Syllabus: Getting Started

Getting Started

Course Materials: CD-ROMs

Archaeology in the News

Class Discussions

Assessments and Grading

Module Overview

Welcome to Civilization/Humanities USU 1320, "An Introduction to the Origin and Development of Civilization Focusing on Egyptian Civilization." Dr. David F. Lancy, Professor of Anthropology at Utah State University, developed this course. It was a team effort and contributors include Megan Andrew-Hobbs, Eddie Loo, Kevin Reeve, Kathy Daugherty, Micah Schicker, David Debry, Kathryn Summers, Becky Tomlinson, and Buck Hedges. This course is constantly evolving to better meet the needs of students like you!

The Syllabus will cover the following sections:

  • Getting Started (this page explains the goals of the course)
  • Course Materials: CD-ROMs (information on how to use the CD-ROMs and necessary plug-ins)
  • Archaeology in the News (description of the writing assignment)
  • Class Discussions (information on how to prepare and to participate)
  • Assessments and Grading (information on how you will be tested and graded)
  • Module Overview (summary of the material covered in each section of the class)

Plan on spending at least 15 minutes with the syllabus.  Careful reading now will save you time in the future.   Please refer to this syllabus often. You can come here during the course of the semester to find quick answers to your questions.

Let's begin with a brief quotation from the Egyptian Book of the Dead:

We now return our souls to the creator,
As we stand on the edge of eternal darkness.
Let our chant fill the void
in order that others may know.
In the land of the night
The ship of the sun
Is drawn by the grateful dead.

And now you know where Jerry Garcia got the name for his band!

The four main goals for this class include the following:

  1. To assist you in learning some of the high points of world civilization.
  2. To assist you in approaching an expert level of understanding of Egyptian Civilization.
  3. To enhance your computer and media literacy. As you will see, the course uses a lot of modern information technology.
  4. To encourage you to plan your future around lengthy and repeated visits to the wonderful monuments of ancient civilization.

This course is not meant to be an "inoculation" with "ancient civ virus" so you never have to worry about it again. It is more like a gourmet buffet, designed to whet your appetite. In practicing what I preach, we will virtually"visit" dozens of sites which I was privileged to visit (mostly for the first time) during my 1995-'96 sabbatical. I made my second trip to Egypt in December/January of 1998-'99 and fourth in Dec. '02-Jan'03.. You can learn more about these trips and other adventures in the course under “Start Here/Meet the Team”.

If you have any questions about the course please contact the course assistant, whose email and other information can be found under “Start Here/Meet the Team."

PLEASE NOTE: The best way to contact Dr. Lancy or his assistant is through e-mail. DO NOT try to contact them by phone. Visit the "Meet the Team" page on the "Start Here" link to find contact information.

line of scarabs

You will need the following programs for this class:

  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Windows Media Player
  • QuickTime

Please refer to the "Computer Setup" page under the "Start Here" link for information on how to download these programs. Please also be sure you are using an approved browser, have checked your Java settings and have turned off your pop-up blocker. These simple things will keep Blackboard running smoothly on your computer.

If your computer has special protection/security software, firewalls, etc. you may need to know how to override or bypass the software to download the readings from Blackboard. Some security software requires permission to download anything from the Internet. The IT Service Desk (it.usu.edu) can help you sort out any computer problems.

Of Special Concern:

*Ethical Conduct:  Ethical conduct means finding and writing your own answers to class discussion questions, researching and writing your own writing assignment, and relying solely on your on memory to answer test questions.  Ethical conduct also means treating people with respect and obeying the law.   Students who engage in unethical conduct may, at the option of the instructor, receive an “F” grade for the course.

*Please visit the University's Academic Freedom and Honor Policies:
You can download a pfd from the link found on this page: http://www.usu.edu/aa/faculty/syllabus_resources.cfm.

The policy is in sections 403.2.1, 403.2.2, and 403.3.1, while procedures for students to follow for an accommodation request are in section 403.4.

*If a student has a disability that will likely require some accommodation, the student must inform the instructor and provide documentation through the Disability Resource Center (DRC). Any requests for special consideration must be discussed with and approved by the instructor during the first week of class. In cooperation with the DRC, course materials can be provided in alternative formats.

*If this is the first time you have logged onto the class website and it is past the second week of classes we recommend you drop this class and take it another semester. Beginning class work two weeks late puts you at a great disadvantage and will hurt your grade.

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