Courses

Courses by semester

Courses for Fall 2023

Complete Cornell University course descriptions are in the Courses of Study .

Course ID Title Offered
NES1561 Introduction to the Ottoman Empire
This course will introduce students to the study of the Ottoman Empire from its inception in the late 13th century until the early part of 19th century. The classes will follow the main timeline of the geographical expansion of the empire with a special emphasis on the historical significance of the conquest of Istanbul, the consolidation of the borders of the empire, the establishment of the state apparatus in the classical period, a period of turbulence leading to a substantial transformation of the state in the early 19th century. Special focus will be placed on the Ottoman Empire's diverse religious communities—using the history of the Jewish community as the main case study—the evolution of the imperial and provincial governments' relationships with the various socio-cultural groups, legal and economic practices in the urban centers, the culture of the court in the early modern period, and the evolution of the inter-communal relations in the empire's urban centers.  This course is intended to provide the student with a solid foundation from which they can pursue further specialized study in the history of the Ottoman Empire, the Modern Middle East, and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Full details for NES 1561 - Introduction to the Ottoman Empire

Fall.
NES1602 Great Discoveries in Greek and Roman Archaeology
This introductory course surveys the archaeology of the ancient Greek and Roman world. Each week, we will explore a different archaeological discovery that transformed scholars' understanding of the ancient world. From early excavations at sites such as Pompeii and Troy, to modern field projects across the Mediterranean, we will discover the rich cultures of ancient Greece and Rome while also exploring the history, methods, and major intellectual goals of archaeology.

Full details for NES 1602 - Great Discoveries in Greek and Roman Archaeology

Fall.
NES1660 The Vikings and their World
Globalization may seem like a recent hot topic, but it was already very much in vogue 1000 years ago when Norse explorers burst out of Scandinavia to journey as far as North America, Azerbaijan, the Mediterranean and the White Sea. This course will introduce students to the Norsemen and women of the Viking Age and the centuries following it, weaving together literary, chronicle, archaeological and other sources to tell the remarkable stories of these medieval entrepreneurs and of the many people and places they encountered. Along the way, students will also pick up crucial historical thinking skills: assessing change and continuity over time, learning the basics of source criticism, and gaining an appreciation for interdisciplinary research. This course qualifies for credit towards the undergraduate minor in Viking Studies. 

Full details for NES 1660 - The Vikings and their World

Fall.
NES1916 FWS: City and Forgetting
The seminar will explore the global phenomenon of urbanism across different historical and geographical contexts. Students will collaboratively develop creative and critical insights regarding cityscapes through writing assignments and classroom discussions, considering cities as multilayered spaces of forgetting and erasure, with complex relationships to the historical past. Students will explore how cities—and sounds that reverberate throughout urban spaces—also make other perceptions of time and space possible. These urban sounds and other media sometimes make those forgotten layers of the past discernible, further revealing alternative forms of social interactions and relations.

Full details for NES 1916 - FWS: City and Forgetting

Fall, Spring.
NES1945 FWS: The Search for the Historical Muhammad
As the founder of Islam, Muhammad is one of the most influential figures in history. An important source for his life is the Sira of Ibn Ishaq (d. 761) as redacted by Ibn Hisham (d. 833), a biography that opens with Muhammad's birth in 570 and ends with his death in 632. In this seminar, we will read and discuss selected episodes in the Sira from a literary-historical perspective, with special attention to biblical and post-biblical themes and motifs that contributed to shaping the image of Muhammad as a holy man and prophet. Students will write short essays on specific episodes in Muhammad's life – e.g., his birth, Night Journey to Jerusalem, hijra to Medina, and death.

Full details for NES 1945 - FWS: The Search for the Historical Muhammad

Fall.
NES2201 Intermediate Urdu Reading and Writing I
This course is designed to develop competence in Urdu reading and writing for students with a first-year knowledge of Hindi and knowledge of Urdu script. The goal of this course is to improve listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities in Urdu. By the end of the course, students will have the ability to read articles, write short stories and translate Urdu writings. May be taken concurrently with Intermediate Hindi.

