REL-405-OL


	Syllabus for REL-405-OL

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Introduction to World Religions is an introductory course, offering a foundation in religious literacy. The religious traditions encountered in this course are those that are alive today and involve the lives of the majority of people worldwide--African religions, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and the religions of China and Japan.

The course is interdisciplinary in that it includes historical and social materials, literary and artistic expressions, and philosophical and theological insights of world religions. In a world that has become increasingly aware of its cultural diversity and richness, it is clear that one way to gain access to that diversity and richness is by exploring the religious consciousness and practice of a people.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

The basic goal of Introduction to World Religions is to explore the meaning of religion, its broad characteristics, and religious consciousness, practice, and expression exemplified in the history and religions of the world. After studying this course, you should be able to:

Describe the scholarly methods used for the objective study of religions.
Distinguish the various aspects under which this subject is studied and explain the various kinds of evidence that are relevant.
Demonstrate an ability to enter sympathetically into the thought-world of others and to appreciate what their religious beliefs and practices mean for them.
Explain and describe the historical and geographical settings of the religions under study and describe their present condition.
Explain the meaning of key concepts and modes of expression used in different religions.
Identify the function and force of key sacred rites and ways of worship of the religions under study.
Identify the extent to which these religions have had an impact on human life, both social and individual.
Describe humankind's "religious quest" as expressed in these world religions.
Demonstrate familiarity with some of the literature of the world religions studied.

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COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete the work of the course. These materials are available from the textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Required Textbooks

The Ways of Religion, 3d ed., edited by Roger Eastman (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999).

Worldviews: Crosscultural Explorations of Human Beliefs, 3d ed., by Ninian Smart (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000).

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COURSE STRUCTURE

Introduction to World Religions is a 3-credit online course consisting of six assignment modules. The course requires that you read the texts as assigned, complete and submit six written assignments, and take a proctored midterm examination and an unproctored, online final examination. You are also required to take part in five graded online discussions and an ungraded "Introductions" forum.

At the end of each of the six assignment modules, you will complete a written assignment and submit it to your mentor for correction and grading.

For the course's six assignment activities (reading assignments, discussion activities, and written assignments), go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site. See also the course Calendar.

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ONLINE PARTICIPATION

In addition to posting an introduction to the class in module 1, you are required to participate in five graded online discussions, each focusing on an issue relating to world religions.

Communication with the mentor and among fellow students is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a discussion question and at least two subsequent comments on classmates' responses. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

Your initial responses and subsequent comments on classmates' responses are due on the days specified by the course Calendar.

For additional information on online discussions, see Online Discussions in the Online Student Handbook.

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WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

Introduction to World Religions has six (6) written assignments. These assignments consist of sometimes specific and sometimes general problems or questions connected with a particular religion or the interconnections between and among religions. Check the course Calendar for when you are to submit these assignments to your mentor. Go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site to find the written assignment questions you are asked to reflect upon and submit to your mentor.

Responses to written assignment questions are expected to be well developed and reasonably detailed. Each essay should be at least three (3) double-spaced, typed pages or equivalent. They should clearly demonstrate your understanding of the course materials. Do not merely copy answers from your reading materials, but when you make use of material from your readings, be sure you cite it properly (i.e., with footnotes or endnotes).

Prepare your written assignments using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.

Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.

When satisfied that your assignment represents your best work, submit it to your mentor by means of the

>>View/Complete Assignment

link provided at the bottom of the respective assignment page. Use the Browse button within this link to locate and attach your assignment file. Click submit button to turn in the assignment.

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EXAMINATIONS

You are required to take two examinations: a proctored midterm examination and an online final examination. Consult the course Calendar for the timing of these exams.

Midterm Examination
The midterm is a closed-book, proctored exam. It is two hours long and covers all material assigned through Module 3, unit 3.2 of the course. It consists of four essay questions.

You may take the examination only during the designated midterm exam week, at an approved location, and with an approved proctor. In this regard, you need to schedule your exam and submit your "Proctor Request Form" with the necessary documentation no later than the end of the first week of the semester (see Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site).

If you are on a course extension and have not yet taken the midterm exam, you must let your examination proctor know when you plan to take the exam and contact the Office of Test Administration (609-984-1181) two weeks in advance to request that your exam be sent to the proctor.

For more information on scheduling a proctored examination, see the section Examinations and Proctors in the Online Student Handbook.

Final Examination
The final is a closed-book, unproctored, online exam. It is two hours long and covers all material assigned in Module 4, unit 4.1 through to the end of the course. It consists of four essay questions.

The final exam is taken online in Blackboard. An exam link will be activated and made available to you in the Tests & Quizzes area of the course site at the start of the last week of the semester. You may take the exam at any time during that week, but no later than midnight Saturday (eastern time). If you are on a course extension, you will need to arrange with your mentor a time to reschedule the final exam.

Sample Examination
You will find a sample online examination in the Tests & Quizzes area of this course site. Use this sample exam to familiarize yourself with the online testing setting and format before you take your online exam. Keep in mind the following potential differences between the sample exam and your online exam:

The content of your exam will match the content of your course; the sample exam has some generic questions on art history, world history, and environmental science.

Your exam is likely to include only one type or at most several types of questions (such as multiple choice or essays). The sample exam includes all the types that you might encounter in an online assessment at Thomas Edison State College.

You will be able to enter and take your exam just once—once you have entered the exam you must complete it. The sample exam may be taken as often as you like.

There will be a penalty for exceeding the time limit in your actual midterm and final exams (see the "Statement about Cheating" below), whereas there is no corresponding penalty with this sample exam.

Statement about Cheating
The final examination in this course is an unproctored exam. That means you will not be supervised while taking the test. You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.

Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.

Plagiarizing answers.

Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.

Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.

Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

Please also note that the exam is time-limited. That means you only have the allotted time in which to complete the exam. If you exceed the time limit on the exam, you will be penalized by having two points deducted for every minute that you exceed the time limit. This may also result in your failing the course.

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GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Written Assignments	35 percent
Online Class Discussions	15 percent
Midterm Examination	30 percent
Final Examination	20 percent

Letter grades for online participation, written assignments, and examinations are based on the following numerical grades:

A	=	93–100	C+	=	78–79
A–	=	90–92	C	=	73–77
B+	=	88–89	C–	=	70–72
B	=	83–87	D	=	60–69
B–	=	80–82	F	=	Below 60

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of D or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, projects, papers, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted.

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STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.

Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams and arrange for proctors, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.

Arrange to take your midterm examination by following the instructions in the Online Student Handbook and in this document. Then complete the "Proctor Request Form" and submit it to the Office of Test Administration (OTA) before the end of the first week of the current semester. (See Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site.)

Familiarize yourself with the Blackboard environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.

If you are not familiar with Web-based learning, or specifically with the Blackboard platform, be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips
Consider the following study tips for success:

To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking your examinations. For details on each assignment module and a complete listing of learning activities, go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.

Before starting the first lesson, take time to look at all the materials, including the textbooks and assignments.

It is strongly recommended that you prepare a complete set of notes based on your readings of the texts used in the course. This will help organize your thinking and improve your memory, which will, in turn, better prepare you for the examinations.

Check the Announcements page and class Discussion Board regularly for new course information.

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Syllabus Index

This document contains the following main sections:

Course Description

Course Objectives

Course Materials

Course Structure

Online Participation
Written Assignments

Examinations

Grading and Evaluation

Strategies for Success