Course Requirements
FYI: Copies of student work may be retained to assess how the learning objectives of the course are being met.
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Textbooks
The following required textbooks are available at the Bookstore:
1. Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol. 1 (Old and Middle Kingdoms)
2. Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol. 2 (New Kingdom)
3. Marc Van De Mieroop, A History of Ancient Egypt
4. Byron Shafer, Religion in Ancient Egypt
5. Elizabeth Peters, Crocodile on the Sandbank
Required readings and art will also be available on websites and on the course Sakai site. See the links on the syllabus.
Several required films will be assigned during the semester, as well. Deliberative and concentrated viewings of the films are mandatory.
Textbooks are on Reserve at the Circulation Desk in the Library.
Attendance & Participation
Since we will all be members of a learning community this semester, diligent preparation and enthusiastic class participation are essential. Daily assignments should be completed before class on the day on which they are listed on the syllabus.
Class participation is an integral part of this course. All students are expected to participate in a thoughtful, well-prepared manner that is grounded in the course assignments. Students should come to class prepared to discuss the assignments every day. I will provide study guides or in-class exercises to help you with the readings and class discussions.
All members of the class are expected to reflect critically on they ways in which they can contribute to constructive rather than destructive class dynamics. I often call upon students and may not wait for students to volunteer themselves.
Take notes: you will be expected to incorporate issues raised in class discussions in your papers. See the beginning of the course schedule for tips on preparing for class.
The Attendance and Participation Grade will include:
• Possible in-class presentations, graded activities, or providing discussion questions for class.
• Regular participation in class, which means:
✓ Informed, thoughtful, and respectful engagement in discussions, activities, and in-class writing assignments on a regular basis
✓ Listening to the professor and the other students (including taking notes)
✓ Bringing class readings and/or notes to class to enable discussion
✓ Respectful behavior in class. Disruptive or disrespectful behavior (including arriving late and leaving early) will lower Participation and Attendance grades.
✓ Daily attendance.
Daily attendance is essential for learning in this course.
• Every absence beyond three absences (a week of class) may lower the participation and attendance grade by up to one-third of a letter level (A to B, B+ to C+, etc.) Students may make-up their missed participation if they have documented illnesses, required sports games/meets or other university event, or a personal or family emergency (such as a death of a close relative). It is the professor’s discretion as to which absences can or should be made up.
• To make up an absence, students will provide a written analysis of the readings/websites/films for the missed day. The response will be a minimum of one page long , typed, 12-point font, and will be submitted via email within 24 hours of the student’s return to class. It will be evaluated for quality and will count toward missed participation and quiz that day, depending on the quality of the paper.
• At the beginning of the semester, athletes/debaters/etc. should provide me with the dates of class to be missed due to official university activities.
• Students who are too ill to come to class should go to health services and provide documentation with their make up assignment.
• Students with a personal or family emergency should email me to see if the absence can be made up.
• Lying to avoid a penalty is a violation of the Honor Code
• Make friends: Students who miss class should get notes from a peer before coming to talk to the professor about missed material.
• The make-up policy outlined above is designed for students who have unavoidable commitments or emergencies, which will lead to more than a week of absences. Students with multiple unexcused absences at the beginning of the semester should not expect accommodation late in the semester.
Quizzes
Very brief, unannounced quizzes will be administered at the beginning of the class. Quizzes missed due to tardies or unexcused absences cannot be made up; see the attendance policy above regarding making up excused absences.
Papers
Each student will complete two thesis-driven papers 4-5 pages in length on the readings and one short paper on our museum field trip. See the grading guidelines below. Students will turn in all papers to the course Sakai site.
Exams
Two exams will be given. The first covers material from the beginning of the course up through the Second Intermediate Period. The second covers material from the New Kingdom on. Exams will have maps, identification items, timelines, short answers.
