Syllabus 2304
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Sample Syllabus
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE
GOVT 2304
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This is a 12 week online course. Students are expected to spend at least four hours a week in our online classroom as well as an additional amount of time off-line reading and preparing written work to meet the requirements of this course. This three hour credit course is transferable in fulfillment of the state required study of Behavioral Science.
PROFESSOR INFORMATION
Office Hours: By appointment only, Tuesdays/Thursdays, 8:30 - 9:30 am in suite 1015 (Angela Morales Bldg.) or Thursdays 10:00 - noon in room 3003 of the Eastside Campus (6815 Rustic, Houston, TX 77087, http://www.hccs.edu/new/mappg.html). Office Phone: 713.718.7141, leave a message. Always identify yourself as a GOVT 2304 student. E-Mail: Use WebCT (preferred) or drcammy@hotmail.com (emergency only with your name in the subject line).
Please try to discuss your concerns or ask questions online in WebCT. Should you call my office, leave a message. I will check messages regularly during my office hours. I will try to return your call at a time you designate, but no later than
My name is Cammy Shay. I thoroughly enjoy teaching American government and political science courses here at HCC. My goal is to further inspire the interest you already have in the study of politics and government. I have always found the study of human political behavior interesting and compelling. And I love college teaching. I earned the following degrees in political science qualifying me to teach American government courses: B.A.,
College requires time, attention, and commitment. Many of you live busy lives. I respect you for undertaking college studies and for the balance you must find in your lives during this semester. Your success is very important to me, but it must be your success. I will assist you as I can so long as we maintain open communication. I, too, am a busy person, teaching full time, writing professionally, and raising three children. I enjoy the challenge of being busy and finding balance in my life. It is a pleasure to be your professor this term.
HOW TO USE THIS SYLLABUS AND WHERE TO BEGIN
This syllabus is a comprehensive guide to virtually every feature of this class. You are expected to read it carefully and to understand it. It is long and detailed. It is written in such a way that any question you might have about the class has already been answered. Refer to it regularly to keep yourself informed. Here’s where to begin:
Purchase the required textbook as soon as possible. You are expected to stay current on all readings and assignments.
Acquaint yourself with how and when your learning will be assessed. Use the WebCT Calendar to keep up with assignment due dates and quizzing dates. Remember, there are severe penalties for submitting late work.
Begin with Module 1. Work through the reading and writing by spending at least seven hours a week on this class.
Enter the WebCT classroom and navigate around it. It is loaded with information to make this semester smooth-running.
COURSE GOALS
According to the curriculum guidelines of the Government Discipline Committee of Houston Community College System, upon completion of this course, you should be able identify the role of scientific inquiry in the discipline of political science, describe major theories and subfields within the discipline, and engage in analysis of major concepts.
ACTIVITIES
This online class offers you an opportunity to engage in teaching and learning using different instructional techniques. We will discuss topics and issues relevant to the assigned reading material, especially relating online articles to textbook information. It is therefore important to finish assigned readings in a timely manner. Students are expected to log in regularly and actively participate in discussions. When you are online you will be expected to read all posted information, email, and announcements, and participate in both individual and team discussions. Learning will emphasize critical thinking and reflective discourse.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY AND COURSE FORMAT
The teaching and learning philosophy I bring to this course emphasizes critical and reflective thinking and analysis of important political concepts. It is more important to read and write for understanding than to try to memorize a lot of information. To accomplish this objective, you will need to plan ahead and read well in advance of quizzes and assignments. It is very important to give yourself adequate learning time, time to think and write about and ponder and process the information you will encounter. In our culture it is rare to give ourselves the kind of time we need to really get comfortable with new material. Also, I advise students to use the companion websites that accompany the two main textbooks. They will work you through the course content and give you practice tests.
By using a variety of assessment strategies, you will fulfill all the core competencies required by the state of
Reading: Textbook and supplemental reading assignments, WebWork exercises
Writing: WebWork assignments, Focused Free Writes, Article Review
Speaking: Focused Free Writes, discussion board exchanges, email exchanges with professor, telephone conferences with professor
Listening: Focused Free Writes, discussions, email exchanges with professor, telephone conferences with professor
Critical Thinking: Assigned readings, WebWork assignments, discussions, Article Review
Computer Literacy: Email exchanges with professor, preparation of all written assignments, use of the internet for assignments and articles
TEXTBOOK
& One well-written text is required in this course. You can purchase your book online at www.hccs.bkstore.com or directly from the
Ellen Grigsby, Analyzing Politics: An Introduction to Political Science, 3rd edition (
Required supplemental readings will be accessed in WebCT.
