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PHIL 99 - Philosophy Special Projects

Philosophical Imagination

Sample Course Syllabus

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Course Description:     

This course is for students who wish to extend their knowledge of an area of philosophy through individual research and study.

Course Objectives

Successful completion of this course means that you will have learned to:

  1. Participate in a directed philosophical study or philosophical research project that is at least the equivalent in scope and demand to assignments required in a Philosophy lecture course, including reading, writing, critical evaluation of sources, and presentation of information and conclusions orally or in writing.
  2. Define and develop a special project in Philosophy with a member of the Philosophy faculty that focuses on a specific topic.
  3. Evaluate and use primary and secondary philosophical sources.
  4. Collect, organize, and analyze data.
  5. Complete the requirements of the special project assignment in Philosophy as required by the instructor.
  6. Present the completed special project in a written, oral, and/or digital/video format as agreed to in advance by the instructor.

Learning Outcomes

The Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) we are currently studying for students in this course include:

  • SLO 1: Students will be able to evaluate and use primary and secondary philosophical sources.
  • SLO 2: Students will be able to collect, organize, and analyze data.

How to Design and Complete a Special Projects Course in Philosophy

  1. Identify a topic or set of topics for your Special Project.
    • Examples: Reading seminar on moral philosophy, original paper from recently collected data set exploring race from a philosophical perspective, working as a research assistant with a faculty member.
  1. Secure a willing faculty member to serve as supervisor for the Special Project.
    • This could be someone who taught a class you have taken, or someone you know through some other event, club, or opportunity.
  1. Determine the number of Units.
    • This course can be taken as a one-, two-, or three-unit course.
    • The number of units determines the number of readings and amount of work assigned – see the Course Introduction below for further details.
  1. Develop a Special Project proposal outlining your work and goals for the coming semester.
    • Think of this proposal as a syllabus for your Special Project. It should include a breakdown of what work you intend to do and when; any material you intend to read or engage with during the Special Project (a reading list); any deliverables produced during the course of the Special Project and when they should be completed by; and a deadline for the final product, as well as a rough idea of what that final product will be.
    • This final product can take many shapes – a paper, a poster, a blog, an op-ed, a video journal, a presentation, just to name a few.
  1. Submit final deliverable at the end of the semester to your professor for the project.
    • In addition to submitting your final product to your Special Project supervisor, you must also complete paperwork for the Division Office.  You can discuss this with your professor.

An Introduction to the Course

This course offers students recognition for their academic interests in philosophy and the opportunity to explore the discipline of philosophy to greater depth. The content of the course and the methods of study vary from semester to semester and depend on the particular project under consideration.

Special Projects Courses are designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore a discipline to greater depth. This course offers you the opportunity to explore the discipline of Philosophy. This course provides transferable units equivalent to lecture hours. Your professor will ensure that approved projects contain a level of rigor and academic expectation equivalent to a comparable in-class course of similar unit value.

For every unit of credit earned, students will spend a minimum of 18 hours on their projects.

One Unit Special Project

18 hours required

Two Unit Special Project

36 hours required

Three Unit Special Project

54 hours required

 

You will keep a log of your hours to verify you have earned the units you have requested for your project.

The content of each course and the methods of study vary from semester to semester and depend on the particular project for the course. The project will vary according to the interests of the student, the objectives of the project, and the requirements of the professor.

You must meet with your professor to discuss the planned project and to agree on the scope of the project and the overall expectations. Your professor will provide you with grading criteria based on the objectives of the project. Once you have agreed on a project, you will be asked to sign a contract, clearly delineating the objectives and outcomes for the course. The contract will also define the parameters of the project including the minimum hours required to receive a passing grade.

Upon completion of the semester, students will submit a log of hours accrued interpreting and debriefing with colleagues and a report summarizing how each of the individualized student outcomes for the project have been met.

Course Prerequisite

None

Course Information

This course is conducted entirely online, which means you do not have to be on campus to complete any portion of it. You will participate in the course using the course management system CMS called CANVAS which you can access by going to myportal.mtsac.edu.

Course Material Requirements

Research materials and texts for this type of project are generally found through the Mt. SAC library resources.

Computer/Technical Requirements

Access

  • If you do not have access to a computer off-campus, there are
    many computer labs on campus you can use to participate in the course. Most public libraries also have computers with internet access that you can use for free.

Software & Hardware Requirements

  • You will need to have an up-to-date internet browser, operating system, and some additional software on your computer to take this class. Check the Distance Education page for hardware & software requirements.

Course Communication

Announcements

Announcements will be posted in CANVAS on a regular basis. They will appear on your CANVAS dashboard when you log in and/or will be sent to you directly through
your preferred method of notification from CANVAS. Please make certain to check them regularly.

