Entry requirements

General entry requirements

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

• Give an account, based on the course literature, of how various thinkers draw upon their respective religious and secular traditions to formulate ideas about how the world can be made better;
• Reflect on the different literary genres that the course literature includes and how they can contribute to critical thinking;
• Compile and interpret -- in speech and writing -- a personal collection or canon of significant texts and images on the theme "for a better world."

Content

"The mission of Uppsala University is to gain and disseminate knowledge for the benefit of humankind and for a better world" -- the opening words of Uppsala University's statement of goals and strategies. This course examines how the quest for a better world has been reflected in various religious and secular traditions. In addition to reading texts of diverse genres, students meet invited guests and interview them about their efforts to improve the world. Students also produce an annotated collection of texts and images on the theme "for a better world."

Instruction

Teaching is given in the form of lectures and seminars. Participation in the seminars is compulsory. Teaching will be in English. In case of a very small number of students, stated types of instruction may be changed to self-study.

Assessment

The examination in the course is carried out in the form of oral presentation (3,5 credits) and short essay (4 credits).

Grading scale for seminars: Fail-Pass (U-G). Grading scale for all other assessed components: Fail-Pass-Pass with distinction (U-G-VG).

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Other regulations

Good reading skills in English are required. The student must be capable of working independently throughout the course.

Transitional provisions

Students retain the right to be examined on the course according to this syllabus for 3 semesters after their course instance has ended. Normally, instruction will be given according to the latest version of the course syllabus only.