Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I: Classroom Track

Developing the ability to use Arabic functionally and communicatively in context; intensive oral interaction with instructor and fellow students; the basics of the writing system.

Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I: Individualized Track

Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II: Classroom Track

Developing further language ability through learning how to perform certain functions orally and using them with fellow students; reading and writing passages reflecting their abilities.

Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II: Individualized Track

Elementary Modern Standard Arabic III: Classroom Track

Further language functions requiring the use of more complex structures; intensive oral interaction with instructor and fellow students; reading practice in and out of class.

Elementary Modern Standard Arabic III:
Individualized Track

Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I: Classroom Track

Building on previously acquired functional abilities; using Arabic to express opinion and feelings; oral interaction in the classroom; reading authentic texts of various genres.

Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I:
Individualized Track

Basic Colloquial Arabic I: Classroom Track

Introduction to phonology and grammar of the spoken language of educated urbanites of the Eastern Arab world.

Basic Colloquial Arabic I: Individualized Track

Basic Colloquial Arabic II

Continuation of 151; analysis of and drill in morphological and syntactic patterns; expansion of vocabulary; practice in conversation.

Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II: Classroom Track

Initiating and sustaining communication; reading and understanding short authentic passages; and writing to express many language functions.

Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II: Individualized Track

Culture of the Contemporary Arab World

A general survey and examination of the socio-cultural structure of the modern Arab world.

Intermediate Colloquial Arabic

Intensive practice in speaking Arab ic with emphasis on various cultural aspects of Arab life .

Individual Studies

Issues in Arab-American Society, Culture, and Literature

Discussion, analysis, and writing about issues relating to Arab-American culture, society, and literature within the context of social diversity in the United States.

Classical and Medieval Arabic Literature in Translation

Reading and analysis of major works in Arabic literature from the 5th to the 17th centuries including classical poetry, the Qur'an, and the Arabian Nights.

Modern Arabic Literature in Translation

Reading and analysis of representative works of the 19th and 20th centuries; discussion of development of major movements and genres in modern Arabic literature.

Modern Arabic Literature in Translation

Reading and analysis of representative works of the 19th and 20th centuries; discussion of development of major movements and genres in modern Arabic literature.

Arabic Grammar I

Accelerated introduction to the structure of modern standard and classical Arabic; phonology, morphology, and syntax, with emphasis on development of reading comprehension skills.

Arabic Grammar II

Continuation of 400.01 with emphasis on the grammatical analysis and comprehension of authentic texts selected from different periods and genres.

Intermediate Literary Arabic Reading

Developing reading skills through reading adapted and authentic Arabic texts; selections reflect cultural and literary aspects of Arab- Islamic civilization.

Intermediate Arabic Conversation & Composition

Practice in aural comprehension, conversation, and controlled compositions on various aspects of Arabic culture.

Advanced Arabic Conversation and Composition

Intensive practice in speaking and writing Arabic at an advanced level based on contemporary literary usage conducted entirely in Arabic.

Introduction to Arabic Linguistics

An introduction to the structure of the Arabic language, both spoken and written.

History of the Arabic Language

Survey of the evolution of the Arabic language in its cultural and historical setting.

Translation: Theory & Practice

Examination of some general guidelines for translating from Arabic to English or from English to Arabic, depending on the first language of the student.

Introduction to the Qur'an

A linguistic, literary and cultural analysis of selected chapters from the Qur'an.

Classical Arabic Poetry

Selected readings from classical and medieval Arabic poetry; Arabic metrics and literary theory.

Classical Arabic Prose

Selected readings reflecting the evolution of Arabic prose literature from its origins to the late Abbasid period.

Contemporary Arabic Prose Fiction

Reading and analysis of short stories and novels representative of major developments and trends of the 20th century.

Contemporary Arabic Poetry and Drama

Reading and analysis of plays and poems representative of major developments and trends of the 20th century.

The Qur'an in Translation

An introduction, in English, to the literary, religious, and cultural implications of the fundamental Book of Arabic literature and of Islamic civilizations

Arabic Folk Narrative in Translation

Literary and cultural aspects of 1001 Nightsand other popular narratives (epics, legends, folktales) in the Arab world.

