1. INSTRUCTION
Syllabus
PHILOSOPHY 205: COMPARATIVE WORLD
RELIGIONS
“PHI 205 851”
Fall 2014
Instructor: Justin S. Whitaker Phone: 928-351-7249
Office Location
and Hours:
Online; available via skype by appointment or online
chat (Angel) Wednesday and Thursday from 10am-
noon (MST).
E-mail: jwhitaker@mohave.edu
Class Dates, Days,
and Times:
First class, August 25th
; Last class, December 15th
(100% online with regular weekly logins expected)
Class
Location:
Online
https://angel.moha
ve.edu/
Drop Period: August 25 – September 2 (Be aware that dropping a course can affect your financial aid.)
Withdrawal
Dates:
September 3 – December 12 (Be aware that withdrawing from a course can affect your financial
aid.)
Secondary
Contact:
Bill Burrows, BBurrows@Mohave.edu Course
Modality:
Online
ANGEL: All courses are web-enhanced and, as such, all students are required to have access to ANGEL.
ANGEL can be accessed via the Library and the Student Success Center on each campus. Access
ANGEL through the MyMohave portal at http://www.angel.mohave.edu Note: Grades may be
checked on Angel.
Course
Description:
PHI 205 Comparative World Religions. Three Credit Hours. This course includes a study of major
religions in the world today together with background material of third world and ancient religions,
comparison of the major doctrines of these religions, the development of doctrines, and the
influence they have upon one another.
Course Goals: 1. Define basic terms and concepts found in various world religions.
2. Summarize the basic beliefs of major world religions.
3. Compare and contrast the core belief systems among the major religions found in the world.
4. Define the concept of New Religious Movements, identify several major religious groups that
are considered NRM’s, and explain why they are considered NRM’s.
5. Analyze and critique the role religion has played society (politics, economics, etc.) and
in major world events.
6. Describe how the study of religion is related to (is impacted by and has an impact on)
other academic disciplines.
7. Discuss the importance of studying world religions and how study in
this area can support cultural diversity.
Materials/
Equipment:
• REQUIRED: Access and use of ANGEL (to include email feature)
• REQUIRED: Access to Internet (Computer Center available on campus)
• REQUIRED: Access and use of a word processing program (MS Word, Works, etc.)
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2. INSTRUCTION
Syllabus
Textbook Title,
Author, and ISBN:
RELG by Robert E. Van Voorst; Cengage Publishers
It is perfectly okay to buy the book second-hand. If you purchase this text new you can get a very
large set of online resources and a free eBook. ISBN# 978-1-111-72620-1
Other Resources: login.cengagebrain.com: The student companion site for the text, with study aids and other tools.
Course Assignments:
Exams: 2 @ 100pts each 200 pts
Presentations: 12 @ 10pts each 120 pts
Paper 100 pts
Participation 70 pts
Mini-Quiz 10 pts
(see below for the late work policy) 500 pts
• Exams: There will be two major, comprehensive exams in this course. The exams will be objective in
format, consisting of a mixture of multiple choice, fill in the blank, listing, defining, and essay questions.
The Midterm will be available from Thursday (noon MST) until their due date, with a ninety minute time
limit once started, so ensure that you have ninety minutes to take the exam when you will not be disturbed.
The due dates for the exams are:
EXAM 1: Week 8 (end of week = Sunday night at 11:55pm MST)
EXAM 2: Week 16 (last day of class, 11:55 MST)
• Presentations: Students will give a weekly presentation connected to the topics covered each week. In
order to get presentation points, students must be present and actively participating in the activity. These
activities cannot be made up if/when a student is absent, regardless of the reason. The amount and quality
of interaction during each activity between students and with the instructor is expected to increase as the
course progresses. The dates for the class activities are listed on the syllabus. Even though the due date is at
the end of each class week (Sunday night, 11:55pm MST), you are encouraged to post your presentations
early to give adequate time for conversation through the week and consistently waiting until the weekend to
begin posting will lead to loss of points.
