Department of History                                                                           fall 2026

HISTORY 312: GANDHI’S INDIA

 

Instructor: SANJAY JOSHI                                           Time and Location: Tue-Thu, 11:10 -12:25, LA 306

 

Office: LA 206                                                       Office Hours: Tu-Thu 12:30 – 1:30 pm and by appointment

Please send me an email to set up an appointment even during regular office hours.

 

E-mail: Sanjay.Joshi@nau.edu                                                                                                  Phone: 523-6216

           

Course Page: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/gandhi’sindia.htm

 

please note: electronic readings for the course will be found on this webpage and not on Canvas. Assignments will be available on Canvas and some need to be submitted online

 

A Liberal Studies Course in the Social and Political Worlds Block. Meets GENERAL STUDIES REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL WORLDS learning Knowledge Area Designation AND fulfills NAU’s Global Inclusive Perspective Requirement

Check NAU’s Policy Statements at https://nau.edu/university-policy-library/syllabus-requirements/

 

Course Description

Through a focus on the times, ideas, achievements, and limitations of one of the most remarkable individuals of the twentieth century, this course examines the history of British colonialism and Indian nationalism. This is a history course on Gandhi’s India, and not a course on Gandhi alone. To understand Gandhi’s India, we need to first understand the nature of British imperialism against which Indian nationalisms, including Gandhi’s, evolved. This course therefore covers the period from the mid- 1700s to 1947. In addition to Gandhi’s ideas and activities, the course examines the material and ideological structures of British imperialism, and the many strands of nationalism in British India. One of our objectives is to understand nationalisms in the PLURAL rather than a singular nationalism – and to realize that the same nation could be imagined (and fought for) differently by different people depending on their circumstances. What makes this particularly obvious in Gandhi’s India was that at decolonization in 1947, the British created not one, but two independent nation-states – India and Pakistan. Looking at this history will not only afford insight into the life and work of Gandhi but also allow us to better evaluate the nature of the transition that took place in 1947.

 

Course Structure/Approach

The format of the course consists of lectures, as well as formal and informal discussions. Students are encouraged to raise questions and make comments throughout the course.

 

Readings

We use the textbook by Barbara and Thomas Metcalf to allow us to understand the historical context of the themes we study in the course. David Hardiman’s excellent book analyzes Gandhi’s life and work from his own context and the contemporary one. To give you a sense of what Gandhi himself said there is his very short pamphlet, Hind Swaraj -- often regarded as the nearest thing he came to outlining a manifesto. I have also included a novel, Premchand’s Godaan (Gift of a Cow) to provide a fictional, but still very authentic account of how common folk in India lived their lives under British rule. There are a few other short readings available electronically. The electronic copy of this syllabus gives you direct links to those readings. I have deliberately provided you with many different points of view in these readings in the hope that you will make your own informed arguments about the issues we discuss in this course.

 

The following REQUIRED texts have been ordered at the NAU Bookstore, Gift of a Cow is the only text you must purchase. The others are available as free online options too. Please make sure you ONLY USE the editions of the texts outlined below. I do NOT want you to cite a different edition of the textbook, of Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj, and certainly not of Premchand’s novel. The Indiana University Press edition uses an excellent translation by Gordon C. Roadarmel and has an Introduction by Vasudha Dalmia that locates and explains the novel for non-Indian readers.

 

  1. Barbara and Thomas Metcalf. A Concise History of India. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Third Edition. 2012. Available as an ebook to be checked out from Cline Library. This is a direct link to the book.
  2. M. K. Gandhi. Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule. Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House, 1996. Available as a free pdf at https://www.mkgandhi.org/ebks/hind_swaraj.pdf
  3. Premchand. Gift of a Cow (Original title Godaan). Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002.
  4. David Hardiman. Gandhi in his Times and Ours. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.

As this book is sometimes difficult to get, I have scanned and included required chapters as electronic readings, links below and via the Canvas page for the course. However, if you can, I do recommend buyin and keeping this book!

 

IN ADDITION: Other short scholarly articles and/or fictional writing, which are a REQUIRED part of reading for this course, will be available as online links, below.

 

Course Requirements, Assignments and Evaluation

1. A take home quiz in the early part of the semester. 50 points

 

2. Midterm Exam: The midterm exam will be worth 200 points, and will consist of short answer and longer-answer questions and may include a map component. There is no final exam.

