Philosophy (PHIL) 367 (Existentialism and Phenomenology) is a three-credit Arts or Humanities course with no pre-requisite, however, previous credit in Philosophy is recommended.  PHIL 367 is not available for challenge.  Throughout this course, students will find themselves presented with a background in two major schools of modern European philosophical thought.  The course is divided into two parts: Part I on Existentialism and Part II on Phenomenology.

Who Should Take This Course and Why

For this article, we had the opportunity to interview the course coordinator of PHIL 367, Dr. Wendell Kisner.  Dr. Kisner is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Program Director for the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies Program.  When we asked him who should take this course he said, “There is no particular type or kind of person who is drawn to philosophy.  It’s more about willingness than already being a certain kind of person: willingness to critically examine one’s own assumptions and let them go should they turn out to be mistaken or one-sided.” In the course outline, students will find Dr. Kisner further elaborates on how assumptions of knowledge blind students from learning—to be open-minded to the possibility of being challenged in what you think.  He continues to say that “this course in particular addresses questions about the meaning of morality and human existence … through genealogy and phenomenology.  While both entail shifting away from metaphysical speculations, genealogy focuses on historical developments while phenomenology leads us to carefully attend to how things actually appear as opposed to how we may reflect on them.  Both entail suspending the habitual assumptions and judgements we tend to make in our everyday existence.”

Course, Assignments, and Exam Details

The course consists of ten units divided into two parts.  Part I covers Nietzsche and Existentialism and its units include (1) The Historical Context of Existentialism and Phenomenology, (2) Good, Evil, and Morality, (3) Guilt and Punishment, (4) The Ascetic Ideal and Western History, (5) Nihilism, Affirmation, and Eternal Recurrence, and (6) Jean-Paul Sartre, Freedom, and Atheistic Existentialism.  Part II covers Heidegger and Phenomenology and its units are divided into (7) Existential Phenomenology and the Question of Being, (8) Human Existence, Anxiety, and Death, (9) Modern Technology, and (10) Earth and Sky, Gods and Mortals.  As there is no textbook for this course, each unit has a written “lecture” covering the need-to-know information, as well as the Unit Objectives, Key Terms and Concepts, any required reading assignments, optional supplementary material, and study questions.

The final mark in PHIL 367 is based on the study questions for each unit and two essay assignments.

The study questions are weighted at an overall 20% of the final grade (2% for each submission).  It is best to answer all of the provided study questions for your personal use, but only one question provided in the list must be submitted for grading.  Study question responses should adequately answer the question in 300-500 words.  It is noted in the instructions to utilize the provided course material and avoid outside sources when answering them.

There are two essays for PHIL 367, weighted at 40% each.  Both essays coincide with each part of the course—essay one follows part one, and essay two after part two.  Essays should be a minimum of 1600 words and the general outline and marking rubric are provided in the course.  While you cannot access the essay drop box until it has been opened, students can find the topics for these essays in the “Professors Section” of the course outline.

Note that this course follows a sequential order, meaning study questions and essays must be submitted one after the next.  The drop boxes for each assignment do not open until you have submitted the previous assignment.

There are no quizzes nor a final exam for this course.  To receive credit for PHIL 367, all assignments must be submitted, and a composite grade of 50% (D) must be achieved.

Course Advice

Dr.  Kisner states that success in this course “requires the willingness to think through arguments made in the readings, following them step by step so that it’s clear how we get from their premises to their conclusions.  This takes patience and careful reading.” He continues to say that “often students come to philosophy courses with the mistaken expectation that they’ll be treated to a collection of various beliefs and opinions, and they must learn to let go of the habit of merely reporting beliefs and opinions as if that’s what philosophy is about.”

As someone who has taken this course, I can say that PHIL 367 is one of the heaviest reading courses I’ve yet to do.  Each unit contains plenty of description and commentary, and there are multiple books and essays to be read throughout the course.

While the supplemental readings are optional, they came in very handy to further expand on the writings and aided in answering study questions.  I often found myself re-reading sections a few times over, breaking down every piece of information and integrating it into the bigger picture.  Students may struggle with the amount of reading in this course, or as Dr.  Kisner mentioned, may struggle to let go of their own assumptions.  Students need to be willing to be challenged, and not immediately think, “I disagree with this,” to find success in this course.

