Mission Statement: Regent University serves as a center of Christian thought and action to provide excellent education through a Biblical perspective and global context equipping Christian leaders to change the world.

SECTION 1: COURSE OVERVIEW

Regent UniversitySchool of Communication and the Arts

CTV609 topics in the Study of Film & Television: History of American Film pt2; American Contemporary Film 1968-2014

Spring SemesterJanuary 12 to April 27, 2015 (16 weeks)

Location: Online

Instructor: Dr. Mark KeuthanLocation: Blackboard Learning Management System Office hours: 8a-5p M-F (by email, Facetime) and by appointment Phone: 757-352-4226 (Prof. Quicke’s Regent University office)Fax: 757-352-4291 (Regent University School of Communication)Email: markkeu@regent.edu

Communications PolicyResponse time for emails is usually 24 hours but not on Sundays; Preferred method of contact is email..

Course Description CTV 609 History of American Film part 2; Contemporary Film 1968-2014.Historical Survey of the development of American narrative cinema from the end of the studio system, the turbulent 1960s, the blockbuster 1970s, the Conservative 1980s, the Rise of the Independents in the 1990s, and the exciting developments of the 21st Century with new distribution methods via streaming and cell phones.

Program Outcomes (General)

Program Learning Outcomes

MA in Cinema-Television, Concentrations in Production and Producing

1. The student will be able to integrate their Christian faith into their professional-quality media work.

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2. Students will be able to evaluate film and television theories and aesthetics3. Students will be able to conceptualize and produce scripts for short format productions.4. Students will be able to analyze film and television through a historical-critical lens and a

Christian worldview.5. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply production techniques to the process of creating

film, television, and web projects.6. Students will be able to integrate appropriate personnel roles within the creation of various

media forms.

MFA in Cinema-Television, Concentrations in Producing and Directing

1. The student will be able to integrate their Christian faith into their professional-quality media work.

2. Students will be able to evaluate film and television theories and aesthetics.3. Students will be able to produce quality projects from conception to delivery in a breadth of

contemporary media formats.4. Students will be able to analyze film and television through a historical-critical lens and a

Christian worldview.5. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply research skills to the process of creating media

projects.6. Students will be able to integrate appropriate personnel roles within the creation of various

media forms.7. Students will be able to evaluate the major components of production.8. Students will create a professional body of work competitive with the marketplace that includes

interaction with professionals in the field.

MFA in Film & Television, Concentration in Script and Screenwriting1. Graduate students who integrate their Christian faith into their professional quality media work.2. Incorporate applied film and television theories and aesthetics into multiple categories of

scripts.3. Produce quality projects from conception to script in a breadth of contemporary formats.4. Apply research skills to the process of creating media projects.5. Professionally pitch and present work in a manner that demonstrates a clear understanding of

the business side of script and screenwriting.6. Create a professional body of work competitive with the marketplace that includes interaction

with professionals in the field.

MA in Film & Television, Concentration in Scriptwriting1. Graduate students who integrate and apply the Christian faith and Biblical truth and principles

to the study and practices of mediated communication.2. Articulate the process and elements needed for the various aspects of writing for media, which

includes development, research, scriptwriting, character development, scene analysis, and storyline development.

3. Incorporate applied film and television theories and aesthetics into scripts.4. Explain current business practices in script and screenwriting, including model professional

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PROGRAM OUTCOMES SPECIFIC TO THE CONTTEMPORARY AMERICAN FILM COURSE

On completion of this course students should be able to: 1. Discuss the nature, history and scope of contemporary films and explain the functions they perform for diverse audiences and consumers

2. Recognize and analyze symbols, images, myths, themes, and codes as they appear and function in film

3. Distinguish various perspectives on faith in film and video, and discuss the dialectics of Christian faith in cinematic culture

4. Demonstrate an understanding of cultural variables (class, gender and race) as they play in recreating new and traditional narratives.

5. Think critically about the relationship of personal faith to the cinema, and articulate a Christian posture and vision about the phenomenon, industry and business of film.

Relationship of course to Regent’s Mission

Mission: Regent University serves as a center of Christian thought and action to provide excellent education through a Biblical perspective and global context equipping Christian leaders to change the world.

