NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS The North Central Texas College (NCTC) Course Syllabus provides the following as required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB): (1) a brief description of the course including each major course requirement, assignment and examination; (2) the learning objectives for the course; (3) a general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion; and (4) any required or recommended readings. Contact information for the instructor is also provided. The Course Syllabus also provides institutional information to indicate how this course supports NCTC s purpose and mission. Information specific to a particular section of the course will be included in the Class Syllabus and distributed to enrolled students. Course Title: U.S. History from 1865 Course Prefix & Number: HIST1302 Section Number: Term Code: Semester Credit Hours: 3 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Course Description (NCTC Catalog): A continuation of HIST1301. A general survey of American history from Reconstruction to the present. This course is required for graduation and teacher certification. Course Prerequisite(s): None Course Type: o - Academic General Education Course (from Academic Course Guide Manual but not in NCTC Core) x - Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course o - WECM Course Name of Instructor: Adrien D. Ivan, PhD Campus/Office Location: Online Campus Telephone Number: (940)696-8752 ext. 3325 E-mail Address: aivan@nctc.edu Name of Chair/Coordinator: Crystal R.M. Wright Office Location: Gainesville Campus, Room 815 Telephone Number: 940-668-7731, ext 4320 E-mail Address: cwright@nctc.edu
REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED COURSE MATERIALS Tindall and Shi. America: A Narrative History. 8 th ed. Norton. ISBN #978-0-393-93405-2 COURSE REQUIREMENTS, EVALUATION METHODS AND GRADING CRITERIA # of Graded Course Elements Graded Course Elements Percentage or Points Values 19 Chapter Reading Quizzes 20% 4 Exams 80% INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING GOALS x A quality general education curriculum in all associate degree programs. o Quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences which parallel the lower division offerings of four-year colleges and universities. o Quality technical programs leading directly to careers in semi-skilled and skilled occupations, and quality technical education programs up to two years in length leading to certificates and associate degrees. o Quality programs and services in support of adult literacy and basic skills development as a mean of workforce enhancement and expanding access to higher education. PROGRAM PURPOSE STATEMENT NCTC seeks to implement its goal of offering quality general education curriculum in all associate degrees by offering a core of general education courses designed to help students achieve academic, career and lifelong goals. Acquiring knowledge, thinking critically, and utilizing the methodologies of various disciplines exposed students to experiences that serve to advance their personal growth. The chief focus of the General Education Core Curriculum at NCTC is to emphasize Exemplary Educational Objectives and Basic Intellectual Competencies. DEPARTMENTAL PURPOSE STATEMENT The NCTC Social Science Department provides students at NCTC a strong foundation in the liberal arts that is essential for career success, leadership, global citizenship, and a lifetime of learning. The department provides students with a broad knowledge and understanding of the world; significant intellectual, critical thinking and practical skills; and a strong sense of civic responsibility for enriching their lives and making a difference in society.
