This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2006-2007 (archived)
Module MEIS2101: ISLAMIC STUDIES II
Department: Government and International Affairs (Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies)
MEIS2101: ISLAMIC STUDIES II
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 2 | 20 | Not available in 2006/2007 | None. | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- Introduction to Islam (MEIS1041).
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- Islamic Studies III (MEIS3111) (in the same academic year).
Aims
- To introduce the student to the birth and development of three main areas of Muslim intellectual and academic endeavour in the classical and medieval eras: law (fiqh).
- theology (kalam).
- and philosophy (falsafah).
Content
- The first part of the course focuses on the codification of the shari'a and the evolution of Islamic law.
- The 'sources of law' (Koran, hadith, consensus and reason etc.) will be studied and the methodologies employed in jurisprudence analysed through case studies.
- The second part of the course will examine the evolution of scholastic theology in the first three centuries of Islam.
- particular attention will be paid to the Mu'tazilite-Ash'arite debate, together with other major theological themes and trends of the period.
- The third part of the course will examine major themes in Islamic philosophy, tracing the evolution of the discipline from al-Kindi to Mulla Sadra and the 'School of Isfahan'.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
Subject-specific Skills
Key Skills
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- .
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 22 | Weekly | 1 hour | 22 | |
| Seminars | 22 | Weekly | 1 hour | 22 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 156 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 60% | one two-hour written examination | 100% | ||
| Essay | 40% | one essay 4000 words | 100% |
Formative Assessment
Seminar presentations; 1 2000 word essay by end of Mich term.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.