American Studies: A Look at Culture and Society

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Have you ever heard someone say they’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse? What about saying something’s American as apple pie? What’s the difference between college and university and how does it work? What is country music? Lacrosse? Super Bowl? Do cowboys and Indians still exist? Why is the month written first when writing dates? It might seem out of order. Why do people often get sued? How is the government structured? Why do so many people seem to love Donald Trump while so many others seem to hate him?

In this course you’ll learn the answers to these and many other questions. You’ll learn a little bit of everything about American Culture and Society – including customs, sayings, traditions, holidays, music, history, politics and law. There will be opportunities to share your experience with and surprises of American Culture as well as to ask questions. You will read, watch, and listen to an assortment of views about what it means to be American, and how this notion has evolved and continues to change.

ASSIGNMENTS AND COMPLETION CERTIFICATE

All assignments must be completed in order to receive your course completion certificate. Course completion certificates will be emailed to everyone, a few days after the deadline of all assignments. If you need your certificate earlier, please let us know and we can email it to you as soon as you complete all assignments.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance during the scheduled Zoom sessions is mandatory and we will be taking attendance! If you do not attend these, you will not receive a course completion certificate. Other than the Zoom sessions, you will be free to work whenever you want, at your own pace. You will have 4 weeks to complete all course requirements.

ONLINE FORMAT

This class will consist of readings, videos and assignments and posted on Google Classroom and a few scheduled Zoom sessions (Zoom is a video conference app). Both of these platforms are free and easy to use. You will be invited to join Google Classroom about a week before class starts. Check your junk mailbox, as invitations to join Google Classroom sometimes end up there. Please make sure you register for the course with a valid email address, since this is where you will receive an invitation notification to join Google Classroom. Your email has to be Google Classroom compatible, so it’s best if you use gmail, hotmail or yahoo. If you do not receive a notification, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to contact us.

There is NO pre-assignment for the online class. You might however be asked by your instructor, a few days in advance, to prepare a little bit for the first zoom meeting. The course syllabus, all readings and assignments will be posted on Google Classroom before the first zoom meeting.

You will attend the Zoom sessions by going to zoom.us and clicking “Join Meeting.” You will then enter a meeting ID number that will be provided to you. You can join via a computer, iPad or phone! We would prefer to see you, but if you do not have a camera on your computer, that’s ok. You can join via audio only. There is also an option to call in from your phone, in case your computer audio has any trouble connecting.

$250 | **ONLINE** | 36 hours (equivalent to 3 credits)

Contact Information

Department of Continuing Education
161 Newkirk Street, Room E504
Jersey City, NJ 07306
(201) 360-4224
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