SYLLABUS AND PREASSIGNMENT

TERM S212

COLLEGE OF MOUNT ST. JOSEPH

DEPARTMENTS OF ART AND BIOLOGY

 

 

COURSE TITLE:       IDS 380B The Mediterranean: Ancient Egypt  (3 credit hours)

 

PREREQUISITES:  IDS 100, sophomore status, and GPA cum min. more than 2.0

 

INSTRUCTOR(S):

Gene Kritsky, Ph.D. Biology, SC 205, 523-244-4401, cdarwin@aol.com

Daniel E. Mader, M.A. Art, Ziv Art Building 205A, 513-244-4317, dan_mader@mail.msj.edu

 

LOCATION: Ziv Art and Design Building, Rm 104

 

Dr. Gene Kritsky is a former Fulbright Scholar to Egypt where he taught at Minya University and researched insects as a hieroglyphic motif in tombs and temples.  He has conducted detailed studies of the amulet collections at the British Museum in London, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Petrie Museum, London.  He has published several papers on Egyptian mythology and history, and has presented invited lectures on his Egyptological research at the University of London, Petrie Museum, and the University of Kentucky.

 

Dan Mader is Professor of Art History and a sculptor.  He teaches the History of Design, which includes Egyptian motifs. As a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow, he has conducted research in Cairo.  He is a student of Mediterranean underwater archaeology, having made dives with students on Cycladic, Ancient, and Byzantine shipwrecks in the Aegean Sea since 2001. Beginning in summer 2010, he, along with a dive team of certified SCUBA trip participants, explored the ancient Alexandrian harbor to visit underwater artifacts, the underwater ruins of the palace of Cleopatra, and that of the ancient harborÕs pharos or lighthouse.

 

COURSE MEETS: BRIEFING:  S212, Tuesdays (1/12, 26 and 2/9, 23) all but first, from 6.30- – 9.20p.  FIELD TRIP TO EGYPT: 3/9-19, 2012.  COURSE PROJECT COMPLETION: S412, class presentations on, and Tuesday Aug 24.

 

TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE:

Jan    10                       Meeting of participants; Overview; Logistical orientation 4 – 5p

Jan    24                       Readings and Pre-Trip Assignment initiated

Feb     7                       Pre-Trip Assignment due

Feb    21                      Pre-trip meeting

Mar    9                       Depart Cincinnati

Mar   10                      Arrive Cairo (evening)

Mar   11                      Old Kingdom sites: Giza pyramids and sphinx*, Saqqara and Step Pyramid, Dashur Red and Bent pyramids

Mar   12                      Cairo Egyptian Museum, tour, visit to a mosque, Khan al-Khalili bazaar, evening sound and light show at pyramids

Mar    13                     Fly to Luxor, Karnak* and Luxor Temples

Mar    14                     West Bank of Luxor, Valley of the Kings including tomb of King Tutankhamen and three other pharaohs, Colossi of Memnon, Deir al-Bahari –mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, and NoblesÕ Tombs of Nakht, Mena, Roy, and Shuroy.  Medinet Habu temple of Ramses III

Mar    15                     Bus to Dendera Temple*, Luxor Museum

Mar    16                     Drive from Luxor to Aswan, visit el-Kab, Edfu* and Kom Ombo* temples

Mar   17                      Visit Philae temple complex and the unfinished obelisk; Felucca sail on the Nile

Mar    18                     Fly to Abu Simbel in the morning; fly to Cairo for return to Cincinnati

Mar    19                     Arrive in Cincinnati

 

                       

Apr    17                      Follow-up meeting

Apr    24                     Culmination project presentation

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

 

Through an exciting field trip to Egypt, interdisciplinary readings, and examination of artifacts at archaeological sites, this course explores the impact of ancient Egyptian culture—Pharonic, Coptic, and Islamic—on contemporary beliefs, society, politics, events, science, and art.  This study is team taught by two MSJ faculty members.

 

Research will take place in the MSJ classroom and in Egypt during an embedded 10-day fieldtrip. Highlights will include visits to the Egyptian Museum, pyramids of Giza and Saqqara, the Citadel and other mosques in Cairo, Luxor and Karnak Temple in Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, the Colossi of Memnon, the Ramasseum, Philae, and Abu Simbel.  Additional sites may be visited at an additional cost.