• Paper: Students will write a short paper (1500-1750 words, papers outside this range will not be accepted
resulting in a grade of zero) comparing a topic in two or three world religions. Students will follow the
guide/template provided in the class regarding sources, citation formats, etc. This is the only assignment
that I will take slightly late; see late work policy below. Topics will be assigned based on your interests
and discussion with the instructor by 10/26.
• As a “Writing Across the Curriculum” course, your writing skills will be evaluated in all assignments.
• Participation: As with an in-person class, you will be expected to attend regularly. This means logging
into the course on Angel at least 2 days per week – reading announcements, linked articles and videos, and
participating once per week in the Open Discussion Forum. Your grade is primarily determined by your
discussion forum activity and secondarily by a record of your logons.
Grading Criteria and Scale:
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Note: Grades may be checked on ANGEL.
Course Schedule: The following schedule is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion to better accommodate
student learning, course outcomes, and course flow. Changes will be announced promptly but may occur without
prior notice.
Session/week
beginnin
g
Required Reading/ Assignments/ Tests w/due dates
(With the exception of week 1, students are expected to read the assigned
materials before the class-week begins).
1 8/25/14 Ch. 1: Beginning your Study…; Introductions, syllabus quiz, AND Presentation #1
2 9/01/13 Ch. 2: Indigenous Religions; Presentation #2 (Goals 1, 2, & 6)
3 9/08/14 Ch. 3: Hinduism; Presentation #3 (Goals 1, 2, & 5)
4 9/15/14 Ch. 4: Jainism; Presentation #4 (Goals 1, 2, & 3)
5 9/22/14 Ch. 5: Buddhism; Presentation #5 (Goals 1, 2, & 3)
6 9/29/14 Ch. 6: Sikhism; Presentation #6 (Goals 1, 3, & 5)
7 10/06/14 Ch. 7: Daoism and Confucianism; Presentation #7 (Goals 1, 6, & 7)
8 10/13/14 Ch. 8: Shinto; no presentation MIDTERM EXAM (Goals 1, 2, & 3)
9 10/20/14 Ch. 9: Zoroastrianism; Presentation #8 (Goals 1, 2, & 7)
10 10/27/14 Ch. 10: Judaism; Presentation #9 (Goals 1, 2, & 5)
11 11/03/14 Ch. 11: Christianity; Presentation #10 (Goals 1-5)
12 11/10/14 Ch. 12: Islam; Presentation #11 (Goals 1-5)
13 11/17/14 Ch. 13: New Religious Movements; Presentation #12 (Goals 4 &7)
14 11/24/14 THANKSGIVING, Class participation still required (1 login for the week) (Goal 5)
15 12/01/14 Paper writing (Paper Due Sun., Dec 08, 11:55pm MST); Class participation still required
(Goals 5, 6, & 7)
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Grading Scale
A = 90 – 100%
B = 80 – 89
C = 70 – 79%
D = 60 – 69%
F = 0 – 59%
4. INSTRUCTION
Syllabus
16 12/08/14 Review for final; Class participation still required; FINAL EXAM (Goals 1-5)
**The instructor reserves the right to change or modify the above schedule based on the needs of the students in the
course, current developments in the academic discipline, or college issues that may affect the class as a whole.
General Course Information – Dealing with Time and Scheduling
In an on-ground 3-credit hour course, students could expect to spend about 3 hours in class each week, and another 6
hours of outside time on homework and class activities. Because this course is 100% online, students should expect
to spend the same 9 hours on coursework each week. This time commitment sometimes comes as quite a shock to
students. However, this is the universal guideline, as set forth by the Carnegie Unit Formula, which is used by most
colleges and universities in the United States.
Some weeks might require a little more time, and some weeks a little less. On topics or areas of study where you
require additional study time (this is especially true in mathematics and science classes) you may need to spend a
great deal of additional time studying the material until you are able to master the concepts.
If you are registered for 12-credit hours, then you should be spending about 36 total hours per week in class and/or
working on class-related activities. So having a 12-hour load as a full-time student is about the same as a full-time
job.
PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY. Students often over-schedule themselves, and then they are not able to devote
the time necessary to being academically successful.
