Course Syllabus

Ethnicity & Diversity in the United States

Faculty

Not Yet Assigned
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement

Course Description

This course explores aspects of ethnic, regional, racial, religious, and economic diversity as they influence contemporary United States society and culture. Students examine different assumptions and attitudes about diversity and examine the changing demographics of the United States population.

Essential Objectives

1. Define the social categories of ethnicity, race, class, and religion.
2. Describe the population of the United States in terms of its various racial, ethnic economic and religious components, and examine methods through which social scientists conduct research on these components.
3. Compare theories of social stratification and the resulting inequalities among different ethnic, race, class, and religious groups.
4. Explore cultural narratives about diversity in the United States, including those propagated by dominant and privileged cultures and those that originate within communities with less privilege.
5. Explain how cultural mythology rooted in white supremacy has shaped perceptions of race, stereotypes, and social privilege.
6. Analyze contemporary issues of power and privilege related to ethnicity, race, class, and religion in the United States
7. Identify how social institutions, including government, media, education, workplace employment, and religious communities, influence our perceptions and experiences of diversity.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

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 course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

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

This course will be asynchronous, meaning there will be no meetings online. Each week there will be a set of readings from the textbook and other supplemental readings. There will also be short video clips, films/documentaries, and podcasts that are part of each week’s material. Using these materials, you will engage in discussion with your peers and the instructor.

Each week, the instructor will record a video presentation to summarize and further help you think about the material.

The Canvas site for this course is consistently designed, meaning, each week the assignments are the same while the content changes. This is so you won’t have to waste time figuring out the week’s assignments.

Evaluation Criteria

A+ through A-: For any work to receive an "A," it must clearly demonstrate keen insight and original thinking. It must not only demonstrate attention to detail and full understanding of the topic or issues addressed, but it must also provide a critical analysis of these. In addition, an "A" grade reflects a student's ability to clearly and thoughtfully articulate his or her learning.

B+ through B-: For any work to receive a "B," it must be good to excellent work. It must demonstrate strong originality, comprehension, critical thinking, and attention to detail. In addition, a "B" grade reflects a student's ability to clearly articulate his or her learning.

C+ through C-: For any work to receive a "C," it must demonstrate real growth in their comprehension, critical thinking, and attention to detail. In addition, a "C" grade reflects a student's ability to adequately articulate his or her learning.

D+ through D-: For any work to receive a "D," it must minimally meet the expectations of the assignment. It demonstrates problems in comprehension, critical thinking, and attention to detail. In addition, a "D" grade may reflect a student's difficulty in articulating his or her learning.

F: Work that receives an "F" grade does not meet the expectations or objectives of the assignment. It may demonstrate consistent problems with attendance, missing assignments, comprehension, organization, critical thinking, or supporting details. In addition, an "F" grade reflects a student's inability to articulate his or her learning. Students are strongly urged to discuss this grade with their instructor and advisor.

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

Participation means responding thoughtfully on discussions and other weekly assignments, and communicating with the instructor when the student is unable to submit assignments on time.

Missing & Late Work Policy

I expect that you will submit assignments by the deadlines specified on the syllabus because your contribution to the discussion is part of everyone's learning. You are allowed ten days after the due date to complete the assignment. Thereafter, you need to make a plan with the instructor. I will not accept any assignments that are more than 3 weeks late unless the student communicates with the instructor and negotiates an adjusted timeline.

Experiential Learning Expectations

Hours: 1-5

One of the final projects in the course asks the student to interview someone or a group of people to have a discussion about topics they learned in this course.

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