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The Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations is concerned
with the interdisciplinary study of the civilizations and cultures of the
Near and Middle East from neolithic times until the present, including their
languages and literatures Akkadian (Assyro-Babylonian), Arabic, Aramaic and
its closely related dialect Syriac, ancient Egyptian, (biblical, rabbinic,
mediaeval and modern) Hebrew, (Hellenistic) Greek, Persian and Turkish, archaeology,
history, art and architecture. Near East is generally understood to refer
to the region at the eastern end of the Mediterranean and beyond, from ancient
times up to the advent of Islam in the seventh century C.E. Middle East refers
to a much broader geographical area whose predominant Islamic culture in
mediaeval and modern times has stretched to North Africa and Spain in the
west and to Central Asia, India and South Asia in the east. The Department’s programs are conceived in the broad tradition of the humanities and provide
an opportunity to study non-western complex societies and civilizations,
an understanding of which will reveal the ultimate roots, and help to appreciate
the historical development, of western civilization.
As it happens, three world religions originated in this geographical region. The Department offers courses on the origins and earliest phases of Judaism and, as a contributor to the Jewish Studies Program, on mediaeval and modern Jewish history, culture and thought, even though such pursuits sometimes lead to Europe and other places beyond the Middle East. Although the Department deals with eastern (Syriac) Christianity, the study of Christianity as a religion falls within the purview of the Department for the Study of Religion. The study of Islam as a religion and the development of Islamic thought, and their role in the creation of Islamic civilization, are major concerns of the Department.
NMC101Y1 introduces students to the ancient Near East. NMC201Y1 presents an historical and thematic survey of the civilizations and cultures
of the mediaeval and modern Middle East and provides background necessary
for comprehending the complex issues facing that region today. Students
particularly interested in the world and/or religion of Islam should start
with NMC185H1.
Students wishing to follow a Specialist program should choose their
courses with the advice of the Undergraduate Coordinator. Those intending
to proceed
to a graduate degree in a particular area will obviously want to concentrate
their course choices in that area and would do well to acquire a reading
knowledge of German and French as early as possible. Some knowledge of
anthropology and
a course or two in linguistics would be useful. The Department, however,
welcomes students of all academic backgrounds who wish to learn about
the Middle East,
including those who do not intend to specialize or major. Many courses
offered in the Department do not require any knowledge of the languages of
the region.
Students should consult the Department’s
website www.utoronto.ca/nmc for more detailed information about courses and
programs.
Undergraduate Enquiries: 4 Bancroft Avenue, Room 200, (416-978-3306)
Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations Programs
Enrolment in NMC programs is open
to anyone who has completed four courses; no minimum GPA required. Specialized
streams of study within the general programs can be recommended in consultation
with the Undergraduate Coordinator.
Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations
(Arts program)
Specialist Program:
11 full courses or their equivalent, including at least four 300+ series courses, one of which must be a 400-series course. At least 9 must be NMC and/or NML courses. Others may be taken only from a list of pre-approved courses offered by other departments. See departmental web site for details.
First Year:
NMC101Y1/NMC185H1 (formerly NMC185Y1)/NMC201Y1. It is recommended that language instruction begin in first year, if possible.
Higher Years:
1. Four courses in Language (original language; not literature in translation – NML designator only)
2. Three courses in History and/or Religion and Philosophy
3. Two courses in Archaeology and/or Art and Material Culture
4. One additional course
Major program:
6 full courses or their equivalent, including at least two 300+ series courses. At least 5 must be NMC and/or NML courses. Others may be taken only from a list of pre-approved courses offered by other departments. See departmental web site for details.
N.B. Admission to a Graduate Program in NMC requires the applicant to have acquired a background in languages.
Minor program:
4 full courses or their equivalent,
including at least one 300+ series course. All 4 must be NMC and/or NML courses.
Faculty of Arts & Science Language Citation
The Department
of Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations participates in the Faculty of Arts and Science’s Language Citation initiative for Arabic, Persian, Ancient Egyptian, Ancient/Biblical
Hebrew, and Modern Hebrew. The study of Ancient languages is a demanding and
intellectually rewarding educational experience that makes available to the
modern student the rich resources of classical texts in the original languages.
The “living” languages
offered by NMC provide invaluable insights into the varieties of human
culture and expression and offer myriad directions in which to take the study
of
a foreign language.
Successful study of these languages demonstrates intelligence, discipline,
analytical sophistication, and an excellent memory. In each language
the Language Citation recognizes a significant level of achievement
in language
study with a high level of academic success.
The Citation in Ancient/Biblical
Hebrew is available to students who complete NML150Y1 (or
the equivalent prerequisite training) and earn a grade of at least
B- in NML250Y1 and any 2 FCEs of the following additional Biblical Hebrew courses: NML251Y1, NML350Y1, NML351H1, NML352H1, NML353H1, NML354H1, NML359H1, NML450Y1.
The Citation in Ancient Egyptian is available to students who complete NML240Y1 (or
the equivalent prerequisite training) and earn a grade of at least
B- in NML340Y1 and any 2 FCEs of the following additional Ancient Egyptian courses: NML241Y1, NML440Y1, NML441Y1.
The Citation in Arabic is available to students who complete NML210Y1 (or
the equivalent prerequisite training) and earn a grade of at
least B- in NML310Y1 and any 2 FCEs of the following additional Arabic courses: NML410Y1, NML411H1, NML412Y1, NML413H1, NML414H1.
The Citation in Persian is available to students who complete NML260Y1 (or
the equivalent prerequisite training) and earn a grade of at
least B- in NML360Y1 and any 2 FCEs of the following additional Persian courses: NML460Y1, NML461H1,1 NML462H1. With the appointment of a Persian language and literature Lecturer commencing
in July 2007, the departmental offerings will increase, adding
a variety of electives.
The Citation in Modern Hebrew is available
to students who complete NML155H1 and NML156H1 (or
the equivalent prerequisite training) and earn a grade
of at least B- in NML255Y1 and any 2 FCEs of the following additional Hebrew courses: NML355Y1, NML356Y1, NML357H1, NML358H1, NML451H1, NML452H1, NML455H1, NML465H1.
Students should note that, as explained on page 21 of this
Calendar, the Language Citation is not equivalent to
an academic program
and that enrolment
in a program is not necessary in order to earn the recognition
bestowed by the Citation.
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