Full details for NES 2201 - Intermediate Urdu Reading and Writing I

Fall.
NES2515 Anthropology of Iran
This course explores the major debates that define the study of contemporary Iran. Drawing from ethnographic works, literary criticism, intellectual histories and more, we will examine historical events and cultural developments from a diverse set of theoretical approaches. Topics include the Iranian revolution in comparative perspective, the Iran-Iraq war and its continued legacy, media forms and practice, contemporary film and literature, women's movements, youth culture, religious diversity, legal systems, techniques of governance, and more. Of particular interest will be the intersections of religion and secularism in Iranian society. Ultimately, it is the objective of the course to explore the diverse cultural, political, and material worlds that shape collective life and individual subjectivity in Iran today.

Full details for NES 2515 - Anthropology of Iran

Fall.
NES2655 Introduction to Islamic Civilization
At the beginning of the 7th century, a new religion, Islam, appeared in Arabia and by the end of the century, Muslims had defeated the Byzantines and Persians and created an empire that stretched from Spain to India. For the next millennium, Islam glittered. Its caliphs, courts, and capitals were grander, more powerful, and more sophisticated than those of any medieval king, duke or prince. In this course, we will trace the emergence and development of Islamic civilization from the birth of Muhammad ca. 570 to the Mongol sack of Baghdad in 1258. We will read the Qur'an and listen to its recitation; examine the career of the Prophet Muhammad; follow the course of the Arab conquests; explore the nature of the conflict between Sunnis and Shi'is; learn about the five pillars of Islam, sharia law, theology, and Sufism; and assess the achievements of Muslim intellectuals in literature, art, architecture, science, and philosophy.

Full details for NES 2655 - Introduction to Islamic Civilization

Fall.
NES2668 Ancient Egyptian Civilization
The course surveys the history and culture of pharaonic Egypt from its prehistoric origins down to the early first millennium bce. Within a chronological framework, the following themes or topics will be considered: the development of the Egyptian state (monarchy, administration, ideology), social organization (class, gender and family, slavery), economic factors, and empire and international relations.

Full details for NES 2668 - Ancient Egyptian Civilization

Fall.
NES2674 History of the Modern Middle East
This course examines major trends in the evolution of the Middle East in the modern era. Focusing on the 19th and 20th centuries and ending with the "Arab Spring," we will consider Middle East history with an emphasis on five themes: imperialism, nationalism, modernization, Islam, and revolution. Readings will be supplemented with translated primary sources, which will form the backbone of class discussions.

Full details for NES 2674 - History of the Modern Middle East

Fall.
NES2754 Wondrous Literatures of the Near East
This course examines Near East's rich and diverse literary heritage. We will read a selection of influential and wondrous texts from ancient to modern times, spanning geographically from the Iberian peninsula to Iran. We will explore a range of ancient myths of creation and destruction. We will also trace encounters with otherness in travel narratives. Together we will read and discuss such ancient works as the "The Story of Sinuhe" and "The Epic of Gilgamesh," as well as selections from the Hebrew Bible, New Testament and Qur'an. We will explore medieval works such as the "Travels" of Ibn Battuta, the "Shahnameh" of Ferdowsi, and "The Arabian Nights." We will also read Orhan Pamuk's My Name is Red, and Sonia Nimr's Wondrous Journeys in Strange Lands, as well as excerpts from Yochi Brandes's The Orchard. Students will also have the opportunity to research and analyze primary source materials in the collections of Cornell Rare Books and Manuscript Collection, and the Johnson Art Museum. All material is in English translation.

Full details for NES 2754 - Wondrous Literatures of the Near East

Fall.
NES3325 Literary Reading and Writing in Advanced Urdu
Designed for those students who have either taken Intermediate Urdu or are at the same level of competency in reading and writing skills. The goals of this class are to improve Urdu literary reading and writing abilities, primarily through reading various forms of Urdu prose. In addition, students learn about various genres of Urdu poetry and watch video clips and lectures that enhance listening and speaking abilities as well as the understanding and appreciation of Urdu culture.

