Faculty Syllabus
HUMA-1301 Humanities: Prehistory to Renaissance
Charles Pisaruk
Credit Spring 2026
Section(s)
HUMA-1301-019 (34577)
LEC TuTh 3:00pm - 4:20pm DIL DLS DIL
HUMA-1301-026 (34578)
LEC TuTh 3:00pm - 4:20pm DIL DLS DIL
Course Requirements
As a result of having taken this course, students will be able to: 1. Identify a variety of significant works of art from various times and places in human history. 2. Analyze works of art within their cultural context. 3. Evaluate the relationship between the arts and human values. As a result of having taken this course, students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an appreciation of art in its different forms (visual, aural, etc.) throughout history. 2. Demonstrate general knowledge of assigned time periods and their major artistic and cultural accomplishments. 3. Demonstrate an understanding of how context affects the text (form) and subtext (meaning) of human artistic creations. 4. Explain why (or if) the study of Humanities is necessary. Set goals to support personal motivation and achievement. 1. Adopt a growth mindset toward personal education and career goals which fosters hard work, grit, a desire for continual improvements, and persistence in the face offailure. 2. Distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and examine how intrinsic motivation encourages lifelong learning. 3. Apply principles of metacognition to increase self-awareness of the learning process and personal strengths and weaknesses as a learner. 4. Enhance emotional intelligence, thereby improving interpersonal, leadership, and self-management skills.
Readings
Homer’s Odyssey Translated by: Emily Wilson Publisher: Norton ISBN: 9780393356250 The Odyssey is Homer’s epic poem of Odysseus’ journey home after 10 years of war in Troy. We will follow along on Odysseus' epic journey, all the while analyzing his ultimate goal, the factors that motivate him to undertake such a journey, and the ways in which he is able to keep going even in the face of temptations and obstacles. Throughout our discussions, you will be encouraged to reflect on your own educational journey in a similar light. This story has inspired men and women for the past 3,000 years to set high goals for themselves and develop a plan to achieve them. It has helped countless people see that even when one suffers detours and setbacks like Odysseus, reaching one’s goals is still possible. Plato’s Meno Translated by: GMA Grube Publisher: Hackett ISBN: 9780915144242 Plato’s Meno deals with the timeless struggle of how to learn something new. Sometimes people think that if they don’t understand something right away that it is just not in them to learn it. They may say something like, “I’m not a math person” or “I’m not smart enough” and then give up on trying. In the Meno, Socrates confronts a boy who has a similar reaction when working on a difficult mathematical problem and gets him to overcome his false assumption that he cannot learn by guiding him through the process of solving it. After a discussion with Socrates, the boy experiences a shift in mindset from assuming he is not intelligent enough to solve the problem to realizing the solution was in him all along, and that by engaging with the problem and persisting in the face of uncertainty he could indeed unlock the knowledge needed to find the solution. Throughout the text, Plato challenges us to think about our thinking. How do we know when we know something? How do we know when we still need to do more work before we can know it? Euclid’s Elements Euclid’s Elements Book One with Questions By Dana Densmore Publisher: Green Cat Press ISBN: 9781888009460 Euclid’s text is a model for how to think clearly and logically. Through the study and demonstration of his geometrical proofs, we will learn the structure of logical arguments and what it means to prove something. This text will help us apply principles of metacognition to our studies by introducing us to the experience of what it is like to really know something. After you understand an entire proof of Euclid’s, you will feel what it is like to really know that something is true. His proofs provide a window onto the beauty of truth and will inspire us to want to open it further. Studying this text will provide you with a benchmark by which you can judge how well you know other things. You should ask yourself about future topics of study, “is this as clear to me as a Euclid proof?” Applying this question is a great way to gauge how well you understand a thing. The Heart of Chinese Poetry: Fifty-Seven of the Best Traditional Chinese Poems in a Dual-Language Edition Translated and Edited by Greg Whincup Publisher: Anchor; First Edition (September 16, 1987) ISBN: 038523967X These selections of Chinese poems represent over 1,000 years of poetic tradition in China. According to Prof. Greg Whincup, “Poetry is the heart of Chinese culture. Inasmuch as we are all members of one human race, Chinese culture is our culture. The heart of Chinese poetry beats in us, too.” Through these readings, you will learn not just about Chinese poetry but also about the culture, history and language of China, whose soul is poetry
Course Subjects
This course is divided into three units: • Unit 1: Adversity, Struggle and Joy • Unit 2: Creation • Unit 3: Devotion and Passion. The study of the humanities from a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective affords the student the opportunity not only to acquire a deeper appreciation of particular works of art but also to gain a larger perspective on the work of art as an expression of the human spirit in a particular time and place.
Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives
As a result of having taken this course, students will be able to: 1. Communication Skills: Develop, interpret, and expressideas and information through written, oral and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium. 2. Critical Thinking Skills: Gather, analyze,synthesize, evaluate and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking. 3. Personal Responsibility: Identify and apply ethical principles and practicesto decision-making by connecting choices, actions and consequences. 4. Social Responsibility (Civic and Cultural Awareness): Analyze differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practicesto include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Office Hours
Th 4:20 PM - 5:20 PM Zoom
NOTEPublished: 01/13/2026 10:28:19