Basic Bibliographic and Reference Tools in Arabic and Islamic Studies

Workshop

Individual Studies

Group Studies: Studies in Orality & Literacy

Study at a Foreign Institution

Studies in Arabic Linguistics

Advanced analytical study of synchronic, diachronic, sociolinguistic, and dialectal topics and problems.

Studies in Arabic Poetry

Advanced study of specific poetic periods, figures, and/or topics involving extensive reading and discussion of appropriate primary and secondary source materials.

Studies in Arabic Prose

Advanced study of specific periods, authors and/or genres of prose writing (literary or non- literary) involving extensive reading and discussion of primary and secondary materials.

Honors Research

Teaching Arabic at the College Level

Methods and techniques for the teaching of Arabic at the college level. (Intensive two- week workshop followed by a weekly two- hour class.)

Seminar in Arabic Studies

Intensive investigation of a selected topic or problem in Arabic linguistics, philology, literature, or literary culture.

Research in Arabic Research for thesis purposes.

HEBREW Return to Top

Elementary Hebrew I

Conversation, reading, writing, vocabulary building, phonetics, and grammar.

Elementary Hebrew II

Reading of modified passages from modern Hebrew literature supplemented with additional study of grammar.

Intermediate Hebrew I

Reading of passages from various periods of Hebrew literature; review of salient points of elementary grammar and introduction to elements of classical Hebrew.

Intermediate Hebrew II

Reading of modern Hebrew short stories, poems, and essays; special emphasis on oral practice and Hebrew idioms.

Modern Hebrew Grammar, Conversation, and Composition

Development of communication skills in Modern Hebrew; special emphasis on using new grammatical skills in advanced forms of composition and conversation.

Culture of Contemporary Israel

Introduction to the culture of modern Israel: historical roots, socio-political institutions and developments, and literary and artistic creations reflecting the realities of contemporary Israeli society.

Individual Studies

Group Studies

Origins and early development of selected fundamental Islamic institutions in their historical and cultural context.

Biblical and Post-Biblical Literature in Translation

Reading and analysis of selected chapters from the Hebrew scriptures and postbiblical Hebrew writings representative of major historical, cultural, and literary trends.

Biblical and Post-Biblical Literature in Translation

Same as above for honors students.

Medieval Hebrew Literature in Translation

Post-biblical and medieval Hebrew literature from the Near East, North Africa and Europe.

Modern Hebrew Literature in Translation

Modern Hebrew literature; works of major writers from the middle of the 18th century to the present; emphasis on European literary influences.

Prophecy in the Bible and Post-Biblical Literature

The dynamics of Israelite prophecy and apocalyptic in the context of ancient Near Eastern culture.

Women in Biblical and Post-Biblical Hebrew Literature

An examination of the social, legal, and religious position of women as they appear in the Hebrew scriptures and Rabbinic writings.

The Jewish Mystical Tradition

The history of Jewish mysticism from antiquity to the present, with emphasis on its implications for the comparative study of religious experience.

Biblical & Post Wisdom Literature in Translation

Focus mainly on the various ideas, themes, attitudes, implications, and genres of biblical and post-biblical wisdom literature, within the context of a great body of wisdom literature which extended throughout the Near East in ancient times.

Review of Hebrew Grammar and Composition

Review of Hebrew grammar; composition on assigned topics and some practice in translations.

Intermediate Hebrew Conversation and Composition

Vocabulary building, practice in speaking Hebrew, conversation and composition dealing with social and everyday aspects of Israeli life.

Hebrew Syntax

Parts of speech, types of sentences, word order, and syntactic analysis.

Modern Hebrew Short Story

Reading and discussion of masterpieces of modern Hebrew short stories in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Modern Hebrew Poetry

Reading and discussion of masterpieces of modern Hebrew poetry in the 19th and 20thcenturies

Readings in the Mishnah

Reading and discussion of the ideas and teachings of the Mishnah as they are reflected in the unique Mishnaic language.

Biblical Hebrew Grammar

Introduction to the phonology, morphology, and syntax of the Biblical Hebrew idiom.

