This document provides an overview of the Twentieth Century Humanities course taught by Professor Will Adams. The course examines dominant ideas in Western culture expressed through art, literature, music, philosophy and religion during the 20th century. Students will analyze developments from 1901-1999 with an emphasis on modern and postmodern thought. Assignments include class participation, a cultural event paper, research project, and four exams. The course aims to foster critical thinking about humanity's artistic and intellectual development in the 20th century.

1. TWENTIETHCENTURYHUMANITIESProfessor Will Adams · Wadams5@valenciacollege.edu
Osceola Campus · Building 3, Room 208
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:45 – 11:20 AM
“Life in the twentieth century is like a parachute jump: you have to get it
right the first time.”
- Margaret Mead (1901 – 1978)
Course Description
• Twentieth Century Humanities offers the student integrated examinations of dominant
ideas in Western Culture expressed in art, literature, music, philosophy and religion during
the twentieth century. The course will cover the period from 1901 through 1999,
emphasizing development and influence of modern and postmodern ideas.
• This course is a Gordon Rule course in which the student is required to demonstrate
college-level writing skills through multiple writing assignments. A minimum grade of C
required if used to satisfy Gordon Rule requirement. In addition, this class will require the
student to utilize the Valencia Core Competencies: Think, Communicate, Value, and Act.
Course Objectives
• To understand the continuation and evolution of the human experience by thinking
critically about humanity’s artistic, cultural, and intellectual development.
• To broaden the student’s knowledge of the ideas and personalities of members of the 20th
century.
• To learn skills essential to critical thinking and synthesis of thought by carrying out scholarly
research and authoring thoughtful essays.
• To attend cultural events to recognize the continued relevance of the ideas being
discussed throughout the class’s duration.
Required Text
Gloria K. Fiero, The Humanistic Tradition, Book 6, ISBN: 0-07-291023-2
(Additional readings as assigned by the instructor throughout the semester)

2. Student Evaluation Formula
1. Attendance & Class Participation 30%
• Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class meeting, and count as part
of the attendance & participation grade.
• Tardiness of more than 15 minutes after the scheduled beginning of class
constitutes an absence.
• Please be aware that, under Valencia’s Attendance Policy, there is no such thing as
an “excused absence”.
• This includes any in-class assignment or group work or activity, as well as homework.
2. Cultural Event with Written Evaluation 15%
• You will be required to attend one cultural event throughout the class’s duration.
• Throughout the class’s duration, the instructor may suggest various events to you,
but it is ultimately your own responsibility to find and attend an approved cultural
event.
• Proof of attendance at said event must be furnished (i.e. ticket stub, program, etc.)
• A two-page “reaction” (i.e. non-research) paper is required. Be sure to answer the
following questions: What did I do? What did I think of it? What did I learn?
3. Research Project 25%
• One 4-page written research project is required.
• Proper MLA style citation should be used for all written assignments.
• One draft may be turned in for the professor’s perusal two weeks prior to the due
date.
• Plagiarism = A grade of zero. No exceptions.
A detailed research project description will be distributed later.
4. Examinations 30%
• Four long-form examinations will be administered, once at week 3, once at week 6,
once at week 9, and once at week 12.
• Examinations will not be cumulative in their subject matter.
• You will be given a study guide for most exams, at the instructor’s discretion.
Grading Scale
100 – 90% = A
89 – 80% = B
79 – 70% = C
69 – 60% = D
59 – 50% = F

3. Schedule of Class Meetings
CLASS MEETING DATE CLASS MEETING TASKS
Tuesday, May 8th
ACTIVITY: Introduce class
ACTIVITY: Distribute & discuss syllabus
Thursday, May 10th
LECTURE: The Analytical Life of Sigmund
Freud
Tuesday, May 15th
MEET IN LIBRARY
ACTIVITY: Research Project assigned &
library visit
Thursday, May 17th
LECTURE: Come One, Come All!: The
Story of Vaudeville, Burlesque & Cabaret
FILM: Chicago
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENT: Chicago film
response
Tuesday, May 22nd
FILM: Chicago
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENT: Chicago film
response
Thursday, May 24th
IMPORTANT: EXAM #1
Report to Testing Center
Tuesday, May 29th
NO CLASS – Make-Up Memorial Day
Holiday
Thursday, May 31st
NO CLASS
READ via CANVAS: The Wildness of the
Fauves
Tuesday, June 5th
LECTURE: A Delicate Balance: Frank Lloyd
Wright & Fallingwater
ACTIVITY: Cantilevering competition
Thursday, June 7th
LECTURE: The Art of Recovery: The New
Deal, The WPA, & The FAP
Tuesday, June 12th
LECTURE: C’mon, Get Rhythm!: Blues,
Jazz, & Rockabilly: The Forerunners of
Rock
Thursday, June 14th
IMPORTANT: EXAM #2 (MIDTERM)
Report to Building 3, Room 208
Tuesday, June 19th
LECTURE: What Is Film Noir?