1. Biblical Perspective: In this course, we will study film and television from a Biblical perspective, understanding it as a meaningful expression of human experience, as a means of pursuing God’s truth, and as an act of love and community. The readings and assignments focus on cultivating your understanding of the art of film and television—what it means to communicate with others through film and television in the written word and thus engage more deeply what it means to be human. In our class dialogue, we will apply Biblical truth to the issues in film and television that are addressed in the course. The writing assignments allow you to develop your skills in film and television criticism, thus practicing the Biblical call to love others (even through the act of creating film and television product brilliantly) and to live in community (even when the community is cultivated through film and television texts).

2. Global Context: In this course, we will study film and television as an expression of the human condition, a method of communicating human experience that crosses the boundaries of time and place. In seeking to understand and appreciate film and television communication by ourselves and others, we will cultivate love and empathy, both of which are essential to interacting in a global context.

SECTION 2: COURSE REQUIREMENTS

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Course Learning Outcomes (with match to Program Outcomes)

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Discuss the nature, history and scope of narrative films and explain the functions they perform for diverse audiences and consumers. CLO1

2. Recognize and analyze symbols, images, myths, themes and codes of aesthetics as they appear and function in film. CLO2

3. Distinguish various perspectives on faith in film and video, and discuss the dialectics of Christian faith in cinematic , televisual and internet culture and storytelling. CLO3

4. Demonstrate an understanding of cultural variables (class, gender and race) as they play in recreating contemporary life and faith. CLO4

5. Think critically about the relationship of personal faith to the cinema, and articulate a Christian posture and vision about the phenomenon of film and television. CLO5

Submission of Assignments Unless otherwise instructed, all assignments for this course must be submitted via the “Assignment link” found on Blackboard. All files should be submitted using the following naming convention:

Your Name_Assignment name_ (e.g. John Smith_Essay 1)

Papers should be in MS word format (.docx) compliant with MLA writing style guide;Scripts should be in Final Draft software format.

No assignment will be accepted if submitted in any other way that Blackboard. Assignments are due no later than 11.55pm on Sundays. It is recommended that students give themselves a buffer of time before the deadline to allow for trouble-shooting should your upload attempt fail. Students should check the assignment submission page to verify that the submission was successful.

Course Objectives (specific tasks/assignments with match to CLOs)

Course Learning OutcomesAssignments CLO1 CLO2 CLO3 CLO4 CLO5

Assignment 1 first film critique for your group x x XAssignment 2 second film critique for your group x xAssignment 3 third film critique for your group x xAssignment 4 fourth film critique for your group x xAssignment 5 fifth film critique for your group x xAssignment 6 half term paper/illustrated Powerpoint x x XAssignment 7 final paper/illustrated Powerpoint x x XAssignment 8 Redemptive film visual recognition test x x

How Faith and learning will be integrated in the course.This course will cultivate habits of thought and expression, both written and oral, in-class and online, regarding movies and television programs and their impact upon our Christian faith, worship and action. The course will help students to formulate strategies of infiltration, influence and redemption within the film and television community with people of Christian faith, and with those who lack faith.

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Course Procedures:Attendance – attendance at all classes and active participation is required in order to complete this course. For a sixteen week course students must attend at least ten classes, or for distance students signal their attendance by twice weekly emails. Note: international students should consult the Office of International Student Services before registering for a Distance or Modular course.

Blackboard Requirements – Daily access to the Internet and email Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc) version 2007 or later The latest version of a web browser compatible with Blackboard and media players. For

assistance, visit the links provided in the Helpful Resources section of the course on Blackboard or contact IT helpdesk via their website, phone 757-352-4076 or email at helpdesk@regent.edu

Additional materials (PowerPoint files, quizzes, media and the like) will be provided via Blackboard (see “use of Blackboard” below for more information.)

Understand and adhere to the Regent Honor Code found in the Student Handbook. A persistent link can also be found on Blackboard’s “RU Resources” tab.

Late Assignments Late Assignments will lose one grading point per day late. Assignments more than one week late will not be graded.

