Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
GL320 M3 is an in-person course. *(Please note in-person attendance policy for this course.)
Contact Information
Required Texts and Materials
- Online subscription to New York Times (free to WC students). Activate your complimentary digital subscription to the NYTimes by going to nytimes.com/passes & providing your WC email address.
- In addition, there will be relevant excerpts, articles, & videos assigned throughout the course. Students will be given instructions on how to access these at the appropriate times.
Fall 2026 GL320 M3 Global Topic
The global aspect of this particular GL320 course is the Middle East. Students will be introduced to the Arabs, Jews, Persians, & Kurds of this region. They will learn about the religious & cultural traditions of these peoples, the significant political & social issues of the Middle East, America’s role in the region, the impact of Middle Eastern issues on Americans, and American reactions in the post-9/11 world.
Global Education Goals
With reference to Wilmington College’s mission, vision, core values, and queries, students will
- develop knowledge of the perspectives of cultures other than their own
- develop knowledge of global issues, especially as they relate to peace, social justice, and/or ecology;
- reflect upon the interconnectedness of the world and their own roles as engaged members of a global community.
Additional GL320 Course Goals:
During this semester, students will:
- Reflect on their own values and goals
- Build information literacy and writing skills
- Explore the Wilmington College community
- Build understanding of the liberal arts and WC’s general education program
Tentative Course Schedule
Subject to change during the semester. Adequate notice of changes will be given.
M 8/24 - Course Introduction - Course Objectives, Syllabus, NYTimes, Intro to WC’s Model Arab League, & Intro to the Middle East; RSVP for fieldtrip to ICGC & on-campus Westheimer; let me know about any food allergies
M 8/31 Islam - including “Rick Steves’ Blue Mosque” & “Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World” (90 min.); Art of Hajj
M 9/7 - No WC classes - Labor Day
M 9/14 - 9/11 & Beyond; Afghanistan - Due: NYT 1-3 including at least 1 article on the anniversary of 9/11 & 1 article on Afghanistan (See Blackboard for sample NYT article log for best practices)
M 9/21 - Israel/Palestine - including "Jerusalem" (45 min.); Due: NYT 4-6 including at least 1 article on Israel & 1 article on the Palestinians
M 9/28 - Judaism - Guest Speaker WC alumnus Jese Shell on Judaism & Kosher Cooking Class (preparing & eating Shakshuka); Due: NYT 7-9 including at least 1 article on Jews in the Middle East
Sat. 10/3 - 1:00-3:30 pm - Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati (ICGC) & optional visit to Moka & Co. for Yemeni coffee & dessert beforehand at 12 pm (Note that students riding in WC van should plan for coffee stop.)
M 10/5 - Israel/Palestine - Due: NYT 10-12 including at least 1 article on Israel & 1 article on the Palestinians
T 10/6 7-9 pm - Westheimer Peace Symposium keynote speaker Imam Ayman Soliman
M 10/12 - Iran: 1979 Islamic Revolution & Iranian Hostage Crisis including “Argo” (2 hrs.); Culture Paper instructions; Due: NYT 13-15 including at least 1 article on Iran
M 10/19 - No WC classes - Fall Break
M 10/26 - Iran: Today - including “Rick Steves’ Iran” (1 hr.) & 2026 Iran War; APA style review; Make appointment with WC Writing Assistant for Culture Paper (appointment to be completed by end of week); Research Paper instructions; Due: NYT 16-18 including at least 1 article on Iran
T 10/27 - Last Day to Withdraw from courses
M 11/2 - Meeting in library with librarian for instruction on Academic Search Complete for Research Papers; DUE by end of class: Identify sources, including at least 2 sources through Academic Search Complete with help from WC librarian. BRING LAPTOP TO CLASS. Culture Paper Due
M 11/9 - Meeting in library for Research Papers; DUE by 11:59 pm: Research paper thesis, outline, sources in APA format (submit on Blackboard for feedback). Expect feedback by end of week. BRING LAPTOP TO CLASS.
