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Classical and Near
Eastern Studies
(Undergraduate)
Faculty
*Year of initial appointment at
Binghamton.
Kadish, Gerald E., Professor of History and Near
Eastern Studies, PhD, 1964,
University of Chicago: Ancient Egyptian.
(1963)*
Lacey, R. Kevin, Associate Professor of Arabic, PhD, 1984,
Harvard University:
Arabic language and literature, Arabic language
teaching, Islamic intellectual
history, Islamic mysticism, Persian language
and literature. (1990)
Levin, Saul, Distinguished Professor of
Ancient Languages and Department
Chair, PhD, 1949, University of Chicago:
Comparative linguistics, early
literature, Bible.
(1961)
Mittelstadt, Michael C., Associate Professor of Classics,
PhD, 1964, Stanford
University: Classical Greek and Latin languages and
literature, Greek and
Roman drama, ancient Greek novel.
(1965)
Pavlovskis-Petit, Zoja, Professor of Comparative Literature
and Classics,
PhD, 1962, Cornell University: Classical Greek and Latin
literature, satire,
irony, pastoral poetry, mythology.
(1962)
Semaan, Khalil I., Professor Emeritus of Arabic, PhD, 1959,
Columbia University:
Arabic and Islamic thought and letters.
(1965)
Williman, Daniel, Professor of Latin and History, PhD,
1973, University
of Toronto: Medieval Europe; institutional and cultural
history; Latin language
and medieval Latin literature; history of European
law; codicology and library
history; paleography and diplomatics;
Avignonese papacy, 1316-1420. (1974)
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Programs
This department provides instruction
in certain languages and literatures
that are among the oldest written
foundations of our civilization: especially
Greek, Latin, and Arabic. The
department offers basic courses in the languages
and in translation for the
benefit of students in all areas of arts and
sciences, and gives its own
majors a thorough preparation in language and
culture, from which they can
advance to further study and application of
ancient, Near Eastern, and
medieval history; history of philosophy and art;
comparative literature;
and philology. Instruction in the spoken and written
languages of the Near
East has obvious and immediate application.
Major Programs in
Classical Studies
Three specializations are offered within the
classical studies major: classical
civilization; classics, Greek and Latin;
and Latin. A course in which a
student receives the grade of P or D cannot
count for the major.
Classical Civilization
This specialization
offers a grounding in the classical cultures, but does
not require reading
knowledge of the original languages.
number of courses
Any
courses listed under Classics, or Greek, or Latin 6 or 7 Courses in
ancient
history,
ancient philosophy, ancient art, or other courses in classical
civilization
approved
by the classics undergraduate advisor 4 or
3
TOTAL 10
Classics, Greek and Latin
This rich and demanding
major program prepares students for serious scholarly
work in Latin and
Greek. With departmental approval, a special program may
be devised that
emphasizes both languages equally, or in which one language
predominates.
For example:
Courses beyond 203 in either Greek or Latin
4
Courses in the other language (Greek or Latin) 2
Courses chosen
with departmental approval from other departmental offerings,
or from
ancient history, ancient philosophy, ancient art, or medieval
studies
4
TOTAL 10
Latin
This major builds on a foundation of
classical Latin for concentration in
ancient or medieval Latin literature
and culture.
At least five Latin courses beyond 203
(a
composition course is particularly recommended)/5
Roman
history/1
Courses approved by the department from department offerings,
or ancient
or
medieval history, philosophy, art, or
religion/4
TOTAL 10
Major Program in Arabic
The Arabic major
offers a curriculum leading to the BA degree for students
wishing to
specialize in the language and culture of the Arabic-speaking
Near
East.
Arabic courses including 101, 102, 203, 204/6
Islamic
civilization or equivalent course/1
Additional courses from
departmental offerings in Arabic or from other departments,
as approved by
the department/2
TOTAL 9
Requirements for Minors
Minor in
Latin: Six courses (24 credits) in Latin, of which at least two
courses
must be above LAT 204.
Minor in Arabic: Five courses (20 credits) in
Arabic, of which at least
one is above ARAB 204, and one related course
either offered or approved
by the department.
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Course Offerings
NOTE: Unless
otherwise noted, all undergraduate courses carry 4 credits
and are offered
every year.
Classics
Courses under the Classics rubric do not
require reading knowledge of a
classical language.
CLAS 111. WORD
ORIGINS
Derivation of English vocabulary from Latin and Greek bases,
prefixes, and
suffixes.
CLAS 121. SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL
TERMINOLOGY
Principles and methods of analyzing English words of Greek
and Latin derivation.