NOTE: Technical difficulties when submitting to Blackboard will not be accepted unless documented by the IT Helpdesk. The IT Helpdesk is your first point of contact for problems with Blackboard. Deadline extensions will be allowed only when a system issue occurring on Blackboard’s side is documented by Regent University IT department.

Class participation – regular participation in classroom and blackboard discussions required each week.Required Materials: BOOKS

Author Title ISBN 13 Book Ed./Year

Publisher Required/Optional

Biskind, Peter

Easy Riders, raging bulls

978-0684857084

1999 Simon & Schuster

req

Biskind, Peter

Down & Dirty pictures

978-0684862583

2004 Simon & Schuster

req

Kolker Cinema of loneliness

978-06848662583

2000 Oxford Univ Press

req

Leonard, Richard

Movies that Matter;

978-0829422016

2006 Loyola Press req

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Additional source books:

Barsotti & Johnson: Finding God in the Movies: 33 films of Reel Faith. Baker Books 2004

Detweiler, Clive: Into the Dark; Seeing the Sacred in Top Films of the 21st Century: Baker Academic 2009

Fraser, Peter: Images of the Passion: the Sacramental Mode in Film. Westport CT: Praeger

Johnson, Robert K. Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue 2nd ed. Baker Academic 2006

Marsh & Ortiz, eds.: Explorations in theology and Film. Oxford: Blackwell 1997

Price, Stephen: A New Pot of Gold: Hollywood under the Electronic Rainbow 1980-1989. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press 2002

Reinhartz, Adele: Bible and Cinema: An Introduction. Routledge 2013

Method of Evaluating Student Performance

Assignments Points WeightAssignment 1 film critique one 100 5%Assignment 2 film critique two 100 5%Assignment 3 film critique three 100 5%Assignment 4 film critique four 100 5%Assignment 5 film critique five 100 5%Assignment 6 half term exam/PowerPoint presentation 100 25%Assignment 7 end of term exam/PowerPoint presentation 100 40%Assignment 8 final exam film recognition 100 10%

TOTAL 1000 100%

Course Schedule

REQUIREMENTS

1. By March 1 “discuss the nature of Jesus films and whether we need a new Jesus film for the 21st Century ”

Must be 10 pages long, MLA style, double spaced with running head.

2. Five Blackboard 1000 word critiques of designated movies and in following week at least two contributions to the on-line discussion. Each critique MUST quote at least 3 scholarly sources. Each critique 4% of grade; responses 1% of grade. See submission dates below & on Blackboard Discussion board.

3. By April 5:

Major paper 10 to 15 pages: (no longer). “Discuss how film narrative can include important theological truth. Quote copious examples from films you have seen this semester and earlier, and quote at least 10 authorities you have consulted. Rationale is to demonstrate your ability to do original research, which is a vital aspect of scholarly achievement at the graduate and doctoral levels. Value 400 points.

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ALTERNATIVES for Major paper:

1. Provide a 40 slide Powerpoint (or Prezzi) Presentation version of the major paper, with embedded film clips on the same subject, and complete list of academic references (minimum 10). If working in a team, each team member must contribute a 6 page paper on how and what they researched.

–OR-

2. Research paper: Original Research into Current Christian Film Companies. The joy of graduate school is that you now can become genuine scholars conducting original research for publication. For a strictly limited number of students in this class, I am offering a chance to try your hand at original research into the work of contemporary Christian film and video companies. The work you do will provide material for a new book to be published by New York University Press in 2016. In Spring 2014 I offered this opportunity to members of the CTV604 Redemptive Film Class, and those who took part greatly enjoyed and profited from the experience and all earned good grades. This alternative is only for those who are highly motivated to use internet and print resources for research in a new area; the work required must be submitted in note form, fully referenced in MLA format. The instructor will assign specific research topics for each individual student

4. April 13: Final exam; consists of a film recognition test of films listed in this syllabus. You must recognize name of film, name of director, date of release and one sentence suggesting why this film was chosen in terms of aesthetics or content. value 10%

HOW TO SUCCEED IN THIS CLASS

Write excellent critiques and take part in vigorous Blackboard discussions with your group members promptly. Remain more concerned with how the films express theological insights, but not so much with pure theology; are the films you critique expressing truths about God and Jesus in contemporary, relevant and even shocking ways? If you choose to make presentations, these should not last more than 20 minutes for an individual or 30 minutes for a group presentation, and in group presentations each member of the group must provide a 6 page summary of their arguments with relevant sources

Please also let the IT Help Desk know if there are problems with Blackboard, or other communication difficulties. We want to make this class as enjoyable as possible. .

