Course Syllabus
[Delete: Blue text preceded by the word "delete" should be deleted before publishing. Red text preceded by the word "edit" should be edited or used verbatim and changed to black before publishing.
Sections marked with a red asterisk * are required in accordance with Temple policy.
Sections marked with a blue asterisk * are required for General Education/IH courses.
You should remove the asterisks prior to making your syllabus available to students.]
IH 851: The Good Life/IH 852: The Common Good*
Course Code, Section, CRN
Term, Year
Instructor:
Syllabus PDF
[Delete: Modify the information above with your specific course details, including details on where and when in-person or virtual classes will be held, or indicating that there are no set meeting times (for asynchronous courses). You can add a link to a PDF version of your syllabus as well, but note that students seldom refer back to it and instead consult the "syllabus" page here on Canvas. Either way, the pdf must duplicate the required content used here.
Please note that the course name MUST be the name of the General Education course as listed in the Bulletin.
The course syllabus will provide you with the course schedule, course objectives, explanations of assignments and assessments, grading policies, and instructor contact information. Please read it carefully. You should have a deep familiarity with the schedule and process of the course.
Navigation Menu
Use this menu to move to different sections of this page.
Basic Course Information
General Education*
This course is required by the General Education Program. All Temple students take this course, and four of the seven texts are read across all sections of the course to promote a shared learning experience.
Welcome Message
[Delete: A syllabus isn’t just the student guide for success in the course; it is also an opportunity to set the tone of the course. Intentionally welcoming students to participate in the intellectual adventure of your course helps students to see that you are invested in their success and that they belong in your course.
If your welcome message is located in the Start Here tab, as it is for online sections, you can delete this section.]
[Edit: Welcome to (course name)! We’ll be spending the semester together in an exploration of the intricacies of ________. Along the way, you’ll also get an opportunity to learn new ______ skills, such as….]
Meeting Time and Location*
Day(s) of the week, time, location
Emergency Meetings
[Edit or use: In the event that we are unable to meet in person, such as due to bad weather, expect a Canvas announcement directing you to a Zoom meeting or providing other guidance.
Students are to register for the TUAlert System to be made aware of University closures due to weather or other emergency situations and follow all additional university-wide emergency instructions. Students can register for this system on the Campus Safety Services website.
Please note that online classes are generally not affected by campus closures.]
Instructor Information
My Name:*
Title and Full Name
Please refer to me as XXXXX. My pronouns are XXX/XXX/XXXX.
[Delete: Sharing your pronouns, especially when they seem obvious, signals an awareness of and sensitivity to gender issues that will reassure some of the students in your course that your course is a welcoming and inclusive space.]
Instructor Biography
[Delete: In addition to spending one or two sentences establishing your credibility/credentials, consider noting how excited you are to be teaching the course and how much you look forward to working with the students. If you can make some comments about your own struggles as a student with the course subject matter, please do so!]
My Contact Information*
[Edit or use: Please reach out to me at any time for assistance with the course or just to chat about the field or navigating university life. The best way to reach me is to send me a message through the Canvas inbox or email me at ####@temple.edu. I will generally respond within 24 hours, Monday through Friday. Please do not send a follow-up email before 24 hours have passed.]
My Office*
Building Name #### and/or Zoom link
Student Drop-In Hours*
[Edit or use: Seeking out individual assistance from the instructor is a normal part of the learning process. I set aside X:XX to X:XX on Mondays and Wednesdays for you to come to my office with no appointment necessary. We can discuss the course content, your progress on the assessments, your future in the field, or anything else you need to talk about. If my regular Drop-In Hours don’t fit your schedule, please email me to make an appointment. I want to help you succeed!]
[Delete: This is a rebranding of Office Hours designed to encourage students who may not understand the purpose of Office Hours. Additionally, the sample language is intended to normalize help-seeking behaviors as part of the learning process.
You may also want to offer a Zoom room that will be open on a weekly basis for the benefit of students not otherwise coming to campus.]
