<p>Can anyone who is in Honors College take an IHP course, or only students in the IHP program?
Specifically, any info on IHP course 105 (Culture & Human Experience) would be helpful. Thanks!</p>
<p>Anyone honors student can take the IHP course. You should know that you must attend Cultural Speaking class twice a week for half the semester in addition to regular class time. You may have an option to write a paper if you can only attend once a week. You need room in your schedule. My D enjoys the class. I believe she is doing well in there.</p>
<p>Are the Cultural Speaking classes set times, or are they flexible? How would a student know before signing up for this class if they can fit these additional commitments in (if they are set times)?</p>
<p>Other than asking on CC, where do most students find out details and specifics about classes at UA??? Very few of the classes list syllabi, the course descriptions are vague and provide little info about what the course actually entails…</p>
<p>I’m trying to help my S find some additional courses, and both he and I are frustrated that there just isn’t enough info about classes before you sign up. Do most students contact professors directly, or ??? Nearly every single Honors class only has a very small sentence about it (if that). Sorry to vent, but I do think the course descriptions for the Honors courses, in particular, are SORELY LACKING. :(</p>
<p>Last year my D asked a professor about her course. The professor sent a syllabus. My D dropped the course. </p>
<p>When does your S register?</p>
<p>You can look at previous semesters’ course listings. Some of the classes have the syllabus listed. It helps a little. </p>
<p>D also dropped this class last fall after seeing the syllabus.</p>
<p>The HC webpage also lists descriptions about the classes, but not the details of a syllabus: <a href=“http://honors.ua.edu/academics/honors-courses/[/url]”>http://honors.ua.edu/academics/honors-courses/</a></p>
<p>My S was in the IHP course first semester.</p>
<p>He did not know about the additional requirements until the first day of class and then both the times conflicted with other classes he had scheduled. He was able to arrange with his instructor alternative assignments. (Agreed they should tell students this up front, such as scheduling it like a 0 credit lab time).</p>
<p>My son ALMOST dropped the class because of the amount of ‘busy’ work. After talking about it, he decided to stick it out because it counted as 3 honors credits, counted as SB credits, and counted towards IHP which he’s still hoping to complete. After getting over the frustration of all the ‘busy’ work required for the class, he wound up glad he stuck it out and said that the instructor was a very easy grader and it was an easy A. </p>
<p>Not many honors courses also count as SB, so if you are looking for a course that counts for both it is an option, but be prepared for a lot of required ‘busy work’ that takes time even if it is not very difficult.</p>
<p>I would e-mail the teacher. I’m pretty sure she already knows the times for next semester. It is busy work but not hard. My D ended keeping up with the Cultural Speaking classes for the whole semester for extra credit.</p>
<p>Cultural Speaking class meets 4 times - MW at 2 and at 4. You can mix and match any 2 classes that work into your schedule.</p>
<p>My older son loved his IHP Culture class. I read one of the assigned books and really liked it. It was about a non-muslim couple spending their “honeymoon” in a muslim country. I don’t want to spoil the story, but it was very interesting.</p>
<p>D is in the class this semester. She has enjoyed the Culturally Speaking part so much that she is doing it again right now on a volunteer basis (but counts as extra credit). I recall that she was sent an email over the Christmas break that outlined the expectations for the semester and gave the times/days of the Culturally Speaking classes. Not sure if anyone mentioned that they hold conversation for an hour with a small group during those classes. They actually lead the discussion for these international students who are here in the English Language Institute (IIRC). I think the commitment is for 4 or 5 weeks, once or twice a week. </p>
<p>There are a lot of assignments, but it does appear to be highly doable to get an A+. I am thankful for that because D’s classes haven’t been falling into that category. Anyway, she has a paper due at the end of the month that she is basing on Crime and Punishment and another book, Black Earth. I think D could have chosen a much easier path on the paper, so don’t let that scare you. Also she has previously read C&P and the prof is fine with that. Black Earth, however, is rather thick and she got to carry that one around a bit during spring break. </p>
<p>In summary, D is very much enjoying this class and in large part due to the Culturally Speaking component.</p>
<p>Thank you all so much. I wish that UAH would expand its descriptions of its courses to include the level of detail that you all provided. This is useful info to have, and from the sounds of it, it is a great class for some students. I passed all of this along to S in order that he can make his final decisions.</p>
<p>Found the info that D received before class started regarding the Culturally Speaking component (note that 155 is the same as 105 but is for frosh only): </p>
<p>Hello from UA and from the Honors College! I’m glad to see that you have enrolled in my section of IHP 155-001, Culture and the Human Experience.<br>
I’m writing to you before the semester begins because there is an exciting assignment associated with this course that takes some advance planning. As you can see from the attached syllabus, the course begins with an extended discussion of culture and intercultural competence. The very best way to understand the obstacles, intricacies, and often humor of intercultural communication is for you to experience it firsthand.
The assignment that enables you to do this is to participate in Culturally Speaking, a conversation class that is part of UA’s English Language Institute. International students in the English Language Institute need the chance to converse with real students—and that’s you! You will be meeting students from Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Ecuador, and more. Believe me, it will be the most fun thing you do for a grade all semester! To complete the assignment, you will spend 50 minutes twice a week involved in Culturally Speaking—for a maximum of 11 sessions only. The assignment will end on February 25th, and you will then have that time in your schedule free again.
You will hear much more about this during our first class session and all your questions will be answered. What we need to know in advance is your availability on Monday and Wednesday afternoons to participate. So, do you have a class or lab that conflicts with the time sessions of Culturally Speaking? See the schedule below.
For those of you who have a class or lab conflict, there is an alternative assignment to complete. That’s in the attached syllabus too. Again, everything will be explained and discussed in class the first day.
Please reply to this email and let me know if you are:
__<strong><em>Available MW 2:00-2:50 </em></strong> Available M only at this time _<strong><em>Available W only at this time
</em></strong><em>Available MW 4:00-4:50 </em> Available M only at this time __<strong><em>Available W only at this time
_</em></strong>_Not available MW at either time
Spring 2013 Schedule
Mondays & Wednesdays: 2-2:50 (235 & 334 Lloyd), Wednesday January 16th – Monday February 25th (NO CLASS MLK DAY – Monday January 21st); 11 meetings
OR
Mondays & Wednesdays: 4-4:50 (235 & 337 Lloyd) Monday February 25th (NO CLASS MLK DAY – Monday January 21st); 11 meetings
I am looking forward to meeting each of you in class on the first day! Until then, have a wonderful holiday break!</p>
<p>Who was her professor? Should I assume that all professors have the same Culturally Speaking time slots? This term there are 3 different profs, I think.</p>
<p>Frannie James. She likes her a lot.</p>
<p>PM me with your email address if you want a copy of the lengthy syllabus.</p>