GRADING
I believe that using a variety of measures of your learning is fairest to all concerned. You will have the opportunity to earn a maximum of 350 points in this course, distributed as follows:
Chapter Exercises 3 sets worth 50 points each 150 points (43%)
WebWork 3 worth 30 points each 90 points (26%)
Article Review 1 worth 50 points each 50 points (14%)
Free Writes 6 Postings worth 10 points each 60 points (17%)
TOTAL 350 points 100%
Writing helps all of us develop our thinking skills. I look forward to working with you to develop creative, reflective, and interesting responses to writing assignments, however, I will not grade written work that is not well-written. If I encounter numerous spelling or grammar errors while reviewing your work, I will send you a note advising you to see an English tutor to help you with your writing deficiencies. You may resubmit your work after seeing a tutor, but the 50% late penalty will be applied. If you already know that you face writing challenges, I recommend you see an English tutor before you submit your work. It’s easy to calculate your grade throughout this course. Your final grade will be determined by the percentage of total points you earn in the term, with 90% of total points earned scoring an A, 80% a B, etc. The minimum total number of points needed for each grade is as follows:
A = 315 pts (90% of 350 points), B = 280 pts. (80% of 350 points), C = 245 pts (70% of 350 points), D = 210 pts. (60% of 350 points), F = 209 pts (59% of 350 points)
Although I hope everyone does well in the course, I will not curve grades. I will return graded assignments in a timely manner, usually within a week.
A Note about "W’s" And "F’s" and "I’s"
Withdrawal from a Course (“W”) - It is your responsibility to officially withdraw from a class and prevent an “F” from appearing on your transcript. I will not withdraw a student from the course after the student withdrawal date. When considering withdrawal from a course, remember the following information:
· If you withdraw before the Official Date of Record no grade is given and your transcript reflects no record of the course.
· College policy requires instructors to write “never attended” on the official roll sheet next to the names of those students who do not attend class by the Official Date of Record. If you do not attend class before the Official Date of Record, the college may automatically drop you from the course.
· A “W” (withdrawal) appears on your transcript if you drop a course after the Official Date of Record and before the final withdrawal deadline.
· A “W” (withdrawal) may negatively impact your ability to receive financial aid or your visa status if you are an international student.
· Students who take a course three or more times face additional tuition/fee increases at HCC and other
Failure of a Course (“F”) - You will receive an “F” in this class if your grade is less than 60%. Receiving an “F” (failure) may negatively impact your ability to receive financial aid. It is YOUR responsibility to submit college-level quality work in a timely fashion or to withdraw yourself from the course by the deadline if you cannot complete your work satisfactorily.
Incomplete (“I”) - You will receive an “I” (incomplete) only in the event of a documented emergency situation that prevents you from completing the last assignment, such as the final test. You must speak with your instructor as soon as possible in the event of such an emergency to arrange a course completion schedule. If you receive an “I,” you must arrange with the instructor to complete the course work before the end of the next long semester. After that deadline, the “I” becomes an “I/F.” All ”I” designations must be changed to grades prior to graduation. The changed grade will appear on your record as “I/Grade” (ex: “I/B”).
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Students’ Responsibility to Read the HCC Student Handbook: Students shall refer to the HCC Student Handbook (http://www.hccs.edu/students/handbook/HandbookHome2.html) for information about students’ rights and responsibilities.
Student Course Reinstatement: - Students have a responsibility to arrange payment for their classes when they register, either through cash, credit card, financial aid, or the installment plan. Faculty members have a responsibility to check their class rolls regularly, especially during the early weeks of a term, and reconcile the official class roll to ensure that no one is attending class whose name does not appear on it. Students who are dropped from their courses for nonpayment of tuition and fees who request reinstatement after the official date of record (OE Date) may be reinstated by making payment in full and paying an additional $75 per course reinstatement fee. A student requesting reinstatement should present the registrar with a completed Enrollment Authorization Form with the signature of the instructor, department chair, or dean who should verify that the student has been regularly attending class. Students who are reinstated are responsible for all course policies and procedures, including attendance requirements. A dean may waive the reinstatement fee upon determination that the student was dropped because of a college error. The dean should note the nature of the error in a memo to the registrar with appropriate documentation.
Time Management: Procrastination is the enemy! Do not put off until tomorrow what you can and should do today. Many students are tempted to delay doing the work as long as possible. I cannot stress enough that this is a recipe for failure. Staying current with your reading assignments, quizzes, and written work is essential to success in this course. You may submit assigned work EARLY.
Study Skills: Good study skills are essential for college success. Reading all assigned material is key to your success. Don’t deceive yourself into believing that you can do well in this course if you do not read the assigned material. Please ask me any questions you might have as you work through the subject. Consider me a resource and do check out the online study skills information posted under Student Resources.
