American University in Cairo

This course provides an introductory survey of religion and politics in Islam, from its inception to the modern period. It introduces students to basic concepts and topics in Islamic Studies and societies, such as Islamic law, theology, governance, and politics.

This course, through the study of representative figures from the history of philosophy and its contemporary discourse, introduces the basic methods and aims of philosophical inquiry and develops the skills required for critical thinking. It opens the broad field of philosophical questions; but, more fundamentally, it is a course in questioning as such, as it cultivates the basic human desire to know. It is also about learning how to understand and how to be understood; it teaches students to listen to what others say, methodologically interpret what others have written, and take responsibility for their own words. This is accomplished through the close reading of texts of great intellectual distinction, patiently practicing the art of interpretation without easy answers, and carrying out a sustained effort to write thoughtfully. This course, thus, encourages students to think independently, responsibly, and critically. Prerequisites: first year writing course. 

This course covers selected topics in Qur’anic Studies: history of the text or specific themes in the Qur’an (gender issued, relations with others, ethical or legal issues). The course offers an examination of the principal different Muslim and Western approaches and opinions relevant to the chosen topic, illustrated with reference to an appropriate selection of primary sources in translation and in Arabic.

This is the laboratory component and corequisite of the DIGITAL LOGIC DESIGN (host institution course number ECNG 2101) course. It covers experiments in digital design and experiments illustrating material of the main course including an FPGA-based project.

This course consists of further reading of Egyptian texts with an introduction to the new Egyptian language of the later periods of Pharaonic history. In order to introduce students to epigraphy, they are required to copy and study texts from the Cairo Museum. This is the fourth installment of the two-year sequence spent learning the signs, vocabulary, and grammar of Ancient Egyptian. Regular class attendance, active participation, and weekly assignments are crucial for grasping the material. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the material before coming to class.

This course provides an introduction to classical mechanics covering vectors, applications of Newton’s laws, conservation laws and forces, motion in a plane, circular motion, equilibrium and elasticity, rotational motion, simple harmonic motion, energy and power; mechanical and sound waves, temperature, heat and the first law of thermodynamics. Prerequisite: first semester of differential calculus.

This course offers an in-depth analysis of the nature and dynamics of modern Egyptian politics. In order to familiarize students with post-1952 Egypt, assessments of the Nasser, Sadat and Mubarak presidencies constitute the introductory theme of this course. Once the trends and general imprints of each Presidency are established, this course then focuses on the major issues and themes confronting and shaping Egypt's post 2011 political arena. Such themes include but are not limited to the following: The fall of Mubarak regime, the rise of the Second Republic and the subsequent parliamentary and presidential elections. The second part of the course also analyzes patterns of civil participation, the role of the military, as well as the role of the Muslim Brotherhood and their fall from power after the June 2013 Uprising.

The Zionist ideology and movement in its own terms, and in the context of modern Judaism. The course places Zionism in its historical and religious contexts, and examines its varieties. The Zionist movement is followed from its origins to the establishment of Israel. Related aspects of Israeli politics are then examined, with special reference to ideological and religious debates.

This course studies the basic inflectional and syntactical patterns of Egyptian colloquial Arabic through every day-life communicative activities. It prepares students to identify the general topics and some basic information in both very familiar and everyday topics; perform orally in simple social situations encountered in daily life; manage many everyday requirements of independent living; demonstrate an understanding of social and cultural expectations through the appropriate use of greetings, titles, and common cultural phrases; present information on both familiar and everyday topics using a variety of practiced and memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences; order food and ask about prices using numbers. Although speaking and listening are the dominant skills in this course, reading and writing are also integrated in minimal proportions as helping skills. This is part one of a two-semester sequence covering elementary Egyptian colloquial Arabic. 

This course explores public and personal health infrastructure with a focus on Egypt. It includes an optional service-learning component in which students become aware of their role in community health issues. The course discusses the effect of cultural and social-economic conditions on public health, community and governmental services to protect and improve the health of populations, and methods of transmission and prevention of selected diseases. It considers current and emerging health concerns in the region and worldwide, preventive measures for current and emerging health concerns, and how health issues impact society. It also practices efficiently writing and presenting health issues to the public.