Course Syllabus

Fall 2025 | INT-1050-VP11 - Dimensions of Self & Society

In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Faculty

Judith Castonguay
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Heath Fuller

General Education Requirements

First Semester Seminar

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

In this interdisciplinary first-semester seminar, students make the transition to college-level academic culture. This seminar is designed to help students develop the learning skills and habits of success that will support them throughout their college experience and as they consider career pathways. Reading, writing, and discussion are central to developing an understanding of academic and societal responsibility. Students critically examine the relationship between societal values, individual beliefs, ways of knowing, and cultural worldviews.

Essential Objectives

1. Interpret, analyze, and evaluate a text and its sources.
2. Demonstrate foundational information literacy, research skills, and academic honesty necessary for academic writing.
3. Demonstrate effective written communication skills, including active engagement in asynchronous online discussion.
4. Apply effective strategies for building new knowledge and skills through reflection on learning preferences, challenges, and goals.
5. Identify possible career goals and educational pathways.
6. Examine social issues through the lens of the individual and society.
7. Examine personal assumptions and biases, and ethical impacts of decision making and participation in society.
8. Consider issues from multiple perspectives and discuss, debate, and defend ideas with clarity and reason as part of a respectful learning community.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a low cost ($50 or less) textbook or resource class. ***

INT-1050-VP11 Link to Textbooks/Resources Information for this course in eCampus.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

1. Class meetings will consist of lectures, small and large group discussions, and hands-on activities which may include quizzes, assessment activities, reading and summarizing an article or literary work, etc. Some on-line activities may also be assigned.
2. Videos, power points, articles, and other readings will be used as they relate to course content.
3. Students will be asked to complete a weekly journal which will consist of responding to a prompt related to the week’s theme and/or an assigned reading.
4. Students will be asked to complete a career & goals project - which will ask them to craft three SMART goals (2 related to career and work and 1 personal goal) and reflect on why they chose those goals and why they are important to them.
5. Students will be asked to complete a perspectives project – which will ask them to select a current political or social issue and reflect on it from at least three different perspectives.
6. Students will be asked to complete a book project which will ask them to reflect on a novel and analyze its key themes and concepts.
7. Students will be asked to complete a final project asking them to reflect on their learning in the class over the course of the semester and review, explore, connect, and depict key themes and concepts we studiedin class.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria:

1. Regular participation in weekly classes and online discussions and activities if assigned.
2. Satisfactory completion of weekly journals.
3. Satisfactory completion career & goals project.
4. Satisfactory completion of perspectives project.
5. Satisfactory completion of book project.
6. Satisfactory completion of final project.

Grading Criteria:

attendance/participation: 70 points (a total of 5 points weekly is possible - this includes attendance and participation in all classes, as well as online discussions and activities if assigned - missed classes can be made up in collaboration with the instructor

journal entries: 130 points (13 journals at 10 points each)

career & goals project: 50 points

perspectives project: 50 points

book project: 50 points

final project: 50 points

TOTAL: 400 POINTS

Letter Grade Criteria:

360 - 400 - A (392 - 400 - A+; 372 - 360 - A-)

320 - 359 - B (352 - 359 - B+; 332 - 320 B-)

280 - 319 - C (312 - 319 - C+; 292 - 280 C-)

240 - 279 - D (272 - 279 - D+; 252 - 240 D-)

0 - 239 - F

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Full participation requires active and thoughtful engagement in class each week. The following habits and skills are important. You'll have the opportunity to self-assess and receive instructor feedback on each of these areas at the mid-point and the end of the semester.

• Attend classes regularly, on-time, and for the full session.
• Complete all of the week's readings and assignments before the start of class.
• Listen to others attentively and with an open mind.
• Positively contribute to class discussions and activities. This includes all online discussions if assigned.
• Ask questions and seek help when you need it.
• Challenge yourself to do your best work.

Missing & Late Work Policy

• All assignments are due on the date stated in the Weekly Schedule and can be turned in via Canvas or in person. Late assignments will be accepted with a reduction of 1 point for journal entries and weekly assignments and 5 points for projects. If there are extenuating circumstances preventing you from completing work in a timely manner, extensions can be granted. Please speak to the instructor if this is the case.
• If you miss a class, you are responsible for checking with the instructor or on Canvas and getting any notes, materials, and assignments for the class you missed. Please reach out and ask questions if anything is unclear.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.