Purpose of the Course
Overall Purpose*
The Intellectual Heritage curriculum introduces students to intellectually and artistically influential works, both ancient and modern, from cultures around the world. In seminar-style classes, students read and discuss books that have shaped the ways people think and act, working together to interpret their historical significance, their relation to one another, and their relevance today. IH asks students to discover and debate timeless questions of human experience, to face different values and viewpoints fairly, and to examine the present in relation to the past. The attitudes cultivated in IH—thoroughness, open-mindedness, intellectual courage, and vision — prepare today’s students, tomorrow’s citizens, for lasting learning and engaged lives.
Overview of the Course*
[Delete: This MUST include the official description from the course catalog/Temple bulletin, listed below].
USE EITHER:
Students will read important works of world literature, philosophy, and religion, from ancient epics to graphic novels, with a focus on individual well-being. We will ask questions like: What do we value, and why? What makes for happiness? What’s right and wrong? How is what’s good for me defined by my relation to others? What is the purpose of life?
or
Students will read important works of social, political, and scientific thought, with a focus on well-being for societies. We will ask questions like: Where does society come from? How do we balance individual liberty and the public good? What behaviors and practices perpetuate injustice? Can we create a better society? How do power and privilege define our capacity to make change? How do we find truth? Can facts be detached from cultural contexts?
[Instructors may add an additional paragraph or two that reflects your specific emphases, course narrative or pedagogical approaches.]
3 Credit Hours
Learning Goals*
By the completion of this course, students will have developed the skills and knowledge needed to
- investigate fundamental questions of human experience from a variety of perspectives.
- evaluate the historical, social, and cultural bases of prevailing beliefs.
- make connections between historical texts about human existence and current moral, social, and political issues.
- sharpen analysis and argumentation skills through a variety of expressive modes.
- share ideas, ask questions, and actively listen to peers in a free and honest exchange of multiple viewpoints.
The Learning Environment
How Our Class Will Be Conducted
[Edit to reflect your course pacing and rountines; this is a sample you can use or adapt as needed)
The course is organized into weekly modules, each containing a combination of readings, multimedia content, and assignments. I will post weekly announcements to keep you on track and informed, and I will check discussion boards regularly to engage with student posts and answer questions. Written or video feedback on assignments is typically provided within one week of the submission deadline. You are encouraged to reach out with any questions or concerns at any time.]
Classroom Civility
[Delete-- CAT encourages a statement about classroom norms. Here is their advice and suggested language. Please edit as fits your course: Depending on the nature of the course, you may not need all the language in this section, but all courses can benefit from establishing an environment of respect for each other’s differences in values and opinions. However, a statement in the syllabus is rarely enough to set this tone in a classroom. An activity at the start of the semester, such as a Think-Pair-Share or discussion board for online sections with a prompt about classroom dialogue rules, will go a long way to establishing meaningful and civil communication in your classroom.]
[Sample Statement 1: It is important to foster a respectful and productive learning environment that includes all students in our diverse community of learners. Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University's nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Therefore, all opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse.
Treat your classmates and instructor with respect in all communication, class activities, and meetings. You are encouraged to comment, question, or critique an idea, but you are not to attack an individual. Please consider that sarcasm, humor, and slang can be misconstrued in online interactions and generate unintended disruptions. Profanity should be avoided as should the use of all capital letters when composing responses in discussion threads, which can be construed as “shouting” online. Remember to be careful with your own and others' privacy. In general, have your behavior mirror how you would like to be treated by others.
For more information, please visit the IDEAL website.
Sample Statement 2: In this course, we will have conversations that address racism, sexism, imperialism/colonialism, gender identities, sexual orientation, religion, political polarization, and other issues that some may find challenging and uncomfortable to discuss, so we will prepare as a group and develop agreements about how we can have these discussions in a productive and respectful way, and help us consider viewpoints that may be different from our own. In this class, we want to make space for each student and create an inclusive environment where we respect each other’s different identities, lived experiences, and perspectives. Please do not ever hesitate to reach out to me if I can do something better or differently to support your learning or our collective learning experience.]
Materials*
[Delete: Please remember that Temple faculty members are encouraged to select course materials that balance excellence and affordability, recognizing that the potential costs vary significantly across disciplines and courses. Some students may be experiencing financial hardships. Where possible, provide ways for students to access course materials at no or lower cost, such as the Library’s electronic reserve, EZ Borrow/ILLiad, etc. Clarify if older editions are available and appropriate, or whether the textbook is available to rent.