 

3. Discussion Notes: This may be a relatively new kind of assignment for you, so do pay attention to the following:

You will be given specific questions or topics around which to frame your discussion notes a few days in advance of the discussion day. On the day of the discussion, you need to submit a copy of your notes on Canvas BEFORE you some to class, and I strongly advise you to have another copy of the notes to annotate as you are participating in the discussion. This will help with future discussion assignments, and ultimately your final paper as well.

 

To evaluate the notes, I will be looking for both a clearly outlined THESIS in response to each question, AND relevant data/evidence to support your thesis. As the assignment indicates, the evidence/ data can be in “note” form. Notes that do not indicate a clear thesis or sufficient supporting data will be penalized at my discretion.

 

There will be THREE formal discussions. To allow you to get used to the requirements of this assignment, they have been weighted progressively. The first set of notes will be worth 50 points, the second 150 points, and the last worth 200 points each. You MUST submit notes to participate in the discussion. I will not allow participation in discussion without PRIOR submission of notes. Hence no notes, no participation, and therefore no points for the assignment.

 

The class will be divided into small groups to facilitate discussions. Attendance and participation in all discussions is mandatory; there is no possibility of make-ups in this regard. If University-related business compels you to miss the discussion, you will be allowed to submit your notes in advance of your departure.

 

4. Paper: The paper, worth 250 points, needs to be between 1700-2000 words in length and will ask you to undertake a HISTORICAL reading of Godaan. In the paper, you are expected to combine your understanding of the story with the HISTORICAL background of events, ideas, personalities, and processes you have obtained from class readings, discussion and lectures. Detailed instructions for writing the paper will be provided when formally assigned. History writing lab (LA 215) hours, Wednesday, 1-2 pm and Thursday, 1-2 pm.

 

5.     Class Participation: My subjective assessment of your attendance and participation in class activities (including discussions) will count toward 100 points of the total course grade.

 

PAY ATTENTION TO DUE DATES AND TIMES OF EACH ASSIGNMENT – THEY ARE DUE AT DIFFERENT TIMES DEPENDING ON THE ASSIGNMENT

Grades

Your final grade for the course will be determined according to the following criteria:

Paper                                                                                                   250 points

Mid-Term Exam                                                                                 200 points

Take Home Quiz                                                                                50 points

Discussion Notes (50, 150 points and 200 points)                             400 points

Class Participation                                                                             100 points

TOTAL FOR COURSE                                                                   1000 points

The grading scale for the course will be as follows:

900-1000 = A; 800-899 = B; 700-799 = C; 600-699= D; below 600 = F.

 

Career Readiness Skills

In every class you take at NAU, you learn professional skills that can support your future career. There are a number of ways that this course can help you meet and excel at your job goals and life desires. Below is a list of in-demand skills from National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) you could earn and practice in this class. In parenthesis after each skill are the assignments or requirements of the course that help you demonstrate competencies in these skills:

1. Communication: Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with people inside and outside of an organization. (Class and Discussion Participation, Mid Term Exam, Discussion Notes, Final Paper)

2. Critical Thinking: Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information. (All aspects of the course, particularly the discussion notes, written exam and final paper)

3. Equity & Inclusion: Demonstrate awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-racist practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism. (That diversity is at the heart of any sustainable idea of India is at the heart of this course, and is central to each lecture, assignment, and discussion required for the class)

4. Professionalism: Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace. (Regular attendance, arriving for class in time, submitting assignments on time)

5. Teamwork: Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities. (Respectful interaction with course material as well as classmates on contentious issues around gender, caste, religion, or politics. Preparing and actively participating in formal and informal discussions)

6. Technology: Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals. (Accessing films, readings and timely submission of assignments over Canvas)

 

Attendance and Course Policies

⮚     I expect regular class attendance, of course, without which there is no point in your being enrolled in this class. Missing too many classes will undoubtedly have a negative impact on your class performance. Absence from discussion groups will certainly bring your grade down as there is no possibility of make-ups for that part of the class.

⮚     If you miss a class, whatever your reasons for doing so, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to find out what happened in that class by contacting a classmate. I also expect you to come to class having done all the required reading and prepared to engage in discussion. Finally, I expect you to be motivated to learn about the subject, and to improve your skills as a historian.

⮚     PLEASE NOTE: I do not give extensions, incompletes, or make-up exams, except in cases required by University policy. Full documentation of reasons for absence will be required in such cases.

