Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures Undergraduate Handbook, 2020-2021

CONTENTS

1. General Information (i) Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures (ii) This Handbook (iii) The MEELC Office (iv) Teaching Staff

2. Regulations and Guidelines (i) Assessment and Examinations (ii) Marking Scale (iii) Plagiarism (iv) Essay Submission (v) Essay-writing Guidelines (vi) Attendance and Non-satisfactory Performance (vii) vii. Late Submission of Coursework Policy

3. Course Structure (i) Junior Freshman Year (ii) Senior Freshman Year (iii) Scholarship Examination (iv) Junior Sophister Year (v) Senior Sophister Year

4. Important information on COVID-19 restrictions

2 1. GENERAL INFORMATION

(i) Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures (MEELC)

The degree in Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures gives students a unique opportunity to study the history, cultures and one language of the Middle East (Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish) combined with a choice of a European language (French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Polish) and its history and culture. In this course students explore diverse perspectives on Middle Eastern and European societies through a study of history, literature and identity politics.

The skills and in-depth knowledge acquired in this course prepare students to engage critically with, and contribute to, current discussions about the cultures, histories and religious affairs and of the Middle East and their relationship with European societies as well as Europe’s millennia-long history of engagement with this region.

(ii) This Handbook

This Handbook provides information about the MEELC office, teaching staff, assessment, and about the academic programme for the first (Junior Freshman), second (Senior Freshman) and fourth (Senior Sophister) years. The Year Abroad Handbook enables students to plan the third (Junior Sophister) year abroad. It is made available to Senior Freshman students at the end of Michaelmas Term. For this academic year (2020-2021), information for the JS year is included for those not undertaking their placements abroad.

The Handbook for the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies can be accessed at: https://www.tcd.ie/langs-lits-cultures/index.php

(iii) The MEELC Office

Ms Dominique Plant is the EO for MEELC and is located in Room 5038 on the fifth floor of the Arts Building and can be contacted by e-mail: [email protected] (tel: 01. 896.1141). The office opening hours will be posted on the door. The Director of MEELC is Dr Zuleika Rodgers ([email protected]).

E-mail is a common method used for contact between the MEELC office and students. Please note that you should only use your TCD e-mail address when contacting the MEELC office or any staff.

(iv) Academic Staff

3 The academic staff teaching on the programme are based in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies.

2. REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES

Please note that it is the responsibility of students to read and take note of regulations about their programme. Alongside the information in this handbook, students should also read carefully information provided about individual modules. Information about ML-coded modules will be available on Blackboard. You should also consult the handbooks and information provided by the relevant department for important information about other modules, including assessment deadlines, how to submit written work, marking criteria, and other regulations. If you are in any doubt about how these regulations affect you, contact your module lecturer/coordinator, College tutor, relevant department office, or the MEELC Studies office for guidance. Please also note that the University Calendar (www.tcd.ie/calendar/) is definitive on all regulations.

(i) Assessment and Examinations There are varied modes of assessment in different modules in your programme. Please consult information provided by module coordinators to understand precisely what is required of you in assessed exercises and in examinations. Please also note that it is the responsibility of each student to establish the time and date of examinations and be aware of examination regulations by consulting the College Examination Office website. www.tcd.ie/academicregistry/exams/.

Each year at Trinity you must take modules with a total value of 60 credits (ECTS). To progress each year in College you need to secure an overall mark of 40% and to obtain 60 credits, either by passing all modules (and in some cases also by passing required elements within modules), or by compensation. To pass by compensation you must either pass outright modules totaling 55 credits and achieve a minimum mark of 30 per cent in the failed module, or pass outright modules totaling 50 credits and achieve a minimum mark of 35 per cent in any failed module(s).

Students who do not pass at the annual examination session, either outright or by compensation, must complete supplemental assessments in all modules in which they did not pass by taking such assessment components, as required, during the supplemental examination period.

Students must pass their third year to proceed to the final year. Details about the third year are set out in the Year Abroad Handbook.

