Master Syllabus
U.S. History 1302
1877 - Present

The purpose of the History Department is threefold. First we provide excellent instruction in the discipline of history. Second, we provide each student with six semester hours of U.S. History instruction to meet the requirements of the Texas Education Code (51.303). Third, we provide history majors with fifteen semester hours of history instruction to prepare them to successfully pursue a bachelor's or higher degree in history at a four-year college or university.

Course Description: Study of the history of the United States from 1877 to the present.

SCANS Competencies: None required, but students will need good reading, writing and study skills to succeed in this course.  Students will be expected to read about 450 pages of textbook, and, depending on the individual instructor, may be obliged to read an outside book and/or do a research paper.  Students will have to write essays, book reports, and/or research papers and will be expected to observe decent English grammar and spelling rules.  Although students will be told when tests will take place and be given detailed learning objectives to facilitate study, students will be expected to study information in detail to prepare for the tests.

Instructional Methodology: Depends on which instructor and format the student is taking.

Course Rationale: The Texas legislature requires students to take 6 hours of American history to graduate from an institution of higher learning in Texas.  This course helps fulfill that requirement.  Students taking History 1302 can expect to improve their reading and writing competencies, critical thinking skills, research skills, etc., all of which help students better succeed in life outside academia.

General Education Competencies: upon completion of the general education component of an associate’s degree, students will demonstrate competence in:
1. Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information (Critical Thinking)
2. Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society (Civic Awareness)
3. Comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas,. Aesthetic traditions and cultural practices (Cultural Awareness)

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes: upon completion of the A.A. degree in History students will be able to:

1. Use critical thinking in the analysis of historical facts
2. Demonstrate civic awareness in the appraisal of historical contexts
3. Demonstrate cultural awareness in the assessment of historical situations

Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes: upon completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Use critical thinking in the analysis of historical facts
2. Demonstrate civic awareness in the appraisal of historical contexts
3. Demonstrate cultural awareness in the assessment of historical situations

Common Course Objectives:  After completing History 1302 the student should be able to:

1. Describe how Anglo-American settlement of the west impacted the lives of women, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans and African Americans.

2. Identify the major industries of the 19th century American West.

3. Explain the rise of the major industries in the 19th century United States.

4. Describe the effects of 19th century industrialization on labor unions, women and minorities.

5. Describe the social effects of urbanization on the 19th century United States.

6. Explain the major events of Gilded Age politics.

7. Describe the rise of the American overseas empire by 1900.

8. Identify the main political, social, intellectual and economic effects of Progressivism on American society.

9. Compare and contrast the “Square Deal,” the “New Nationalism” and the “New Freedom” programs.

10. Explain the background of and U.S. participation in World War I.

11. Describe how World War I transformed the roles of women, African Americans and Hispanic Americans.

12. Explain how the 1920s changed American society politically, socially and economically.

13. Identify the major writers of the 1920s.

14. Describe the causes of and results of the Great Depression.

15. Identify the changes in American politics and society brought about by the New Deal.

16. Explain the effects of American foreign policy in the 1920s and 1930s and the coming of World War II.

17. Describe the social, economic and political effects of World War II on American society.

18. Evaluate the major causes and effects of the Cold War on America from 1945 to 1960.

19. Describe the key events of the 1950s and their effects on American society with special emphasis on McCarthy and civil rights.

20. Compare and contrast the “New Frontier” and “Great Society” programs.

21. Examine the American involvement in Vietnam and the effect of that war on American society.

22. Describe the Republican Resurgence and the effects of Watergate.

23.    Evaluate the effects of the 1980s on American society.


Syllabi Requirements

1. Heading:  Include your name, course name and number, section number (this is the 3 digit number) and synonym (this is the 5 digit number).
 
2. Contact Information: How to reach you-this includes your office hours and location, phone, email etc., and how to reach you for appointments outside office hours. Reminder: ACC policy requires you to use your ACC email address. Remember you can use the ACC voice mailbox system rather than your personal phone by calling 512 223 1790 and setting it up.
 
3. COURSE DESCRIPTION: Required reference the URL of history http://www.austincc.edu/history
 
4. REQUIRED TEXT: Materials-this is the name of the textbook, any study guides you require, etc.
 
5. INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY: You should tell students how you run your class (lecture, class discussion, some of everything)
 
6. COURSE RATIONALE:  Required reference the url of history http://www.austincc.edu/history
 
7. COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES:  On your syllabus, you must reference the history website at http://www.austincc.edu/history
 
8. GRADING SYSTEM: How does a student earn a grade in the class. The department strongly advises against offering extra credit which distorts grades and rewards students with the time to do it. Be specific.
 