Canvas Inbox

Check your messages in the CANVAS system. Please check your messages regularly. When submitting messages, please do the following:

  • Put a subject in the subject box that describes the message content with your name, week and message subject. For example: YOUR NAME WK.2
  • Before sending me a message asking general questions about the class, please be sure to read the entire syllabus and :)
  • Do not submit your assignments by
  • Make certain to check your messages in your Canvas inbox

Communicating With Your Professor

Yes, there are guidelines for how to communicate with your professors! Our Mt. SAC counselors have written some guidelines for students on this subject which I strongly encourage you to read at Email Netiquette: How to Communicate Effectively with College Professors.

 

Assessment & Grading Turnaround/Feedback

During the week (M-F), I will monitor the class several times a day. If you have a concern and send me a message, you can expect a response within 24 hours, usually much earlier. You will be given grades and/or feedback on assignments and assessments within a week from the submission date.

Course Participation Policy

Participation is essential to your success in this class. In distance education courses you are required to participate just as if you were in a face-to-face course. This means that in order to get full credit for participation, you will need to complete your assignments on a timely basis. Consistent failure to participate in class will result in being dropped from the course.

Grading

The following represents the grading components of this course:

To be decided by guidelines of project

You will be graded on a straight-scale basis, meaning:

A                                 90 - 100%
B                                 80 - 89%
C                                 70 – 79%
D                                 60 – 69%
F                                    0 – 59%

NOTE: There are no “plusses” (+) or minuses (-) at Mt. SAC – everyone receives a straight grade.

You can view your grades using the GRADES button in the course navigation

links. Please check your grades regularly to make certain that I have received all your assignments. If you have a question about a grade, email me through CANVAS INBOX.

Other Course Policies

Late work

If you have an extenuating circumstance, please contact me by private message before the assignment is due to make alternate arrangements. If that is not possible, please do your best to contact me as soon as possible, especially if you missed a quiz.

Drop

In order to avoid getting an F for the course, it is your responsibility to officially withdraw from the class prior to the deadline.

Students who do not participate in class, that is, who consistently do not complete assignments, quizzes, respond to discussion forums or turn in other work will eventually be dropped from the class for non-participation.

Please note that at a certain point, even I cannot drop you from the course, and I would then be forced to give you a grade at the end of the semester.

Academic Honesty/Student Conduct

As a student at Mt. SAC, you are expected to follow the College’s guidelines for Academic Honesty/Student Conduct found in the College Catalog. This means that you should not:

  • Plagiarize, that is, use another person’s words or ideas as your own without proper
  • Collaborate with others unless specifically requested in an assignment or
  • Let another student log in to your CMS

If a student is caught plagiarizing/cheating, they will receive a failing grade for the work they have plagiarized, and they may receive a failing grade for the course. (Please note that these standards are described more fully in your Mt. SAC catalog, and they apply to all of your classes.) Please note that failure to follow this policy will result in disciplinary action which can affect your academic standing in the College.

Special Needs

Online courses are required to meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility guidelines. This means that all aspects of the online learning experience are accessible. Please let me know if you have adaptive software and hardware to assist you with taking this course or if you have any specific needs of which I should be aware.

If you think you might have a learning disability and you are interested in testing and information about resources, please contact ACCESS. I encourage you to take advantage of the resources that are available to help you reach your academic goals! You can contact ACCESS at https://www.mtsac.edu/access/.

Additional Resources

Tech Support

If you need technical assistance at any time during the orientation or to report a problem, you can contact the College Help Desk at 909-274-4357 or helpdesk@mtsac.eduIt is also helpful if you let me know what kinds of technical difficulties you encounter so I can continue to improve the course.

Additional Student Resources

There are many services on campus to help you achieve success in your courses. Check out this Student Services Link for information on library services, computer lab hours, research help, and online tutoring.

Distance Education Website

The Mt. SAC Distance Education Department has resources to help you with your online learning experience. Check out their website

at http://www.mtsac.edu/distancelearning/.

How to Design and Complete a Special Projects Course in Philosophy

  1. Identify a topic or set of topics for your Special Project.
    • Examples: Reading seminar on moral philosophy, original paper from recently collected data set exploring race from a philosophical perspective, working as a research assistant with a faculty member.
  1. Secure a willing faculty member to serve as supervisor for the Special Project.
    • This could be someone who taught a class you have taken, or someone you know through some other event, club, or opportunity.
  1. Determine the number of Units.
    • This course can be taken as a one-, two-, or three-unit course.
    • The number of units determines the number of readings and amount of work assigned – see the Course Introduction below for further details.
  1. Develop a Special Project proposal outlining your work and goals for the coming semester.
    • Think of this proposal as a syllabus for your Special Project. It should include a breakdown of what work you intend to do and when; any material you intend to read or engage with during the Special Project (a reading list); any deliverables produced during the course of the Special Project and when they should be completed by; and a deadline for the final product, as well as a rough idea of what that final product will be.
    • This final product can take many shapes – a paper, a poster, a blog, an op-ed, a video journal, a presentation, just to name a few.
  1. Submit final deliverable at the end of the semester to your professor for the project.
    • In addition to submitting your final product to your Special Project supervisor, you must also complete paperwork for the Division Office.  You can discuss this with your professor.