Discipline: Humanities Degree Credit  [X]
Non Credit  [ ]
Nondegree Credit  [ ]
Comm Service  [ ]
 

Riverside Community College District
Integrated Course Outline of Record

Humanities 4


COURSE DESCRIPTION
4 Arts & Ideas: Ancient-Medieval Units: 3.00
 
Prerequisite(s): None.

Advisory: Qualification for English 1A
An interdisciplinary study of the cultural movements in art, architecture, literature, music, philosophy, and religion of Western Civilization. The cultural achievements of the ancient world and the middle ages are studied to develop an understanding of their philosophical ideas, values, cultural meaning, artistic form, and contributions to modern thought. Students may not receive credit for both HUM 4 and HUM 4H. 54 hours lecture.
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION FOR CLASS SCHEDULE
An interdisciplinary study of the origins of movements in art, literature, music, philosophy, and religion in Western civilization from ancient times to the medieval period.
 
ADVISORY ENTRY SKILLS
Before entering the course, students will be able to:
  1. critically discuss and analyze primary and secondary texts, recognizing key ideas and responding in both oral and written form;

  2. analyze, synthesize, and evaluate concepts studied in primary and secondary texts using intermediate to advanced critical thinking skills;

  3. compose developed, unified, stylistically competent writing assignments and adjust writing to the target audience with intermediate to advanced skill.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

Define key terms of artistic and intellectual movements from a culture-based perspective, providing a basis for their interpretation and evaluation

Identify the elements and movements in art, music, literature, and popular culture in each period being studied and describe how these movements relate to one another

Interpret and compare primary texts and examples of art and cultural artifacts from the time period or culture which produced them

Analyze recurring human problems across geographical and temporal boundaries and the peculiar problems unique to particular cultures and periods

Describe how the Western philosophical and cultural heritage acts as a continuing influence on the arts and ideas of the present

Demonstrate understanding of fundamental problems in Western thought through analytical and critical discussion of relevant arts and ideas

Demonstrate understanding of fundamental problems in Western thought through analytical and critical written assignments totaling a minimum of 3000 words per semester
 
COURSE CONTENT
  TOPICS
 

Coverage of topics by instructor may be thematic, text-, or genre-based, within a chronological context.  Instructors should cover all the cultures and time periods listed in italics. Listings of sub-topics, individual readings, and historical figures are provided as examples of those which might be chosen by individual instructors.

  1. Stone Age, Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultures Art, architecture, literature, religion
  2. Minoan and Mycenaean cultures
  3. Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic Greece
    1. Historical, social and cultural contexts, including the Persian and Pelopponesian Wars, the Age of Pericles, Athens vs. Sparta, Alexander the Great
    2. Literature:  Oral epic, lyric and dramatic poetry; tragedy and comedy; oratory
    3. Art and architecture, including pottery, statuary, temple and column styles
    4. Music and musical theory
    5. History, science and philosophy: logic and ethics
    6. Representative figures:  Pre-Socratics, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, Herodotus, Thucydides, Pericles, Lysippus, Philip of Macedon, Alexander the Great, Demosthenes, Homer, Sappho
  4. Republican and Imperial Rome
    1. Historical, social and cultural contexts: pre-Republican, Republican, Imperial periods; late Imperial period, Eastern vs. Western Roman Empires after Constantine
    2. Latin literature: written epic, lyric poetry and drama; prose histories
    3. Late Roman philosophical-religious developments:  Mithraism, mystery cults, stoicism, Epicureanism, skepticism, cynicism
    4. Representative figures:  Julius Caesar, Caesar Augustus, Roman Senate, Hadrian, Nero, Marcus Aurelius, Constantine, Epicurus, Lucretius, Cicero, Catullus, Virgil, Ovid, Cicero, Horace, Livy, Tacitus
    5. Roman art and architecture: Republican, Imperial, and late Imperial styles
    6. Judaism: major tenets and influence on Christianity
    7. Origins of Christianity and major tenets of Christian thought; early church fathers; Rome and Christianity; Edict of Milan
    8. Early Christian culture: art, architecture, literature, philosophy
    9. Representative figures:  Paul, Jerome, Augustine, Plotinus, Boethius
  5.  Byzantine culture
  6.  Islam major tenets and Islamic art & culture
  7.  Medieval Period
    1. Early medieval Christian culture: art, architecture, literature, philosophy
    2. Representative figures:  Gregory the Great, St. Benedict
    3. The Carolingian Renaissance:  Charlemagne, Alcuin, Einhard, Palace Chapel at Aachen
    4. Medieval historical, social and cultural contexts: feudalism, conflict between church and secular power; birth of universities; hierarchy of being; growth of trade, cities and towns
    5. Romanesque and Gothic art and architecture
    6. Medieval literary genres:  oral epic, fabliau, courtly love lyric, romance, allegory, miracle and morality plays, medieval tales, histories
    7. Medieval musical genres: Gregorian chant, early polyphony, ars nova, motet
    8. Medieval philosophy:  scholasticism, nominalism vs. realism
    9. Representative figures:  Maimonides, Abelard, Thomas Aquinas, Abbot Suger (St. Denis), Francis of Assisi, Hildegard of Bingen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Marie de France, Henry II, William the Conqueror, Chretien de Troyes, Dante, Boccaccio, Chaucer, Petrarch
  8.  Late medieval cultural developments
 