STATEMENT OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE EXPECTED OF NCTC GRADUATES NCTC seeks to implement its goal of offering a core of general education courses designed to help students achieve academic, career and lifelong goals. The chief focus of the General Education Core Courses at NCTC is to emphasize basic intellectual competencies and broad intellectual perspectives. CORE CURRICULUM COMPONENT AREA The overall objective of the Social & Behavioral Science component area is to increase students knowledge of how social and behavioral scientists discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events and ideas. Such knowledge will better equip students to understand themselves and the roles they play in addressing the issues facing humanity. SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE: EXEMPLARY EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES (EEOs) x (SBS1) To employ the appropriate methods, technologies and data that social and behavioral scientists use to investigate the human condition. x (SBS2) To examine social institutions and processes across a range of historical periods, social structures, and cultures. x (SBS3) To use and critique alternative explanatory systems or theories. x (SBS4) To develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for contemporary social issues. x (SBS5) To analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on the area under study. x (SBS6) To comprehend the origins and evolution of U.S. and Texas political systems, with focus on the growth of political institutions, the constitution of the U.S. and Texas, federalism, civil liberties, and civil and human rights. x (SBS7) To understand the evolution and current role of the U.S. in the world. x (SBS8) To differentiate and analyze historical evidence (documentary and statistical) and differing points of view. x (SBS9) To recognize and apply reasonable criteria for the acceptability of historical evidence and social research. x (SBS10) To analyze, critically assess, and develop creative solutions to public policy problems. x (SBS11) To recognize and assume one s responsibility as a citizen in a democratic society by learning to think for oneself, by engaging in public discourse, and by obtaining information through the news media and other appropriate information sources about politics and public policy. x (SBS12) To identify and understand differences and commonalities within diverse cultures.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES EEO Student Learning Outcome 1,2,3,5,6,8 Trace the reconstruction of the U.S. after the Civil War and its political, economic, and social impact. 1,2,5,12 Examine the conquest of the Plains Indians and the impact of the frontier s closing. 1,2,5,6,8 Analyze the social, political, and cultural developments of the South in the late 19 th century. Trace the rise of U.S. world power since the end of the 19 th century and its 1,2,5,7,8,9,12 increasingly active participation in international affairs; and evaluate the effect of this participation on domestic issues and international relations. Analyze the impact of the industrial revolution and the emergence of corporate 1,3,5,6,9 capitalism in the United States including its effect on society, politics, and the economy 1,2,4,5,8,9,12 Assess the causes and consequences of immigration on the United States since the late 19 th century. 2,3,5,6,8,9 Describe the major reform movements in the United States, including Populism, Progressivism, New Deal, Civil Rights, and the Great Society. 3,5,6,7,9,11 Describe the growth of the modern American state and the major political currents in the 20 th and 21 st century. 1,2,4,5,8,9,12 Assess the impact and contributions of major social and ethnic groups on the nation s history. 3,5,7,8,9,11, 12 Discuss the rise and fall of the Cold War and its effect on American domestic and foreign policy. Demonstrate mastery of the Learning Outcomes through a combination of response 1,3,8,9,10, 11 activities, including oral communication, exams, and written assignments using proper grammar and basic computer skills. BASIC INTELLECTUAL COMPETENCIES FOR THIS COURSE x READING Reading at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials books, articles and documents. A core curriculum should offer student the opportunity to master both general methods of analyzing printed materials and specific methods for analyzing the subject matter of individual disciplines. x WRITING Competency in/ writing is the ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion, and audience. Although correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation are each a sine qua non in any composition, they do not automatically ensure that the composition itself makes sense or that the writer has much of anything to say. Students need to be familiar with the writing process including how to discover a topic and how to develop and organize it, how to phrase it effectively for their audience. These abilities can be acquired only through practice and reflection.
o SPEAKING Competence in speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion, and audience. Developing this competency includes acquiring poise and developing control of the language through experience in making presentations to small groups, to large groups, and through the media. x LISTENING Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication. x CRITICAL THINKING Critical thinking embraces methods for applying both qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and creatively to subject matter in order to evaluate arguments and to construct alternative strategies. Problem solving is one of the applications of critical thinking, used to address an identified task. x COMPUTER LITERACY Computer literacy at the college level means the ability to use computer-based technology in communicating, solving problems, and acquiring information. Core-educated students should have an understanding of the limits, problems, and possibilities associated with the use of technology, and should have the tools necessary to evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available. Last day to Withdraw For the semester, the last day to withdraw from a course with a W is April 12. Student Rights & Responsibilities Scholastic Integrity NCTC Board policy FLB (Local) Student Rights and Responsibilities states that each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of the contents and provisions of the rules and regulations concerning student conduct. These rules and regulations are published in the Student Handbook published in conjunction with the College Catalog. All students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, and observe correct standards of conduct. Scholastic dishonesty shall constitute a violation of college rules and regulations and is punishable as prescribed by Board policies. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ACCESS North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. (Disability Support)
Student Success Center Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veterans Services NCTC is required by law to provide "reasonable accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. It is the student s responsibility to provide disability documentation to the ACCESS Office which authorizes accommodations for students with disabilities. The ACCESS Office is located in room 170 on the Corinth Campus and room 110 of the Administration (100) Building on the Gainesville Campus. Students can also call 940-668-7731 ext. 4321 or 940-498-6207. The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals. The center links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free online tutoring in the evening. The program helps students acclimate to college by providing students free interactive workshops about Time Management, Study Skills, Test Anxiety, and much more. For more information, please visit your nearest Student Success Center. The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering a variety of programs for students who need assistance in financing their education. The first step for financial aid is to complete a FAFSA. For more information, please visit your nearest Financial Aid Office.