Word formation. Modification of root concepts by
formative additions. Word
structure and vocabulary building, emphasizing
scientific and medical terms.
CLAS 122. HISTORY OF LEGAL
TERMINOLOGY
Survey of the Latin and French-based technical language of
modern American
law, explored through the history of the legal systems in
which it originated:
Roman and European civil law, canon law, and English
common law.
CLAS 211. STUDIES IN CLASSICAL CULTURE AND
CIVILIZATIONS
Introduction to Greco-Roman civilization through
particular genre or tradition,
for example, drama, lyric poetry, or fables.
Topic announced in advance.
May be repeated for credit.
CLAS 214.
GREEK DRAMA
Development of the Greek concept of tragedy from the
origins through the
highest form of development in Aeschylus, Sophocles,
and Euripides. Followed
by a study of Greek social, political, and literary
satire in the comedies
of Aristophanes. Open to majors and non-majors. No
prerequisites.
CLAS 221. THE BIBLE, PART I 1997-98
The five
books of Moses, followed by the history of Israel and Judah (down
to the
destruction of Jerusalem), and the books of Prohecy. Texts read
in
translation. Open to majors and non-majors.
CLAS 222. THE
BIBLE, PART II 1996-97
The third section of the Hebrew canon (the
"writings"), also selections
from the Apocrypha, and the entire
New Testament texts read in translation.
Open to majors and non-majors. No
course prerequisites, but those unfamiliar
with the earlier books of the
Bible will have to read Genesis, Exodus, Samuel,
and Isaiah or
Jeremiah.
CLAS 232. CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY
Greek myths as
prerational statements of experience. Their apparent meaning,
symbolic
interpretation. Variability, expressing individual difference and
social
needs.
CLAS 380-389. TOPICS IN CLASSICAL CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
IN TRANSLATION/variable
credit
Study of major writer, movement, genre,
or aspect of Greco-Roman civilization.
Topic announced in advance. May be
repeated with different content.
CLAS 391. PRACTICUM IN COLLEGE
TEACHING/ variable credit
Independent study by means of teaching in
particular course in Classical
and Near Eastern Studies Department. Various
assignments closely directed
by instructor in that course, including
development of syllabi and other
course materials; construction and reading
of examinations; lecturing and/or
discussion leadership; laboratory
supervision; academic counseling of students.
May be repeated for total of
no more than eight credits. Credit may not
be earned in conjunction with
course in which student is concurrently enrolled.
Does not satisfy major or
all-college requirements. Prerequisites: consent
of instructor and
department. P/F only.
CLAS 397. INDEPENDENT STUDY/variable
credit
Independent study under supervision of faculty member.
Prerequisite: consent
of instructor.
CLAS 498-499. SENIOR HONORS
THESIS/ variable credit
Independent reading and research in field of
specialization leading to senior
thesis, or equivalent independent work.
Extends over two semesters.
Greek
GRK 101. ELEMENTARY GREEK
I
Essentials of attic grammar and basic vocabulary for skill in reading
authentic
ancient texts. Four hours a week, plus one in language laboratory
at instructor's
discretion. Open to majors and non-majors.
GRK
102. ELEMENTARY GREEK II
Completion and review of essential grammar.
Reading of simple classical
texts. Four hours a week. Prerequisite: Grk
101. Open to majors and non-majors.
GRK 203. INTERMEDIATE
GREEK
Reading of Classical Greek texts with special atention to grammar
and style.
Prerequisite: Grk 102.
GRK 204. READINGS IN GREEK
LITERATURE
Characterization and dramatization of myths from Homer
through tragedy to
Plato. Prerequisite: Grk 203.
GRK 380-389.
STUDIES IN GREEK LITERATURE/ variable credit
Reading and study of major
authors, movements, or genres. Course may be
repeated with different
content. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
GRK 397. INDEPENDENT
STUDY/variable credit
Independent study under supervision of faculty
member. Prerequisite: consent
of instructor.
Latin
LAT 101.
ELEMENTARY LATIN I
Introduction to classical Latin vocabulary, word
forms, syntax. Four hours
classwork, plus laboratory work at instructor's
discretion. Open to majors
and non-majors.
LAT 102. ELEMENTARY
LATIN II
Second half of introduction to classical Latin vocabulary,
forms, syntax,
with reading of text. Four hours classwork per week.
Prerequisite: Lat 101
or equivalent. Open to majors and
non-majors.
LAT 203. INTERMEDIATE LATIN
Reading of classical
Latin texts, with special attention to grammar and
style. Prerequisite: Lat
102 or equivalent.