9. CLASS POLICIES: You will need a written policy on all the following:

Attendance: is it required, what happens if students exceed the allowed number of absences, etc. 
Do you take attendance?  The department strongly advises against using attendance as part of the final grade.  Attendance is expected and should not be rewarded. Be specific
 
Withdrawal-do you withdraw, if you do upon what grounds, last date for withdrawal in a semester required, etc... It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll should s/he decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should s/he feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw s/he should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date. Students are also strongly encouraged to retain a copy of the withdrawal form for their records.
 
Incompletes: the college requires that students have completed a minimum of 50% of the course for the incomplete to be awarded.  Upon what basis do you award Incompletes and when must they be made up in the following semester?
 
10. STUDENT DISABILITIES: -THE COLLEGE NOW REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE:
“Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities.  Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Student Accessibility Services on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes.  Students are encouraged to do this within three weeks of the start of the semester.”  Note the name of the office has changed!
 
11. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION:  Required.  Keep it brief
 
12. SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY: You will need to specify the penalty.  Some instructors, for example, give a student an F for the class, not just the individual test, if caught cheating.  This is departmental policy.  ACC required the following language be used:
 "Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include 
scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, 
plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside 
work.  Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, 
research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to 
tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either 
individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework." For full list of covered misconduct see p. 57 of the Student Handbook at http://www.austincc.edu/handbook.

13. CLASS OUTLINE/CALENDAR: This explains what you will be doing each day/week the class meets (which chapters covered, which lectures, which topics, etc.) Be specific.
 
14. TESTING CENTER POLICIES: The testing center’s policies as they regard students should be made available to students by referencing the testing center’s URL: http://www.austin.austincc.edu/testctr. If you don’t use the testing centers, don’t include it.
 
15. STUDENT PRIVACY:  We are governed by FERPA, even in high school ECS classes.  Students
must know we can only communicate with them, not parents or spouses.

16. SAFETY STATEMENT ACC is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Students are expected to learn and to comply with ACC environmental, health, and safety procedures and to follow ACC safety policies. See the Environmental Health and Safety link for more details. The College also asks that each student become familiar with the Emergency Procedures and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. See ACC Emergency Alerts to sign up for electronic notices in the event of a serious emergency.

17. USE OF ACC EMAIL: ACC sends all email communication solely to the student's ACCmail account and expects students to read the messages in a timely manner. So that means all important information and emergency details will go only to your ACCmail . Students should expect to receive from, and send email to, their instructors from their ACCmail account. To set up an account, students can go to ACCmail for instructions.

18. BUILDING REGULATIONS:ACC regulations prohibit smoking, drinking, and eating in classrooms. This prohibition includes e-cigarettes.
    
19. INSTRUCTIONAL ASSOCIATES TUTORING HOURS: Can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/history/studentlinks.html

20. CAMPUS CARRY LANGUAGE: The Austin Community College District concealed handgun policy ensures compliance with Section 411.2031 of the Texas Government Code (also known as the Campus Carry Law), while maintaining ACC’s commitment to provide a safe environment for its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Beginning August 1, 2017, individuals who are licensed to carry (LTC) may do so on campus premises except in locations and at activities prohibited by state or federal law, or the college’s concealed handgun policy. It is the responsibility of license holders to conceal their handguns at all times. Persons who see a handgun on campus are asked to contact the ACC Police Department by dialing 222 from a campus phone or 512-223-7999.

21. RECOMMENDED STATEMENT CONCERNING STUDENT STANDARDS OF CONDUCT: Acceptable standards of conduct include behavior that:

• Reflects the highest level of honesty and integrity

• Is civil, courteous, and respectful of all members of the campus community, their property of the college and promotes the smooth and unimpeded delivery of knowledge in the classroom

• Encourages responsibility and prohibits the unlawful use of alcohol, illicit drugs, other substances, and weapons

• Promotes mutual respect, equality, and safety of its members and opposes those acts that harass, intimidate, or haze its members.

 

Any one failing to adhere to the above standards will be withdrawn from the course at the very least.


22. ELECTRONIC DEVICES: The History Department prohibits electronic devices in all history classes. Exceptions are only by SAS Letters of Accommodation and must be used strictly for classroom purposes of the history class.


23. TESTING CENTER POLICIY: Under certain circumstances, an instructor may have students take an examination in a testing center.  Students using the Academic Testing Center must govern themselves according to the Student Guide for Use of ACC Testing Centers and should read the entire guide before going to take the exam.  To request an exam, one must have:

Do NOT bring cell phones to the Testing Center.  Having your cell phone in the testing room, regardless of whether it is on or off, will revoke your testing privileges for the remainder of the semester.  ACC Testing Center policies can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/testctr/

Finally, make sure to upload your syllabus to the ACC schedule via Lighthouse.