Sample Syllabus

MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY – PHL 336 – Spring 200_

Dr. Catherine Villanueva Gardner  
Office: Group I 381; Tel: 508-999-8253

Office Hours: T 1-2; Th 10-11; W 2-4

E-mail: cgardner@umassd.edu
If you do not use UMassD email, please write "Med Phil" and your full name/last name in the message header.

Course Description

Examination of a period of philosophy that was both a continuation of the ancient Greek tradition and a precursor to Modern philosophy. This course will cover philosophy from Christian, Islamic and Jewish traditions. It will examine both the questions that characterized Medieval philosophical inquiry and the distinctive literary forms through which philosophers presented their arguments.

The following are some common misconceptions about Medieval Philosophy:

• "It has nothing to say to the modern reader"
• "It’s just theology, not philosophy"
• "It was so intellectually enslaved to the church that people could not think freely (and thus do philosophy)"
• "It’s hard to read and its content is way too obscure"

Yet try reconciling these views with the following facts:

• It was a period in which women philosophers flourished
• It was a period in which Islamic and Jewish philosophy were both connected to and influenced Western philosophy
• Many of the central philosophical issues of the Medieval period continue to be part of modern philosophical debate
• Philosophers often displayed their philosophical creativity through their choice of a particular form. Furthermore, some modern commentators have even claimed that these forms allow a hidden message that runs contrary to the text.

Course Objectives

The objectives of this course are to:

• gain an understanding of the origins, issues and approaches (including the literary) that characterized Medieval philosophical inquiry;
• analyze the interconnections between Islamic, Jewish and Christian philosophies;
• develop an understanding of why women philosophers flourished during this era;
• gain insight into the influences of the Medieval period on later philosophies;
• enhance critical thinking skills;
• expand abilities to argue (both orally and in writing).

Texts

List texts here.

Course Schedule

Provide schedule for readings and assignments (including examination schedule).

Course Requirements

The grading for the course will be based on the following requirements:
List assignments here. Make your expectations and requirements for assignments clear.

Course Policies

Reading: You are expected to keep up with the course readings and to be prepared to discuss them with each other. The aim is for us to work through the material during class to come to a reflective understanding of the goals and theoretical adequacy of each theory. If there is something that you still do not understand after a class discussion, please come and talk to me.

Written Work: Written work is to be turned in on time. It is to be typed, the correct length, and contain proper citations (in the format of your choice).

(i) For every day a piece of written work is late it loses a grade. Please see the policy below on late work.
(ii) Please double-space with one inch margins, in size 12 Times New Roman font.

Make ups/Late Work: A make up for a missed exam or an extension on written work will only be given in cases of illness or serious personal difficulty. You will need to provide suitable evidence (decided upon by me) of your inability to take the exam at the scheduled time. For example, a note stating that you went to the health center will not be considered suitable evidence, but a note from your doctor stating the dates you were unable to attend school and do school work would be considered suitable.

Academic Integrity: The university has an Academic Integrity Policy that specifies our institutional expectations for honesty and integrity in the learning environment. The policy explains what counts as violations of academic integrity and the penalties associated with those violations.
http://www.umassd.edu/studenthandbook/academicregs/ethicalstandards.cfm
[Note: some faculty like to state in advance their preferred penalties; others prefer a measure of flexibility. The crucial point is that your policy is clear and explained to the students].

Given that plagiarism is often the most contentious of the violations of academic integrity, it can make sense to add a specific comment on plagiarism and an explanation of what it is.

Sample statement on plagiarism: In any situation, plagiarism is a serious offense. Since much of your work in this class requires the use of an outside source, the citation of sources is mandatory. I expect every student in this class to understand the necessity of citing sources in all academic work in order to avoid plagiarism. For a thorough explanation of plagiarism, see:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/research/r_plagiar.html

Turnitin: If you plan to use Turnitin in your course, you must add a statement to this effect to your syllabus. See http://www.lib.umassd.edu/get/turnitin/turnitin_services.html for sample statements.

Students with disabilities: If you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please meet with the instructor at the beginning of the semester and provide the appropriate paperwork from the Center for Access and Success. The necessary paperwork is obtained when you bring proper documentation to the Center for Access and Success, which is located in Group I (LARTS), Room 016. Tel: 508-999-8711.

Incompletes: According to the university catalogue, an incomplete may be given only in exceptional circumstances at the instructor’s discretion. The student must be passing the course at the time of the request or sufficiently close to passing. If the work is not completed within one year of the recording of the incomplete grade, the grade will become an F(I). The incomplete policy for this course is that at least 70% of the course must be already completed and an exceptional circumstance (e.g., a medical issue) must exist. If you believe that you need an incomplete, please e-mail me stating your reasons for requesting an incomplete and giving times when you will be available to meet me to discuss it.

Attendance: State your policy on attendance. Make it clear whether there are – and if so what – consequences that result from violation of the attendance policy. 

In-class policies: Some people like to have in-class policies. For example, some people like to have no eating policies, while others like to have a stated policy on respect in the classroom.