For those in their SS year in 2020-2021, the final degree examination mark (Moderatorship) is decided solely by assessment and examination in the Senior Sophister year. From the academic year 2021-2022 onwards, the final degree is based grades achieved in the JS and SS years (30% on year three and 70% on year four). Candidates must satisfy the examiners in the major language component in order to pass the moderatorship examination. In calculating the moderatorship result all modules are weighted according to their credit values.

(ii) Marking Scheme and Marking Criteria

The marking scheme used is based on the following grade descriptors: I = 70 -100; II.1 = 60 - 69 marks; II.2= 50 - 59 marks; III= 40 - 49 marks; F.1= 30 – 39 marks; F.2= 0 - 29 marks. In cases of failure to submit an assessed work component, 0% is awarded.

Students should consult module and relevant departmental handbooks for specific criteria relating to each of these grades. Please also see the essay-writing guidelines below.

(iii) Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting the work of others as one’s own work, without acknowledgement. As such, it is considered as academically fraudulent, and subject to the disciplinary procedures of the University. Plagiarism can arise from deliberate actions and/ or through careless thinking and methodology. The offence lies not in the attitude or intention of the author, but in the action and in its consequences. Please note that it is the responsibility of the author of any work to ensure that they do not commit plagiarism. Students must therefore think carefully about their practices of essay-writing, translation, citation, and note-taking. In the event of any uncertainty students should seek advice ahead of submitting any work for assessment.

All students are required to read and take note of the regulations on plagiarism in the College Calendar www.tcd.ie/calendar. (Calendar Part II, General Regulations, Academic Progress, Paragraphs 82 and following).

For important information about this subject students are also required to consult http://tcd-ie.libguides.com/plagiarism.

All students must complete the online tutorial on avoiding plagiarism, ‘Ready, Steady, Write’, located at http://tcd-ie.libguides.com/plagiarism/ready-steady-write.

(iv) Essay submissions

Every essay for an MLU-coded module must be accompanied by the appropriate coversheet which can be downloaded from Blackboard. All MLU-coded work should be submitted to through Blackboard.

Essays for EU-coded modules are submitted through the European Studies Office or as directed by the module tutor. Information will be provided by the lecturer.

Essays for NM-coded modules are submitted through Blackboard.

(v) Essay-writing guidelines

MEELC students have to adapt their writing skills to different disciplines. These guidelines on essay-writing should be read in conjunction with specific advice offered by module tutors in different disciplines.

An essay should provide a structured analysis of evidence in order to answer a specific question or set of interlocking questions. Essays should not merely provide information about a topic. You should therefore prepare to write by reading books and articles from reading lists provided by your module tutor. These texts should be directly related to the subject under discussion. You are not reading merely to accumulate information but to understand arguments about how to interpret processes, ideas, texts and events. Before writing, you should read carefully through your notes and devise a structure for your writing around relevant arguments. Essays should be structured around points of analysis, not structured around blocks of information. An essay which simply narrates will never receive high marks no matter how well written and presented. In assessing essays, markers take account of attributes such as quality of analysis, depth and range of understanding of relevant issues, accuracy, structure, expression, presentation and originality of thought. The mark represents a composite evaluation of these factors. An interesting, provocative, but poorly-informed piece of writing might then receive the same grade as one which is clearly presented but reliant on repetition of basic narrative information.

The introduction is a vital element of a successful essay. It should define how the author intends to treat and analyse the question asked. Any terms or concepts in the title requiring definition should be considered in the introduction. The main part of an essay should consist of several main points, which deal with individual aspects of

6 the question posed and lead up to an answer to the question. A clear structure will ensure that the argument is coherent and easy to follow. The conclusion should summarise the argument and supply an answer to the exact question posed in the introduction.

Paragraphs should be limited to less than a typed page and develop a single point. Single sentence paragraphs should be avoided. Think carefully about your style of writing to deliver clear, accurate and sophisticated ideas. The first person should be sparingly used. Elisions, contractions, as well as slang, jargon, colloquial expressions, and an excessive use of metaphors should be avoided. A frequent error of grammar is around the use of ‘its’ (a possessive pronoun). ‘It’s’ (a contraction of it is) cannot be used in its place. On dates, you should write the 1850s (as a plural) not the 1850’s. When you use ‘twentieth century’ as a noun no hyphen is needed, but as an adjective a hyphen is required (‘twentieth-century Ireland’). You are taking a programme of study involving language learning. Please take care to spell place names, personal names and concepts accurately. Read your work carefully before submitting it. Some people find it helpful to read their work aloud to themselves to check whether sentences make sense or are too long and confusing.