Students are responsible for abiding by the Student Code of Conduct located in the Student Handbook which can be
found on the Students Form page at http://www.mohave.edu/documents/repository/STO/STO_0007.pdf
Access Angel through the MyMohave portal at http://mymohave.mohave.edu
MCC Connect/Help Desk: ANGEL access issues, password issues, and any other access concerns should be referred
to MCC Connect at 866-MOHAVE CC (866-664-2832) or by email to helpdesk@mohave.edu.
Student E-Mail Accounts: MCC uses this email account to send you important information. As a student, it is your
responsibility to check this account regularly or forward this email to an account that is checked regularly. For
information on how and where to access your MCC student email account, go through the MyMohave portal at
http://mymohave.mohave.edu
Student Support Services, Programs and Contact Information: Student support is available on all MCC campuses.
For all contact numbers see the phone directory and campus locations in the MCC Catalog which is found at
http://catalog.mohave.edu/ for information. Once on catalog home webpage, choose MCC staff in the second
paragraph to lead you to the phone directory; choose General Information in the menu on the left of the home
page to lead you to campus locations; choose Student Support Services and Programs in menu on the left side of
the page for a listing of services.
ADA Statement: Mohave Community College strives to facilitate, within reason, appropriate resources, services,
and auxiliary aids to allow each qualified person with a documented disability equitable access to educational
programs, social experiences, and career opportunities. If you need accommodations at Mohave Community
College for a documented disability, please contact the Student Services Specialist on your campus or the Disability
Services Director. Additional information can be located on with website at:
http://www.mohave.edu/resources/disabilityservices. NOTE: Students who wish to utilize these accommodations
must report their concerns to the Disability Services Director, not the instructor.
Diversity Statement: Mohave Community College is committed to providing equal employment opportunity,
educational opportunity, and advancement to individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national
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Syllabus
origin, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other legally protected class in
any of its policies, practices, or procedures. Respecting the diversity of life experiences, we seek to celebrate the
unique characteristics of all faculty, staff, students and community members. The college shall promote equal
opportunity and treatment on a continuing basis through a positive and ongoing affirmative action program. See
the MCC Diversity webpage for further information.
Code of Conduct: Students are responsible for abiding by the Student Code of Conduct located in the Student
Handbook which can be found at http://catalog.mohave.edu/ . Choose Student Handbook from menu on left side
of home page. Then choose Students Rights and Responsibilities. The Student Code of Conduct is the first item
discussed with a link to the total document. For further information on “What is plagiarism and why is it
important?” please refer to the following:
http://www.mohave.edu/documents/Library/Resources/Lib_Avoid_Plagiarism_1604.pdf
Course Withdrawal Process: It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from class within the withdrawal period
(see syllabus for withdrawal dates). Ceasing to attend does not constitute a withdrawal. Note that this process
takes four business days; please plan ahead. Note: When you withdraw from a class:
• You will receive a W with no credit values on your transcript.
• You are not eligible for a refund of tuition or fees.
• If you have received financial aid, you may have to pay back the monies received. You must contact the
Bursar’s office within 7 days to make payment arrangements on any outstanding amount. You will be
unable to register for additional classes or receive a transcript until financial arrangements have been
made with the Bursar.
Instructions:
1. Contact a Student Services Specialist who is an expert in Financial Aid to learn how you will be impacted
by withdrawing. Call MCC Connect at 866-MOHAVE CC (866-664-2832).
2. Using your MCC student e-mail, notify your instructor at his/her MCC email account that you intend to
withdraw from class.
3. After hearing from your instructor (or after three business days if the instructor does not reply), log in to
JICS and complete the withdrawal form. The date the form is submitted will be listed as your last day of
attendance.
4. Check your email for a confirmation of the withdrawal. Enrollment Service will send a confirmation of
withdrawal to the student, the instructor, Financial Aid, and the Help Desk.
Student Rights and Responsibilities: Students are responsible for abiding by College Policies which cover drug free
campus, emergency procedures, infectious disease, campus safety, sexual harassment, smoke free environment,
use of electronic devices, solicitation, visitor expectations, voter registration and weapons policy. The student
handbook also covers the disruptive student policy and the student honor policy, including academic integrity and
plagiarism, copyright compliance, dress code, FERPA information, the grievance process, and how to update
personal information. The academic section covers attendance, grading, auditing, incomplete course grades,
withdrawals, academic probation and dismissal, withdrawals, and incomplete grade contracts. Students are
responsible for abiding by the policies governing these topics that can be found in the MCC Catalog at
http://catalog.mohave.edu/. College Policies are found within the Student Handbook as are other policies in the
Students’ Rights and Responsibilities section.