⮚     Plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will result in failing the course. Please consult the NAU Policy Statements at /https://nau.edu/university-policy-library/syllabus-requirements/ and particularly the sections on academic integrity. IT IS THE STUDENTS' RESPONSIBILITY TO FAMILIARIZE HERSELF/HIMSELF WITH THESE MATTERS AS DEFINED BY THE UNIVERSITY.

⮚     I do not permit the use of ANY electronic devices in the classroom, for any purpose not directly related to this course. If this policy is abused, I reserve the right to ban all electronic devices in the classroom at any point in the semester.

 

Policy on Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (Chat GPT etc.)

This course allows for limited and specific use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies as part of the preparation phase of the work, using these technologies to assist with research, generating discussion questions. On your own, you may use AI to create summaries of topics and developing drafts of text that are then used as an input to the work you do to generate a final assignment – whether those are your notes for discussions or the final paper. In any use of AI, students should be aware of the potential limitations of using generative AI as a tool for learning and research since information is not always reliable or accurate, and should critically evaluate the sources, methods, and outputs of generative AI systems. Any final work (other than Question 5 of Discussion 3, where you are directed to use AI) submitted by students that contributes toward the course grade is expected to be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups as directed by class assignment instructions. Submitting final work created by generative AI where you are not permitted to use it constitutes an academic integrity violation. If you have any questions about this policy or if you are unsure whether a particular use of generative AI is acceptable, please ask for clarification before using such technologies.

 

Provisional Course Schedule and Assignments (BOTH subject to modification)

PART ONE: INTRODUCTIONS

August 25                               Course Introduction

 

August 27                               An Introduction to Indian History

Reading

Metcalf and Metcalf, A Concise History of India, Preface and Chapter One.

 

 

PART TWO: THE CONTEXT FOR GANDHI: BRITISH IN INDIA

September 1                          Coming of British Rule

Reading

Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Two.

 

September 3              Company Raj

Reading

Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Three.

 

Assignment (September 3)

Questions for Discussion #1: From Traders to Rulers: Consequences for India. See Canvas page.

 

September 8              Revolt and the Colonial State

Reading

Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Four, pp. 92-107.

Assignment (September 8)

Take Home Quiz assigned (Canvas)

 

September 10                                    Assignments (Take home Quiz and Discussion One notes)

Take-Home Quiz Due On Canvas BEFORE start of class

 

Discussion #1: EIC Traders to Rulers and Consequences for India (Notes MUST be submitted online before start of class and you MUST bring notes to class. No notes = no participation in discussion, hence no points)

 

PART THREE: BEFORE GANDHI: COLONIALISM and EARLY NATIONALISTS

September 15                        Colonial Reaction and a New Indian Leadership

Reading

Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Four, pp. 108-122.

Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Five, pp 123-131.

 

September 17                        Colonizers and the Colonized

Reading

Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Five, pp. 131-166.

Assignment (September 18)

Questions for Discussion #2: Class, Gender, and Early Indian Nationalism (Canvas)

 

It is quite possible that I might have to be out of the country between September 22 and 29. Please follow the readings and film in the order below and prepare for the discussion. I will address any questions you might have during the class meeting on October 1st.

 

September 22                        Gender, Colonialism, and Nationalism

Reading

1. Sumanta Banerjee, “Marginalization of Women’s Popular Culture in Nineteenth Century Bengal” in Kumkum Sangari and Sudesh Vaid ed. Recasting Women (Delhi: Kali for Women, 1989) http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/Banerjeewomenspopculture.pdf

2. Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain (1880-1932) “Sultana’s Dream.” Originally published in The Indian Ladies Magazine, Madras, India, 1905, in English. http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/sultana/dream/dream.html

Assignment (September 22)

Study Guide for Midterm Exam opens on Canvas.

 

September 24            No Class, Watch the film, The Home and the World (link from Canvas).

 

September 29            Prepare for discussing readings and film

 

October 1                              Class Meeting to discuss readings and film September 22-24

 

October 6                              Discussion #2: Nation, Class, and Gender in early Nationalism

 

October 8                              MID TERM REVIEW

 

October 13                 MID TERM EXAM Please make sure to bring blue books (available for purchase at the Campus Book Store)

 

October 20                 No Class, but please start watching Richard Attenborough’s film GANDHI (link from Canvas).

 

PART FOUR: THE MAHATMA AND THE OTHERS OF GANDHIAN NATIONALISM

I strongly advise you to start reading Hind Swaraj and Godaan this week.

