MEL - Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures
Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures: MEL
Lower-Division Courses
Upper-Division Courses
Graduate Courses
MEL X80. Topics in Middle Eastern Cultures.
MEL X80.1. Gender, Clothing, and Identity in Muslim Societies.
MEL X80.2. Introduction to Islamic Studies.
Introduction to the academic field of Islamic Studies.
MEL X80C. Topics in Middle Eastern Languages.
Advanced studies in Middle Eastern languages.
MEL X80C.1. Targumic Aramaic.
Examines Aramaic translations of the Hebrew bible that contain many exegetical deviations from the Hebrew text, and provide a glimpse of Jewish theology at the time of their composition.
MEL X80C.2. Syriac.
Study of the eastern Aramaic dialect that was spoken in the ancient Near East until the Muslim occupation. Examines the use of the dialect as a vehicle for Christianity in the East; its use in poetry, science, and philosophy; and its influence on Arabic. Covers the essentials of Syriac grammar for the purpose of reading Syriac texts.
MEL X80C.3. Classical Ethiopic.
Study of the fourth-century language of the Semitic people who lived in what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea. Covers the alphabet and grammar needed for reading translations of the Bible and other texts.
MEL X80C.4. Ugaritic.
Study of the West Semitic languages from the city of Ugarit in what is now Syria, which was spoken from the fourteenth through twelfth century BC. Covers the essentials of grammar needed for reading Ugaritic texts.
MEL X80C.6. Akkadian I.
Introduction to the study of Akkadian, the principal language used in ancient Assyria, Babylonia, and their environs. Explore Old Babylonian grammar and the cuneiform writing system.
MEL X80C.7. Akkadian II.
Continue the study of Akkadian and Old Babylonian grammar, syntax, and signs.
MEL X80C.8. Akkadian III.
Read Akkadian texts from a variety of genres and time periods, including Assyrian and Babylonian letters and royal inscriptions.
MEL X80C.9. Akkadian IV.
Read Akkadian texts from a variety of genres and time periods, including Standard Babylonian literary texts.
MEL X81. Topics in Middle Eastern Literatures.
MEL X82. Topics in Middle Eastern Linguistics.
MEL X82.1. Teaching Middle Eastern Languages.
MEL X82.2. Introduction to the Structure of Semitic Languages.
Covers the grammatical structure of a number of ancient and modern Semitic languages (such as Akkadian, Biblical Hebrew, Ethiopic, and Modern Aramaic) and of the family of languages as a whole.
MEL X83. Topics in the Ancient Near East.
MEL X83.10. Critical Problems in New Testament.
Study foundational and emergent scholarly works and critical approaches in the study of Christian origins and the books of the New Testament in their ancient Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts.
MEL X83.6. Comparative Semitic Linguistics.
Examine the Semitic languages and review the basic features of their phonology, morphology, and syntax.
MEL X83.7. Art, Gender, and Religion in Late Antiquity.
Examine the gendered experience of religion in Late Antiquity using the evidence of artistic record, with a primary focus on the Mediterranean world.
MEL X83.8. Critical Problems in Second Temple Judaism.
Examine the literature and material culture of Second Temple Judaism (circa 520 BCE to circa 135 CE) in dialogue with recent scholarship on Jews and Judaism in Persian, Hellenistic, and early Roman contexts.
MEL X83.9. Critical Problems in Judaism in Late Antiquity.
Examine the literature and history of Judaism from the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple in 70 CE to the early Middle Ages, with a primary focus on classical Rabbinic Judaism as well as mystical and other writings beyond the canon.
MEL X83C. Current Issues in Hebrew Bible.
Examines the issues that are current in one major area of Hebrew Bible scholarship.
MEL X83D. Exegetical Seminar in Hebrew Bible.
Examines a biblical book (e.g. Song of Songs) or subject (e.g. Jubilee) applying history, philology, literary theory, poetics, history of interpretation, and linguistics.
MEL X89. Conference Course in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Supervised individual study of selected problems in Middle Eastern languages and cultures.
MEL X93. Comprehensive Examination Preparation.
MEL X94. Professional Development in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
MEL X98. Thesis.
MEL X98R. Master's Report.
Preparation of a report to fulfill the requirement for the master's degree under the report option.
MEL X98T. Supervised Teaching in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Teaching under the close supervision of a faculty member; weekly group meetings with the instructor, individual consultation, and reports throughout the teaching period.