METHOD OF EVALUATION

The final grade for the course will reflect mastery of course content and quality of thought as expressed in:

Nature of Jesus film paper 200

5 Online discussions & responses 250

Major paper or its alternative 450

Final exam 100

Total 1000 points

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Grading Rubric

The grading rubric is published on our Redemptive Cinema Grading rubric site.

Assessment Rubric for Film and Video Research Essays

These may be text only, or text on Powerpoints, or Prezzi, with film clips as examples; always use MLA.

A. Thesis: The student’s essay includes a focused, polished thesis and develops a unified, convincing, logical argument about a literary text

5 (advanced) 4 3 (average) 2 1 (deficient)

B. Analysis and Textual Support: The student demonstrates effective skills in analyzing film texts and uses well-chosen, persuasive, and thorough film textual (print or movie) support. This support should include identifying a primary theme of a film text, discussing at least one filmic element (including characterization, symbolism, setting, plot, color & mood, camera, audio & editing qualities), and placing a film text into some type of larger, societal context.

5 4 3 2 1

C. Reading Comprehension: The student demonstrates familiarity with the vocabulary, sentence structure, and stylistic features of a film text and can effectively discuss them in writing. The student demonstrates knowledge of plot details and/or textual details, and the student articulates an understanding of the meaning of the film text.

5 4 3 2 1

D. Evidence of Sound Research: The student demonstrates evidence of sound library research, making use of at least ten academic sources. The sources included are those retrieved by good research strategies, including use of the MLA International Bibliography and ILL. These sources are not limited by type, date, or scope.

5 4 3 2 1

E. Integration of Research and MLA style: The student displays an understanding of the purpose and value of research by using secondary sources to place the essay’s argument in the context of a larger academic discourse. The student effectively integrates the outside sources into the essay, using signal phrases, summaries, paraphrases, quotations, and MLA documentation correctly and effectively.

5 4 3 2 1

F. Style/Mechanics: The student’s essay 5 4 3 2 1

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contains several different types of sentences and uses polished, effective language. The tone and vocabulary are appropriate for the audience, topic, and purpose. The essay conveys an effective, distinct author’s voice. The essay is free of errors in the convention of the English language.

Assessment Rubric for 1000 word film critiques and analyses; usually limited to 1000 words; use MLA format

Thesis: The student’s critique includes a focused, polished thesis and develops a unified, convincing, logical argument about a film text. Critiques should not be written as personal opinions, but as third person analyses with at least 3 academic sources.

5 (advanced)

4 3 (average)

2 1 (deficient)

Analysis and Textual Support: The student demonstrates effective skills in analyzing film texts and uses well-chosen, persuasive, and thorough textual (& even film clip) support. This support may include identifying a primary theme of a film text, discussing at least one filmic element (including characterization, symbolism, setting, plot, tone, use of camera, audio & audio post, lighting and editing conventions), and placing a literary text into some type of larger, societal context.

5 4 3 2 1

Reading Comprehension: The student demonstrates familiarity with the visual vocabulary, plot structure, and stylistic features of a film text and can effectively discuss them in writing. The student demonstrates knowledge of plot details and/or film textual details, and the student articulates an understanding of the meaning of the film text.

5 4 3 2 1

Use of MLA format and style: The 5 4 3 2 1

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student effectively integrates the primary film text source into the essay, using signal phrases, summaries, paraphrases, quotations, and MLA documentation correctly and effectively. The student formats the essay according to MLA style.Style/Mechanics: The student’s essay contains several different types of sentences and uses polished, effective language. The tone and vocabulary are appropriate for the audience, topic, and purpose. The essay conveys an effective, distinct author’s voice. The essay is free of errors in the convention of the English language.

5 4 3 2 1

Course Schedule

Film Critiques and dates when they must be submitted.

