ANCIENT 749A/B : Themes and Issues in Ancient Culture

Arts

2020 Semester One (1203) / Semester Two (1205) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A study of themes and issues in ancient culture.

Course Overview

Topic for 2020 (ANCIENT 749 A + B):  Power and Justice, Gods and Rulers, in Early Greece
In this study of archaic and early classical Greece we will read texts by Homer, Hesiod, Solon, early philosophical fragments and Aeschylus, from both a historical and a literary point of view, as well as a range of other important historical authors. Our aims will include critical appreciation of the poetry as poetry, and also as historical evidence for the development of the Greek city state and related political and religious ideas, practices and institutions, focusing mainly on Athens. Students will be able to choose which aspects of the texts and topics they concentrate upon, without ignoring the others. Class meetings will include student seminars, and require preparatory reading and regular contribution to discussion.

Course Requirements

Restriction: ANCHIST 749 To complete this course students must enrol in ANCIENT 749 A and B

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Analyse ancient texts in relation to literary, historical or philosophical criteria. (Capability 1.3, 2.1 and 3.2)
  2. Apply and integrate the implications of a variety of passages or pieces of evidence for a particular literary, historical or philosophical question or problem. (Capability 1.1, 2.3 and 4.3)
  3. Develop arguments based on the evidence of ancient texts to support particular answers to literary, historical or philosophical questions. (Capability 1.1, 2.3 and 4.3)
  4. Apply knowledge of the ancient Mediterranean world, its texts, practices, history and cultural norms in productive research. (Capability 1.3, 2.2 and 4.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Essays 50% Individual Coursework
Tests 50% Individual Test
Students will be required to present class seminars, as the basis for their coursework essays.  Seminars will offer the starting points for class discussion of the topics involved, and will enable the lecturer (and other students) to provide feedback that will help with the quality of the resultant essays.

Next offered

Each year (Semesters 1 + 2).

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point year long course (ANCIENT 749A + B) and graduate students are expected to spend a minimum of 10 hours per week over two semesters on each 30 point course in which they are enrolled.  Students who do well typically spend a lot more time than the bare minimum studying, particularly at graduate level.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 19/12/2019 11:59 a.m.