Full details for NES 3325 - Literary Reading and Writing in Advanced Urdu

Fall.
NES3612 Histories of Afghanistan
This course will investigate the social and political histories of Afghanistan from the late 19th century through the present day. Drawing from religious treatises, intellectual histories, ethnographies, literature, and film we will examine historical events and cultural developments from a diverse set of theoretical approaches.  Topics will include colonialism and its legacies, the experiences of minoritized groups, alternative forms of nationalism, Afghan religious discourses, the role of Marxism and Islamic socialism, gender and politics, the war on terror, and more. Ultimately, it is the objective of the course to explore the diverse cultural, political, and material worlds that have shaped collective life in Afghanistan in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Full details for NES 3612 - Histories of Afghanistan

Fall.
NES3686 Feminism and Islam in North Africa
The course is a survey of Feminist Islamic thinkers from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, and their diaspora, featuring both French and Arabic texts in English translation. The purpose of the course is to critically explore the competing treatment of major gendered tropes in a Muslim context (the veil, the harem, polygamy, etc.) by North African thinkers, through their examination of qur'anic surats/hadiths, the evolution of tafsirs (tradion of qur'anic exegesis) as well as their conflicting approaches to secular western feminism. Readings might include: Fatema Mernissi, Asmaa Lamrabet, Qasim Amin, Naguib Mahfoud, Assia Djebar, Mona Eltahawy, and Nawal El-Saadawi.

Full details for NES 3686 - Feminism and Islam in North Africa

Fall.
NES3850 Middle East Politics
What explains authoritarian resilience in the Middle East? What are the causes and consequences of Islamist political attitudes and behavior? What is the historical legacy of colonialism and empire in the Middle East? This course will offer students the opportunity to discuss these and other questions related to the political, social, and economic development of the Middle East and North Africa.

Full details for NES 3850 - Middle East Politics

Fall, Winter, Summer.
NES4346 Revolts Against the Roman Empire
This class will study an important example of resistance, that is, several armed revolts against Imperial Rome during the first two centuries of our era. Africa, Asia, and Europe all saw such rebellions. What caused them? Why did almost all of them fail? Were they popular movements or elite enterprises? What other forms of resistance to Rome existed besides armed revolts? To what extent were ethnicity, race, or religion factors in the revolts? The main case studies will be Arminius (Germany), Tacfarinas (North Africa), Boudicca (Britain), the Batavian Revolt (Netherlands), the Jewish Revolt (Judea), the Diaspora Revolt/Kitos War (Libya, Egypt, Cyprus, Judea, Mesopotamia), the Bar Kokhba Revolt (Judea). Readings in ancient literary sources as well as inscriptions, papyri, coins, and archaeological evidence.

Full details for NES 4346 - Revolts Against the Roman Empire

Fall.
NES4605 Contesting Identities in Modern Egypt
This seminar examines the dynamics of modern collective identities which dominated the Egyptian public sphere in the long twentieth century. We will explore the underpinnings and formation of territorial Egyptian nationalism, pan-Arabism and Islamism through close readings and class discussions of important theoretical, historiographical and primary texts.

Full details for NES 4605 - Contesting Identities in Modern Egypt

Fall.
NES4696 Trance and Media
Media is a notoriously unwieldly concept, at once self-evident and generalizable beyond the bounds of conceptual utility. Yet one feature that tends to inhere in both the narrowest and broadest of definitions is media's capacity to transcend time and space. Similarly, to be a medium, in the context of ritualistic mediumship requires, at minimum, the capacity to transcend the here and now in order to mediate between disparate realms of being. Both media studies and the anthropology of "altered states of consciousness" have complicated traditional approaches to the philosophy of the subject from various disciplinary perspectives. Through film, video, and theory, this course explores trance and media in conjunction and across the globe.

Full details for NES 4696 - Trance and Media

Fall.
NES4700 Methods in Medieval
Topic: Writing Through the Forest in Search of Trees. Hello, Humanities Student! Are you a plotter or a pantser? Not sure? Come and join us to find out, and to gain valuable insight into what kind of a writer you are, and how to manage that writer most effectively and productively. This theme-centered methods seminar, through a communal focus on trees, woods, glens, and copses in the pre-modern world, will hone in on the most indispensable tool in the humanist's belt: writing. From the generation of ideas, to their organization into an outline (or a blueprint, or whatever euphemism we, as a group or as individuals, decide to apply to the initial, tangled pile of yarn) to the first draft. Followed by frank and constructive criticism of the initial draft as a group and in pairs, and then on to the part that all students—really, all humanists…okay, all writers—find to be the greatest struggle: "Your paper has some good ideas, but it really needs a rewrite." Now what do you do? As we write, and rewrite, we will also read widely. In addition to primary sources, scholarly articles and essays, we will include criticism, personal essay, theory, excerpts from fiction, and more, in an effort to open students' writing up to a myriad of possibilities for persuasive and compelling written communication.