Hebrew Phonetics and Vocalization

Rules of Hebrew phonetics and vocalization; lectures and a bundant practical exercises.

Hebrew Morphology

The morphological system of Hebrew; the interrelations between roots and forms

History of the Hebrew Language

Genealogical and typological relations within the Semitic family, a survey of Biblical, Mishnaic, and modern Hebrew.

Introduction to Hebrew Literary and Cultural Texts

Literary and cultural Hebrew texts from the biblical to the modern period; students will develop the ability to read critically and to build analytical vocabulary.

The Bible as Literature: Selected Readings

Critical study of basic issues in the language and analysis of biblical texts.

The Problem of Evil in Biblical and Post- Biblical Literature

Study of the vexing problem of evil; the seeming contradiction between tradition and experience; extensive readings and discussions of appropriate biblical and post- biblical materials.

Basic Bibliographic and Reference Tools in Hebraica, Judaica, and Semitics

A survey of tools which may be used in doing research at all levels in the study of Hebraica, Judaica, and Semitics.

Individual Studies

Group Studies

Study at a Foreign Institution

Studies in Hebrew Poetry

Advanced study of specific poetic periods, figures, and/or topics involving extensive readings and discussions of appropriate primary and secondary materials

Honors Research

Teaching Hebrew at the College Level

Methods and techniques for teaching Hebrew at the college level.

Seminar in Hebrew Studies

Intensive investigation of a selected topic or problem in Hebrew linguistics, philology, literature, or literary culture

Research in Hebrew

Research for thesis purposes only.

NEAR EASTERN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES  Return to Top

Sacred Texts of the Near East

An introductory survey of the sacred texts of the Near East: Egyptian and Mesopotamian, the Bible, the Avesta, Hellenistic Gnostic literature, and the Qur'an

Group Studies

Islam in America

A comprehensive overview of Islamic groups in the US, considering what Islam is, how it is perceived, criticized and changed, and how it survives.

Women in the Muslim Middle East

This course is a survey course providing an overview of the position of Muslim women in the contemporary Middle East. This course analyzes the concept of women in its own socio-historical, socio-economic and cross-cultural framework.

Literatures & Cultures of the Islamic World

A survey of the Islamic world by way of literature and culture

Grammar of Selected Ancient Near Eastern Languages

Fundamentals of grammar and reading in ancient Near Eastern languages. A linguistic, literary and cultural analysis of selected chapters from the Qur'an.

Comparative Semitics

An introduction to the study of the comparative grammar of the Semitic languages

Biblical Aramaic

Introduction to Ugaritic

Introduction to the language and literature of Ugaritic; readings in the Ugaritic mythological literature.

Canon and Communities in the Near East

Investigation of the process by which Near Eastern sacred texts (Bible, Qur', and others) become sacred and the interaction between texts and communities holding them sacred.

Summer Workshop on the Culture of the Middle East

Intensive study of a problem common to the participants for the purpose of developing sound principles and practices relating to it.

Individual Studies

Group Studies

Interdepartmental Studies in the Humanities

Research in Judaic & Near Eastern Languages and Literatures

Research for thesis purposes only.

PERSIAN Return to Top

Elementary Persian I

Introduction to Persian; development of listening, reading speaking, and writing skills.

Elementary Persian II

Further development of listening, reading, specking, and writing skills.

Intermediate Persian I

Development of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills; reading of simplified literary tests about Persian culture.

Intermediate Persian II

Reading of Persian short stories and poems with attention to literary and cultural appreciation; development of basic language skills.

Persian Culture

A survey of Persian culture through the reading of Persian literature in translation, viewing of Persian films, and listening to Persian music.

Individual Studies

Group Studies

Persian Literature in Translation

A study of Persian literature in translation and the history of its discourses, genres and styles.

Advanced Persian I

Extensive reading from literary texts, with practice in conversation and composition.

Advanced Persian II

Advanced reading from literary texts, with further practice in conversation, composition, and translation.

Persian Prose

Selected readings reflecting the major genres of classical Persian prose, plus a modern novel.

Persian Poetry

Selected topics in Persian poetry, concentrating primarily on the medieval poetic narrative, as exemplified by epic, romance, and the mystical/didactic poem.

