COURSE SYLLABUS

A Course Title
& Number ARA 101E: Introduction to Arabic Heritage
B Pre/Co-requisite(s) None
C Number of credits 3 credit hours
D Faculty Name Ghada Jayyusi-Lehn
E Term/ Year Fall 2014
F Sections
CRN Course Days Time Location
10014 05E M&W 9:30 10:45 NAB 004
10015 06E M&W 11:00-12:15 NAB 004
11686 18E M&W 12:30-1:45 NAB 004
G Instructor
Information Instructor Office Telephone Email
Ghada Jayyusi-Lehn NAB126 2304 glehn@aus.edu
Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 3:30 - 5:30 or by appointment to be arranged by e-mail.

Introduces the intellectual, literary, artistic, and cultural contributions of the Arabs to world
H Course Description
civilization from pre-Islamic times to the fall of Baghdad in 1258 CE.
from Catalog
I Course Learning Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
Outcomes 1. Define "turath" (heritage) and explain its relationship to the Arabic language and the
importance of "turath" and language to the formation of identity;
2. Describe the various forms of Arab heritage and the ways in which Arab heritage has
been disseminated;
3. Explain the various periods of the history of Arab-Islamic civilization (from pre-
Islamic to the late Abbasid period);
4. Analyze various genres of classical Arabic literature;
5. Appreciate the individual contributions of different classical Arab-Muslim thinkers and
literary figures to world civilization;
6. Discuss medieval Arab society through selected Arabic cultural texts.
7. Assess the significant contributions of the classical Arab and Muslim scholars to
science, philosophy, music, jurisprudence, theology and many other scientific and
humanistic subjects.
J Textbook and A Reading Kit consisting of articles/chapters selected from the following secondary Sources:
other Instructional M. H. Bakalla, Arabic Culture through its Language and Literature (London: Kegan
Material and Paul, 2002).
Resources J. Kritzeck (ed.), Anthology of Islamic Literature: From the Rise of Islam to Modern
Times (New York: Meridian, 1975).
P.J. Bearman (et al.), The Encyclopaedia of Islam, 10 vols. (Leiden: Brill, 2000).
J. Meisami and P. Starkey (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature, 2 vols. (New
York: Routledge, 1998).
K Teaching and Lecture.
Learning
Discussion
Methodologies
Presentations
L Grading Scale, Grading Scale
 COURSE SYLLABUS

Grading 95 100 4.0 A 76 79 2.3 C+

Distribution, and 90 94 3.7 A- 73 75 2.0 C
Due Dates 86 89 3.3 B+ 70 72 1.7 C-
83 85 3.0 B 60 69 1.0 D
80 82 2.7 B- Less Than 60 0 F

Grading Distribution
Assessment Weight Due Date
Midterm x 2 40% Weeks 5 and 10
Assignments 15%
Presentation 15%
Final Exam 30%

Total 100%

Note: Tests and other graded assignments due dates are set. No addendum, make-up exams,
or extra assignments to improve grades will be given.

Midterms: Comprehensive.
M Explanation of
Presentation: The mark is divided into 2 categories: content and mode of presenting.
Assessments
Final Exam: Comprehensive.

Expectations:
1. Students are expected to attend classes regularly and participate actively in the
class discussions.
2. Students are to read texts ahead of time and be prepared to discuss them in class
during the period alloted to these texts.
3. Students are to study secondary sources (in Arabic and/or English) that are related
to the primary texts in this class.
4. All assignments and course work must be presented on time.
5. Late assignments and course work will be penalised by a 5% loss of grade per day.

Class presentations are done individually and in groups. Topics and times will be given.

How You Will be Evaluated:

Your performance in class will be evaluated on how much you have learned from the course
both facts as well as approaches to the study of the subject. Keeping up with the readings and
participating in class discussions are necessary in order to pass the course.
Note: class readings that will be supplied are for class discussions but students are very much
encouraged to read other relevant passages in other books in the library and journals articles.

N Student Academic Students are advised that violations of the Student Academic Integrity Code will be treated
Integrity Code seriously and can lead to suspension or dismissal from the university. A notation of the
Statement academic integrity code violation can become part of the students permanent record.
(see also University
Academic violations include but are not limited to:
catalog)
Plagiarism
Inappropriate Collaboration
Inappropriate Proxy
Dishonesty in Examinations and Submitted Work
 COURSE SYLLABUS

Work Completed for One Course and Submitted to Another

Deliberate Falsification of Data
Interference with Other Students Work
Copyright Violations
Complicity in Academic Dishonesty

Students MUST read the Student Academic Integrity Code outlined in the AUS Catalog and
agree to abide by the standards for academic conduct, students rights and responsibilities
and procedures for handling allegations of academic dishonesty.
For a first offense, the student will receive an XF for the course. The professor will report the
name of the offending student to both the Head of the Department in which the incident
occurred and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The information is kept on file and
will be shared with the Dean of CAS, the deans of all other schools/colleges at AUS, and the
Office of Student Affairs.
Students so reported may not discuss the incident with the professor concerned.
A second offense, or a first offense which is particularly egregious based on the judgment of
the Head of the Department and Dean, may be grounds for removal from a major, suspension,
or dismissal.
Attendance policy Regular attendance is mandatory.
O
(see also University In the event a student misses 15% of the sessions in a class for any reason, the instructor may
catalog p. 29): initiate the withdrawal of the student from the course.
Leaving class early without reason will be counted as an absence.
Arriving late to class on 3 occasions amounts to one absence.
In the event that a student misses a class, he/she will remain responsible for the material
covered in that class, including assignments and handouts.
Medical certificates issued by institutions other than the University Medical Centre need to
be validated by the University Medical Centre before they can be accepted in lieu of
absence.
Student Conduct Students are expected to be polite, cooporative and respectful of both colleagues and
P
professors.
Mobile phones must be switched off and be out of sight.
Anyone using a mobile phone will be asked to leave the class and will be counted as absent.
Anyone answering a call in class or leaving class to answer a call will be counted as absent.
Anyone found being disruptive during class presentations by either students or professors will
be asked to leave the class and will be counted as absent.
 COURSE SYLLABUS

SCHEDULE

WEEK CHAPTER NOTES

#

Introduction to the course

1 1 5 ,1 7 September
DEFINING ARABIC HERITAGE
Pre-Islamic Arabia Historical Overview
2 22 ,24 September
ARABIC LANGUAGE

3 29 September, 1 October
4 6, 8 October
RELIGION ASSIGNMENT 1
Al-Risala (The Message) movie Monday 29 September
The Prophetic Mission
EID AL ADHA HOLIDAY

5 13, 15 October Quran

20, 22 October
6 Hadith

7 27, 29 October LITERATURE

MID TERM 1 Monday 3 November 5: 00 pm

8 3, 5 November
Literature contd.

9 10, 12 November
Literature contd.

10 17, 19 November Literature contd.

PHILOSOPHY
11 24, 26 November

1 December Philosophy cont.

12 MID TERM 2 Wednesday 1 December 2014 5: 00 pm
3, December National Day Holiday
SUBBMISSION OF SCIENCE
13 8, 10 December ASSIGNMENT Wednesday 10 December 2014
SCIENCE
Science cont. ASSIGNMENT 3
14 15, 17 December
SUBBMISSION OF REPORT: SHARJAH
ISLAMIC MUSEUM OF CIVILIZATION Wednesday 17 December 2014
15,16 22, 24, 29,31 December Winter Break
Art
17 5, 7 January

18 12, 14 January Architecture

FINAL EXAM COMPREHENSIVE TBA

The Schedule may be subject to change but all changes will be announced in class.