 

October 22                            Gandhi: An Introduction and Political Background

Reading

Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Six, pp. 167-189.

 

October 27                             Gandhi’s India

Reading

David Hardiman, Gandhi in His Time and Ours pp. 1-65, Chapters 1 through 3.

 

October 29-November 5       Gandhi’s Manifesto

Reading

1. M.K. Gandhi, Hind Swaraj. (entire text). October 29th

2. David Hardiman, “An Alternative Modernity” pp. 66-77 of Gandhi in His Time and Ours. November 3rd

 

I know I have repeated November 5. If we are done with Hind Swaraj and Hardiman by November 3rd, we’ll move on to Godaan, if not Godaan discussion will start November 10th.

 

November 5-12                      Worlds of the Gandhian Peasant

Reading

Premchand’s Gift of a Cow (Godaan). (entire text)

Assignment

TERM PAPER on GODAAN ASSIGNED (November 12th) See Canvas.

 

 

 

 

November 17                         Gandhi, Women, Gender and Sexuality

Reading

1. David Hardiman, “Father of the Nation” chapter 5, pp. 94-122 of Gandhi in His Time and Ours.

2. Emma Tarlo “Married to the Mahatma: The predicament of Kasturba Gandhi.” Women: A Cultural Review, 8:3 (1997), pp. 264-277.

 

November 19                         Gandhi and “Untouchables”

Reading

1. David Hardiman, “Dalit and Adivasi Assertion” chapter 6 of Gandhi in His Time and Ours.

2. B. R. Ambedkar, “What do the Untouchables Say? Beware of Mr. Gandhi” Chapter X of What Congress and Gandhi Have Done to the Untouchables.

http://ambedkar.org/ambcd/41K.What%20Congress%20and%20Gandhi%20CHAPTER%20X.htm

3. Ramachandra Guha, “Gandhi’s Ambedkar,” http://www.ambedkar.org/research/GandhiAmbedkar.htm

 

PART FIVE: THE MAHATMA MARGINALIZED

November 24                         The Congress and end of the Raj

Reading

Metcalf and Metcalf, pp. 190-230.

Assignment

PAPER ON GODAAN IS DUE November 24th

Discussion #3 Questions Assigned November 24th

           

November 26th                       Thanksgiving Holiday

 

December 1-3                         Toward Partition

  Reading

1. David Hardiman, “Fighting Religious Hatreds” chapter 7 of Gandhi in His Time and Ours. (December 1)

2. “Toba Tek Singh” by Saadat Hasan Manto (Frances Pritchett's translation) (December 1)

 

3. David Gilmartin, "Partition, Pakistan, and South Asian History: In Search of a Narrative," Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 57, no. 4 (November 1998) pp. 1068-95. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2659304?origin=JSTOR-pdf or http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/gilmartinpartition.pdf (December 3)


December 8                            Discussion # 3: Understanding Partition AND end of course discussion

 

December 10                          Reserve Day, should we need it. No class scheduled at this time.

 

THERE IS NO FINAL EXAM FOR THIS COURSE

 

LIBERAL STUDIES REQUIREMENTS 

General Studies / Liberal Studies Mission

The mission of the Liberal Studies/ General Studies Program at Northern Arizona University is to advance informed, responsible, productive, and self-reflective citizens of the world who possess knowledge from a variety of disciplines and utilize a range of crucial transferable skills.

HIS 312 supports the mission of the programs in the following ways:

*It helps students gain a deeper understanding of the history of colonialism and nationalism as they influenced about a fifth of humanity.

* It helps them understand the politics, ideas, achievements and limitations of one of the greatest men of the twentieth century, Mahatma Gandhi.

*It not only helps them understand the historical factors that have created a rich cultural, political, social, and religiously diverse environment in India, but also the ways in which traditional identities were transformed, mobilized and managed in an era of colonial modernity, leading to the creation, in 1947 of not one but two nation-states in the subcontinent.

*In seeking to understand and evaluate competing interpretations of this rich and complex history, through a variety of sources, the course helps students gain the skills to do the same for the world they inhabit.

Distribution Block: Social and Political Worlds.

This course provides students with:

*The opportunity to study economic, social, and political developments in India from about 1700 to independence in 1947 so as to better understand the social and political world we inhabit.

