.). No absence will be excused
without appropriate documentation.Students are
expected to get the notes and any announcements from one of
their peers. Three unexcused absences are
allowed; after that, I will divide the number of classes you
attended by the total number of classes from the beginning
of the semester and use that as your percentage grade.
Four consecutive unexcused absences are grounds for failure in
the course.Quizzes
missed cannot be made up.Falsifying the attendance sheet, providing false
documentation, or giving a false reason for not logging in are
all considered academic dishonesty (see below).
Late
work will be
penalized.In
order to help me plan my grading schedule, I will only grant
you extensions if you ask me at least a week before
the due date in question. Notify me in the event of an
emergency (lack of planning on your part is not an emergency
on my part).
Be
on time to class, whether in the room or logging in online. Frequent tardiness will count
against your attendance grade unless excused (instructor's
discretion - see my general policy statement). I count
three tardies as an absence.
Academic
honesty is
required.See the
TTU policies linked above. I expect any work submitted to be
your own, neither composed as a whole or in part by anyone
else, nor handed over to another person for wholesale or
partial revision. If you use another person's work in
forming your own ideas, be sure to cite it properly;
unacknowledged paraphrase or direct unmodified use both
constitute plagiarism. Consult The Chicago Manual of
Style or the MLA
Handbook for acceptable citation format. See also
theplagiarism statement; plagiarism will result in
automatic failure for the assignment. Examinations must
be your own work with no outside assistance from any
unauthorized person, device, or document. All statements made
or documents sent to the professor are expected to be true: falsifying
a document or lying to the instructor can be considered
academic dishonesty if it is done to secure some kind of
advantage in the class. See the generative AI policy on my
plagiarism statement.
These are my main policies for the course.See also my general policy
statement, which is also required reading - in the event
of a contradiction, the policies on this syllabus take
precedence.
TTU Illness-Based Attendance Policy
If at any time during this semester you feel ill, in the interest
of your own health and safety as well as the health and safety of
your instructors and classmates, you are encouraged not to attend
face-to-face class meetings or events. Please review the steps
outlined below that you should follow to ensure your absence for
illness will be excused. These steps also apply to not
participating in synchronous online class meetings if you feel too
ill to do so and missing specified assignment due dates in
asynchronous online classes because of illness.
1. If you are ill and think the symptoms might be
COVID-19-related:
a) Call Student Health Services at 806.743.2848 or your
health care provider.
b) Self-report as soon as possible using the
ttucovid19.ttu.edu management system. This website has specific
directions about how to upload documentation from a medical
provider and what will happen if your illness renders you unable
to participate in classes for more than one week.
c) If your illness is determined to be COVID-19-related,
remaining documentation and communication will be handled
through the Office of the Dean of Students, including
notification to your instructors.
d) If your illness is determined not to be
COVID-19-related, please follow steps 2.a-d below.
2. If you are ill and can attribute your symptoms to
something other than COVID-19:
a) If your illness renders you unable to attend
face-to-face classes, participate in synchronous online classes,
or miss specified assignment due dates in asynchronous online
classes, you are encouraged to visit with either Student Health
Services at 806.743.2848 or your health care provider. Note that
Student Health Services and your own and other health care
providers may arrange virtual visits.
b) During the health provider visit, request a “return
to school” note;
c) E-mail the instructor a picture of that note;
d) Return to class by the next class period after the
date indicated on your note.
Following the steps outlined above helps to keep your
instructors informed about your absences and ensures your absence
or missing an assignment due date because of illness will be
marked excused. You will still be responsible to complete within a
week of returning to class any assignments, quizzes, or exams you
miss because of illness.
TTU Title IX Statement
Texas Tech University is committed to providing and strengthening
an educational, working, and living environment where students,
faculty, staff, and visitors are free from gender and/or sex
discrimination of any kind. Sexual assault, discrimination,
harassment, and other Title IX violations are not tolerated by the
University. Report any incidents to the Office for Student
Rights & Resolution, (806)-742-SAFE (7233) or file a
report online at titleix.ttu.edu/students. Faculty and staff
members at TTU are committed to connecting you to resources on
campus. Some of these available resources are:
TTU Student Counseling Center 24-hour Helpline,
806-742-5555 (Assistsstudents
who are experiencing a mental health or interpersonal violence
crisis. If you call the helpline, you will speak with a mental
health counselor.)
Voice of Hope Lubbock Rape Crisis Center,
806-763-7273, voiceofhopelubbock.org(24-hour hotline that provides support for survivors of
sexual violence.)
The Risk, Intervention, Safety and Education (RISE)
Office, 806-742-2110, rise.ttu.edu(Provides a range of resources and support options focused
on prevention education and student wellness.)
Texas Tech Police Department, 806-742-3931, http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ttpd/(To report criminal activity that occurs on or near Texas
Tech campus.)
Additional Resources
TTU Student Disability Services: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/sds/
- See above for the mandatory syllabus
statement.Accommodation
cannot be made retroactively, so I strongly recommend that
all students needing accommodation see me within a few days
of the start of term with your accommodation letters. SDS
policy requires you to submit documentation on their original
letterhead or via email directly from SDS - I cannot accept
copies.
The Office of Campus Access and
Engagement (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/access-engagement/) works across Texas Tech University to
foster, affirm, celebrate, engage, and strengthen all student
communities. For more information about services,
opportunities for participation, and ways in which Texas Tech
can support your success in college, please contact (806)
742-7025.
The Center for
Collegiate Recovery Communities (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/csa/) offers students in
recovery a nurturing and supportive community. The Center
provides students in recovery with an abstinence-based program
where students can flourish in recovery as they attain
educational goals, including advanced degrees. The services
provided through the CCRC increases the continuum of care for
students in recovery, enhancing the quality of life for
students in recovery at Texas Tech University. The CCRC
supports students in recovery from alcohol, drugs, and
behavioral addictions. By providing recovery support through
relationships with staff, academic advising, scholarships /
fellowships, recovery housing, study abroad opportunities, and
more, students can flourish in recovery and in life.
Red To Black (806-742-9781) - http://www.depts.ttu.edu/r2b/Red
to Black Peer Financial Coaching is a nationally recognized
model program staffed by students pursuing Personal Financial
Planning degrees. We provide financial education and awareness
to students through individual coaching sessions,
presentations, outreach booths and resource referrals. Topics
covered include creating
spending plans; building and using credit wisely;
maximizing student loans; choosing employee benefits.
Raider Red’s Food Pantry (806-742-1932) - Any student who faces
challenges securing their food or housing and believes this
may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact
the Dean of Students for support. Furthermore, please notify
the professor if you are comfortable in doing so. The TTU Food
Pantry is in Doak Hall 117. Please visit the website for hours
of operation at https://www.depts.ttu.edu/dos/foodpantry.php. Available to all currently enrolled
TTU students, providing nonperishable food items and
information sheets with additional community resources,
recipes, and/or information about healthy eating.
MS image of Philosophy at Boethius's bedside.
Schedule of Classes (click
here if calendar does not display classes)
The views and opinions expressed on this page are
strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have
not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by Texas Tech.
