HIST172: 20th Century America
Section: E51     (eLearning)

About This Course

Semester and YearSummer II 2013 / (6 weeks): Jul 8, 2013 to Aug 15, 2013
(See "Getting Started" below for details about orientation)
Instructor(s)
Martin Sutton   Email: suttonm@bucks.edu
Phone: 215-968-8340
Course Credits
3 credits
Time Requirements
Plan a minimum of 13 - 20 hours per week for your coursework. While online learning courses provide flexibility in time, geography, and travel, the work required for successful completion is identical to that for the face-to-face course.   Your instructor may specify additional time requirements in the "Other information" field below or during your orientation.
Delivery Mode
eLearning:
Web-based course
Official College Course Description
The complete college course description can be viewed at:
Student Characteristics
Open to self-motivated, self-disciplined students who can handle college-level work and study independently.
Student Requirements
This course has the following requirements for students:
  • There are no special requirements for this course

Getting Started With This Course

Orientation(s)
Orientation for this course is optional.
Other

Your instructor will be handling orientation as indicated below.

Other Orientation Information
The course covers United States history from 1890 up to the early 1990s (first Clinton Administration). The main focus is on the period from WW I through WW II and its aftermath, with some attention paid to the Vietnam era and the years that followed. There are six essays ("written assignments" in Canvas) based upon reading assignments in the textbook. One of these essays is for extra credit, hence only five are course requirements. The textbook for the course is as follows: Alan Brinkley and Ellen Fitzpatrick, America in Modern Times: Since 1890. In addition to the essays, there is a book report (three to five pages, double- spaced)due at the end of the semester. A book list is included in the course format ("Syllabus") in Canvas from which you may select a book for the book report assignment. Online discussion is mandatory. There is no formal orientation session for the course, but the instructor is available (suttonm@bucks.edu) to respond to any student questions or observations.
Accessing Your Course

Canvas (by Instructure)

Your course is using Canvas. If you are new to Canvas, please visit the Canvas Basics course space to become familiar with Canvas prior to the start of your course. No login is required to access this space.

You will be able to login to Canvas about two weeks prior to the start of your class. However, your course becomes available as of 1 AM on the official course start date.

Logging In

Log in to your Canvas course space at bucks.instructure.com

  • Username: Your username is the same for every system at Bucks.
  • Password: your Bucks Network password (used to log into any Bucks campus computer or to access any Bucks Library online database from off campus.)

If you do not know your Bucks Username, go to WebAdvisor. Select Account information (upper right hand corner of the screen) then select What's My User ID? and follow the prompts. You will need to provide your last name AND either your 7 digit student ID number OR your social security #. Your Bucks username will display on the screen.

Note: Students are uploaded to Canvas several times a day. If you registered late, you won't be able to access Canvas until the next upload takes place.

Purchasing Your Books and Other Course Materials

While you may purchase your books and other course materials from the provider of your choice (using the ISBN number available through the course's academic department where applicable to ensure the correct version), both the campus bookstore and our online bookstore, guarantee that they stock the correct version for your course.

Approximately 3 weeks prior to the start of the session you can use the link below to see the list of books that have been selected by your instructor. If you have any questions about the course materials listed, please contact your instructor or the academic department directly.

Click this link to see the book list for your course.

Other Information about the Course
The one item for student purchase is the textbook for the course, Brinkley and Fitzpatrick, America in Modern Times: Since 1890. If that book goes out of print, another book will be selected by June 1. It is often possible to obtain the book at considerable savings at abebooks.com or other internet book sites. It is vital for students to obtain the book before the beginning of the semester since the assignments begin right away. As far as the essays are concerned, I prefer them to be double-spaced with ample margins for my comments. All assignments can be either posted in the appropriate section in Canvas or sent to me as e-mail attachments. My address for this purpose: suttonm@bucks.edu. Due dates for the papers and all other requisite information about the course can be found in the course syllabus section in Canvas and at www.bucks.edu/welcome. Just look for the course by subject and number, HIST 172. Stay in touch with me before and during the semester as I am always available to discuss course matters with students. I think you will enjoy reading about US development in what is arguably the nation's most dynamic century, with the greatest impact on our current status as a nation and society. One major expectation is that every student will read the book in its entirety. The second expectation is that all written assignments will be submitted in a timely way. Due dates are included in the course syllabus found on Canvas.