This course is a hate-free zone. Inappropriate, disrespectful or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated and may
result in a student being withdrawn by the instructor. The instructor has the sole discretion to make determination as
to what is inappropriate, disrespectful or disruptive, as the instructor is responsible in maintaining a desirable
classroom environment for all students. Students should feel free to express themselves in a professional and
respectful manner.
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Plagiarism and other acts of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Plagiarism and academic honesty are
covered in-depth during the first week of the course. The first instance of plagiarism or the first violation of
academic integrity will result in a grade of zero for that assignment AND the maximum course grade the student can
earn will be a grade of C (no matter how ‘small’ the assignment in violation might have been). A second violation
will result in the student being administratively withdrawn from the course and the student will be issued a grade of
F, AND the student will be recommended for further disciplinary action from MCC. A student will NOT have the
opportunity to withdraw from the course in cases where the student is flagged for violations of plagiarism or
academic dishonesty. There are no exceptions. Further, no work will be accepted which has been submitted
previously to a past section of this course or any other course; all work must reflect the education in this class, this
term.
You are reminded that you acknowledge an understanding of the Honor Policy under which Mohave Community
College places all academic work. If you are aware of dishonest work by your classmates in this course or other
MCC courses, you are expected to contact the Honor Council through your campus Student Services Director. If
dishonest work occurs in online or ITV courses, contact the Distance Education Office.
Student-to-Student Collaboration
All students are expected to complete all coursework, quizzes, and exams independently. Working with another
student to complete ANY coursework is considered a violation of the Student Honor Code, specifically, a violation
of Academic Integrity. Collaboration can include (but is not limited to) sharing current or previous course
documents, taking quizzes or exams in the same location in similar timeframes, and assisting another student with
formatting/research/writing. Students are encouraged to study together – but studying together does not include
working together in the completion of course assignments. STUDENTS WHO SUBMIT WORK FROM THE
SAME IP ADDRESS WITHIN SIMILAR TIMEFRAMES ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE HONOR CODE, AS
THE INSTRUCTOR DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF
COLLABORATION (IF ANY) HAS TAKEN PLACE, AND IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A
STUDENT TO PROVE THAT THEY DID NOT VIOLATE THE CODE. As a reminder, students who share a
residential address are not permitted to register for the same online course.
What Happens in Cases of Academic Integrity Violations – COURSE GRADING POLICY
For the first violation – the student (all students involved) will receive a grade of zero on the assignment (no matter
how small or how large the assignment is) and the student will be able to earn an overall maximum course grade of a
B. A Behavioral Alert Form will be filed with Student Services. For the second violation – a second Behavioral
Alert will be filed, the student will receive a grade of zero for the assignment, will be administratively withdrawn
from the course, and will be issued a grade of ‘F’ for the class. A student who is sanctioned for a second violation of
Academic Integrity will not be permitted to withdrawal from the course in order to prevent the sanction from being
implemented.
Late work policy: Coursework is expected to be submitted on time. The course syllabus contains assignment and
exam due dates, so students should plan accordingly. Don’t wait until the last minute to complete coursework – we
all know that “life happens,” but good planning will allow you to keep yourself on track. Exams, quizzes, and
presentations will not be accepted past the due date. Papers submitted 1 minute – 24 hours past the due date will
have a 25% reduction in the total points possible; those submitted 24-72 hours after the due date will receive a 50%
reduction in the total points possible. No work is accepted later than 72 hours (3 days) past the due date except in
extraordinary circumstances, which will be evaluated by the instructor on a case-by-case basis.
Grading Rubrics:
Presentation Grading Rubric Criteria: The presentations will be graded in two parts, one focusing on your
presentation and one one your comments. The presentation is worth 6 points each week (excluding week 1, when it
is worth 10) and comments are worth 4 points.
