JUD 499: Judaic Studies Capstone

Course Description

The Judaic Studies Capstone is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they understand clearly their area of concentration, have mastered the content of the selected field(s) of study, can synthesize the key concepts and ideas and can apply this, with relevance to current issues and trends in modern Jewish life. This is achieved through 2 main components: part 1) a well-referenced research paper, using references from both Judaic/Biblical as well as modern resources, and part 2) the development of a resource guide, which incorporates a practical application of the content area(s) of the paper and is pertinent to current practices in modern Jewish life.   The paper includes a cover and a bibliography of the review of the literature (APA style). (3 credits)

Prerequisites

  • This is the required capstone course in the Charter Oak Judaic Studies concentration and should be taken in your final semseter.
  • ENG 101: English Composition 1
  • ENG 102: English Composition 2

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Analyze areas relevant to current Jewish life and practice in order to select the Judaic Studies Capstone topic, providing evidence of content mastery reflective of the Judaic Studies concentration, (Jewish Biblical and Rabbinic sources, Jewish law, Jewish History, etc.).
  2. Develop an objective, referenced Research Paper containing a review of the literature, reflecting the topic from a Judaic perspective (TaNaCH – Hebrew Scripture,/ Commentaries, Rabbinic literature such as Talmud and Midrash) as well as relevant resources discussing how the topic is pertinent in the modern Jewish world (books, journals, online sources, websites, personal communications, etc.).
  3. Synthesize the key concepts and ideas and apply these with relevance to current issues, trends and practices in modern Jewish life by creating a Comprehensive Review of the efforts by Jewish Communities to address the topic (support, resources, etc.) - e.g. organizations, websites, support systems, resources, kiruv activities, shiurim, etc.
  4. Reflect on the findings of the research paper and comprehensive review, especially as to how this information relates to students' own personal beliefs, experiences, lifestyle and/or other academic experiences in the concentration.
  5. Summarize key concepts from the review of the literature and respond to peer content, providing feedback and suggestion.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsPointsWeight

Part 1 – Outlines and Drafts

x6@50 =300 pts

30%

Part 2 – Community Resourcesx6@25 = 150 pts

15%

Reflections

x4@25 = 100 pts

10%

Discussions

x4@25 = 100 pts

10%

Preliminary Complete Draft

100 pts

10%

Final Draft

250 pts

25%

Total

1000 points

100%

Required Textbooks

  • There are no required textbooks for this course. APA Publication Manual Recommended.

Course Schedule

Week

SLOs

Assignments

1

1-5

  • Part 1 Initial Outline of Paper
  • Part 2 Preliminary List of Community Resources
  • Reflection #1

2

1-5

  • Part 1 Expanded Outline of Paper
  • Part 2 Expanded List of Community Resources
  • Discussion #1

3

1-5

  • Part 1 Final Outline of Paper
  • Part 2 Final List of Community Resources
  • Reflection #2

4

1-5

  • Part 1 Initial Draft of Paper
  • Part 2 Initial Draft of Community Resources

  • Discussion #2

     

5

1-5

  • Part 1 Expanded Draft of Paper
  • Part 2 Expanded Draft of Community Resources
  • Reflection # 3

6

1-5

  • Part 1 Final Draft of Paper including Cover, Conclusion
  • Part 2 Final Draft of Community Resources
  • Discussion #3

7

1-5

  • Complete Draft of Final Paper including Cover, Paper, Resources and Bibliography
  • Reflection #4

8

1-5

  • Final Submission of Complete Paper
  • Discussion #4
  • Complete Course Evaluation

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.