[I like the Course Exam column, I wish I had more of them to publish, as each one of them tends to be among the most viewed things on the site.  So I knew from the start I needed a Course Exam in the Best Of edition.  This one, from early October in issue 3038, got picked because it gives us not only a look at the course from the course coordinator, but also gives us some decent advice for how to get through it from Olivia directly, as she’s already had to do it.]

English 460—Athabasca Universities’ newest course offering in the English department!  This course will allow students to investigate the links among literature, culture, and the environment while considering the role of cultural and literary analysis in the face of climate crisis and ecological complexity.  ENGL 460 is a three-credit arts or humanities course with a challenge-for-credit option.  ENGL 211 and ENGL 212 or equivalent first-year English courses are the prerequisites for this course, and it is recommended that students take at least one intermediate literature course as well.

Meet Dr. Paul Huebener: Course Coordinator and Professor

For this article, The Voice Magazine had the opportunity to interview Dr.  Paul Huebener.  Dr.  Huebener has a PhD. from McMaster University, where he studied the politics of time in literature and culture in Canada.  His curiosity led him to ponder, “how does time serve as a form of power, and what can literature teach us about it?” He notes that he was lucky to have wonderful doctorate supervisors who encouraged him to stay curious, which has now allowed him to “help students create unique questions they can be excited about.” He is involved in a variety of English courses at AU, including, but not limited to, ENGL 211 (Prose Forms), ENGL 302 (Introduction to Canadian Literature), ENGL 433 (Post-Colonial Literatures), and of course, the newest offering, ENGL 460.  Dr. Huebener is also a renowned author, with his latest work, Nature’s Broken Clocks, being nominated for several awards, in which it was a finalist for all.

In his spare time, Dr. Huebener has been learning to play the guitar, “slowly,” he says, for about twenty years.  He also enjoys the scholarly projects that he undertakes solely for his own curiosity and enjoyment stating “it’s a privilege to be able to choose how to dedicate ourselves to something we find meaningful.”

Who Should Take This Course, and Why?

Dr. Huebener mentioned in the interview that “we live in frightening times.  Despite this, human relationships with the environment are incredibly diverse and contain much cause for enjoyment and wonder.” He continues to say that “much like the environment itself, environmental literature is a diverse and complex realm … the humanities play a central role in how we understand and relate to the environment.” This realm of study allows students to engage with fascinating works of literature and other cultural texts, and studying environmental literature can “help us face our troubling times with a sense of wisdom and purpose.” Students who care deeply about climate collapse, climate justice, and finding new ways to be hopeful about the future will gain much from ENGL 460, as this course “lets us think carefully about how people imagine the ecological world and our place within in — not just in terms of ecological crisis, but also in terms of wonder and the unexpected.”

Students who enjoy a bit of creativity and a sense of freedom in their work will also benefit greatly from ENGL 460.  “Students who want to write traditional analytical essays are free to do so, but they also have the option to present their work in other forms.” Think videos, podcasts, narrated slideshows and more—if this catches your creative eye, you’re in for a treat.  “We’ve also looked for ways to reduce the emphasis on grades, so we can prioritize the process of learning in terms of students’ interests … your experience in the course will involve assessing your own work and deciding how to make projects meaningful to you.”

Course, Assignments, and Exam Details

ENGL 460 will allow students to evaluate the concerns at stake within the environmental humanities; assess the role of literature and imaginative representation in responding to ecological complexity; apply the skills of close reading and secondary research in order to assess the ways in which the assigned texts approach cultural assumptions and concepts associated with the environment; analyze the ways in which relevant literary concepts such as theme, metaphor, irony, form, and genre operate within specific texts; and create thoughtful, articulate, original analyses of the assigned texts and concepts, perhaps surprising themselves and their instructor with new insights.