LAT 204. READINGS IN LATIN LITERATURE
Major
texts of enduring influence, extended readings. Prerequisite: Lat
203 or
equivalent.
LAT 301. COMPOSITION AND THE STUDY OF CLASSICAL
MODELS
Exercises in Latin style using classical models, for example
Cicero's major
speeches, or verse of Vergil and Ovid. Prerequisite: Lat 102
or equivalent
(three years of high school Latin).
LAT 321. EARLY
MEDIEVAL LATIN LITERATURE
Principal authors, genres, and themes of
medieval Latin literature, from
Latin Vulgate of Jerome to 12th-century
renaissance. Prerequisite: basic
reading knowledge of Latin, or LAT
102.
LAT 322. LATE MEDIEVAL LATIN LITERATURE
Latin literature
from Abelard to Gutenberg: literature and writers of universities,
drama,
liturgy, travel, political invective. Prerequisite: basic reading
knowledge
of Latin, or Lat 102.
LAT 380-389. STUDIES IN LATIN
LITERATURE/variable credit
Reading and study of major authors,
movements, or genres. May be repeated
with different content. Prerequisite:
consent of instructor.
LAT 397. INDEPENDENT STUDY/variable
credit
Independent study under supervision of faculty member. Consent
of instructor
and department required.
LAT 521. EARLY MEDIEVAL
LATIN LITERATURE
A survey of the history of Latin writing from the
third century to the 12th-century
renaissance, with training in the
bibliographical resources of the field
and the peculiarities of the
language, and special emphasis on some 10 or
12 most-used authors or works.
Seminar format, research paper required.
Prerequisite: A reading knowledge
of Latin.
LAT 522. LATE MEDIEVAL LATIN LITERATURE
A survey of
the history of Latin writing from the 12th century to the 15th,
with
training in the bibliographical resources of the field and the
peculiarities
of the language, and special emphasis on 10 to 12 writers
representing different
concerns and uses of literature. Seminar format,
research paper required.
Prerequisite: A reading knowledge of
Latin.
LAT 525. LATIN PALEOGRAPHY
A survey of writing in the
Latin alphabet from its earliest relics to the
invention of printing. The
course is designed to enable a student to recognize,
date, and accurately
read handwritten Latin of any age, and to deal familiarly
with Latin
manuscript books. Seminar format, research paper required. Prerequisite:
a
reading knowledge of Latin.
Arabic
ARAB 101. ELEMENTARY
ARABIC I
Begins the process of training the student to read, and to
respond orally
to, simple modern standard Arabic, the form of Arabic taught
in the Arabic-speaking
world from Morocco to the Arab Gulf. Writing in
Arabic is also taught and
drilled. Through the memorization of "Basic
Texts,"and drilling
on sounds, structures and vocabulary, the student
develops the listening,
speaking, reading, and writing skills that provide
the proper foundation
for more extensive study of Arabic. Five class
meetings. Open to majors
and non-majors. No prerequisite.
ARAB
102. ELEMENTARY ARABIC II
Continues the study of Modern Standard Arabic
commenced in ARAB 101, with
emphasis on more complicated grammar and
sentence structure, enhanced root/pattern
identification skills, and
reading and listening to increasingly longer
passages of Arabic. Five class
meetings, supplemented by individually scheduled
use of language tapes.
Open to majors and non-majors. Prerequisite: ARAB
101 or consent of
instructor.
ARAB 110. EGYPTIAN COLLOQUIAL ARABIC I
Training in
the spoken Arabic of Cairo, used throughout Egypt and understood
in
surrounding Arabic-speaking countries. A systematic explanation of
the
grammar, an introduction to the vocabulary, and opportunities for
listening
and speaking. Assigned textbook uses an English-based
transliteration; Arabic
script is not introduced. Open to majors and
non-majors.
ARAB 111. EGYPTIAN COLLOQUIAL ARABIC
II
Continuation of ARAB 110. Increasingly more sophisticated sentence
structures
and conversational situations. The Arabic script will be briefly
introduced
toward the end of the semester for the sake of those who want to
make the
transition to the study of modern standard Arabic. Open to majors
and non-majors.
Prerequisite: ARAB 110 or consent of the
instructor.
ARAB 203. INTERMEDIATE ARABIC I
A continuation of
ARAB 101 and 102. Develops in the students the ability
to read and
comprehend higher levels of modern standard Arabic in a variety
of fields
and genres. Improves aural comprehension of modern standard Arabic
as it is
spoken on the radio and at formal or polite occasions, and the
ability to
converse and discuss and to write simple, but correct, serviceable
prose.