 

This course is part of a  multi-course study of the lasting impact of ancient Mediterranean culture through the compelling adventure of hands-on discovery. This is the second in a series of courses that make up the Mediterranean Program. Orientation to the course and the central field experience will take place in January, and February.

 

PRE-TRIP ASSIGNMENT

 

To determine a baseline for knowledge of Egyptian influence on contemporary life, students are asked to:

 

  1. Gather ten examples each of contemporary use of the terms Òancient EgyptÓ in electronic, print, and or video media.  Put these examples in presentation form either on display board, or in an electronic presentation format such as PowerPoint.
  2. Using five to ten sources write how ancient Egypt has contemporary significance.  Paper should be 8 – 10 pages in length with footnotes and bibliography.  Sources must include periodicals and books, as well as the internet.

 

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

 

Jan    10                       Meeting of participants; Overview; Logistical orientation; Overview and visual presentation on the logistics of the trip

 

Jan    24                       Readings and Pre-Trip Assignment initiated and discussed

 

Feb     7                       Pre-Trip Assignment due; For the pre-trip paper, major ideas, values, and accomplishments of the ancient Egyptians will form the focus of readings and research.  Discussion will take place in the classroom

 

Feb    21                      Final pre-trip meeting – logistics

 

FIELD EXPERIENCE

 

Day 1 – (March 9) Depart Cincinnati, fly to Cairo NYC

Day 2 – (March 10) Arrive in Cairo, transfer to hotel. 

Day 3 – (March 11) Old Kingdom sites: Giza pyramids and sphinx*, Saqqara and Step Pyramid, Dashur Red and Bent pyramids.

Day 4 – (March 12) Egyptian Museum* tour, visit to a mosque, Khan al-Khalili bazaar, evening sound and light show at pyramids.

Day 5 – (March 13) fly to Luxor, Karnak* and Luxor Temples.

Day 6 – (March 14) West Bank of Luxor, Valley of the Kings including tomb of King Tutankhamen and three other pharaohs, Colossi of Memnon, Deir al-Bhari – mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, and NoblesÕ Tombs of Nakht, Mena, Roy, and Shuroy. Medinet Habu temple of Ramses III.

Day 7 – (March 15) Bus to Dendera Temple*, Luxor Museum.

Day 8 – (March 16) Drive from Luxor to Aswan, visit el-Kab, Edfu* and Kom Ombo* temples.

Day 9 – (March 17) Visit Philae temple complex and the unfinished obelisk. Felucca sail on the Nile.

Day 10 – (March 18) Fly to Abu Simbel in the morning. Fly to Cairo for return to Cincinnati.

Day 11 – (March 19) arrive in Cincinnati.

 

* Connection with Cleopatra

 

POST TRIP FOLLOW-UP

 

Apr 17                         Post trip meeting, Culminating projects are presented

and critiqued by peers

 

April 24                       Presentation of projects

 

 

Course Fee: $4,000-$4.400 beyond registration for the Spring 2012 course.

 

Students will need spending money for meals and for any optional activities.

 

N.B.: The course is limited to 12 qualified student participants.

 

REQUIRED TEXT:

 

Vercoutter, J. 1992. The Search for Ancient Egypt. Harry N. Abrams, New York.

 

Humphreys, A., et al. 2004. Lonely Planet Egypt. Lonely Planet Publications, Melbourne, Australia.

 

SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS  (AS ASSIGNED BY INSTRUCTORS):

 

Andrews, C. 1994. Amulets of Ancient Egypt. British Museum Press, London.

 

Lurker, M. 1995. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Egypt.  Thames and Husdon, New York.

 

Romer, J. 1984. Ancient Lives. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York.

 

Saleh, M. and H. Sourouzian 1987. The Egyptian Museum Cairo. Presel-Verlag, Munich, Germany.

 

Wildinson, R.H. 1992. Reading Egyptian Art. Thames and Hudson, London.

 

Zauzich, Karl-Theodor. 1992. Hieroglyphs without Mystery. Univ. of Texas Press, Austin.