ENGL 460 is divided into seven units.  Unit 1 focuses on Climate and the Imagination through the field of ecocriticism and considers works about literature, the environment, and the imagination.  Unit 2 examines Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island.  Unit 3 is called Encountering the Earth and it examines works of theory, memoir, and poetry about engaging with the environment from personal and societal perspectives.  Unit 4 examines Helen Macdonald’s memoir H is for Hawk, and Unit 5 examines The Sasquatch at Home by Eden Robinson.  Unit 6, The Anthropocene and Its Erasures touches on works of theory and poetry about the geological epoch known as the Anthropocene.  Lastly, Unit 7 examines Kim Stanley Robinson’s novel, Aurora.  The readings in this course are “compelling books and other readings for students to examine.”

To receive credit for ENGL 460, students must submit all four assignments, including a brief self-reflection that is part of each of them, and receive a minimum grade of 50% on each assignment.  The first assignment is two short analytical essays, weighted at 20%.  The second and third assignments can be an analytical essay or alternative-medium assignment, both of which are weighted at 25%.  The last assignment is also an analytical essay or alternative-medium assignment, weighted at 30%.  There is no final exam for English 460.  Dr.  Huebener says that as part of your assignment projects “you can go outside and interact with your environment in a new way, you can create social media posts about representations of the environment, or you can even create a mock final exam for this course and explain how and why you would assign this exam to future students.” The assignments offer creativity and flexibility to take your work in all kinds of different directions so long as students “develop an analytical perspective on literature, culture, and environment.” Dr.  Huebener wants students to know that “this course can become whatever you make it, and we’ll be encouraging you to make the most of it.”

Philosophy (PHIL) 367 (Existentialism and Phenomenology) is a three-credit Arts or Humanities course with no pre-requisite, however, previous credit in Philosophy is recommended.  PHIL 367 is not available for challenge.  Throughout this course, students will find themselves presented with a background in two major schools of modern European philosophical thought.  The course is divided into two parts: Part I on Existentialism and Part II on Phenomenology.

Who Should Take This Course and Why

For this article, we had the opportunity to interview the course coordinator of PHIL 367, Dr. Wendell Kisner.  Dr. Kisner is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Program Director for the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies Program.  When we asked him who should take this course he said, “There is no particular type or kind of person who is drawn to philosophy.  It’s more about willingness than already being a certain kind of person: willingness to critically examine one’s own assumptions and let them go should they turn out to be mistaken or one-sided.” In the course outline, students will find Dr. Kisner further elaborates on how assumptions of knowledge blind students from learning—to be open-minded to the possibility of being challenged in what you think.  He continues to say that “this course in particular addresses questions about the meaning of morality and human existence … through genealogy and phenomenology.  While both entail shifting away from metaphysical speculations, genealogy focuses on historical developments while phenomenology leads us to carefully attend to how things actually appear as opposed to how we may reflect on them.  Both entail suspending the habitual assumptions and judgements we tend to make in our everyday existence.”

Course, Assignments, and Exam Details

The course consists of ten units divided into two parts.  Part I covers Nietzsche and Existentialism and its units include (1) The Historical Context of Existentialism and Phenomenology, (2) Good, Evil, and Morality, (3) Guilt and Punishment, (4) The Ascetic Ideal and Western History, (5) Nihilism, Affirmation, and Eternal Recurrence, and (6) Jean-Paul Sartre, Freedom, and Atheistic Existentialism.  Part II covers Heidegger and Phenomenology and its units are divided into (7) Existential Phenomenology and the Question of Being, (8) Human Existence, Anxiety, and Death, (9) Modern Technology, and (10) Earth and Sky, Gods and Mortals.  As there is no textbook for this course, each unit has a written “lecture” covering the need-to-know information, as well as the Unit Objectives, Key Terms and Concepts, any required reading assignments, optional supplementary material, and study questions.

The final mark in PHIL 367 is based on the study questions for each unit and two essay assignments.

The study questions are weighted at an overall 20% of the final grade (2% for each submission).  It is best to answer all of the provided study questions for your personal use, but only one question provided in the list must be submitted for grading.  Study question responses should adequately answer the question in 300-500 words.  It is noted in the instructions to utilize the provided course material and avoid outside sources when answering them.

