Humanities 101 - The Forms & Ideas

Course Number: 13166

MWF 11-11:50am, SH 198

Course Prerequisites:

EPT score of 151 or higher or completion of the lower division writing requirement.

Student Learning Objectives

At the completion of Humanities 101, you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the diversity of world cultures.

2. Draw on the insights of various Humanities and Humanities-related disciplines.

3. Understand and apply cultural theory.

4. Write effective analyses of multiple forms of cultural expression and creativity.

5. Successfully navigate the Internet.

6. Engage in asynchronous (bulletin board forum) discussions.

Course Requirements

Welcome to Humanities 101! This is an active participation course that explores the various forms of human expression and thinking. During the semester we will explore the worlds of art, music, philosophy, poetry, literature, morality, religion, and mythology. You will learn to successfully navigate the Internet and to engage in WebCT's asynchronous (bulletin board) forum discussions online.

Since this is mostly a discussion class, the success of this course depends on active participation. We will apply "Reader Response Theory" to all discussions. In other words, I want to hear how you, the reader, interact with the readings. All thoughtful opinions and insights are valued and welcomed -- just be prepared to explain your theories!

During the course of the semester, you will be required to respond in writing to the assigned readings, films, and chapters from our textbook, "The Art of Being Human." These responses are designed to reinforce the ideas presented in the text, enabling you to have a better understanding of the course material. Some of these responses will be typed/double-spaced; others will be posted in whole-class WebCT forums (see schedule). We will be using WebCT on a weekly basis (effectively making this a hybrid course), so please familiarize yourselves with the program.

Technical Requirements

Students will need to have access to the Internet, either Microsoft Explorer, Firefox, or Safari, and an active CSUN email account to access the WebCT system. To activate your CSUN e-mail address or reset its password use the account utility page.

Can't login? If you see the main WebCT login screen repeatedly, despite entering a valid e-mail address and password, then you may need to enable cookies in your web browser's options or preferences area. WebCT requires access to cookies and will not allow a successful log-in until and unless your web browser has them enabled. Please visit the WebCT browser tune-up page to check your computer settings.

Instructions will be provided for all computer activities; you may visit CSUN's Office of Online Instruction site for information on online courses and programs. CSUN also provides information on computer resources and availability.

NOTE: You may need to install Java before using WebCT!!! Because of a legal dispute between Microsoft and Sun, recent versions of Internet Explorer / Windows do not come bundled with Java, a program that WebCT chat relies on. If you try to use a Java-based program and Java has not been installed on your system, you will see a message indicating that you need to download "JAVA Virtual Machine." You may download and install Java directly from Sun at http://www.java.com/en/index.jsp (click the big yellow Get It Now button on that page). Follow the directions for installation, closing your web browser and/or restarting your system as it suggests. Once Java has been installed you should encounter no further trouble with WebCT.

CSUN is actively revamping its Web presence to make the content universally accessible. It is the policy of the CSU to make information technology resources and services accessible to all CSU students, faculty, staff and the general public regardless of disability.

The California State University System is undertaking an unprecedented and coordinated effort to bring the CSU into compliance with federal and state laws pertaining to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under Section 508, agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.

Students concerned with accessibility to digital course materials should contact the Center on Disabilities (COD) for assistance.