Full details for NES 4700 - Methods in Medieval

Fall.
NES4991 Independent Study, Undergraduate Level
For undergraduates who wish to obtain research experience or do extensive reading on a special topic. Students select a topic in consultation with the faculty member who has agreed to supervise the course. For undergraduates who wish to obtain research experience or do extensive reading on a special topic. Students select a topic in consultation with the faculty member who has agreed to supervise the course.

Full details for NES 4991 - Independent Study, Undergraduate Level

Fall.
NES4998 Senior Honors Essay
Each fall, a small number of highly qualified seniors enter the Near Eastern Studies Honors Program. The Honors Program is open to NES majors who have done superior work and who wish to devote a substantial part of their senior year to advanced, specialized, independent research and writing of a thesis. Successfully completing an honors thesis will require sustained interest, exceptional ability, diligence, and enthusiasm. Students must also take two honors courses NES 4998 in fall and NES 4999 in spring, in addition to the regular major requirements. While admission to the Honors Program and completion of a thesis do not guarantee that students will be awarded honors in Near Eastern Studies, most students find the experience as intellectually rewarding as it is rigorous.

Full details for NES 4998 - Senior Honors Essay

Multi-semester course: Fall, Spring.
NES4999 Senior Honors Essay
Each fall, a small number of highly qualified seniors enter the Near Eastern Studies Honors Program. The Honors Program is open to NES majors who have done superior work and who wish to devote a substantial part of their senior year to advanced, specialized, independent research and writing of a thesis.  Successfully completing an honors thesis will require sustained interest, exceptional ability, diligence, and enthusiasm. Students must also take two honors courses NES 4998 in fall and NES 4999 in spring, in addition to the regular major requirements. While admission to the Honors Program and completion of a thesis do not guarantee that students will be awarded honors in Near Eastern Studies, most students find the experience as intellectually rewarding as it is rigorous.

Full details for NES 4999 - Senior Honors Essay

Fall, Spring.
NES6221 Judeo-Arabic
This seminar presents an introduction to Judeo-Arabic through the study of selected classical texts and the study of its grammar and lexicon. Because Judeo-Arabic combines elements of Hebrew and Arabic the course will also study aspects of the two classical languages in comparative perspective and examine how the development of classical Arabic grammar established the study of classical Hebrew grammar.

Full details for NES 6221 - Judeo-Arabic

Fall.
NES6346 Revolts Against the Roman Empire
This class will study an important example of resistance, that is, several armed revolts against Imperial Rome during the first two centuries of our era. Africa, Asia, and Europe all saw such rebellions. What caused them? Why did almost all of them fail? Were they popular movements or elite enterprises? What other forms of resistance to Rome existed besides armed revolts? To what extent were ethnicity, race, or religion factors in the revolts? The main case studies will be Arminius (Germany), Tacfarinas (North Africa), Boudicca (Britain), the Batavian Revolt (Netherlands), the Jewish Revolt (Judea), the Diaspora Revolt/Kitos War (Libya, Egypt, Cyprus, Judea, Mesopotamia), the Bar Kokhba Revolt (Judea). Readings in ancient literary sources as well as inscriptions, papyri, coins, and archaeological evidence.

Full details for NES 6346 - Revolts Against the Roman Empire

Fall.
NES6547 Ottoman Africa, African Ottomans
In this seminar we will explore the Ottoman Empire's presence in the continent, and the continent's influence on the rest of the Ottoman Empire.  In addition to the focus on the history of Ottoman North Africa, we will explore the role Istanbul played in the history of the Red Sea Basin (today's Somalia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia) and vice versa. A special focus will be placed on the role sub-Saharan African slave trade played in Ottoman society, from the ruling elite households of Istanbul to the day-to-day formulation of ideas of difference making across the Turkish and Arabic speaking parts of the Ottoman Empire. Emphasis will be placed on reading new literature on race and slavery in the Ottoman world, borrowing theoretical and analytical formulations around this topic form better-developed historiographies of other parts of the world. This seminar targets a senior and graduate students interested in the history of empire, the Middle East and Africa trans-imperial histories, and south-south relations. 