There are two essays for PHIL 367, weighted at 40% each.  Both essays coincide with each part of the course—essay one follows part one, and essay two after part two.  Essays should be a minimum of 1600 words and the general outline and marking rubric are provided in the course.  While you cannot access the essay drop box until it has been opened, students can find the topics for these essays in the “Professors Section” of the course outline.

Note that this course follows a sequential order, meaning study questions and essays must be submitted one after the next.  The drop boxes for each assignment do not open until you have submitted the previous assignment.

There are no quizzes nor a final exam for this course.  ITo receive credit for PHIL 367, all assignments must be submitted, and a composite grade of 50% (D) must be achieved.

Course Advice

Dr.  Kisner states that success in this course “requires the willingness to think through arguments made in the readings, following them step by step so that it’s clear how we get from their premises to their conclusions.  This takes patience and careful reading.” He continues to say that “often students come to philosophy courses with the mistaken expectation that they’ll be treated to a collection of various beliefs and opinions, and they must learn to let go of the habit of merely reporting beliefs and opinions as if that’s what philosophy is about.”

As someone who has taken this course, I can say that PHIL 367 is one of the heaviest reading courses I’ve yet to do.  Each unit contains plenty of description and commentary, and there are multiple books and essays to be read throughout the course.

While the supplemental readings are optional, they came in very handy to further expand on the writings and aided in answering study questions.  I often found myself re-reading sections a few times over, breaking down every piece of information and integrating it into the bigger picture.  Students may struggle with the amount of reading in this course, or as Dr.  Kisner mentioned, may struggle to let go of their own assumptions.  Students need to be willing to be challenged, and not immediately think, “I disagree with this,” to find success in this course.

HIST 210 (A History of the World in the Twentieth Century II) is a three-credit arts or humanities course that introduces students to the major economic, political, social, scientific, and technological developments in post-Second World War history.  HIST 210 has no prerequisites, but credit in at least one university history course is recommended.  This course is cross-listed with GLST 210 and cannot be taken if credit has been obtained for GLST 210.  HIST 210 has a challenge for credit option.

Who Should Take This Course and Why

The Voice Magazine had the privilege to interview Emily McIntyre, a bachelor of arts student with a minor in history.  She notes that “this course picks up where HIST 209 left off, at the end of the Second World War.” She continues, “I might see upsetting things in the media such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or the rioting happening in Iran this week, but they make more sense to me now.  They don’t feel as random or unpredictable.” If you have ever wondered how global events continue to shape the world, Emily says “this course does a great job of illustrating that … there is a growing understanding of how interconnected our world is.”

Course, Assignments, and Exam Details

HIST 210 is based on four broad themes: global interrelatedness; identity and difference; rise of the mass society; and technology versus nature.  It is divided into fourteen units, beginning with “Boom Time” in 1948 through to “Fast Forward” in 1999.  Students will also explore units titled “Fallout”, “Endangered Planet”, “Great Leap, “God Fights Back”, and more.  By the end of the course, students should be able to critically discuss the main currents and major patterns of world history during the twentieth century; analyze the diverse ways in which large-scale developments have affected, and also been affected by, the lives of individuals; explain the strengths and limitations of different approaches to historical understanding; and analyze and compare the effects of major developments in twentieth-century world history on Canada.

HIST 210 includes an eText, fourteen one-hour video programs, the Digital Reading Room, and a Study Guide.  The video components “added so much to the readings,” according to Emily.

To receive credit for HIST 210, students must achieve a minimum of 50 percent on the final, and a minimum composite grade of D (50 percent).  There are two assignments, each weighted at 30 percent, and a final exam weighted at 40 percent for this course.  Emily says “the assignments were pretty straightforward … both were research essays and there was some guidance on the choice of topic.” From what we found in the Digital Reading Room, each assignment has a choice of two topics and all are accompanied by a plethora of additional readings and resources for students to browse and use in their essays.  As for the final examination, “it’s a three-hour written exam comprised of multiple short essays.  You can pick from a list of topics for each essay.”