1. Five one-thousand-word critiques submitted on Blackboard to the four or five members of your group; time allowed one week. The following week you have seven days to write at least 2 responses to the critiques pasted by other members of your group. Value 5% each; total value 25% of grade

First viewing assignments to be critiqued by Sunday 25th January 18th at 11.55pm: responses due Sunday 2 February at 11.55pm

Alpha – Bonnie & Clyde(1967. Penn) Bravo: Jaws (1968: Spielberg 1975)

Charlie – The Godfather 1 & 2 (1972 Coppola) Delta: Easy Rider (1969: Hopper)

Second Group viewing Assignments to be critiqued by Sunday 8th February at 11.55pm; responses by Sunday 15th February at 11.55pm.

Alpha – The Deer Hunter (1978 Cimino) Bravo: Platoon (1986 Stone)

Charlie – 2001-A Space Odyssey (1968 Kubrick). Delta: Nashville (1975 Altman)

Third Group viewing assignments to be critiqued by Sunday February 22nd at 11.55pm; responses by Sunday 1st march at 11.55pm

Alpha: Unforgiven (1992: Eastwood) Bravo: Taxi Driver (1976 Scorsese)

Charlie: Oh Brother Where Art Thou?(2000 Cohen) Delta: Avatar (2009: Cameron)

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Fourth Group viewing assignments to be critiqued by Sunday March 1st at 11.55pm

Alpha: Do the Right Thing (1989: Lee) Bravo: Why Did I Get Married? (2012 Tyler Perry) Charlie: Dead Man Walking (1995 Tim Robbins) Delta: Superman (1978 Richard Donner)

Fifth Group viewing Assignment to be critiqued by Sunday March 22nd at 11.55pm; responses due Sunday 29 March at 11.55pm.

Alpha: Annie Hall (1977 Woody Allen) Bravo: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.(2004 Gondrey) Charlie: Yentl (1975 Babra Streisand) Delta: Moulin Rouge (2001 Baz Luhrman)

Spare non-R rated movies

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002: Joel Zwick) Lost in Translation (2003 Sophia Coppola)

Silver Linings Playbook (2012 David O Russell)

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2. First Paper or 30 slide PowerPoint Saturday February 1st. choose one outstanding director from the period 1968-1998. Must be written in MLA; both papers and slides must quote at least 6 academic sources. Value 20% of grade.

3. 4. By Sunday April 5th final: major paper 20 to 25 pages: (no longer). “Discuss how one post 1999 individual director has contributed to our understanding of truth in the modern world. Quote extensive examples from films you have seen and at least 10 authorities you have consulted. Value 45% of grade

ALTERNATIVES for April 5th paper

b. Provide a 40 slide PowerPoint (or Prezzi) Presentation with embedded film clips on the same subject, and complete list of academic references (minimum 10). If you are permitted to do a team project, the rules specify that each student must cover a specified director in a 6 page academic article with 6 references written by an individual, besides 10 refs and details of film clips used. value 45% of grade

c. Research paper: Original Research into Current Christian Film Companies. The joy of graduate school is that you now can become genuine scholars conducting original research for publication. For a strictly limited number of students in this class, I am offering a chance to try your hand at original research into the work of contemporary Christian film and video companies. The work you do will provide material for a new book to be published by New York University Press in 2016. In Spring 2012 I offered this opportunity to members of the CTV604 Redemptive Film Class, and those who took part greatly enjoyed and profited from the experience and all earned good grades. This alternative is only for those who are highly motivated to use internet and print resources for research in a new area; the work required must be submitted in note form, fully referenced in MLA format, The instructor will assign specific research topics for each individual student. Value 45% of grade.

Rationale is to demonstrate your ability to do original research, which is a vital aspect of scholarly achievement at the graduate and doctoral levels.

April 6th Final exam; consists of a film recognition test of films listed in this syllabus.

Value 10% of grade.

You are expected to play a full part in on-line discussions and classroom discussions. Please also let me know if there are problems with Blackboard, or other communication difficulties. We want to make this class as enjoyable as possible. Participation is worth 10 grading points.