Full details for NES 6547 - Ottoman Africa, African Ottomans

Fall.
NES6605 Contesting Identities in Modern Egypt
This seminar examines the dynamics of modern collective identities which dominated the Egyptian public sphere in the long twentieth century. We will explore the underpinnings and formation of territorial Egyptian nationalism, pan-Arabism and Islamism through close readings and class discussions of important theoretical, historiographical and primary texts.

Full details for NES 6605 - Contesting Identities in Modern Egypt

Fall.
NES6612 Histories of Afghanistan
This course will investigate the social and political histories of Afghanistan from the late 19th century through the present day. Drawing from religious treatises, intellectual histories, ethnographies, literature, and film we will examine historical events and cultural developments from a diverse set of theoretical approaches.  Topics will include colonialism and its legacies, the experiences of minoritized groups, alternative forms of nationalism, Afghan religious discourses, the role of Marxism and Islamic socialism, gender and politics, the war on terror, and more. Ultimately, it is the objective of the course to explore the diverse cultural, political, and material worlds that have shaped collective life in Afghanistan in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Full details for NES 6612 - Histories of Afghanistan

Fall.
NES6696 Trance and Media
Media is a notoriously unwieldly concept, at once self-evident and generalizable beyond the bounds of conceptual utility. Yet one feature that tends to inhere in both the narrowest and broadest of definitions is media's capacity to transcend time and space. Similarly, to be a medium, in the context of ritualistic mediumship requires, at minimum, the capacity to transcend the here and now in order to mediate between disparate realms of being. Both media studies and the anthropology of "altered states of consciousness" have complicated traditional approaches to the philosophy of the subject from various disciplinary perspectives. Through film, video, and theory, this course explores trance and media in conjunction and across the globe.

Full details for NES 6696 - Trance and Media

Fall.
NES6700 Methods in Medieval
Topic: Writing Through the Forest in Search of Trees. Hello, Humanities Student! Are you a plotter or a pantser? Not sure? Come and join us to find out, and to gain valuable insight into what kind of a writer you are, and how to manage that writer most effectively and productively. This theme-centered methods seminar, through a communal focus on trees, woods, glens, and copses in the pre-modern world, will hone in on the most indispensable tool in the humanist's belt: writing. From the generation of ideas, to their organization into an outline (or a blueprint, or whatever euphemism we, as a group or as individuals, decide to apply to the initial, tangled pile of yarn) to the first draft. Followed by frank and constructive criticism of the initial draft as a group and in pairs, and then on to the part that all students—really, all humanists…okay, all writers—find to be the greatest struggle: "Your paper has some good ideas, but it really needs a rewrite." Now what do you do? As we write, and rewrite, we will also read widely. In addition to primary sources, scholarly articles and essays, we will include criticism, personal essay, theory, excerpts from fiction, and more, in an effort to open students' writing up to a myriad of possibilities for persuasive and compelling written communication.

Full details for NES 6700 - Methods in Medieval

Fall.
NES6722 Graduate Colloquium
A series of lectures on a range of themes in the discipline sponsored by the Department of Near Eastern Studies. Presentations include lectures by invited speakers and works in progress presented by faculty and graduate students.

Full details for NES 6722 - Graduate Colloquium

Fall, Spring.
NES6991 Independent Study: Graduate Level
For graduate students who wish to do intensive reading on a focused topic. Students select a topic in consultation with the faculty member that has agreed to supervise the course.

Full details for NES 6991 - Independent Study: Graduate Level

Fall.
NES7758 Archaeology of Greek Religion: Theory, Methods, and Practice
What is "religion," and how can we use material culture to investigate ancient beliefs and rituals? This course (1) explores major themes and problems in the archaeology of ancient Greek religion, and (2) compares and critiques selected theoretical and methodological approaches to the "archaeology of cult" more generally. Students will consider and analyze ritual artifacts, cult sites, and other aspects of religious material culture, as well as primary textual sources (in translation). 

Full details for NES 7758 - Archaeology of Greek Religion: Theory, Methods, and Practice

Fall.
HEBRW1101 Elementary Modern Hebrew I
Intended for beginners. Provides a thorough grounding in reading, writing, grammar, oral comprehension, and speaking. Students who complete the course are able to function in basic situations in a Hebrew-speaking environment.