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
 Methods of instruction used to achieve student learning outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

  • Presentation of lectures and demonstrations on ancient and medieval arts and ideas, including primary texts, in order for students to understand the development of civilization and culture from the prehistoric period to the late medieval period.
  • Class discussions about cultural issues and differing critical interpretations of a given period/movement.
    Guest writers/lecturers invited to class to discuss topics related to arts and culture during these time periods.
  • Field trips to selected museums or cultural exhibits which promote and enhance understanding of the time periods being studied.
  • Showing films, videos, PowerPoint presentations, distributing handouts, and/or using electronic or computer-based media in order to reinforce understanding of concepts related to the various social, cultural, artistic developments and changes in Western civilization.
  • Cooperative/collaborative learning tasks and activities designed to assist students in applying concepts in the humanities and synthesizing ideas about art and culture.
  • Individual conferences in order to evaluate and advise students on written work or course content.
  • Computer-assisted and/or web-enhanced instruction which reinforces the course content.
 
METHODS OF EVALUATION
 Students will be evaluated for progress in and/or mastery of learning outcomes by methods of evaluation which may include, but are not limited to:

  • The writing of a minimum of 3000 words of formal interpretive/analytical prose.
  • Individual and group assignments designed to demonstrate successful understanding and application of basic concepts and definitions of periods, styles, and movements in arts and ideas.
  • Questions on topics and content designed to evaluate students’ understanding of the key approaches to understanding the growth of civilization and Western cultural thought.
  • Quizzes/examinations designed to assess students’ ability to recall, critically analyze and apply key concepts and course content.
  • Participation and regular attendance as required by instructor to ensure progress in mastering the course content and participation in collaborative learning projects.
  • Final examination designed to assess students’ mastery of the essential concepts explored in the course.
ASSIGNMENTS

Required Reading Assignments


Required Writing Assignments


Other Outside-of-Class Assignments
 
COURSE MATERIALS
 All materials used in this course will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for college level instruction. Possible texts include:

  • Benton, Janetta and Robert DiYanni. Arts and Culture: An Introduction to Humanities.Vol I. 2 ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005.
  • Cunningham, Lawrence and John Reich. Culture and Values: A Survey of the Western Humanities. Vol. I. NY: Harcourt, 2005.
  • Matthews, Roy T. and F. DeWitt Platt. Western Humanities, Vol I.. 5 ed. any: McGraw-Hill, 2003.
  • Witt, Mary Ann Frese. The Humanities: Cultural Roots and Continuities. 7 ed. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 2004.
  • Required primary reading selections may include, but are not limited to, excerpts from: Gilgamesh, Homer, Greek tragedy, Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, Virgil, Cicero, Marcus Aurelius, the Bible (excerpts), Augustine, the Quran (excerpts), Song of Roland, Beowulf, Chaucer, Dante, Boccaccio

    Additional materials may include professional, instructor- or student-prepared audio/visual materials, computer media/software, and instructor-prepared handouts.
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