Grading Rubric

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The following grading scale will be used:

Grade Percentage Score

Quality Points

A 96-100 4.00

A- 93-95 3.67

B+ 90-92 3.33

B 85-89 3.00

B- 81-84 2.67

C+ 78-80 2.33

C 75-77 2.00

Fail C-  71-75 1.67

Fail D+  68-70 1.33

Fail D  65-68 1.00

Fail D-  60-65 0.07

Fail F  0-59 0.00

SECTION 3 – SCHEDULE AND EVALUATION

COURSE SCHEDULE

The schedule below includes the due dates for all assignments in this course. It is recommended that you place this Course Schedule in a convenient place and refer to it each week of the course. You need to follow it closely, as late assignments may be subject to a grade reduction.

Monday marks the beginning of the week for this course. Therefore, unless otherwise stated in Blackboard, assignments for each week must be submitted no later than Sunday, 11:59 pm (Eastern time) of each week.

NB: by signing up for this course, you agree to view “R” rated films; these are shown because of screenwriting and technical brilliance. For certain very emotional films like Dead Man Walking , students may choose from the 3 spare non-R rated films listed at the end of the viewing dates.

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Week 1: January 12 to January 18The End of the Studio System

Required reading: Leonard: Movies That Matter; complete book

Required viewing: Bonnie & Clyde (1967: Arthur Penn); Easy Rider (1969: Dennis Hopper)

Week 2: January 19 to January 25The Hollywood Blockbuster

Required reading: Kolker pp 3-96

Required viewing: The Godfather parts 1 & 2 (1972/4 Francis Ford Coppola) Jaws (1975 Spielberg)

First 1000 word critique posted 11.55pm Sunday 25th

Week 3: January 26 to February 1Vietnam & After: the Auteur Cinema

Required reading: Kolker: 97-174

Required viewing: The Deer Hunter (1978 Michael Cimino) Platoon (1986: Oliver Stone)

Responses to first critique to be posted 11.55pm Sunday February 2

Week 4: February 2 to February 8Auteur cinema: Heroes and Anti-heroes     

Required reading: Kolker: 175-246

Required viewing: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968: Stanley Kubrick) Nashville (1975: Robert Altman)

Second 1000 word critique to be posted 11.55pm Sunday 8th February

Week 5: February 9 to February 15Death without Honor     

Required reading: Kolker; 247-405

Required viewing: Unforgiven (1992: Clint Eastwood) Taxi Driver (1976: Martin Scorsese)

Responses to second critique to be posted 11.55pm Sunday 15th February

Week 6: February 16 to February 22Reading Film through the Lens of Faith     

Required reading: Biskind: Easy Riders pp 13-155

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Required viewing: Oh Brother Where Art Thou? (2000: Joel Cohen) Avatar (2009: James Cameron)

Third 1000 word critique to be posted 11.55pm Sunday 22nd February

Week 7: February 23 to March 1Just What Is the Right Thing? African American Genres     

Required reading; Biskind: 169-315

Required Viewing: Do the Right Thing (1989: Spike Lee) Why Did I Get Married? (2012 Tyler Perry) Responses to third critique posted 11.55 Sunday 1st March.

Week 8: March 2 to March 8Keeping the Faith: Religious Messages in Theatrical Films     

Required reading; Biskind 316-440

Required viewing: Dead Man Walking ( 1995 Tim Robbins ) Superman ( 1978 Richard Donner)

Fourth 1000 word critique to be posted Sunday 8th March.

Week 9: March 9 to March 16Modular Week; no classes and a chance to catch up     

Week 10: March 16 to March 22Maverick independent directors

Required reading: Biskind Down And Dirty Movies into to 101

Required viewing: Traffic; (2001: Steve Soderburgh) Signs ( 2002 M. Night Shyamalan)

Responses to fourth critique to be posted Sunday 22nd March.

Week 11: March 23 to March 29New Directors enter the field     

Required viewing; Crash (2004 Paul Haggis) Silver Linings Playbook (2012 David O Russell)Fifth 1000 word critique to be posted Sunday March 29

Week 12: March 30 to April 5New Christian & Biblical Film

Required reading: Biskind 102-202

Required Viewing: God is Not Dead (2001: Peter Jackson) Noah (2014 Daniel Aronosky )

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Responses to fifth critique to be posted Sunday 6th April.