*An analytic framework that foregrounds the transformative impact of colonialism in the Indian subcontinent, and Gandhi’s fundamental challenges to the model of modernity that shapes the world around us.

Essential Skill: Critical Thinking.

The following assignments will help foster this skill among students of HIS 312.

*students will be able to identify the broad contours of the political, social, and cultural history of India from about 1700 to independence in written examinations.

* through writing term papers and preparing notes for discussion, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to critically read and interpret primary sources (political and literary) and secondary sources, to reach their own conclusions about the merits of different arguments.

* in all their writings, students will be able to combine evidence from secondary and primary sources to describe the complexities of political, social, and cultural life of India from the time of the Mughals to independence.


 

Syllabus Requirements


 

Syllabus Policy Statements

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

NAU expects every student to firmly adhere to a strong ethical code of academic integrity in all their scholarly pursuits. The primary attributes of academic integrity are honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, and responsibility. As a student, you are expected to submit original work while giving proper credit to other people’s ideas or contributions. Acting with academic integrity means completing your assignments independently while truthfully acknowledging all sources of information, or collaboration with others when appropriate. When you submit your work, you are implicitly declaring that the work is your own. Academic integrity is expected not only during formal coursework, but in all your relationships or interactions that are connected to the educational enterprise. All forms of academic deceit such as plagiarism, cheating, collusion, falsification or fabrication of results or records, permitting your work to be submitted by another, or inappropriately recycling your own work from one class to another, constitute academic misconduct that may result in serious disciplinary consequences. All students and faculty members are responsible for reporting suspected instances of academic misconduct. All students are encouraged to complete the online course entitled Academic Integrity @NAU for Students found in their Canvas Dashboard and review the full NAU Academic Integrity Policy.

 

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies bring both opportunities and challenges. Ensuring honesty in academic work creates a culture of integrity and expectations of ethical behavior. The use of these technologies can depend on the instructional setting, varying by faculty member, program, course, and assignment. Please refer to course policies, any additional course-specific guidelines in the syllabus, or communicate with the instructor to understand expectations. NAU recognizes the role that these technologies will play in the current and future careers of our graduates and expects students to practice responsible and ethical use of AI technologies to assist with learning within the confines of course policies.

 

COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

All lectures and course materials, including but not limited to exams, quizzes, study outlines, and similar materials are protected by copyright. These materials may not be shared, uploaded, distributed, reproduced, or publicly displayed without the express written permission of NAU. Sharing materials on websites such as Course Hero, Chegg, or related websites is considered copyright infringement subject to United States Copyright Law and a violation of NAU Student Code of Conduct. For more information on ABOR policies relating to course materials, please refer to ABOR Policy 6-908 A(2)(5).

 

COURSE TIME COMMITMENT

Pursuant to Arizona Board of Regents guidance (ABOR Policy 2-224, Academic Credit), each unit of credit requires a minimum of 45 hours of work by students, including but not limited to, class time, preparation, homework, and studying. For example, for a 3-credit course a student should expect to work at least 8.5 hours each week in a 16-week session and a minimum of 33 hours per week for a 3-credit course in a 4-week session.

 

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR

Membership in NAU’s academic community entails a special obligation to maintain class environments that are conductive to learning, whether instruction is taking place in the classroom, a laboratory or clinical setting, during course-related fieldwork, or online. Students have the obligation to engage in the educational process in a manner that does not interfere with normal class activities or violate the rights of others. For more information, see the Student Code of Conduct policy.

 

NONDISCRIMINATION AND ANTI-HARASSMENT

NAU prohibits discrimination and harassment based on sex, gender, gender identity, race, color, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status and genetic information. Certain consensual amorous or sexual relationships between faculty and students are also prohibited as set forth in the Consensual Romantic and Sexual Relationships Policy. The Office of Civil Rights Compliance (OCRC) responds to complaints regarding discrimination and harassment that fall under NAU’s Nondiscrimination and Anti- Harassment Policy.  To report a concern related to possible unlawful discrimination or harassment, to request a time to confer, or file a complaint, please use the "Report Discrimination – NAU Login" button located at https://in.nau.edu/office-civil-rights-compliance/. OCRC also receives, evaluates, and engages in the interactive process relating to requests for religious accommodations. One may request a religious accommodation by submitting the "Request a Religious Accommodation/Adjustment Form" located at https://in.nau.edu/office-civil-rights-compliance/religious-accommodation-adjustment/. OCRC additionally provides access to lactation spaces, and please use to the Lactation Space Request Form for Employees and Students to request use of a location. For additional information about nondiscrimination or anti-harassment, contact OCRC at OCRC@nau.edu, or visit the OCRC website at https://in.nau.edu/office-civil-rights-compliance/. OCRC is located in Old Main on the first floor.

