Be sure to read this syllabus carefully It contains important information necessary to pass the course with a good grade Modifications will be made in it as necessary You will be notified via UB Learns check it regularly in recitations and in lectures Keep up with all readings UGC 112 World Civilizations since 1500 Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 30 10 20 a m spring 2009 Knox 104 Professor Claude E Welch cwelch buffalo edu 645 8434 417 Park Office hours Wednesdays 2 45 4 30 and by appointment Ben Carlson TA bbc2 buffalo edu Office hours Tuesdays 10 45 11 45am and Fridays 12 00 3 00pm Jenny Kahl TA jrkahl buffalo edu Office hours Tuesdays 10 45 11 45am and Wednesdays 1 00 4 30pm Josh Meddaugh TA Meddaugh buffalo edu Office hours Tuesdays 12 00 1 30pm 3 00 4 30pm and Thursdays 3 00 4 30pm Note All the TA s will hold their office hours in Park 506 inside the Political Science Department on the Fifth floor of Park Hall or the Second Floor of the Alfiero Center Basic philosophy Globalization provides the major theme of this class In the past 700 years dramatic transformation indeed revolutions have marked our globe Major changes occurred around 1500 in technology particularly military in communications with the spread of printing and literacy in foodstuffs with the transportation of new crops between continents in infection with the great gene exchange after the European discovery of the New World in beliefs the Renaissance and Reformation in the West helped pave the way later for democracy nationalism socialism and environmentalism and in power through development of a global market and the rise of blue water colonial empires We start in short at an exciting time at an era when limited connections existed among societies and continue to our electronicallylinked world How were these transformations perceived at the time What were the key strains uncertainties and excitement What were the consequences of change Who gained and who lost How have people from thousands of different societies been brought together economically and politically if not necessarily culturally or socially These are major questions we shall st probe I hope we can learn how the old affects our 21 century life and understand how other societies at different times have dealt with the challenges of change Reading The major text Tignor et al Worlds Together Worlds Apart MUST be purchased and the assigned chapters or selections read with care by the specified dates it is available at the University Bookstore on campus and at the College Bookstore on Maple Road in addition to on line sources The text can also be purchased at likely a lower cost through the electronic version Go to http www nortonebooks com welcome asp for instructions An equally inexpensive way is through used book stores Because it is an excellent text Worlds Together is widely available Be sure to give special attention to the introductions and summaries for each chapter as well as to the key terms including those circulated electronically each week Some readings will be available through course reserve Follow these steps carefully in order to obtain personal copies of required readings that have been placed on reserve Open your computer or go to a public facility Go to web browser Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox Click on UB libraries Click on course reserve at bottom of column at left under Quick Links Enter course number and click go Select article s you wish to reprint for personal use Click on its URL this will require that you do so twice The article will appear in pdf format Print using the print icon on the Adobe screen 1 Finally be sure to check at least daily with a major international news source such as www nytimes com or www bbc com for information You are expected to be able to link historical and contemporary events in this course The examinations may include questions from current events Note that the readings aren t that long IF you keep up with the assignments Don t cram them all in the night before recitation or tests but establish a regular routine We ve tried to keep the work to 15 25 pages per class which shouldn t be overwhelming You definitely should read each selection twice before class to get information in your mind which will be critically examined in lecture and in the days immediately before the exams In addition give close attention to the questions posed at the start of each chapter and to the summaries at their ends It s a very good idea to share ideas with friends don t just go over the same personal notes again and again quiz each other on key terms these will be circulated each week via UB Learns be sure to click on show all announcements and guess what you think are likely to be areas in which you will be tested These techniques will help you get a reasonable grade You are strongly advised to check your knowledge regularly by going to the website http www wwnorton com worlds Select the appropriate link for the Tignor text we are using You will find numerous questions on which you can practice before the exams Some items will be drawn from these practice tests for the exams themselves The examinations themselves will be open book However don t expect that you will be able to answer questions without careful prior reading of all assignments The tests are designed so that you can t simply go to the index and find answers that way Grading In class tests to be given February 17 and April 2 25 each total 50 Final exam during finals period 30 Recitation participation 20 This means you cannot get an A in the course if you are lax in coming to the recitations where your attendance is required Lectures are also important since information from them will be used on tests All examinations will be graded numerically with the numbers then used for APPROXIMATE letter grades The cut off points will be announced on UB Learns and are intended to give you a sense of where you stand Cut off points will be determined for each test The final determination of grades rests with the instructor who will decide the dividing line between say B and C There are likely to be approximately 25 A high honors 30 B honors 30 C pass 10 D minimal pass and 5 F failure Thus presuming reasonable effort on your part more than half of you should receive honors grades In reviewing for tests and at other times as well be sure to press the View last 30 days or View all tab That way you will be certain to get all the information that is relevant such as the key