Week 13 April 6 to April 12Comedy still wins at the Box Office     

Required reading: Biskind 202-end

Required viewing: Annie Hall ( 1977 Woody Allen) My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002: Joel Zwick)

Week 14: April 13 to April 19Seeking the Sacred: Top Films of the 21st Century

Required viewing; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004: Michel Gondry) Lost in Translation (2003: Sophia Coppola)

Week 15: April 20 to April 25End of semester; all presentations completed.      

SECTION 4 – PROGRAM GOALS

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND THE ARTS MISSION STATEMENTTo prepare emerging and established Christian leaders to inspire, enrich and transform the media, the arts, and the

academy through excellence and innovation in scholarship and practice.

This next section covers policies related to academic integrity, accommodations, and University policies and procedures.

Christian Foundations of Academic IntegrityBiblical. Regent University affirms the Biblical commandment of “thou shalt not steal” (Ex. 20:15). In the context of academic integrity, this must be understood in the larger framework of “love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt. 22:39) as well as “render therefore unto Caesar what are Caesar’s; and unto God what are God’s” (Matt. 22:21). Paul writes from this framework of love and respect when he says, “Pay to all what is owed them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed” (Rom. 13:7). Each of these passages conveys the social obligation to respect the dignity of both the personhood and the property of those in society. Paul thus prescribes the biblical standard of honest, hard work as a key to respecting each other’s personhood and property. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul even provides counsel to those who have committed theft, stating, “Let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (4:28). As such, the God of the Bible mandates a higher life than the world requires, a life in which Christians participate in the love and dignity God holds for himself as Father, Son, and Spirit. Indeed, even as Christ honors and acknowledges the will of his Father and the works of his Spirit, so should Christians honor and acknowledge the wills and works of those that provide opportunities to edify their minds and hearts with the knowledge and wisdom of sound scholarship. In doing so, Christians follow the biblical precept of integrity that is founded on love and respect and enables them to learn both from one another and those outside the faith.

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Philosophical. Regent University also affirms the necessity of recognizing the classical virtues when deriving a foundation for academic integrity, particularly the virtue of diligence. The virtues dictate that researchers should consider morality first. In other words, one’s sense of expediency must always follow from that which is right, not from that which is convenient. Cicero comments that, in order to act morally, individuals must act in a manner that prevents themselves from being placed in a position where they must choose between convenience and morality, or, stated differently, into a position where they “consider one thing to be right but not expedient, and another to be expedient but not right” (102). The virtues, therefore, require diligence in order to act morally upright—diligence to plan ahead, diligence to rationally consider the context of the moral situation, and diligence to act biblically not just ethically. For that which is ethical to the world is never necessarily moral before Christ. (Cicero, Marcus Tullius. On Moral Obligations. Trans. John Higginbotham. London: Faber and Faber LTD, 1967. Print.) Legal. Finally, Regent University affirms the necessity of equipping students for the reality of functioning within a society bound by laws, including copyright laws. Paul speaks clearly about a Christian’s responsibility to abide by the laws of the land. He concludes that authority is ultimately from God, so believers must work within that God-ordained system (Rom. 13). Thus, in mastering the art and science of proper attribution of sources, students are participating in the Biblical tradition of exhibiting reverence for the divine institute of law as well as giving honor where honor is due.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities The policy and intent of Regent University is to fully and completely comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008, to the extent that they apply to the university. Regent University will not discriminate against an otherwise qualified student with a disability in the admissions process, or any academic activity or program, including student-oriented services. Regent University will provide reasonable accommodation to the known physical and mental limitations of a qualified individual with a disability, unless to do so would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the university, or unless it would fundamentally alter a degree or course requirement. Qualified students must request reasonable accommodations for disabilities through the Disability Services Coordinator in Student Services.

For information about student records, privacy, and other University policies and procedures, students are directed to the most recent version of the Student Handbook located at http://www.regent.edu/admin/stusrv/docs/StudentHandbook.pdf

Suggestions and amendments to Professor Andrew Quicke email: andrqui@regent.edu.

First edition of this syllabus published 11/5/2014.

Copyright Regent University 2014

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