M 11/16 - Meeting in library for Research Papers; BRING LAPTOP TO CLASS.
M 11/23 - Meeting in library for Research Papers; Make appointment with WC Writing Assistant (to be completed by end of week); BRING LAPTOP TO CLASS.
M 11/30 - Meeting in library for Research Papers; PEER REVIEW during 1st hour; DUE for class: Research Paper draft to be reviewed by 2 GL320 students (print out 2 paper copies for feedback). BRING COPIES & LAPTOP TO CLASS.
M 12/7 - Meeting in library for Research Papers; Global Issue Research Paper Due 11:59 pm
M 12/14 - 6:00-8:00 pm - Due: Final Reflection to be completed during designated exam period
GL320 M3 Course Requirements
Requirements for this course will be divided into several graded assignments:
- Weekly worksheets/assignments corresponding to in-class material (See below.)
- Weekly New York Times article logs (See below.)
- Formal Global Issue Research Paper (See below.)
- Culture paper (See below.)
- Personal Reflection (See below.)
- Experiential Learning Opportunities: Fieldtrip to the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati AND attendance to Westheimer Peace Symposium session featuring Imam Ayman Soliman or alternate assignment (See below.)
Worksheets/Assignments (25% of overall grade): Weekly worksheets & other similar assignments corresponding to in-class material will be given for a grade throughout the semester. These or appropriate substitutes, along with instructions, will also be posted on Blackboard. Students who are absent from in-person class meetings are required to complete & submit the work independently or will receive a zero for the weekly grade. Please note that make-up work is NOT equivalent to class attendance. All weekly worksheets/assignments are to be submitted in person directly after class & make-up work is submitted via Blackboard. PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ASSIGNMENTS!!!!
New York Times Assignment (25% of overall grade): Students must subscribe to the New York Times online this semester (free to WC students) and are required to
- read 3 NYT articles pertaining to the Middle East MOST WEEKS for a total of 18 articles
- keep a log of the articles, which must include DATE, TITLE, 3-5 NEW TERMS & DEFINITIONS [such as vocabulary words, organizations, names of cities or prominent people, etc.], & 10+ MAIN IDEAS of the article presented in organized bullet points. Number each article log 1-18. Due each MONDAY by 5:30 pm. Activate your complimentary digital subscription to the NYTimes by going to nytimes.com/passes & providing your WC email address.
Global Issue Research Paper (25% of overall grade): Students will also be required to write a substantial global issue research paper related to the Middle East (8-10 content pages in length). The paper will require research from primary and secondary sources. Students are strongly encouraged to use the NYT assignment to explore and gather information on the research paper topic. Students are REQUIRED to work with a reference librarian to locate sources AND work with a WC Student Success Center writing consultant as part of the writing process for each research paper. In addition, students will work individually with the professor & undergo peer review during the draft stage of each paper in order to strengthen and revise initial work. Instructions for this paper will be distributed at a later date (See Tentative Course Schedule).
Culture Paper (10% of overall grade): Students will do research & write a 4- to 5-page paper on a Middle Eastern country/people included in this course. Students will be required to work with a WC Student Success Center writing consultant as part of the writing process for the culture paper. Instructions for this paper will be provided via Blackboard at a later date. (See Tentative Course Schedule).
Final Reflection (5% of overall grade): Students will be required to write a personal reflection focusing on the ongoing development of important values & skills prior to & as part of a Wilmington College education. This paper will be completed in class during the scheduled exam period. (See Tentative Course Schedule).
Experiential Learning Opportunities (10% of overall grade): 1) Fieldtrip to the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati (ICGC) for “Know Your Neighbor” program at 8092 Plantation Dr., West Chester, OH 45069 on Sat. 10/3 at 1-3:30 pm (with optional stop at Moka & Co. Yemeni coffee shop at 7307 Tylers Corner Place, West Chester, OH at 12:00 pm before ICGC visit) & 2) Attendance to the on-campus Westheimer Peace Symposium session featuring Imam Ayman Soliman on T 10/6 at 7-9 pm. (See Tentative Course Schedule). An alternate assignment requiring comparable time will be offered to any student unable to attend either of these events.
