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Common Course Outline

Course discipline/number/title HUM 1500: Compassion Studies

Catalog Description

Credits 3
Hours/Week 3
Prerequisites (Course discipline/number) None
Other requirements College level reading and writing skills are required
MnTC Goals (if any) Goal 6/The Humanities, the Arts, Goal 9/Ethical and Civic Responsibility.

Course Description

This course explores ideas about compassion and the “good life” as they are expressed through literature, art, music, religion, philosophy, and/or other modes of humanistic inquiry. Students will reflect on questions such as the following: What is compassion? Do humans have a duty to be compassionate? Why does compassion matter? Readings, discussions, videos, and lectures will be drawn from diverse approaches, time periods, and academic disciplines.

Date Last Revised (Month, year)

December, 2021

Outline of Major Content Areas

  1. Compassion as it relates to:
    1. Students own experiences
    2. Ethical and moral systems
    3. Emotions and character traits
    4. Religious and philosophical traditions
    5. History and politics
    6. Biological and social sciences
    7. Arts and Literature
    8. Economic and workplace issues
    9. Regional, national, and international traditions

Learning Outcomes (General)

The student will be able to:

  1. Recall essential information about compassion.
  2. Discuss relevant materials and ideas regarding compassion.
  3. Reflect upon the role of compassion in one’s own life.
  4. Explore the nature of compassion through different modes of investigation.
  5. Investigate compassion as it pertains to specific disciplines.

Learning Outcomes (MnTC)

Goal 6/The Humanities, the Arts

The student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
  2. Respond critically to works in the arts and humanities.
  3. Articulate an informed personal reaction to works in the arts and humanities.
Goal 9/Ethical and Civic Responsibility.

The student will be able to:

  1. Examine, articulate, and apply their own ethical views.
  2. Analyze and reflect on the ethical dimensions of legal, social, and scientific issues.
  3. Identify ways to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Methods for Evaluation of Student Learning

Methods may include but are not limited to:

RCTC Core Outcome(s)

This course contributes to meeting the following RCTC Core Outcome(s):

Critical Thinking
Students will think systematically and explore information thoroughly before accepting or formulating a position or conclusion.

Special Information (if any)

None