 

KMT, the modern journal of ancient Egypt.

 

 

INTERNET RESOURCES:

 

KMT                                                   www.egyptology.com

 

Petrie Museum, London.                     www.petrie.ucl.ac.uk/index.html

 

Islamic sites of Egypt                          www.egyptology.com/reeder/egyptart/portfolio/

 

Egyptian mythology                            www.egyptianmyths.net/

 

Giza pyramids                                     www.legon.demon.co.uk/

 

Hieroglyphs                                        members.aol.com/egyptnew/glyph.html

 

Egyptian Study Society                       www.egyptstudy.org

 

 

FIELD TRIP TO EGYPT

 

Transportation: a travel agent will arrange international air travel.  Details on the route will depend on costs.  At this time, travel will be via Paris to Cairo.

 

Host Site: We will be staying at hotels in Cairo and in Luxor.

 

Lodging and Meals:  Students will live in single, double or triple occupancy rooms.  The cost of meals will be the responsibility of the students.  The instructors will be accompanying the students at all meals.

 

 

FIELDTRIP LEARNING: LECTURE, JOURNAL, AND SKETCHES

 

The fieldtrip to Egypt is the central student learning experience.  Surrounded by history in the form of architectural ruins, excavation sites, historical sites, archaeological museums, students will enthusiastically learn.  The accompanying faculty and guest lecturers will conduct classes daily in informal but unforgettable locations.  Students will take notes, keep journals, and/or sketch as they wish.

 

CULMINATION PROJECT

 

This final project will demonstrate the studentÕs connection of Egyptian culture to the contemporary world.  It has two parts.  All students will write a self-reflective 1 – 2 page paper, ÒHow travel to Egypt has Changed Me.Ó  Beyond this, students are expected to complete a unique project based on the immersion experience. Typical projects may be created in any media.  The projects should reflect a minimum of 30 hours of work.  If a paper is selected for the project, it should be 15 - 20 pages in length with illustrations, footnotes, and bibliography. Sources must include periodicals and books, as well as the internet. Other typical projects could be as follows:

 

  1. Creation of an art work (fabric, print, drawing, print, ceramics, sculpture, painting etc.) that blends concepts of Egyptian civilization in a modern subject;
  2. Writing of modern myths, or Òurban legendsÓ in ancient Egyptian style;
  3. Building a three-dimensional model of an Egyptian temple;
  4. Recreate a model of an Egyptian site using modern computer aided design;
  1. Socio-cultural comparison of the US/Modern Egypt.  (Areas of comparison might cover, religion, family, lifestyle etc.).

 

 

MSJ UNDERGRADUATE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (LO/PIS)

 

Learning Outcomes and Performance Indicators

The purpose of the Core Curriculum in an undergraduate education at the Mount is to provide students with a broad range of learning experiences in order to create a habit of mind conducive to a lifetime of learning in a diverse society.  The Learning Outcomes and Performance Indicators of the core curriculum are listed below.

 

A. Communication

Write and speak effectively

  1. Speak using language appropriate to the audience
  2. Write using language appropriate to the audience
  3. Document sources properly
  4. Construct a message that is relevant to its purpose

 

B. Critical Thinking

Develop an appropriate response to a problem or question

  1. Describe the ambiguous nature of an issue
  2. Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information
  3. Utilize data to evaluate a problem or question
  4. Support a position with appropriate evidence

 

C. Sociocultural Relationships

Understand the nature of human cultures

  1. Describe the influence of cultural diversity within a society
  2. Identify bias within a culture
  3. Explain how religious values influence a society
  4. Describe causes of cultural change

 

D. Ethics

Understand ethical responsibility from the perspective of duty, consequences, or virtue

  1. Define your personal ethical responsibilities
  2. Describe your professional ethical responsibilities
  3. Explain how Catholic teaching emphasizes social justice and social responsibility
  4. Illustrate how values inform your ethical decisions

 

E. Interdisciplinarity

Solve a problem by integrating the perspectives of multiple disciplines

  1. State the views of multiple disciplines on an issue
  2. Compare views from multiple disciplines
  3. Create a solution to a problem by integrating the perspectives of multiple disciplines