Individual Studies

Group Studies

Study at a Foreign Institution

Studies in Persian Poetry

Advanced study of specific poetic periods, figures, and/or topics involving extensive reading and discussion of appropriate primary and secondary source materials.

Honors Research

A program of research for each student which includes individual conferences and which culminates in an honors thesis or oral defense.

Seminar in Persian Studies

Intensive investigation of a selected topic or problem in Persian literature, literary culture, philology, or linguistics.

Research in Persian

Research for thesis purposes only.

TURKISH Return to Top

Elementary Turkish I

Introduction to Turkish; development of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills.

Elementary Turkish II

Further development of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills.

Intermediate Turkish I

Development of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills; reading of simplified literary texts about Turkish culture.

Intermediate Turkish II

Reading of Turkish short Stores and poems with attention to literary and cultural appreciation; development of basic language skills.

Turkish Culture

An introduction to Turkish culture through reading of literature and criticism, and listening and viewing of films, slides, and performances arranged for the class.

Individual Studies

Group Studies

Special topics announced in the quarter previous to the one in which the course is offered.

Turkish Sufism

An introduction to the literature, forms of thought, and institutions of Turkish Sufism.

Turkish Literature in Translation

A study of Turkish literature and the history of its discourses, genres, and styles

Advanced Turkish I

Extensive reading from literary texts, with practice in conversation and composition.

Advanced Turkish II

The study of nineteenth-and twentieth-century literary texts, with advanced composition and translation.

Ottoman Orthography, Conventions, and Style

Usage and syntax in the old Turkish script, 14th through 20th centuries.

Classical Turkish Poetry

Reading and analysis of Turkish poetry of the 13th through 18th centuries; Turkish metrics and literary theory.

Modern Turkish Poetry and Prose

Selected topics in poetry and prose of the 20th century; conducted in Turkish.

Individual Studies

Group Studies

Special topics announced in the quarter previous to the one in which the course is offered.

Study at a Foreign Institution

Studies in Turkish and Ottoman Literature and Criticism

Movements, authors, and critical schools of Turkish and Ottoman poetry and prose.

Seminar in Turkish and Ottoman Studies

Intensive study of a specific topic of literary and intellectual culture; preparation of final paper required.

Research in Turkish

Research for thesis purposes only.

FRENCH Return to Top

Introduction to Francophone African and Caribbean Literatures in Translation

Introduces students to the literatures and cultures of important non-Western regions of the Francophone world and develops their analytical reading and writing skills.

Masterpieces of Francophonic Literature

Reading and analysis of representative works of French-speaking Africa, the Caribbean, and Quebec.

Francophone Literature: From Empire to Nation

Literature of the Francopohone World: Literature from North Africa

Major intellectual and literary currents in francophone North Africa.

Topics in Francophone Literature

In-depth study of a theme, genre, movement, or author from a non-European area of the francophone world.

SPANISH  Return to Top

Culture and Literature of Spain

Introduction to the principal developments of the culture of Spain through literature, art, music, film, and folklore.

Masterpieces of Spanish Golden Age Literature

Introductory critical study of major literary works from the 16th and 17th centuries in Spain.

Introduction to the Culture of Spain

Major developments in the culture of Spain.

Introduction to the Culture of Spain

Same as above for honors' students.

Research Methods and Design

Introduction to research methods and design in Hispanic literatures and cultures.

History of the Spanish Language

Basic concepts of historical linguistics; the major factors of change in the history of the Spanish language from Latin to the present.

Medieval Spanish Literature

History of Spanish literature from 1100 to 1500 with emphasis on representative authors and literary works.

Studies in Spanish Golden Age Literature

In-depth study of a major topic or problem in Spanish Golden Age literature.

Seminar in Spanish Culture

Intensive exploration of a cultural period, topic or problem.

AGRICULTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
Return to Top

Middle Eastern Economic Development

Muslim Travelers: The Quest in World Literature

Confronting the National Past. Cross-listed as German 899 and English 890A

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
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Introduction to the Middle East

Central Asia in World Affairs: An Introduction