For help making your materials affordable, contact the Textbook Affordability Project.]
Required course materials are available from the Follett Bookstore at Temple University. Please note that the Follett bookstore offers a guaranteed price match for course materials.
For this course, the cost range, including all books, online access fees, expenses, and other materials, is approximately [$##-$##].
Required Materials
[Edit: Title by Author, edition, publisher, ISBN]
Links to other required readings, videos, etc., will be supplied electronically in Canvas in the appropriate module. These items will be provided to you at no additional cost.
Optional Materials
[Edit: Title by Author, edition, publisher, ISBN]
Software or Other Supplies
If you need access to basic software for creating documents, slideshows, or spreadsheets, you have free access to Microsoft 365.
[Edit or delete: Whether you use a paper or digital tool, you should have a calendar for managing your schedule. I use Outlook calendar, a software available to you as part of the Microsoft 365 suite of tools. Similarly, I expect you to take notes while reading course materials and during lectures, but the choice is yours whether to use software or paper.]
Accessibility*
[Edit or use: It is important to me that every student has the opportunity to succeed in this course. Please reach out to me if any obstacle is in the way of your success.]
[Delete: This sentence, above, is a personal message from you and should be edited to fit your own voice and style. The paragraph that follows should be kept as written.]
Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) located in the Howard Gittis Student Center South, 4th Floor at drs@temple.edu or 215-204-1280 to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential. Students can learn more about the accommodation process and pre-register on the DRS website. Students may register at any time during the semester, but accommodations are not active until you register, so I recommend doing so as early in the semester as possible.
Information regarding accessibility for additional technologies is provided below: [add/delete as appropriate]
Resources and Support*
Sometimes the biggest factors impacting student success are things happening beyond the scope of the individual classroom. Temple provides a wide array of resources both to help you overcome academic challenges and those not directly related to the educational challenges of the course. Please reach out to me if you need help deciding which resources might be right for you.
Undergraduate Research Support
Disability Resources and Services
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry is in operation as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.
Grading & Assessment Guidelines
[Delete: This syllabus uses the term Assessment rather than Assignment to emphasize the importance of instructor feedback on student work. An Assignment is a task to be completed for the benefit of the assignor. An Assessment is a task that serves the needs of the performer, as it yields useful feedback on their performance.]
Grading Scale
[Delete: Note that this reflects the default grading scale in Canvas, but faculty may want to adjust the scale in their courses. Drop into the CAT lab for information on how to do this in Canvas.]
|
A Range |
B Range |
C Range |
D Range |
F Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
A 94-100 |
B+ 87-89.99 |
C+ 77-79.99 |
D+ 67-69.99 |
F 0-59.99 |
|
A- 90-93.99 |
B 84-86.99 |
C 74-76.99 |
D 64-66.99 |
|
|
B- 80-83.99 |
C- 70-73.99 |
D- 60-63.99 |
Course Minimum Grade*
A grade of “C-” or better is required in all GenEd courses for you to satisfy a General Education requirement.*
[Edit or use: I will do my best to warn you if you are in danger of not meeting this minimum, but you should reach out to me if you become worried about not achieving the minimum needed grade.]
Assessment Summary*
The assessments in this course have been created for two reasons: (1) For you to demonstrate your progress towards the learning goals for the course and receive useful feedback. (2) For you to practice skills and develop ways of thinking that will be of use to you in the future.
|
Grading Item |
Due Date |
Percentage |
|---|---|---|
|
Assessment 1 |
|
XX% |
|
Assessment 2 |
|
XX% |
|
Assessment 3 |
|
XX% |
|
Assessment 4 |
|
XX% |
|
Assessment 5 |
|
XX% |
[Delete: The relative grade values you place on an assessment is a means of communicating priorities to your students. For example, if you ask them to complete 15 homework assignments and they are worth, in total, only 5% of the student grade, that will be read by some students as an indicator that they should spend their time and energies on higher priority tasks.]