Three one-hour class meetings, plus extensive work with language
tapes.
Open to majors and non-majors. Prerequisite: ARAB 102 or consent
of
instructor.
ARAB 204. INTERMEDIATE ARABIC II
A continuation of
ARAB 203, with longer and more challenging texts providing
the point of
departure of further development of reading, speaking, and
listening
skills. Longer (but controlled) writing assignments are also
encountered.
Three one-hour class meetings, plus extensive work with
language tapes.
Open to majors and non-majors. Prerequisite: ARAB 203 or
consent of instructor.
ARAB 301. ARABIC CONVERSATION AND
COMPOSITION/variable credit
Concentrated attention to composition in
Modern Standard Arabic via written
translations from English to Arabic.
Final revisions of each translation
are analyzed and discussed in class.
Conversation-and some written work-revolves
around diverse recorded
material, which is listened to and discussed in
class. Prerequisite: Arab
203.
ARAB 321. CLASSICAL ARABIC LITERATURE
Study of classical
Arabic literature from various perspectives. Focus may
be on development of
a particular genre or on work of a specific writer
or group of writers.
Includes such topics as pre-Islamic ode, poetry of
Umayyad and Abbasid
periods, and medieval Arabic prose works, such as those
of al-Jahiz.
Prerequisite: Arab 204.
ARAB 322. MODERN ARABIC
LITERATURE
Study of modern Arabic literature from various perspectives,
with focus
on development of a particular genre or on work of a specific
writer or
group of writers. Includes such topics as development of the
short story
and novel, neoclassical poetry, and late 20th-century poetic
movements.
Readings may include works of Naguib Mahfuz, Yusuf Idris, Ahniad
Shawgi,
Salah Abd al-Sabur.
ARAB 380-89. STUDIES IN
ARABIC
Deals with a specific issue or broad genre in the Arab
intellectual tradition,
classical or modern. Classical: Islamic texts
(including Qur'an, tafsir
and hadith), historiography, Arabic rhetoric and
literary criticism, philology.
Modern: social realism in fiction, Arab
theater (problems and development),
romantic school (European influences
and the uniqueness of its Arabic version),
colloquial literature.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
ARAB 391. PRACTICUM IN
COLLEGE TEACHING/variable credit
Independent study by means of
participating in the teaching of a particular
course in Arabic. Various
assignments closely directed by the instructor
in the course, including
development of syllabi and other materials, construction
and reading of
examinations, lecturing and/or discussion leadership, and
laboratory
supervision. May be repeated for total of no more than 8 credits.
Credit
may not be earned in conjunction with course in which student
is
concurrently enrolled. Does not satisfy major or all-college
requirements.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and department. P/F
only.
ARAB 397. INDEPENDENT STUDY/variable credit
Independent
work under supervision of faculty member. Prerequisite: consent
of
instructor.
Persian
PERS 397. INDEPENDENT STUDY/variable
credit
Independent work under supervision of faculty member.
Prerequisite: consent
of instructor.
Egyptian
EGYN 201. MIDDLE
EGYPTIAN I/1997-98
Introduction to the classical stage of the ancient
Egyptian language, employed
from about 2200 to 1400 BCE, and to the
hieroglyphic script in which it
was written. Vocabulary, grammar, and
syntax leading to the reading of ancient
texts. No
prerequisites.
EGYN 202. MIDDLE EGYPTIAN II/1997-98
Continues
the study of the classical stage of the ancient Egyptian language
begun in
EGYN 201. Completion of basic grammar; concentration on reading
of ancient
historical, literary, religious, and biographical texts. Prerequisite:
EGYN
201.
Honors
CLAS 393-394. Junior Honors
CLAS 498-499. Senior
Honors
GRK 393-394. Junior Honors
GRK 498-499. SenIor
Honors
LAT 393-394. Junior Honors
LAT 498-499. Senior
Honors
ARAB 393-394. JunIor Honors
ARAB 498-499. Senior Honors
Graduate-Level Courses
CLAS 597. INDEPENDENT STUDY/variable
credit
GRK 597. INDEPENDENT STUDY/variable credit
GRK 707. RESEARCH
SKILLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS/variable credit
LAT 597. INDEPENDENT
STUDY/variable credit
LAT 707. RESEARCH SKILLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
/variable credit
ARAB 597. INDEPENDENT STUDY/variable credit
ARAB
707. RESEARCH SKILLS FOR GRADUATE
STUDENTS /variable credit
PERS
597. INDEPENDENT STUDY /variable credit
PERS 707. RESEARCH SKILLS FOR
GRADUATE
STUDENTS /variable credit
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