BIS 490C (LN 11240)

Senior Seminar:

The American West

To the American Indians who lived there before Europeans arrived, to the peoples of every continent who have settled there during the last three centuries, to the world that knows its mythology through its representation in popular culture, the American West is a profoundly complex and fascinating place (or set of places). Taking an American studies approach, integrating history, literature, geography, and cultural studies, we will cooperatively develop a robust understanding of this rich site. In this senior seminar, which is recommended especially for  American Studies and Culture, Literature, and the Arts students but is open to any IAS senior, our guiding questions are: What is the American West and what are its past, present and future meanings?

As a seminar, this course will rely heavily on well-prepared students exchanging ideas in small-group and full-class discussions. Coursework in history, literature, or both would be helpful preparation for this course. Experience with academic research techniques, such as are taught in BIS 300 and in most concentration core courses, is strongly recommended.

Course text (available in the UWB Bookstore [save your receipts for a patronage refund] and in library reserve/reference). Note: Click here <http://tinyurl.com/6pamk > and click on the "UW Bothell" link to order books online. Enter the course line number (shown at the top of this page) for "UW SLN Code" (leave other spaces blank) and hit 'enter.' All items have been ordered; contact the bookstore if some materials are not listed.

Grading: Your grade will be based on these assignments, which are described on separate pages online (links will be activated when ready):

Senior seminar portfolio (due in class at 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 3)	ungraded*
Novel review (due in Blackboard at 5:35 p.m. on Oct. 31)	10%
Research paper (2500-3000 words, due online by 5:35 p.m. on Nov. 12; final version due online in learning portfolio by 5:35 p.m. on Dec. 3)	40%
Research presentation (5 min., in class on Nov. 26 or 28)	5%
Learning portfolio (due online by 5:35 p.m. on Nov. 28)	10%
Contribution	35%
TOTAL	100%

*The senior seminar portfolio is due in class at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 3.  Students who submit a satisfactory senior seminar portfolio after 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 3 but before 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 17, will receive a grade one quarter grade point below what they otherwise would have earned for the course, and students who do not submit a satisfactory senior seminar portfolio by 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 17, will receive a grade one half grade point below what they otherwise would have earned for the course.  Please note that the senior seminar portfolio is separate from the learning portfolio.

Nota bene: Students must earn a 2.5 or higher in this course in order to meet the Senior Seminar requirement, although anything higher than 0.7 is a passing grade and will earn non-specific academic credit. See <http://www.uwb.edu/IAS/undergrad/gradreqs.xhtml> for details.

For other important information regarding grades, see <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Grades.html>.

Schedule (readings listed by author; names in bold refer to the required textbook listed above; author names followed by an asterisk are listed below under "Reserves List"):

*Reserves list (in "Course Documents" area of Blackboard except as noted):

• Goldstein-Shirley, David. "Enemies in Their Own Land: The Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II."  Asian American Studies: Identity, Images, Issues Past and Present. Ed. Esther Ghymn. New York: Peter Lang, 2000. 207-16.
• "Policy on Academic and Behavioral Conduct." Online < http://www.uwb.edu/students/policies/academicconduct.xhtml>.
• "Western Music (North America)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_music_%28North_America%29>.

This schedule is subject to change. The most current schedule will always be posted here <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/BIS490DSyl.html> for your reference, and changes will be announced in class, by e-mail, or both. This course has no final examination. Instead, final evaluation will be based principally on a learning portfolio.

About course policies:

Please carefully read the "Course Policies" at <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Policies.html>, which I consider to be part of this syllabus.

About class communication:

Please carefully read the "Class Communication" document at <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Communication.html>, which I consider to be part of this syllabus.

About contribution:

Please carefully read the "Class Contribution" document at <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Partic.html>, which I consider to be part of this syllabus.

Welcome to the course!

This page last updated November 27, 2007.

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