Assessment #1
[Delete: Some instructors include copies of all their assessment directions and rubrics in their syllabi. Making that information available to students is great, but including it directly in the syllabus balloons page count and can overwhelm the reader. As an alternative, consider adding a link to a separate document with all the assessment details or placing all the details in Canvas.]
[Edit: Summary of assessment]
Assessment #2
[Edit: Summary of assessment]
Assessment #3
[Edit: Summary of assessment]
Assessment #4
[Edit: Summary of assessment]
Assessment #5
[Edit: Summary of assessment]
[Edit: More information on each assessment will be provided approximately three weeks before their due date.
When planning your semester, I recommend adding all due dates to your calendar. For the more extensive assessments, I recommend scheduling at least two separate hour-long work/study sessions per week for the two weeks before the due date. The final project will require more time. You should schedule time beginning just after the midterm.]
[Delete: Modify this section to ensure clear communication of your own practices and expectations.]
Late Submissions/Missed Exams & Quizzes
[Edit: Life gets in the way for all of us from time to time. Please notify me if you may miss a deadline or an exam/quiz as soon as possible. Please do not delay in informing; as soon as you suspect a problem, let me know. Depending on the timing and the specific assessment, I may ask you to give me a copy of your current draft. Whether you will be given an additional opportunity to complete the assessment will be decided on a case-by-case basis.]
[Delete: Modify this section to ensure clear communication of your own practices and expectations. Include information about the process and procedures your students should follow to notify you if something occurs, and whether you will accept assignments late or let students make up a missed quiz/exam.]
Class Attendance & Participation
[Edit or use: Your attendance and participation are expected at all our class meetings, especially given that this is a seminar-style class. The classroom is an inherently social environment where we are all mutually responsible for each other’s learning. I encourage you to make friends so that, in the event that you must miss class, you can borrow someone’s notes for the session. Furthermore, if you miss class, we lose your perspective in classroom discussions and learning activities. If unforeseen circumstances cause you to miss multiple sessions, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss the situation.]
[Delete: Modify this section to ensure clear communication of your own practices and expectations. For online asynchronous courses, clearly define what counts as participation and how often students should engage with the course.
School-Life Conflict
Many unpredictable things can happen over the course of a semester. If you find yourself struggling to balance your education and your other commitments, please reach out to me immediately so that we can work together to build a plan for your success. Some of the resources in the next section may also be of use to you.
Attendance and Your Health
To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to the course requirements. However, if you have tested positive for or are experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. It is your responsibility to contact me to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as you can, and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion.
[Delete: It is in the best interests of the university community if we do not enact policies that make students feel that they must come to in-person classes when they are contagious. Please use common sense and compassion when navigating these issues with students. Please do not send students to Student Health Services for a note confirming reasons for absence.]
Religious Holidays
It is your right to observe religious holidays without impacting your opportunity to learn and succeed in this course. Please reach out to me at the start of the semester so that deadlines can be reviewed in advance of your religious observations. You will still be held responsible for course content and any assignments, but you will not lose points for attendance and participation on days important to your faith.
Caregiver Responsibilities
I have great respect for students who are pursuing their education while responsible for the care of children or other family members. Please contact me if you encounter challenges that require you to miss a class session or if your caregiving responsibilities are interfering with your success in the course. Together, we may be able to find some flexibility to support your learning.
Withdrawal
If you are considering withdrawing from the course after the add/drop date, please don’t make that decision alone! Withdrawing from the course without talking to me first eliminates the possibility of finding a path to success for you. Furthermore, it is extremely important that you consult your academic advisor before withdrawing. They will be able to walk you through how the withdrawal would impact your progress towards your degree and your graduation date.
Please check the academic calendar for the last day to withdraw from a course.
Incomplete
A student will be eligible for a grade of “Incomplete” only if the student: 1) has completed at least 51% of the work at a passing level, 2) is unable to complete the work for a serious reason beyond their control, and 3) files a signed agreement with the instructor outlining the work to be completed and the time frame in which that work will be completed. The student is responsible for initiating this process, and all incomplete forms must be sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs prior to the start of study days in that semester.
Please refer to the following for further details: Temple University’s Incomplete Policy. (Policy #02.10.13).