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Criteria 2 Points 1 Point 0 Points
Critical
Thinking
Rich in content, comprehensive,
full of thought, insight and
analysis
Generally competent;
information is thin and
commonplace
Rudimentary and
superficial, no analysis or
insight is displayed
Connections &
Uniqueness
Clear connections to previous
or current content; Made with
depth and detail
Limited, if any connections,
vague generalities; Rehash or
summarize other postings
Off topic; little/nothing
more than “I agree with…”
statement
Writing Perfect/near perfect grammar
and spelling
Noticeable problems with
writing or grammar
Writing problems make
overall comprehension
difficult
Comments (x2,
so up to 4 pts
possible)
Adds thoughtfully and
specifically to the conversation:
previous readings, other parts of
our book, news, videos, articles,
etc (cited)
More opinion than fact
presented; cited material not
sufficiently explained or
connected with original post
Very little addition, no
reference to outside sources.
Exam Essay Grading Rubric Criteria:
Exam Essays: Opening note: I understand that any in-class exam requires you to write under time constraints and a
certain amount of duress, so I do not expect you to produce answers as polished here as you would in a take-home
format. In other words, I will not expect flawless organization, grammar, and spelling for the in-class final exam.
Your grade for the essay portion of the final exam, then, will come largely from how comprehensive, detailed, and
pointed you are in your responses. With that in mind, the following criteria apply to the essay portion of the exam.
The “A” essay is of superior quality that meets all of the following requirements:
• Clearly addresses the question.
• Includes a clear thesis and develops that thesis throughout the response.
• Presents an opening paragraph to introduce the response, a body (usually 2-4 paragraphs) to develop
the response, and a distinct final paragraph to restate the thesis and conclude the response. Paragraphs
are unified, coherent, and linked by smooth transitions.
• Shows evidence of not only familiarity with the material but also highly developed critical thinking
and understanding about the material.
• Incorporates a number of relevant references from the primary sources to support claims about the
material.
• Communicates in appropriate academic (that is, formal) language with few (if any) errors in grammar,
mechanics, or spelling.
The “B” essay meets most of the requirements for the “A” essay but falls short in one or more of the following
areas:
• Addresses the question but lacks the tight focus of an “A” essay.
• Thesis is clear but not as clearly defined as it could be.
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• Organization is sound but the paragraphs have neither the coherence nor the seamless transitions of an
“A” essay.
• Shows evidence of familiarity with the material and solid critical thinking and understanding of the
material.
• Includes a few references from the primary sources to support claims about the material.
• Language is clear and appropriate but contains a noticeable number of errors in grammar, mechanics,
or spelling.
The “C” essay is a satisfactory essay that contains one or more of the following trouble spots:
• Does not completely address the question.
• Thesis lacks clarity.
• Organization lacks coherence and unity.
• Shows evidence of familiarity with the material but fails to reveal any involved sense of critical
thinking and understanding about the material.
• Offers a general discussion about the material but fails to include any specific references to the primary
sources.
• Contains a significant number of errors in grammar, mechanics, or spelling.
The “D” or “F” essay contains one or more of the following weaknesses (with a “D” essay being barely acceptable
and the “F” essay being unacceptable):
• Does not clearly respond to the question.
• Thesis is either unclear or absent.
• Organization is poor.
• Reveals no or only partial familiarity with the material.
• Contains more than twenty (20) errors in grammar, mechanics, or spelling.
• Falls well short of a length necessary to adequately respond to the material.
Evaluation Sheet—Paper
1. Clear thesis, appropriate to assignment 5 6 7 8 9 10
2. Effective introduction 5 6 7 8 9 10
3. Essay is clearly and logically organized 5 6 7 8 9 10
4. Effective, vivid supporting material 5 6 7 8 9 10
5. Author uses clear, sophisticated sentences 5 6 7 8 9 10
6. Effective paragraphing w/ transitions 5 6 7 8 9 10
7. Essay is free from mechanical errors 5 6 7 8 9 10
8. Essay demonstrates proper English usage 5 6 7 8 9 10
9. Essay demonstrates insightful critical thinking 5 6 7 8 9 10
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