Introduction

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, 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 on mediaeval and modern Jewish history, culture and thought. Although the Department deals with eastern (Syriac) Christianity, the study of Christianity as a religion falls within the purview of the Centre 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. Students particularly interested in the world and/or religion of Islam should start with NMC184H1 and NMC185H1.

Students wishing to follow a Specialist program should choose their courses with the advice of the Undergraduate Coordinator and/or the Undergraduate Administrator. 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 web site 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 and/or Undergraduate Administrator. All course prerequisites will be enforced through automated prerequisite checks before and during the enrollment period.

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/NMC184H1/NMC185H1. 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, one of which must be a 400-series course. 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.

Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations Groupings:

Arabic Studies
NML110Y1, NML210Y, NML310Y1, NML410Y1, NML411H1, NML412Y1, NML413H1, NML414H1, NML415H1, NML416Y1, NMC255H1, NMC273Y1.
Aramaic/Syriac Studies
NML220Y1, NML320H1, NML420Y1, NML421Y1, NMC250H1, NMC270H1, NMC350H1, NMC370H1.
Archaeology
NMC101Y1, NMC260Y1, NMC261Y, NMC360H1, NMC361H1, NMC362Y1, NMC363H1, NMC364H1, NMC365Y1, NMC366Y1, NMC368H1, NMC369Y1, NMC461Y1, NMC462Y1, NMC463Y1, NMC465H1, NMC466H1, NMC467H1, NMC468H1, NMC469Y1.
Egyptology
NML230H1, NML231H1, NML240Y1, NML340Y1, NML440Y1, NML441Y1, NMC101Y1, NMC202H1, NMC251H1, NMC253H1, NMC260Y1, NMC343H1, NMC344H1, NMC362Y1, NMC368H1, NMC380Y1, NMC382Y1, NMC467H1, NMC468H1.
Hebrew & Judaic Studies
NML155H1, NMC156H1, NML250Y1, NML255Y1, NML350H1, NML351H1, NML352H1, NML353H1, NML354H1, NML355Y1, NML356Y1, NML357H1, NML358H1, NML450H1, NML451H1, NML452H1, NML455H1, NML456H1, NML457H1, NML458H1, NML459H1, NMC150H1, NMC250H1, NMC254H1, NMC256Y1, NMC275H1, NMC284H1, NMC352H1, NMC370Y1, NMC384H1, NMC484H1
History of the Islamic World and the Modern Middle East
NMC184H1, NMC185H1, NMC241H1, NMC273Y1, NMC274Y1, NMC275H1, NMC278H1, NMC348Y1, NMC355H1, NMC373H1, NMC374H1, NMC376H1, NMC377Y1, NMC378H1, NMC451H1, NMC471H1, NMC472H1, NMC473H1, NMC475H1, NMC478H1, NMC479H1
Islamic Studies
NMC184H1, NMC185H1, NMC255H1, NMC273Y1, NMC274Y1, NMC275H1, MCNMC278H1, NMC285H1, NMC286H1, NMC355H1, NMC365Y1, NMC366Y1, NMC374H1, NMC376H1, NMC377Y1, NMC381H1, NMC387H1, NMC388H1, NMC389H1, NMC392H1, NMC393H1, NMC394H1, NMC396Y1, NMC473H1, NMC481H1
Mesopotamian Studies & Assyriology
NML305Y1, NML405Y1, NMC101Y1, NMC260Y1, NMC346H1, NMC347H1, NMC360H1, NMC361H1, NMC363H1, NMC364H1, NMC380Y1, NMC463Y1, NMC465H1, NMC466H1, NMC469Y1
Persian Studies
NML260Y1, NML360Y1, NML460Y1, NML461H1, NML462H1, NML463H1, NMC184H1, NMC185H1, NMC258H1, NMC278H1, NMC348Y1, NMC373H1, NMC388H1, NMC389H1, NMC394H1, NMC451H1, NMC472H1, NMC475H1
Turkish Studies
NML270Y1, NML370Y1, NML470Y1, NMC273Y1, NMC274Y1, NMC278H1, NMC355H1, NMC377Y1, NMC378H1, NMC472H1, NMC475H1, NMC478H1, NMC479H1

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 NML250Y1 (or the equivalent prerequisite training) and earn a grade of at least B- in any 3 FCEs of the following additional Biblical Hebrew courses: NML350H1, NML351H1, NML352H1, NML353H1, NML354H1, NML450H1, NML458H1, or NML459H1.

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 NML440Y1, and NML441Y1.

The Citation in Arabic is available to students who complete NML110Y1 (or the equivalent prerequisite training) and earn a grade of at least B- in NML210Y1, NML310Y1 and any 2 FCEs of the following additional Arabic courses: NML410Y1, NML411H1, NML412Y1, NML413H1, NML414H1, NML415H1, or NML416Y1.

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, NML462H1, NML463H1.

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, NML456H1.Students should note that, as explained on page 20 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.