Course Advice

When we asked Emily what her advice for this course is, she says, “I think with any history course, the key to really integrating all of this information is to think of it as a series of stories you tell yourself.  It’s just a big, long, fascinating story that happens to be true.” She also mentions jotting down new names, acronyms, or terms so that “if they come up later, you don’t have to go looking for a reminder.” We also asked her how she found communication with her tutor throughout the course.  “(They) always have something very interesting to add and often point you very directly where you should be focusing.” Emily really emphasizes the “very directly”.  She also mentioned that the exam questions were very similar to the learning objectives and study questions, and recommended focusing on these throughout your studies.  Amazing advice, Emily!

Explore legal elements, the explanations of crime, sociological theories, and more in SOCI 305: Sociology and Crime.  Sociology 305 is a three-credit arts or social sciences course with no prerequisites and includes a challenge for credit option.

In SOCI 305, students learn a wide range of topics related to crime: legal principles, sociological approaches to crime such as social inequalities, social movements and economic factors, measurements of crime and the theoretical explanations of the crime drop, and policy considerations.

Who Should Take This Course and Why

Lovers of criminal sociological theory unite—Athabasca University has the perfect course for you.  Mr. Gordon Drever has been teaching the ‘Sociology of Crime’ at AU for over twenty years, alongside a similar course (Crime and Deviance) at Northern Lakes College.  If his twenty-plus years of teaching experience isn’t enough, he’s also been a consultant to the Crown as well as consulting with police in crimes involving a sectarian religious context.  He has a confession to make though, stating, “My academic training and research work has been in anthropology.” (He really has his bases covered!) His experience in the realm of anthropology fieldwork gave him some understanding of the comprehension of crime due to cases that unfolded during his time in rural Mexico.

Mr. Drever enjoys seeing students with a background in the field, such as police officers, corrections officers, and social workers, but don’t fret if you don’t have a background in these areas, just bring an interest in the sociology of crime and you’re sure to enjoy this course.

Course, Assignments, and Exam Details

This course is split into ten units, covering a vast array of materials and knowledge.  Alongside the e-text (students may also purchase a physical textbook at an additional cost, linked in the course outline), each unit includes a study guide.  The guides provide an exceptional amount of information including the unit objectives and written “lectures.”  Between the textbook and the course material, students will have no issue accessing the required information-plus exciting additional information for those who love to go above and beyond in their learning.  The ten units cover The Rule of Law, The Legal Elements of Crime, Measuring Crime, The Crime Drop and Enterprise of Criminology, Explaining Crime, Realist Theories, Relativistic Theories, Understanding ‘mere murder’, Murder Extraordinaire, and Policy Considerations.  Students will also find additional readings linked at the end of each unit section.  This course may be heavy on the reading, but the information is incredibly interesting for lovers of criminal theories.  Dare I say, you may even want to read more beyond what is provided.

SOCI 305 includes two assignments, a mid-course quiz, and a final exam.  The first assignment is a research proposal worth 10% of the final grade, and the second is the research paper, worth 25% of the final grade.  The research options in the course assignment are endless, so long as it correlates to some aspect of sociology and crime.  The first assignment is listed as due after unit three, and the second following unit seven.  As for the mid-course quiz, students will find this after unit six.  It’s a 60-question multiple choice quiz that covers units 1-6 and is worth 35% of the final grade.  Lastly, the final examination.  Worth 30% of the final grade, the final exam is written and students will have a list of questions to prepare.  It’s split into two parts: Part A presents 4 of 12 possible questions, and students write their answers to two of these four in approximately 800-1200 words.  Part B includes 14 possible questions to prepare from where four will be presented on the exam, and two must be answered in 350-600 words.  To pass the course, students must achieve a 60% on the final exam, and a 60% overall grade for the course.

Course Advice

“Even though the topic list and requirements for the research papers are written in generic terms, there are always opportunities to bring in your personal experience and knowledge (not to be confused with opinion).  If a student has an interest in the field which does not quite match the assigned topics: no problem, just ask.” If you can use personal experience, Mr. Drever can gauge your familiarity with the sociological framework—plus he says he finds these interesting!

From the perspective of a past student, start working on your final exam preparation early.  Between the study guide and textbook, students will have no problem answering the questions on the provided list.