COURSE OBJECTIVE: This course surveys the major developments in the history of Europe and its people since 1648. It also includes examples of conflicting interpretations of the progress of that history and a program of historical research.
COURSE RATIONALE: Students taking History 2312 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. This course is required of Austin Community college history majors and is frequently a requirement in history departments elsewhere. Western Civilization, however, will not satisfy the 6 hour requirement for American history mandated by the Texas legislature.
COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES: Please consult http://www.austincc.edu/history For learning objectives for this section, see course learning objectives under HIST 2312 inclass on my website or at this course on Blackboard.
COURSE METHODOLOGY: This course is run by lecture.
OFFICE HOURS: MTWTh, 8-10:30- RGC Attaché 216
OFFICE PHONE: 223-3399 or 223-3385
EMAIL: mrebhorn@austincc.edu
WEB PAGE: http://www.austincc.edu/rebhist
TEXTBOOK: The textbook is available online on Blackboard. You will need to be enrolled in the course and have your ACCeID and password to access it. There is a printed out copy on reserve at the RGC library. You do not need to by a textbook for this course.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: These are the rules by which this course will be governed. They may appear complicated and a bit frightening, but as you come to read them you will see, I hope, that they are designed to be fair and to keep you from getting a low grade in the course.
How do I earn a grade in the course?
This course will assess students' skills in three areas: one is substantive information that will be assessed through objective tests; the second is analytical skills that will be assessed through short essays; and the third is research skills that will be assessed through a book report. The grade you earn will depend on your performance in these three areas.
You will take four objective tests, one for each unit in the course. All objective tests contain 25 multiple choice questions based on the learning objectives and one essay. YOU MUST RECEIVE CREDIT ON EACH OF THE FIRST TWO TESTS (15 OUT OF 25 RIGHT ON THE TEST OR RETEST) OR YOU WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE COURSE. You cannot "flunk" one of the first two tests and pass the rest. You must pass all the first two tests in the order in which they are given. You will have one week from the day the test is given in class to receive credit or you will be withdrawn.
For test numbers 3 and 4, you should still receive credit for each test (receive 15 out of 25 right on the test or retest). You will be given an opportunity to retest to make at least 15 (see section on retesting). If you fail to receive credit on either of these last two tests, the highest grade you receive on the test or retest will be averaged in with your other grades to determine your grade for the course.
To earn a D:
1. You must maintain an average of 15, 16 or 17 on the objective
tests.
2. You must pass each of the first two tests (receive 15 or better)
on the test or retest within the allowed time or be
withdrawn from the course.
3. If you retest, the highest grade you can receive is an 18.
To earn a C:
1. You must maintain an average of 18 or 19 on the objective tests.
2. You must pass each of the first two tests with a 15 or better
on the test or retest within the allowed time or be
withdrawn from the course.
3. If you retest, the highest grade you can receive is an 18.
To earn a B:
1. You must receive credit for three of the essays within one
week of the time each test is given in class. For example, if you
choose to write the essay for test I, the essay must be accepted for credit
within one week of the time Unit I test is given back to the class.
If you hand it in and need to rewrite, but do not complete the rewriting
within one week, or if the rewriting is not acceptable, the essay
will not be accepted.
2. You must maintain an average of 20 or better on the objective
tests.
3. You must pass each of the first two tests with a 15 or better
on the test or retest within the allowed time or be
withdrawn from the course.
4. If you retest, the highest grade you can receive is an 18.
To earn an A:
1.You must maintain an average of 22 or better on the objective
tests.
2. You must pass each of the first two tests with a 15 or better
on the test or retest within the allowed time or be withdrawn from the
course.
3. If you retest, the highest grade you can receive is an 18.
4. You must receive credit for 3 essays within one week of the
time each test is given back to the class. For example, when you
write the Unit I essay, the essay must be accepted for credit within
one week of the time the Unit I test is handed back in class. If
you hand it in and need to rewrite but do not complete the rewriting within
one week, or if the rewriting is not acceptable, the essay will not be
accepted.
5. You must have an analytical book report accepted as OK for
credit by the date mentioned in the course calendar.
BOOK REPORTS
To earn an A in the course, you will need to submit an analytical book report by the date noted on your course calendar, and have it OK for credit by the date noted in the course calendar. You will need to choose a book from the list on Blackboard, read it, and write a book report of 1500 words (6 pages double-spaced). It must be typed or word-processed and will follow the format of the book report handout which will be provided to you.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: A close relationship has been shown to exist between regular attendance and successful completion of the course. To facilitate your successful completion of the course, the following attendance policy will be in effect:
For a class which meets 2 times a week, you will be permitted 6 absences.
MORE THAN THIS NUMBER OF UNEXCUSED ABSENCES WILL RESULT IN YOUR BEING WITHDRAWN FROM THE COURSE.
If you exceed the allowed number of absences after the last date for withdrawal, your final grade for the course will be lowered according to the following formula: for every two absences beyond the allowed limit, your final grade for the course will be lowered by one full letter grade.
LATENESS: You are expected to be on time for class. I will take attendance during the first few minutes of class, make whatever announcements are appropriate, and quickly review material from the previous class meeting. At that point, I will shut the door. If you enter class after that point, you will be counted as absent for the day. After the appropriate number of absences, you will be withdrawn from the course.
DEADLINES: All tests must be taken in class on the dates specified in the calendar. See below.