 

F. Citizenship

Recognize your responsibility to the community and the world

  1. Define your responsibilities as a citizen of the local community
  2. Define your responsibilities as a citizen of the global community
  3. Describe the relationship between community and world issues
  4. Evaluate your own involvement as a citizen

 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF MSJ UNDERGRADUATE LO/PI:  (At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to):

 

 

STUDENTÕS RESPONSIBILITIES

 

            The above course objectives will be accomplished as the student carries out his or her responsibilities in the course.  Students are expected to have read the assigned reading prior to the pre-trip class meetings, and to attend all the sessions.

 

            The course also requires a travel experience.  Travel courses are enjoyable ways to learn about other cultures, their history, art, science, and values.  Students will be expected to be flexible as they travel as a group, to help, and to watch out for each other.

 

            Students receiving a passing grade in this course will have demonstrated they can appreciate the interdisciplinary aspects of foreign travel and applied that appreciation in their projects.

 

 

E-PORTFOLIO

 

During your senior capstone course(s), you will be asked for an electronic file containing examples of your work throughout your college experience.  We suggest you keep a file for each class and/or term with examples of writing and visual pieces.  The visual pieces may be jpeg images. This action now will save you last minute research in your senior year.

 

 

 

 

 

TEACHING METHODOLOGY (LEARNING STRATEGIES):

 

Assigned readings and projects, informal lecture, internet/CD-ROM /DVD materials, journals and photographs from field study, discussion, peer critiques, writing, and formulation of final interdisciplinary project.

 

 

 

METHOD OF EVALUATING ACHIEVEMENT OF OUTCOMES:

 

Values for letter grades will be based on 100 pts.

A  =  90  -  100

B  =  80  -    89

C  =  70  -    79

D  =  60  -    69

F  =  50  -     59

 

The grade for the course is based on:

    1. Completion of Pre-trip assignment                                  25%
    2. Attendance and participation in pre/post-trip classes     25%
    3. Participation in field trip activities, completion of journal, and/or sketches                                                                              25%
    4. Completion of final culmination project                          25%

 

Each project represents approximately one fourth of the Final grade.

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

 

Attendance at all class sessions is required.  One exception may be made in extreme circumstances at the discretion of the instructor; however, instructor must be notified of the serious need to be absent prior to the beginning of the class session.  Students are expected to arrive on time and remain the entire class session.

 

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

 

See: http://www.msj.edu/view/academics/catalogs--class-schedules/undergraduate-catalog/academic-policies/student-responsibility.aspx

 

When we use the information and language of others to enrich our reflection and research papers we must:

á      Tell the reader when we are quoting and indicate the source (person, book, article, etc.) of the quotation.

á      Tell the reader when we are paraphrasing and indicate the source (person, book, article, etc.) of that information.

 

Quoting or paraphrasing the information and/or language of a source without naming the source is plagiarism.  Plagiarism is unacceptable in an academic institution and is subject to penalty.  Please consult the College Catalog and the Student Handbook for additional information and policies regarding academic honesty.

 

Information about and/or link to drop dates for current semester:

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Information about and/or a link to policy on incompletes: 

Undergraduate: http://www.msj.edu/view/academics/catalogs--class-schedules/undergraduate-catalog/academic-policies/grades.aspx    Graduate: http://www.msj.edu/view/academics/catalogs--class-schedules/graduate-catalog/academic-policies/grades.aspx

Disability policy:

 

Students with documented disabilities are encouraged to speak to course faculty at the beginning of the semester.   In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the College of Mount St. Joseph provides academic adjustments and auxiliary aids for students with physical or mental impairments that substantially limit or restrict one or more of such major life activities as walking, seeing, hearing, or learning. Students with disabilities should contact Susan Brogden, the Director of Academic Support, to present documentation and develop individualized accommodation plans (244-4524/susan_brogden@mail.msj.edu, The Learning Center, Room 156 Seton). Additional information can be found at http://www.msj.edu/view/academics/disability-services.aspx

 

 

 

 

THE INSTRUCTORS RESERVE THE RIGHT to make changes to any item(s) in this syllabus