Every essay must contain a bibliography, at the end of the essay, listing works consulted in alphabetical order of the author’s last name. Only works actually consulted should be listed. There are different methods of listing publications- the crucial thing is to be consistent and ensure that sufficient information is supplied to allow the reader to trace the publication used.

All direct quotations, as well as the ideas or opinions of others, must be referenced. Indirect quotations must be extensively reworded, reordered and their contents analysed. This is important not only to demonstrate quality of analysis but in order to avoid plagiarism. As a general rule, any information taken from a book or article must be sourced. However, it is not necessary to source general information or well-known facts which are common knowledge or can be easily verified. References should be inserted as consecutively numbered footnotes or endnotes after the relevant text passage. References should be consistent in style and contain precise page references.

(vi) Attendance and Non-satisfactory Performance In some modules and departments students must satisfy an attendance requirement. In some modules and departments students must complete non-examined written work. Students are responsible for ensuring that they understand and meet the criteria required in all modules they study. Please consult your module tutor if you are uncertain about what is expected.

7 (vii) Late Submission of Coursework Policy

All students must fulfil the course requirements of the school or department, as appropriate, with regard to attendance and course work. Students may be required to submit coursework according to agreed submission dates. If you have a problem keeping up with coursework or have an issue submitting coursework on time please contact your tutor or the course director.

You can find your tutor on my.tcd.ie or alternatively you can contact the Senior Tutors office: https://www.tcd.ie/seniortutor/students/undergraduate/

There are penalties for late submission of written coursework without an approved extension or acceptable explanation (e.g. Medical certificate) as follows:

• Up to one week’s lateness incurs a penalty of 10% mark reduction;

• One to two week’s lateness incurs a penalty of 20% mark reduction;

• After 2 weeks, 0 will be awarded.

Please note that these penalties have been agreed and are applied throughout the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies.

Please refer to your relevant Department for specific guidance.

3. COURSE STRUCTURE

(i) Junior Freshman Year (60 ECTS)

In the Junior Freshman year, students take: (i) One language from French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian and Spanish (10 ECTS) (ii) Students take the area studies module which corresponds to the language they have chosen (10 ECTS) (iii) Introduction to the History of Ideas (5 ECTS) (iv) Cultural encounters between the Middle East and Europe (10 ECTS) (v) Introduction to the History of the Ancient Near East (5 ECTS) (vi) Introduction to Islamic Civilisation (5 ECTS) (vii) Introduction to Jewish History and Culture (5 ECTS) (viii) Introduction to the Modern Middle East (5 ECTS)

8 (ix) Literary Cultures of the Middle East (5 ECTS)

(ii) Senior Freshman Year (60 ECTS)

In the Senior Freshman year, students take:

(i) The European language studied in the Junior Freshman year is continued in the Senior Freshman year (10 ECTS) (ii) Students take the area studies module which corresponds to the European language they have chosen (10 ECTS) (iii) Students choose one Middle Eastern language from Arabic, Modern Hebrew and Turkish (10 ECTS) (iv) The Making of Modernity (5 ECTS) (v) Trinity Elective (5 ECTS) (vi) Historical and Contemporary Perspectives: the Middle East and Europe (5 + 5 ECTS) (vii) Students choose two modules, one in each semester, from the non- language SF modules offered by NMES in any year (5 ECTS each for a total of 10 ECTS)

(iii) Scholarship Examination

Objectives: The objective of the Scholarship examination is to identify outstanding academic potential in the complementary disciplines that make up the Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures programme. The Scholarship examination in Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures includes material covered during the two semesters of the Junior Freshman year and the first semester of the Senior Freshman year.