TESTING POLICY: The day each test is given is clearly marked on the course calendar. YOU ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE THE TEST IN CLASS WITH YOUR CLASSMATES. Failure to do so may hurt your grade and ultimately have you withdrawn from the course. For each test there is ONE AND ONLY ONE RETEST and you will need to take it within one week of the time the test is given in class. You must retest if:
1. You received 14 or less on the first two tests in class.
2. You missed the test in class.
You will have only one chance to retest. If you miss the test in class, take it in the testing center and receive 14 or less, you fail the test. If that was one of the first two tests, you will be withdrawn from the course. If you take the test in class, get a 14 or less, retest in the testing center and make 14 or less, you fail the test. If that was one of the first two tests, you will be withdrawn from the class. The retest is different from the test given in class although it covers the same material. The highest grade you can receive on any retest is 18, a minimal passing grade. If you get a 7 the first time, retest and make a 20, you will only get credit for 18.
If you have an excused absence from the test in class, you will have two opportunities to retest. I will excuse you from testing with the class for reasons like death in the family (with proof) or severe illness (with proof). I will not excuse you from testing with the class for reasons like having another test the same day, you forgot, or were unprepared. All excused absences for tests must be approved by me the day of the test. You will not be given an excused absence if you contact me later in the week. Without an excused absence you will be able to take the test, but you will be on retest mode, meaning the highest grade you can receive is an 18.
If you receive a 15, 16 or 17, you do not need to retest, but you are urged to retest to raise your grade to a 18, a minimal passing grade. If you retest and get a grade lower than that you received in class, I will only count the higher grade in determining your average.
FOR TESTING CENTER RULES: Please consult http://www.austin.austincc.edu/testctr
WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you fail to meet the test deadlines, you ARE SUBJECT to being withdrawn from the course by the instructor. This is at the discretion of the instructor. If you determine during the course of the semester that you will not be able to successfully fulfill the requirements of this course, YOU MAY WITHDRAW YOURSELF! The last date to withdraw is April 22, 2013.
INCOMPLETES: The grade of I (Incomplete) will only be awarded for medical reasons verified by a satisfactory letter from a physician. All Incompletes must be completed within four weeks in the following semester. There are no exceptions to this policy.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester and present their accommodation letter to me during the first wo weeks of class.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM: The free and open exchange of ideas is vital to the pursuit of learning.
STUDENT PRIVACY: The federal government requires that student privacy be preserved. Thus, the posting of grades, even by the last four digits of the social security number, is forbidden. All communication will remain between the instructor and the student, and the instructor will not be able to share details of the studentís performance with parents, spouses, etc.
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY: Any form of scholastic dishonesty by the student including cheating on tests as well as plagiarism on the book report, will result in the automatic grade of F for the course. College policy reads as follows:
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."
CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR: It is far preferable to speak to me before you have a problem than it is to pick up the pieces afterwards. To that end, I hold office hours at scheduled times and I check my email regularly. Feel free to contact me with any problems you may be having.
COURSE CALENDAR
date activity
Jan 15 Introduction, Unit I Towards the Enlightenment, Glorious Revolution
Jan 17 Unit I Unit I Towards the Enlightenment, Glorious Revolution, struggle for the control of Europe
Jan 22 Unit I Unit I Towards the Enlightenment, struggle for control
Jan 24 Unit I Unit I Towards the Enlightenment, enlightenment
Jan 29 Unit I Unit I Towards the Enlightenment, social life
Jan 31 Unit I Unit I Towards the Enlightenment, assault on absolutism
Feb 5 TEST UNIT I
Feb 7 Unit II Unit II Two Revolutions, French revolution
Feb 12 Unit II Unit II Two Revolutions, French revolution
Feb 14 Unit II Unit II Two Revolutions, industrial revolution
Feb 19 Unit II Unit II Two Revolutions, early reforms
Feb 21 Unit II Unit II Two Revolutions, challenge to Congress of Vienna
Feb 26 TEST UNIT II
Feb 28 Unit III From Romanticism to World War I, national hegemony in Italy and Germany
Mar 5 Unit III From Romanticism to World War I, Autocracy in 19th Russia vs Liberalism in Britain and France
Mar 7 no class
Mar 11-15 spring break
Mar 19 Unit III Unit III From Romanticism to World War I, realism, rise of imperialism
Mar 21 Unit III Unit III From Romanticism to World War I, rise of imperialism, second industrial revolution
Mar 26 Unit III Unit III From Romanticism to World War I, second industrial revolution, background to WWI
Mar 28 Unit III Unit III From Romanticism to World War I, WW I
Ap 2 Unit III Unit III From Romanticism to World War I, Treaty of Versailles
Ap 4 TEST UNIT III
Ap 9 Unit IV Unit IV World War II and the Cold War, post war economy, dictators
Ap 11 Unit IV Unit IV World War II and the Cold War, dictators BOOK REPORTS DUE TODAY
Ap 16 Unit IV Unit IV World War II and the Cold War, dictators
Ap 18 Unit IV Unit IV World War II and the Cold War, WW II, beginnings of Cold War
Ap 23 Unit IV Unit IV World War II and the Cold War, Cold War CORRECTIONS TO BOOK REPORTS DUE TODAY
Ap 25 Unit IV Unit IV World War II and the Cold War, Cold War
Ap 30 Unit IV Unit IV World War II and the Cold War, Cold War, Eastern Europe and End of the Cold War
May 2 Unit IV Unit IV World War II and the Cold War, end of imperialism
May 7 TEST UNIT IV
ALL TESTS TO BE COUNTED FOR CREDIT MUST BE INTO THE RIO GRANDE TESTING CENTER OR MY OFFICE BY NOON, WEDNESDAY, MAY89.