4. Thursday, June 21st
FILM: Casablanca
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENT: Casablanca film
response
Tuesday, June 26th
FILM: Casablanca
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENT: Casablanca film
response
Thursday, June 28th
LECTURE: The Scene Inside: The Life &
Work of Jackson Pollock
IN-CLASS ACTIVITY: AbEx Painting
Tuesday, July 3rd
LECTURE: We Shall Not Be Moved: Civil
Disobedience & The Civil Rights
Movement
Thursday, July 5th
FILM: Selma
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENT: Selma Film
Response
Tuesday, July 10th
LECTURE: POP! Goes the World
HOMEWORK: Pop art endangered
species
Thursday, July 12th
IMPORTANT: EXAM #3
Report to Building 3, Room 208
Tuesday, July 17th
RESEARCH PROJECT DUE &
PRESENTATIONS
Thursday, July 19th
LECTURE: The Counterculture Movement
Tuesday, July 24th
LECTURE: We Don’t Need Another Hero:
The Art & Agenda of Feminism
Thursday, July 26th
IMPORTANT: CULTURAL EVENT DUE
FINAL EXAM – 9:45 AM, Building 3, Room
208
Guidelines For Written Work
• All written work should be set in Arial 12-point font, with double spacing and standard 1”
page margins.
• Additionally, each written assignment (except for the research project) should begin with
the following header, placed at the top, left side of the first page:
Your First & Last Name
HUM2250 – 9:45 AM
Prof. Will Adams

5. Assignment Due Date (MM/DD/YYYY)
• The student must staple assignments of more than one page. The instructor will not
provide a stapler for your use.
• Finally, minimum page totals for any written assignment require that the written page be
filled in its entirety to count as one page. In other words, if a written assignment requires 2
pages, but the student only writes 1.5, the student will not earn all possible points for the
assignment.
Extra Credit Policy
• Each exam throughout the class’s duration will include one extra credit question equal to
10% of the exam’s total point value (i.e. A five-point extra credit question for a fifty point
exam).
• In addition, extra credit may be earned by writing more than the required number of pages
for any written assignment. Extra credit for extra written work will be given up to a
maximum of 15% of the assignment’s total point value (i.e. A two-page written assignment
is usually valued at 20 total points, at ten points per page. If the student writes 2.2 pages,
the student will receive 22 points for the assignment, rather than the standard 20).
• No other extra credit opportunities will be available.
Late Work and Make-Up Policy
• No late work will be accepted.
• No work will be accepted via e-mail.
• Exams must be taken on, or before, the date assigned – and only with the instructor’s
explicit consent.
• The final exam must be taken on the date published for final exams.
Attendance Policy
• Students are expected to attend every class. Attendance will be taken and will count as a
portion of the final grade.
• After the FOURTH absence, a student has missed two full weeks of class; a notice of
Excessive Absences may be issued and the student may be withdrawn at the professor’s
discretion.
Academic Honesty
• Plagiarism is intellectual theft and will not be tolerated.

6. • The student is expected to perform his or her own research and present his or her own
thoughts. Direct use of another author’s words or ideas, as well as paraphrasing must be
cited.
• Plagiarism in any work will result in a grade of zero for that assignment.
Computer & Equipment Use Policy
• Use of computers in the Business, IT, and Public Service classrooms at Valencia
• College is restricted to those activities designated by the instructor to enhance the class
materials.
• Computer use is remotely monitored; any student using computers inappropriately may be
subject to dismissal from class or banishment from the lab.
• Any other use is strictly forbidden. Inappropriate use includes, but is not limited to:
• Use of computer to send E-mail or access Internet sites not specifically assigned in
class.
• Use of computer for job, internship, homework or other activities not assigned in class.
• Modifying any hardware or software system configuration or setting.
• Activities not in accordance with the Valencia Student Code of Conduct
• Use of computers in the departmental open lab is limited to those activities involved
with preparing homework or coursework in this department and is subject to the same
restriction as listed above.
Class Conduct
Be polite.
Students with Disabilities
• Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a
notification from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs
with the professor, preferably during the first two weeks of class.
Disclaimer
This outline may be altered, at the instructor’s discretion, during the term; it is the
responsibility of the student to make any adjustments as announced.