Papers:

Candidates are examined in: 1. Language Competence paper (1 hour 30 mins): Language (French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish) competence paper (including a viva voce examination) (25% of overall mark). 2. MEELC Paper Two: This paper includes material from ML1000, EU1003 and the first semester of MLU2201 (3 questions, 3-hour exam, 25% of overall mark). 3. MEELC Paper Three (2 hours): This paper examines students on the material covered in the NMES modules in the JF year and requires that students

9 demonstrate a profound knowledge of each subject and be able to assess critically the primary and secondary material. The paper differs significantly from the annual examinations since students need to demonstrate an ability to synthesise material when answering questions that cover a number of related topics from across the JF modules. (2 questions, 2-hour exam, 25% of overall mark). 4. Language Area Studies Paper for MEELC students: This paper examines material covered in the area studies modules related to the European language (French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish) (2-hour exam, 2 questions, 25% of overall mark).

(iii) Junior Sophister Year

Students usually spend the third year abroad: either one semester in the Middle East and one semester in the country of their European language, or a full year in in the country of their European language. Students are required to achieve 45-60 ECTS in year three.

In the academic year 2020-2021, students may opt to spend a semester or a whole academic year in Dublin. They take 30 ECTS per semester.

(i) The European language studied in the years two and three continued in the Junior Sophister year (5 + 5 ECTS). (ii) Students take the area studies module which corresponds to the European language they have chosen (5 + 5 ECTS). (iii) Students choose to continue their Middle Eastern language from SF year (5 + 5 ECTS). (iv) Students choose three modules in each semester, from the non-language JS modules offered by NMES in any year.

(v) Senior Sophister Year (60 ECTS)

In the SS year, students may choose one option from three pathways:

1. Students may continue with the European language chosen in the JF, SF and JS years AND their Middle Eastern language chosen in the SF year. 2. Students may choose continue with the European language chosen in the JF, SF and JS years and not their Middle Eastern language. 3. Students may choose to continue with their Middle Eastern language chosen in the SF and JS years and not their European language.

10 For pathway 1 (both languages)

i. Students continue with the European language chosen in the JF, SF and JS years (10 ECTS). ii. Students take an area studies module which corresponds to their European language (10 ECTS). iii. Students complete a dissertation/capstone project of 10,000 words (20 ECTS). iv. Two modules offered by the Dept of Near and Middle Eastern Studies (10 ECTS each) . v. Students continue the Middle Eastern Language chosen in the SF year (10 ECTS).

For pathway 2: (European language only)

i. Students continue with the European language chosen in the JF, SF and JS years (10 ECTS). ii. Students take an area studies module, which corresponds to their European language (10 ECTS). iii. Students complete a dissertation/capstone project of 10,000 words (20 ECTS). iv. Four modules offered by the Dept of Near and Middle Eastern Studies (40 ECTS each).

For pathway 3: (Middle Eastern language only)

i. Three modules offered by the Dept of Near and Middle Eastern Studies (30 ECTS each). ii. Students complete a dissertation/capstone project of 10,000 words (20 ECTS). iii. Students continue the Middle Eastern Language chosen in the SF year (10 ECTS).

11 Important information on COVID-19 restrictions and modes of teaching and learning

In order to offer taught programmes in line with government health and safety advice, teaching and learning in Semester 1 for your programme will follow a blended model that combines online and in-person elements to be attended on campus. This blended model will include offering online lectures for larger class groupings, as well as in-person classes for smaller groups: the differing modes of teaching and learning for particular modules are determined by your home School. Information on the modes of teaching and learning in Semester 2 will be available closer to the time.

Trinity will be as flexible as possible in facilitating late arrivals due to travel restrictions, visa delays, and other challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. If you expect to arrive later than 28th September, please alert your course coordinator as early as possible.

For those students not currently in Ireland, according to current Government health and safety guidelines, please note that these students are expected to allow for a 14- day period of restricted movement after arrival and prior to commencement of their studies, and therefore should factor this into their travel plans.

For those students currently on the island of Ireland, we remind you of the Irish Government’s advice that all non-essential overseas travel should be avoided. If you do travel overseas, you are expected to restrict your movements for 14 days immediately from your return, during which time you will not be permitted to come to any Trinity campus.

Therefore, as you are required to be available to attend College from the beginning of the new teaching year on 28 September, please ensure you do not return from travel overseas any later than 13 September.