Technology Guidelines
Technology Requirements*
To participate in this course, you will need the equipment, software, and internet access necessary to reliably use Zoom and Canvas, as well as “productivity tools” like word processors and slide show creators.
Limited resources are available for students who do not have the technology they need for class. Students with educational technology needs, including no computer or camera or insufficient Wifi access, should submit a Student Technology Assistance Application located in TUPortal and linked from the Dean of Students Support and Resources. The University will endeavor to meet needs, such as with a long-term loan of a laptop or Mifi device, a refurbished computer, or subsidized internet access.
Note that there are technology resources available for students, including on-campus computers available for student use, the Tech Center computer labs and free laptop and battery borrowing at Charles Library, software that is available for free download and other specialty software that may be available for remote access through ITS.
Technical Support
For a listing of technical support services available to Temple University students, see the Tech Support page.
Live Chat or Request Help: help.temple.edu
Phone: 215-204-8000
Email: help@temple.edu
Website: its.temple.edu
Location: The TECH Center, Room 106
Technology Usage
[Edit or use: Excellence in any endeavor requires attention. To that end, we need to be mindful of the unnecessary use of technology in the class. To avoid distracting yourself or others, please only use your laptop, phone, or other device for activities relevant to the course. If you find yourself needing to take a call or participate in a text, please excuse yourself from the classroom and return as soon as you are able.]
Class Recording
[Edit or use: Individuals are not permitted to record, copy, publish, or redistribute audio or video recordings of any portion of the session to individuals who are not associated with the University without the express permission of the host/faculty member and of any other meeting participants who are recorded. Distribution without permission could be a violation of various privacy laws, including FERPA, as well as the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act, and possibly copyright law.
[Delete: Omit if not appropriate to your course. You may also want to include language about Zoom AI transcripts if you have the AI Companion enabled. See Guidelines for Generative Artificial Intelligence]
If we use Zoom for any component of the course, these Zoom meetings will be recorded, and you will have access to these through the end of the course. These recordings are intended to be for University academic and research purposes only.
Attending Zoom meetings using an AI proxy is not allowed.
Privacy and Data Protection
Please see the links below to become familiar with the privacy policies for each of the following:
AI Policies*
[Delete: Please read the pdf of our Guidelines for IH Faculty on Student Use of Generative A and place your policy on AI use to help create your AI policy for the course here!
IH Program Faculty AI Guidelines.pdf
Whichever policy you adopt, please:
• State it clearly in your syllabus, using or adapting the sample language provided from the Center for the Advancement of Teaching.
• Revisit it in your assignments: note on each major assignment whether AI use is permitted and in what form.
• Explain your reasoning to students. They are more likely to respect a policy they understand.
• Be prepared to revise your policy mid-term if necessary and communicate any changes clearly]
Academic Guidelines
Academic Freedom*
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. I have the freedom and responsibility to design and facilitate our learning environment to best achieve the promise of the course as outlined in its official description. You have the responsibility to engage with the course in good faith and freedom from mistreatment when your opinion differs from mine. Note that it is not an abuse of this freedom for me to require that you support relevant opinions with clear argumentation and solid evidence. For more on academic freedom, consult the official Temple policy on the matter.
Academic Integrity*
[Delete: Although this section is an important part of your syllabus, it is also important that you discuss academic integrity with your students. Some students cannot always distinguish a clever work-saving shortcut from cheating, especially in the age of AI. Clearly communicating to students your expectations can help avoid heartache in this area.]
Temple University believes strongly in academic honesty and integrity. Plagiarism and academic cheating are, therefore, prohibited. All work you submit for assessment should be your own efforts. For more on this topic, consult the relevant portions of Temple Bulletin and the Student Conduct Code.
Course Schedule
[Delete: Your course schedule should follow a predictable, easy-to-navigate pattern, such as week-to-week, day-by-day, or unit-by-unit. Include the first and last day of classes, the last day to add/drop, the last day to withdraw, days off, breaks, wellness days, etc. See Temple's Academic Calendar for dates.]
Please include your schedule on the "Course Schedule" page, linked below:]
Click on this Course Schedule Page Link to find the schedule of readings, assignments and activities for the entire semester.