Full details for HEBRW 1101 - Elementary Modern Hebrew I

Fall.
HEBRW5509 Graduate Studies in Hebrew
Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs.

Full details for HEBRW 5509 - Graduate Studies in Hebrew

Fall.
HEBRW5510 Graduate Studies in Hebrew
Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs.

Full details for HEBRW 5510 - Graduate Studies in Hebrew

Spring.
ARAB1201 Elementary Arabic I
This two-course sequence assumes no previous knowledge of Arabic and provides a thorough grounding in the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It starts with the alphabet and the number system and builds the four skills gradually and systematically through carefully selected and organized materials focusing on specific, concrete and familiar topics such as self identification, family, travel, food, renting an apartment, study, the weather, etc.). These topics are listed in the textbook's table of contents.  The student who successfully completes the two-course sequence will have mastered about 1000 basic words and will be able to: 1) understand and actively participate in conversations on a limited range of practical topics such as self-identification, family, school, work, the weather, travel, etc., 2) read and understand, with the help of a short list of words, passages of up to 180 words written in Arabic script, and 3) discuss orally in class and write a 50-word paragraph in Arabic.  The two-course sequence aims to take the student from the Novice to the Intermediate Mid level according to the ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

Full details for ARAB 1201 - Elementary Arabic I

Fall, Summer.
ARAB1203 Intermediate Arabic I
In this two-course sequence learners continue to develop the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing and grammar foundation through the extensive use of graded materials on a wide variety of topics.  While more attention is given to developing native-like pronunciation and to grammatical accuracy than in ARAB 1201 and ARAB 1202, the main focus of the course will be on encouraging fluency and facility in understanding the language and communicating ideas in it.  The student who successfully completes this two-course sequence will have mastered over 1500 new words and will be able to: 1) understand and actively participate in conversations related to a wide variety of topics beyond those covered in ARAB 1201 and ARAB 1202, such as the history and geography of the Arab world, food and health, sports, economic matters, the environment, politics, the Palestine problem, etc. 2) read and understand, with the help of a short list of words, passages of up to 300 words, and 3) discuss orally in class and write a 150-word paragraph in Arabic with fewer grammatical errors than in ARAB 1202.  The two-course sequence aims to take the student from the Intermediate Mid to the Advanced Mid level according to the ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

Full details for ARAB 1203 - Intermediate Arabic I

Fall.
ARAB3201 Advanced Arabic I
In this two-semester sequence, learners will be introduced to authentic, unedited Arabic language materials ranging from short stories, and poems, to newspaper articles dealing with social,  political,  and cultural issues. Emphasis will be on developing fluency in oral expression through discussions of issues presented in the reading and listening selections. There will be more focus on the development of native-like pronunciation and accurate use of grammatical structures than in the previous four courses. A primary objective of the course is the development of the writing skill through free composition exercises in topics of interest to individual students.  This course starts where ARAB 2202 leaves off and continues the development of the four language skills and grammar foundation using 18 themes, some new and some introduced in previous courses but are presented here at a more challenging level.  The student who successfully completes this two-course sequence have mastered over 3000 new words and will be able, within context of the 18 new and recycled themes to: 1) understand and actively participate in conversations, 2) read and understand, with the help of a short list of words, authentic, unedited passages of up to 400 words, and 3) discuss orally in class and write a 300-word paragraph in Arabic with fewer grammatical errors than in ARAB 2202.  The two-course sequence aims to take the student from the Advanced Mid to the Superior level according to the ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

Full details for ARAB 3201 - Advanced Arabic I

Fall.
ARAB4203 Current Events in Arabic Media
In this three-credit, one semester, topic based course, students will be introduced to authentic, unedited Arabic language materials from Arabic newspapers, magazines, TV broadcasts and interviews, and other on-line media. The topics covered will include, among other things,  politics, economics, business, sports, and women's issues. Students can suggest other topics that interest them to the teacher.  Emphasis will be on developing fluency in oral and written expression through discussions, debates, presentations, and written work. The order of activities for each topic will be: reading or listening to a selection before coming to class, class discussion and/or debate, an oral presentation by the students, and, finally, a written homework assignment about the same topic. All activities are conducted entirely in Arabic.  There will be more focus on the development of native-like pronunciation and accurate use of grammatical structures than at the lower levels.