Code of Conduct: I offer all students a safe and respectful learning environment. Students enrolled in HCC courses are required to follow all HCC Policies and Procedures, the Student Code of Conduct, the Student Handbook, and relevant sections of the Texas Education Code when interacting and communicating with faculty and fellow students. I reserve the right to delete any offensive or inappropriate comments or postings from the online discussion board. Online disruptions of the respectful free flow and exchange of thoughts and information will not be tolerated. One warning about unacceptable language and/or online behavior will be issued. Subsequent disruptions may cause the offending student(s) to be removed from class.
Attendance: Students are expected to attend online. Students who stop logging into and participating in WebCT must withdraw themselves from the course. Failure to log into WebCT and participate regularly will result in the student being "denied access" to the online course. Students who do not log into and participate in WebCT but who do not withdraw themselves from class will receive a grade of "F" for the course.
Reasonable Accommodations: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Support Services (DSS) Counselor at the beginning of each semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the DSS Office. Contact the Distance Education counseling office at de.counseling@hccs.edu or (713) 718-5275. Also, send me an email in WebCT requesting the accommodations within the first week of the term.
Scholastic Integrity: Honest work and effort are expected and are rewarded. However, if any student is caught cheating on a quiz or colluding on or plagiarizing papers, the student will receive a grade of zero on that quiz or assignment. A second infraction will result in a grade of “F” for the semester with a recommendation to the Academic Dean for expulsion from HCC. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, unauthorized collusion on quizzes or papers, or copying directly from another person’s work but passing it off as your own. Review your obligations in the HCC Student Handbook.
Modification of Syllabus: This syllabus acts as a contract between students and professor. I will make every effort to fulfill the requirements of this syllabus during this semester. However, in the unlikely event that changes must be made, I reserve the right to make such changes and to notify students in a timely manner of any such changes.
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COURSE MODULES
From the Homepage or left side navigation bar in WebCT, click on Course Modules for access to the three content Modules offered this term. Each Module contains a table of contents that directs you to required reading assignments.
Module Timelines
Module 1 – February 10 -
Module 2 – March 5 -
Module 3 – April 9 -
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MODULE 1
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – Political Science and Scientific Methods in Studying Politics
Chapter 3 – Key Concepts in Political Science
Chapter 4 – Political Theory: Examining the Ethical Foundations of Politics
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MODULE 2
Chapter 5 – Political Ideologies I: Liberalism, Conservatism, and Socialism
Chapter 6 – Political Ideologies II: Fascism
Chapter 7 – Political Ideologies III: Feminism, Environmentalism, and Post Modernism
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MODULE 3
Chapter 8 – Comparative Politics I: Governmental Systems: Democracy and Nondemocracy
Chapter 11 – International Relations I: Introduction
Chapter 12 – International Relations II: Contemporary Issues
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EXPLANATION OF ASSESSMENT
A Note about the Chapter Exercises
Click on Writing Assignments and Rubrics to learn more about the Chapter Exercise assignment. Instead of taking periodic quizzes or tests, each student will assemble a package of chapter exercises for each Module. Your grade will reflect the extent to which you thoroughly present chapter information in each exercise. Some exercises will include preparing inclusive and well-structured chapter outlines. Others will involve investigation of online resources for political scientists. Still others will have you reflect about what you have learned in each chapter.
Due Dates
Module 1 Exercises - March 4, 2007, by
Module 2 Exercises -
Module 3 Exercises - May 6, 2007, by
A Note about the Article Review Assignment
Click on Writing Assignments and Rubrics to learn more about the Article Review assignment. During the term you will read articles dealing with Mexican American and Latino politics in the
Due Date
Article Review –
A Note about WebWork
Click on Writing Assignments and Rubrics to learn more about the WebWork assignments. During the semester you will be responsible for turning in three web-based assignments. These assignments will call on you to read and think about information critically and analytically before you write up the finished product. The WebWork assignments build on information you will learn in the content modules of this class.
Due Dates
WebWork 1 -
WebWork 2 -
WebWork 3 - May 6, 2007, by
A Note about Focused Free Writes
We will engage in a provocative approach to teaching and learning this semester that employs a Free Writing technique. I will post three Focused Free Write exercises for which you will post responses and engage in conversations with each other about your postings. Each Focused Free Writing response can earn 10 points for a total of 30 points. Instructions are provided in WebCT by clicking on Assessment/Rubrics/Free Writes Rubric from the Homepage.
Due Dates
FFW1 –
FFW2 –
FFW3 –
FFW4 –
FFW5 –
FFW6 –
No late postings will be accepted for credit.
Last modified 2007-05-04 10:28
