IDL 190 FRESHMAN SEMINAR IN THE HUMANITIES  EXPLORING HUMANITIES/COLLEGE SUCCESS

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GOAL:
   
This course is a modified version of the “college success” course Northern has offered incoming freshman for more than 15 years.  It is geared particularly to students who intend to major in English and/or History, but it will serve also as a good introductory course for most students starting their college careers.

The main purpose of this class is to help you make the most out of your years at Northern.  It will include cover the basic study skills necessary for success at the university level, (e.g., note-taking) and some of the more advanced skills necessary to doing college-level research in the humanities (e.g., interpreting primary sources).

Perhaps the most important part of the class is the chance to meet regularly with other freshmen whose academic interests are similar to your own, and (perhaps) to make some life-long friendships.  The class should also make sure that at least one professor on campus knows who you are and will act as an advocate on your behalf.

TEXTBOOK

    I have prepared a brief textbook for this class, Dragons, History Professors, and Other Hazards of College Life: An Incomplete Guide to Academic Success at Northern. Please read each selection in accord with the schedule below.  I appreciate very much any suggestions you may have on how the text might be improved for future classes. 

    You will also occasionally need copies of the books assigned for History 122.  Several of the classes will involve discussion of readings included in The Communist Manifesto and Other Revolutionary Writings (Dover).

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:

There will be a short assignment and/or quiz for each day the class meets. Most of these will be easy—if you have done the requested reading! Your course grade will be based on attendance (30% of grade), participation (30% of grade), and successful completion of the class assignments and quizzes (40% of grade).

NSU DISABILITY POLICY:

Northern State University recognizes its responsibility for creating an institutional climate in which students with disabilities can thrive.  If you have any type of disability for which you require accommodations, please contact Karen Gerety at the NSU Office of Disability Services (626-2371, Student Center 217) as soon as possible to discuss your particular needs.

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES:

M 9/10    How to Find What You’re Not Looking For: Adjusting to College

 *W 9/12    Note Well How to Note Well: Suggestions on Note-Taking (Dragons, Ch. 1-4. Also, please be sure to attend the activities fair on Sept. 13.)

  M 9/17    Learning to Read All Over Again: Approaching Primary and Secondary Sources (Dragons, Ch. 5. Please also bring your Descartes book to class.)

   M 9/24    Worth a Second Look: What Makes a Classic Classic? (Please bring your Pascal book to class).

  M 10/1    Spitting Back What They’ve Spit at You
        (Studying For Exams—Dragons, Ch. 7)

*W 10/10  Listen to the Lifeguards: Drowning Prevention and Rescue   Techniques

M 10/15 An Enlightened Age? (Dover, pp. 1-40)

M 10/22 How Revolting! (Dover, pp. 67-84)

M 10/29    Déjà vu All Over Again (MT Review)

M 11/5    It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

*W 11/14 A Manifesto Should be Revealing (Dover, pp. 123-150)

  M 11/19    Beware of the Mouse(Please bring your Dostoyevsky book to   class)

M 11/26    You Can Get it for You Wholesale (Financial Aid/Balancing Work and School—Session with Bev Werner. Please read Dragons, Ch. 9) 

M 12/3    What’s Worse than Finding a Worm in Your Apple? (Please bring Night to class).

M 12/10    They Say That All Good Things Must End (Dragons, Ch. 10)

*The three Wednesday class sessions are not required.  Do attend if you can.


BOARD OF REGENTS ACADEMIC FREEDOM POLICY:

Under Board of Regents and University policy student academic performance may be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled. Students who believe that an academic evaluation reflects prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards should contact the academic dean administratively in charge of the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.