 

TITLE IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, protects individuals from discrimination based on sex in any educational program or activity operated by recipients of federal financial assistance. In accordance with Title IX, Northern Arizona University prohibits discrimination based on sex in all its programs or activities. Sex discrimination includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and other forms of sexual harassment. NAU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education programs or activities that it operates, including in admission and employment. NAU is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination based on sex and offers a number of supportive measures that assist students, faculty and staff employees, affiliates, and guests.

 

One may direct inquiries concerning the application of Title IX to either or both the university Title IX Coordinator or the U.S. Department of Education, Assistant Secretary, Office of Civil Rights. You may contact NAU's Title IX Coordinator at titleix@nau.edu or by phone at 928-523-5434. In furtherance of its Title IX obligations, NAU promptly will investigate or equitably resolve all reports of sex-based discrimination, including harassment or forms sexual misconduct and will eliminate any hostile environment as defined by law. To submit a report, please use the File a Report Form. The Office of Civil Rights Compliance and Title IX (OCRC-TIX) addresses matters that fall under the university's Sexual Misconduct Policy, and the Office of Title IX Compliance and Services (TIXCS) facilitates reasonable modifications for pregnant or parenting individuals. Additional important information and related resources, including how to request help or confidential support following conduct covered by the Sexual Misconduct Policy, is available on the TIXCS web site, and you also may contact the office at titleix@nau.edu. The TIXCS is located in Old Main on the first floor.

 

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES FOR STUDENTS

Students seeking to miss class or request other course-related adjustments to participate in a religious observance must submit the Religious Accommodation and Adjustment Request Form. The submission of the form initiates an interactive process that may include the student and relevant parties, as the Office of Civil Rights Compliance (OCRC) deems necessary. If OCRC approves the request, OCRC will provide the student and faculty member with a memo detailing the approved adjustments. For additional information, please visit https://in.nau.edu/office-civil-rights-compliance/religious-accommodation-adjustment/.

 

Students must submit the request by the second week of a regular term course or as soon as possible upon learning of the need for the requested academic adjustment. In general, the university will not retroactively apply a religious adjustment.

 

 

ACCESSIBILITY

Professional disability specialists are available at Disability Resources to facilitate a range of academic support services and accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If you have a documented disability, you can request assistance by contacting Disability Resources at 928-523-8773 (voice), 928-523-8747 (fax), or dr@nau.edu (e-mail). Once eligibility has been determined, students register with Disability Resources every semester to activate their approved accommodations. Although a student may request an accommodation at any time, it is best to initiate the application process at least four weeks before a student wishes to receive an accommodation. Students may begin the accommodation process by submitting a self-identification form online or by contacting Disability Resources. The Director of Disability Resources, Jamie Axelrod, serves as NAU’s Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator and Section 504 Compliance Officer. He can be reached at jamie.axelrod@nau.edu

 

RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH

Students who engage in research at NAU must receive appropriate Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. This instruction is designed to help ensure proper awareness and application of well-established professional norms and ethical principles related to the performance of all scientific research activities. For more information and details, students are encouraged to navigate to the complete policy on Responsible Conduct of Research Training.

 

MISCONDUCT IN RESEARCH

As noted, NAU expects every student to firmly adhere to a strong code of academic integrity in all their scholarly pursuits. This includes avoiding fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism when conducting research or reporting research results. Engaging in research misconduct may result in serious disciplinary consequences. Students must also report any suspected or actual instances of research misconduct of which they become aware. Allegations of research misconduct should be reported to your instructor or the University’s Research Integrity Officer, Scott Pryor, who can be reached at scott.pryor@nau.edu or 928-523-5927. Students are encouraged to view the complete policy on Misconduct in Research.

 

SENSITIVE COURSE MATERIALS

University education aims to expand student understanding and awareness. Thus, it necessarily involves engagement with a wide range of information, ideas, and creative representations. In their college studies, students can expect to encounter and to critically appraise materials that may differ from and perhaps challenge familiar understandings, ideas, and beliefs. Students are encouraged to discuss these matters with faculty.

 

Last revised August 4, 2026