History 3312

Medieval Civilization

            This course introduces students to the world of medieval Europe, roughly 500-1500 C.E. Students will be exposed to some of the principal historiographical debates about the period, as well as the major types of primary sources available in English translation, and will develop facility in reading, analyzing, and interpreting both primary and secondary sources. Religion will be a central theme in this study of the so-called "Christian Middle Ages," as well as the ordering structures borrowed and adapted from Roman and so-called barbarian cultures. We will examine how medieval Europeans dealt with social, cultural, and economic change and will study reactions to the "Others" on the margins and in their midst: heretics, Muslims, and Jews.

Required materials: The following textbooks are required for the course and are available in the UALR bookstore.

Assignments and grading: Reading assignments are due on the day they appear in the lecture schedule below. Written assignments are weighted as follows:

Grading scale: A=90-100%    B=80-89%      C=70-79%      D=60-69%      F=0-59%

In case of some mix-up, it is a good idea to save all returned work until you receive your grade at the end of the semester.

Make-up exams: If you miss an exam and have a valid excuse, you may make up the exam on consultation day, May 4, but only by prior written arrangement with the instructor.

Disability Support Services: It is the policy of UALR to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal law and state law. Any student with a disability who needs accommodation, for example in arrangements for seating, examinations, note-taking should inform the instructor at the beginning of the course. It is also the policy and practice of UALR to make web-based information accessible to students with disabilities. If you, as a student with a disability, have difficulty accessing any part of the online course materials for this class, please notify the instructor immediately. The chair of the department offering this course is also available to assist with accommodations. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Disability Support Services, telephone 501-569-3143 (v/tty), and on the Web at http://www.ualr.edu/dssdept/.

History department assessment policy: The policy of the History Department is to engage students in the process of assessing courses in the department's curriculum. Department faculty and the UALR administration use assessment data to monitor how well students are learning both historical content and the skills of essay writing. At several points during the semester you may be asked to participate in this process by writing a brief essay in class or your instructor might submit one or more of your examinations for review by other members of the department. All assessment activities are conducted on an anonymous basis and any evaluations will be kept in strict confidence. When you are asked to participate in this process please do your best. Direct any questions regarding assessment to your instructor or the department chairperson.

Classroom etiquette: Please turn off cell phones and beepers or set them to a silent alert. Food and drinks are not allowed in the classroom. In the rare event you must enter late or leave class early, please let me know in advance.

Cheating and plagiarism: Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses and will be treated as such. ("Plagiarism" means "to adopt and reproduce as one's own, to appropriate to one's use, and incorporate in one's own work without acknowledgment the ideas of others or passages from their writings and works." See Section VI, Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Behavior, Student Handbook, p. 39. Copying directly from the textbook or an encyclopedia article without quotation marks or an identifying citation, for example, constitutes plagiarism.) Anyone who engages in such activities will receive no credit for that assignment and may in addition be turned over to the Academic Integrity and Grievance Committee for University disciplinary action, which may include separation from the University.

Copyright notice: Copyright © by Laura Smoller as to this syllabus and all lectures. Students and auditors are prohibited from selling notes during this course to (or being paid for taking notes by) any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the professor teaching this course.

Disclaimer: The instructor reserves the right to change topics and assignments on the syllabus at any point in the semester.