Make-Up Policy You have a week for each assignment. It is your responsibility to ensure that they are completed by the assigned deadlines. Therefore, there will be no make-up quizzes or exams, barring an extreme emergency. Extra Credit This course has nearly 20 quizzes and 4 exams. You have plenty of opportunities to earn a satisfactory grade. I will neither assign nor accept any extra credit assignments. Your Final Grade Your grade will be calculated through your quizzes and exams. To find your course grade, average your reading quiz grades together, that average will be one exam grade. Then combine it with your exam grades and average them out. For example, if you have a quiz average of 75, and your four exams are 75, 80, 85, 90, you would add those grades and get 405. Divide that number by 5 and you get 81. A Little About Me and Some Final Thoughts: My name is Adrien D. Ivan and I am a full time instructor at Vernon College. I have a bachelor s degree in history from Texas A&M University, a master s degree in history from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a doctorate at the University of North Texas. I specialize in Texas history during the Civil War and Reconstruction. I am also interested in American and European military history and in ancient Greece and Rome. I was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, the son of an Air Force officer. My wife and I live in the Wichita Falls area, along with our two crazy dogs. I would like to take the last space of this syllabus to talk about how to succeed in this course and in all your other courses across the disciplines. When it comes to academic success, intelligence is not what divides the successful from the less-successful. Although intelligence certainly does help, what makes a student successful is good time management. Undergraduate students, especially newly admitted freshmen, have a hard time transitioning between high school and college because they think they can approach college like they did high school. Trust me, for most people, it does not work. When you were in high school, at least when I was, you would have exams on one, maybe two, chapters of whatever you were studying. You would then study them one or two nights before the exam. If you look at the class schedule for this class, each exam covers a minimum of four chapters, and those chapters can be long. Studying all the material for college the night before an exam can be disastrous. You simply do not have the time to do that and you will most likely be unable to retain the material for the exam. The key, therefore, is to break down whatever you need to study in more manageable parts. For example, you should begin studying for your exam a week before it. To make your studying less traumatic, total up the pages that you need to read and divide by six. Whatever the number you come up with is a more controllable amount to study per day. Your seventh day, test day, should be for review and taking the exam. Always remember the adage: How do you eat an elephant? One bite
at a time. You can apply this method to any course you take throughout the remainder of your academic career. A final note about studying: when studying for the exam, it should not be the first time you study the material. You should be reading the material during the week it is due, or else how can you take the quiz and do well on it? Rather, studying for the exam should be at the very least the second time you have encountered the material that you will be tested over. Success in your courses is kind of like winning a championship in sports, it is a long process. You cannot earn the grade you desire at the beginning of the course, but you certainly can lose your opportunity to achieve it. From the first day, therefore, you must do everything possible to get the grade you want. Here are some more tips that I can provide that you can certainly take advantage of. Use a two spiral approach to your notes. Take one spiral and label it Class. This is the one you will take to class and write your notes. You can be as messy as you want, as long as you can understand what you are writing. When you get home, though, take your second spiral, label it Home. In it, nicely and neatly re-write your notes. This does a couple of things. First, it exposes you to the material a second time, and if you are keeping up with your reading, that s a third time. Second, it lets you know what questions that you may have to ask during class. I would recommend that you ask the questions publicly so that everyone can benefit. Knowledge breeds confidence, and the more you know, the more confident you will be, and the better you can perform in this course. My final tip is simple: use all the resources you have available. This college is here for one thing: YOU. Everyone, from the most junior staff member to the president of the college, work here for your betterment. You have many resources at your disposal. The most important one is me. Come and see me at my office, call me on my phone, or email me. I am here to ensure that you have ample opportunities to succeed. If you think that your tuition is to allow you to just attend class, think again. Imagine your tuition as a bill for a bundle (cable, internet, phone) from Time Warner Cable. If you are just attending class, you are paying for all three services but just using the cable. Go to the library to study. Take advantage of all that your money enables you to use. Finally, for those of you that are bad at history or just do not like it, I can certainly relate. There are things that I do not enjoy reading about as they simply do not interest me. How do I get through it? I just read the material with an open mind and think of it as a story. Think of your favorite novel or movie, are there tedious parts in it despite the overall work being really good? That s how history is, it has peaks and valleys of interest for everyone. Read the material for this course for what it is, a story that helps us define what we mean when we say American. When you place your readings within that context, it should help you be more engaged within the material.