Full details for ARAB 4203 - Current Events in Arabic Media

Fall.
ARAB5509 Graduate Studies in Arabic
Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs.

Full details for ARAB 5509 - Graduate Studies in Arabic

Fall.
ARAB6221 Judeo-Arabic
This seminar presents an introduction to Judeo-Arabic through the study of selected classical texts and the study of its grammar and lexicon. Because Judeo-Arabic combines elements of Hebrew and Arabic the course will also study aspects of the two classical languages in comparative perspective and examine how the development of classical Arabic grammar established the study of classical Hebrew grammar.

Full details for ARAB 6221 - Judeo-Arabic

Fall.
TURK1330 Elementary Turkish through TV Series I
In this introductory course of a sequence of two, learners will develop a basic foundation in reading, writing, listening, and beginning conversation skills in contemporary Turkish. Learners will read short texts on Turkish culture, handle non-complex social conversations, understand sentence-level statements, and write simple paragraphs on familiar topics. This course has a section focused on Turkish TV series. In this section, the learners will have a deeper understanding of Turkish language, society, and culture. They will watch the most popular TV series, complete the assigned tasks, and discuss in class. This course is for new learners of Turkish.

Full details for TURK 1330 - Elementary Turkish through TV Series I

Fall.
TURK1332 Intermediate Turkish I
In this course, learners will advance their reading, writing, listening and conversation skills in contemporary Turkish as they move towards extended conversation, written communication, academic listening/watching, and research. This course has sections focused on Turkish Literature, TV series, and cinema. In this section, the learners will have a deeper understanding of Turkish language, society, and culture. The course also has sections designed for heritage speaker needs.  

Full details for TURK 1332 - Intermediate Turkish I

Fall.
TURK5509 Graduate Studies in Turkish
Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs.

Full details for TURK 5509 - Graduate Studies in Turkish

Fall.
PERSN1320 Elementary Persian-Farsi I
Intended for beginners and heritage speakers alike, this course is a quick and easy way to a popular worldly language in a modern day context (Farsi)!  Students develop all four skills - speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Additional materials from authentic culture-focused readings and Persian poetry are an integral part of the curriculum. By the end of this course students will be able to actively participate in conversations centered around family and friends, hometown, country, studies and work, daily activities, modern Iran as well as write extensively on familiar topics. Students will acquire cultural competence and be able to function in authentic Persian cultural context using the taarof.

Full details for PERSN 1320 - Elementary Persian-Farsi I

Fall.
PERSN1322 Intermediate Persian-Farsi I
The course is designed with strong integration of modern colloquial Persian (Farsi). Only colloquial Persian is used for all speaking and listening activities, while reading and writing tasks are performed in formal Persian. Authentic material drawn from Persian language TV, radio and movies is introduced regularly in accordance with the topic and vocabulary of given week.  By the end of the semester students will be able to speak, read and comprehend material on a range of social, cultural, political and everyday topics. You'll learn how to write emails and notes as educated Persian speakers, read Persian newspapers and comprehend audio material intended for native speakers. We'll also delve into Persian folk tales, modern Persian rap and pop and Persian humor.

Full details for PERSN 1322 - Intermediate Persian-Farsi I

Fall.
PERSN5509 Graduate Studies in Persian
Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs.

Full details for PERSN 5509 - Graduate Studies in Persian

Fall.
HIERO1452 Hieroglyphic Egyptian III
Ancient Egyptian civilization produced an extensive, diverse, and profound body of literature, including adventure stories, historical accounts, royal inscriptions, religious hymns, love poetry, satire, wisdom texts, biographies, and more. In this third of three courses in Middle Egyptian, students read a selection of primary texts in the original hieroglyphs as well as secondary literature pertaining to the original texts. Primary texts will include such classics as The Story of Sinuhe, The Shipwrecked Sailor, and The Eloquent Peasant. These texts will be used as windows onto the ancient Egyptian world, providing important evidence on many different aspects of ancient society, history, politics, and religion. Primary texts will also be selected based on research interests of enrolled students.

Full details for HIERO 1452 - Hieroglyphic Egyptian III

Fall.
Top