To establish your awareness of an online graduate program, explore the different levels, communities, and expectations. Respond to each of the following questions. Each response should be 75-100 words.
• How do you think your graduate educational experience will be different from your undergraduate experience? Explain your response and provide examples.
• How would you describe a graduate learning community? What would be the key components of a graduate learning community, and how might they be different from key components of an undergraduate learning community? Explain your response and provide examples.
• Are communication and collaboration expectations the same in a graduate learning community? Explain your response and provide examples.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
• How do you think your graduate educational experience will be different from your undergraduate experience? Explain your response and provide examples.
In my opinion, the graduate educational experience will be significantly different from the undergraduate experience. One key difference is the level of specialization and depth of knowledge in the chosen field. In undergraduate studies, the focus is generally on building a broad foundation of knowledge across various subjects. However, in a graduate program, students delve deeper into a specific area of study and gain expertise in that field.
For example, in an undergraduate psychology program, students may cover a range of topics such as cognitive psychology, social psychology, and developmental psychology. In contrast, a graduate program in clinical psychology would focus mainly on developing advanced skills and knowledge in diagnosing and treating mental disorders.
Furthermore, the expectations for independent research and critical thinking are much higher in a graduate program compared to undergraduate studies. Graduate students are expected to conduct original research, contribute to existing knowledge in their field, and demonstrate a higher level of analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• How would you describe a graduate learning community? What would be the key components of a graduate learning community, and how might they be different from key components of an undergraduate learning community? Explain your response and provide examples.
A graduate learning community can be described as a group of individuals pursuing advanced education in a specific field who come together to learn, collaborate, and support each other’s academic growth. The key components of a graduate learning community include shared interests, diverse perspectives, and a high level of expertise.
Unlike an undergraduate learning community, where students may have varying interests and goals, a graduate learning community consists of individuals who are specifically focused on their chosen area of study. This shared interest creates a cohesive environment where students can engage in more in-depth discussions and debates related to their field.
Additionally, a graduate learning community often includes individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences, which enriches the learning process. For example, in a graduate program in international relations, students from different countries may bring unique perspectives on global issues, leading to more comprehensive discussions and insights.
Moreover, the level of expertise within a graduate learning community is typically higher than in an undergraduate community. Graduate students have already acquired foundational knowledge in their field during their undergraduate studies and are now building upon that knowledge. This expertise fosters a deeper level of intellectual engagement within the community.
• Are communication and collaboration expectations the same in a graduate learning community? Explain your response and provide examples.
The communication and collaboration expectations in a graduate learning community differ from those in an undergraduate learning community. In a graduate program, communication is often more formal and professional, reflecting the higher level of expertise and specialization. Graduate students are expected to engage in scholarly discussions using appropriate academic language and demonstrate critical thinking skills.
For instance, in an undergraduate class discussion, students may freely exchange personal opinions without extensive referencing or supporting evidence. However, in a graduate learning community, discussions are more focused on research-based arguments backed by relevant sources. Graduate students are encouraged to critically analyze existing literature, present well-reasoned arguments, and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their field.
Similarly, collaboration expectations are also higher in a graduate learning community. While undergraduate students may be assigned group projects to develop teamwork skills, in a graduate program, collaboration often involves working on research projects or publications with fellow students or faculty members. This collaborative work requires a higher level of expertise, professionalism, and attention to detail.
In summary, the graduate educational experience differs from undergraduate studies through its specialization, focus on research and critical thinking, as well as increased communication and collaboration expectations within the learning community. These distinctions contribute to a more advanced and intellectually stimulating environment that prepares students for professional careers in their chosen fields.