Course Schedule: This is a tentative schedule and these dates are subject to change. The instructor reserves the right to change the date should the need arise. Therefore, it is your responsibility to keep up to date with changes in the syllabus by checking your email on a daily basis. Makeup exams and quizzes will not be provided due to missing an exam or quiz because of a changed date. Week 1 January 13 January 19 Reconstruction Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Quiz due by Saturday, January 19 by 11:55 PM Week 2 January 20 January 26 New Frontiers: South and West Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Quiz due by Saturday, January 26 by 11:55 PM Week 3 January 27 February 2 Big Business and Organized Labor Chapter 20 Chapter 3 Quiz due by Saturday, February 2 by 11:55 PM Week 4 February 3 February 9 The Emergence of Urban America and Gilded Age Politics Chapters 21 and 22 Chapters 21 and 22 Quizzes due by Saturday, February 9 by 11:55 PM EXAM #1 DUE BY Sunday, February 10, BY 11:55 PM Week 5 February 10 February 16 An American Empire- Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Quiz due by Saturday, February 16 by 11:55 Week 6 February 17 February 23 The Progressive Era Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Quiz due by French 23 by 11:55 PM Week 7 February 24 March 2 America and the Great War Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Quiz due by Saturday, March 2 by 11:55 PM Week 8 March 3 March 9 The Modern Temper Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Quiz due by Saturday, March 9 by 11:55 PM EXAM #2 DUE BY SUNDAY, March 10, BY 11:55 PM March 10 March 16 Spring Break
Week 9 March 17 March 23 Republican Resurgence and Decline Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Quiz due by Saturday, March 23 by 11:55 PM Week 10 March 24 March 30 New Deal America Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Quiz due by Saturday, March 30 by 11:55 PM Week 11 March 31 April 6 From Isolation to Global War Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Quiz due by Saturday, April 6 by 11:55 PM EXAM #3 DUE BY SUNDAY, April 7, BY 11:55 PM Week 12 April 7- April 13 The Second World War Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Quiz due by Saturday, April 13 by 11:55 PM LAST DAY TO DROP THE COURSE AND RECEIVE A W IS FRIDAY, APRIL 12 Week 13 April 14 April 20 The Fair Deal and Containment and Through the Picture Window: Society and Culture, 1945 1960 Chapter 31 and 32 Chapters 31 and 32 Quizzes due by Saturday, April 20 by 11:55 PM Week 14 April 21 April 27 Conflict and Deadlock: The Eisenhower Years and New Frontiers: Politics and Social Change in the 1960s Chapters 33-34 Chapters 33 and 34 Quizzes due by Saturday, April 27 by 11:55 PM Week 15 April 28 May 4 Rebellion and Reaction in the 1960s and 1970s and A Conservative Insurgency Chapters 35 and 36 Chapters 35 and 36 Quizzes due by Saturday, May 4 by 11:55 PM Week 16 May 5 May 11 FINAL EXAM DUE BY WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
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