Evaluation: Final grades will be calculated based on the following assignment weights:
Worksheets/Assignments 25%
Culture Paper 10%
New York Times 25%
Research paper 25%
2 Experiential Learning Opportunities 10%
Final Reflection 5%
*Please note the attendance component of the grade explained in the "Instructor's Course Attendance Policy."
Grading scale:
No curve will be offered. However, borderline cases will be up to the discretion of the professor & will be based on effort & class participation. In addition, pluses (+) & minuses (-) will be used on final grade reports.
94-100 A 90-93 A-
87-89 B+ 84-86 B 80-83 B-
77-79 C+ 74-76 C 70-73 C-
67-69 D+ 60-66 D
59-0 F
Instructor Course Policies
Attendance will be taken in every class. A student may have up to 2 unexcused absences without penalty. After that point, it is the responsibility of the student to supply the professor with documentation for excused absences. Please see the current Student Handbook for the college’s attendance policy as it pertains to excused absences. Unexcused absences in excess of the first 2 will result in 5 points per unexcused absence off of the final grade. This includes classes designated for in-library research for papers. It is the student’s responsibility to sign the attendance sheet during each class. Consistent tardiness or failure to follow classroom etiquette may also lead to an “unexcused absence.” Please also note the following points of classroom etiquette:
Classroom Etiquette
- Arrive on time & do not pack up early to leave
- Take notes & be engaged
- Offer your ideas and perspectives respectfully and listen to others to understand their ideas and perspectives
- Do not use cell phones or Smart watches for texting
- Do not use electronic music devices; no earbuds or headphones
- Do not use laptops or iPads for anything other than authorized note-taking and looking up information needed for immediate classroom discussions
- Do not “rest” with eyes closed
- Do not hold sidebar conversations
- Do not work on homework, other coursework, or any materials that are not being used for the current class meeting
Academic Integrity & Respect:
Integrity and respect are Wilmington College Core Values, and honesty is our mutual responsibility. Students are responsible for following the Wilmington College’s rules relating to academic integrity & other conduct. Cheating, helping another student to cheat, plagiarism, or other forms of academic misconduct WILL result in a grade of 0% on the work in question, & the professor reserves the right to notify the Office of Academic Affairs. In the case of serious infractions, the Academic Standards and Appeals Committee may take further action. Please see the current Student Handbook for the college’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, & the process for handling academic misconduct charges. Students are expected to behave with integrity & respect within the classroom & while carrying out any GL320 assignments. This is especially important as this class will host guest speakers from diverse cultures and attend events outside of the classroom.
Generative Artificial Intelligence:
You are not permitted to use generative AI tools for any work in this course. This includes the use of popular tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, GitHub Co-Pilot, as well as all other tools built on generative AI technologies. Due to the nature of this course, work can only be fairly and accurately evaluated if student writing has NOT been assisted by generative AI. Use of generative AI for assignments in this course will be considered a violation of the College’s academic integrity policies. Research and writing assignments in this course are designed to develop independent skills and critical thinking. Use of AI undermines that work, its purpose, and ultimately any benefit that it could provide towards students’ learning experience. Therefore, the use of any generative AI to help with any assignments will be considered cheating/plagiarism and will be graded and handled accordingly.
Communication
Effective Communication
Communication with students will sometimes take place via email, & messages will be sent to the students’ Wilmington College email address. It is the student’s responsibility to check emails regularly. Blackboard will be used in support of this course, and students are also responsible for accessing Blackboard on a regular basis. Students may choose to communicate with the professor via email or text messaging (texting between 7am & 10pm only). Contact information is provided at the top of this syllabus. When emailing, please include your name and the course and section number (GL320 M3) in all correspondence. Please include this information in any initial text message as well.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: FA26 Final Exam Schedule
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery Definition of Courses |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. Academic Integrity Policy |
Class Attendance Policy Institutional Class Attendance Policy |