Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Holocaust & Genocide Studies Minor


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A minor in Holocaust & Genocide Studies is available for students who have an interest in understanding one of the most significant historical, political, ethical, social, and cultural events of the last century and beyond: genocide, and especially the Nazi genocide. Students who take the Holocaust & Genocide Studies minor will develop skills in historical, cultural, and philosophical analysis, oral and written communication skills, and gain an appreciation of the present world and its formation, all skills which will broaden, enhance, and contribute to any major or career they choose. The minor is especially designed to provide a deep knowledge of the Nazi genocide and the role of genocide in human history by providing coursework that focuses on understanding genocide as a historical development and occurrence, as a moral, political, social, and cultural problem, and as a currently occurring phenomenon. Although not required, opportunities may be available to pursue the study of genocide in an applied context through possible service work or internship. Finally, the minor can profitably be paired with a variety of majors and opportunities will be available for interdisciplinary engagement.

12 credit hours of the minor must be completed at Avila University.

Program Requirements


Holocaust and Genocide Studies minors must complete a total of 18 credits hours in the minor area to include:

History Courses


Must select at least 3 credit hours from the following:

Electives (6 hours–Minimum)


A minimum of 6 credit hours from the list above and/or from the following:

Outcomes


Outcome 1.

Knowledge: Knowledge of the major questions of Holocaust and Genocide Studies. Specifically these questions are: Concepts: What is genocide? Causes: Why and how does genocide occur? Consequences: What are and what ought to be the material, legal, political, cultural, and economic consequences of genocide?

Outcome 2.

Interdisciplinarity: The ability to think and express (using written and verbal means) the major questions of Holocaust and Genocide using the disciplines of English, History, Philosophy, or Theatre.

Assessment


Course assessment of the minor employs the following direct and indirect assessment methods to assess course outcomes: pre-course evaluations (i.e. gauging student knowledge and skills relevant to course outcomes at the start of the course), performance assessment (e.g., but not limited to class participation, group presentations, critical essays, in-class discussions in which students receive feedback to gauge their learning at various points during the semester), observation (e.g., instructor and peer group work among individual students during group discussions and review sessions, which also provides feedback to students concerning their mastery of course outcomes based on instructor-designed rubrics for each individual assignment), course-embedded assessment based on instructor-designed rubrics for each individual assignment (e.g., performance on examinations, critical essays, research papers, which in this and other courses is actually a cumulative pulling together of student learning from earlier assignments, such as class participation exercises, and again feedback is provided to students), and student self-reflective mechanisms (e.g., student perceptions of learning and course outcomes at the end of the course.) Assessment of both outcomes will occur in at least one approved course in the minor annually.

History Note


Transfer courses from other institutions (not exceeding 6 credit hours), Special Topics courses from Avila, and Directed Studies courses from Avila may be applied to the Holocaust and Genocide Studies minor as electives, but only if approved by the chairpersons of the departments of History and Religious Studies and Philosophy. The chairperson of the department of History will advise all minors in Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Minor Note


  • At least 18 semester hours in a subject area are required for a minor.
  • A minimum of 9 hours in the minor must be earned at Avila University
    • At least six of these hours must be numbered 300 or above. (Note: If the minor is in Biology or Chemistry, only four (4) of the 9 semester hours in the minor at Avila must be in courses numbered 300 or above.)

  • A minimum of 9 hours must be unique between a major and a minor. 
  • A grade of “C” or better must be earned for all graded courses required for the minor.

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