Course Form (revised 8-2009)
I. Summary of Proposed Changes
Dept / Program
Anthropology
Prefix and Course #
Course Title
The Arab World: Its Peoples, History, and Cultures
Short Title (max. 26 characters incl. spaces)
The Arab World
Summarize the change(s) proposed
New Course
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Requestor:
Samir I. Bitar
Phone/ email :
243-4385
Samir.bitar@umontana.edu
Program Chair/Director:
John Douglas
Other affected programs
Central and Southwest Asian
Studies Center
Dean:
ARAB 305
Date
Chris Comer
III: To Add a New Course Syllabus and assessment information is required (paste syllabus into
section V or attach). Course should have internal coherence and clear focus.
NO
Common Course Numbering Review: Does an equivalent course exist
elsewhere in the MUS? Do the proposed abbreviation, number, title and credits
align with existing course(s)? Please indicate equivalent course/campus 
http://msudw.msu.montana.edu:9030/wfez/owa/musxfer.p_CCN_MAIN
Exact entry to appear in the next catalog (Specify course abbreviation, level, number, title, credits,
repeatability (if applicable), frequency of offering, prerequisites, and a brief description.) 
U 305 The Arab World: its Peoples, History, and Cultures 3 cr.
Offered Autumn Semester. No prerequisite. Students explore the Arabic-speaking countries through in-
depth discussions of their history, geography, peoples, economy, political systems, educational
systems, and cultural components, such as music, cuisine, tradition, customs, gender relations, etc.
Justification: How does the course fit with the existing curriculum? Why is it needed?
The University of Montana is in its 14th year of teaching Arabic, and the American government has
increased its focus on having American speakers of Arabic who also understand the Arab cultures.
The Arabic Language program at the UM is very successful; we have a solid demand from the
students for offering courses on the Arab world beyond the language courses currently offered.
ARAB 305 is currently being offered in Autumn 2011 under the experimental listing ARAB 391.
Prior to that, an “intro” level was offered and taught in the summer sessions starting in 2005 as
ARAB 195 “Intro to the Arab World, its Peoples, History and Language.” The majority of students’
evaluations highly appraised this class and recommended expanding its contents and offering it as
part of Arabic Studies curriculum during the Autumn semester.
The proposed Minor in Arabic Studies will comprise 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year Arabic language courses
and 300-level cultural classes. This proposed course (ARAB 305) is a response to demands from our
students and reflects our pedagogical goals of developing a coherent curriculum in Arabic Studies
that addresses linguistic and cultural components in the minor. The change will provide students at
the UM and students in Arabic Studies an environment to develop a deeper understanding of the
historical, cultural, political, social, educational, and economic realities of the Arab World; thus, this
course addresses an important component in the UM’s Mission Statement by providing “training
with international and interdisciplinary emphases.”
Are there curricular adjustments to accommodate teaching this course?
N/A
Complete for UG courses. (UG courses should be assigned a 400 number).
Describe graduate increment (Reference guidelines: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/Grad/UG.htm)
N/A
Fees may be requested only for courses meeting specific conditions determined by the
Board of Regents. Please indicate whether this course will be considered for a fee.
If YES, what is the proposed amount of the fee?
Justification:N/A
IV. To Delete or Change an Existing Course – check X all that apply
Deletion
Title
Course Number Change
From:
Level U, UG, G
To:
Description Change
Change in Credits
From:
To:
Prerequisites
1. Current course information at it appears in catalog
(http://www.umt.edu/catalog) 
N/A
From:
To:
Repeatability
Cross Listing
(primary program
initiates form)
Is there a fee associated with the course?
2. Full and exact entry (as proposed) 
N/A
3. If cross-listed course: secondary program & course
N/A
number
4. Is this a course with MUS Common Course Numbering? If yes, then will this change eliminate the
course’s common course status? Please explain below.
5. Graduate increment if level of course is changed to
UG. Reference guidelines at:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/Grad/UG.htm
(syllabus required in section V)
NO
N/A
Have you reviewed the graduate increment
guidelines? Please check (X) space provided.
N/A
6. Other programs affected by the change
N/A
7. Justification for proposed change
N/A
V. Syllabus/Assessment Information
Required for new courses and course change from U to UG. Paste syllabus in field below or attach and send
digital copy with form.
The Arab World: its Peoples, History, and Cultures
Arab 305
Lecturer:
Samir I. Bitar, M.I.S.
Arabic Studies Program
Central & Southwest Asian Studies Center
Department of Anthropology
Email: samir.bitar@umontana.edu
Phone: (406) 243-4385
Office: 302 Stone Hall
Texts:
Albert, H. (2002) A HISTORY OF THE ARAB PEOPLES [Required Textbook]
Azzedine, L. (2009) The Middle East [Optional]
Reading materials and Instructor's handouts posted on the Arabic Website:
http://umt.edu/cswa/arabic/
Grading:
Grading will be computed on the following basis:
Papers (3):
Homework /Quizzes:
Presentation – Country Report:
Participation and Attendance
60%
20%
10%
10%
Rules:
One make-up quiz per student allowed for extenuating circumstances only.
Any particular quiz cannot be made-up one week after it was given.
Extensions (for making up quizzes/handing in a paper) should be requested
in advance. Unexcused, late work will be penalized, late one day less one grade, two days 2
grades, more than five days no points.
Accommodations:
Students are expected to attend all the lectures. If you need accommodations in this course
because of a disability or if you have emergency medical information to share with me, please let
me know as soon as possible. University procedures will be followed.
Course Description, Goals and Objectives:
Ahlan wa Sahlan! Welcome to The Arab World.
Students explore the Arabic speaking countries, birthplace of the world’s three monotheistic
religions and home to many exceptionally diverse civilizations.
Students learn about the Arabs, inheritors of an extraordinary civilization that excelled in the areas
of translation, algebra, pharmacology, experimentation, chemistry and discoveries. Arab culture is
also rich in architecture, art, literature, philosophy, tradition and customs. Students develop a
general understanding of a world with political, economic, cultural and religious events affecting
their daily lives in America.
Students experience all of the above through discussions, illustrations, documentaries, movies,
music, language and food. This course is designed for everyone interested in the topic and no
previous knowledge of the Arabic language is necessary.
Major objectives / Learning Outcomes:
1. To challenge the prejudices of the West by mastering an outline of achievements, history and
cultural experiences of the Arab World, including the roles of language, religion, science, arts, and
geography.
2. Understand the modern political history of the Arab World, from European colonialism to the
emergence of nationalism to the present.
3. Gain a framework to comprehend the origins and efforts to develop a pan-Arab identity,
economic, and political system.
4. Achieve a broad understanding that any satisfactory knowledge of groups or nations must be
based on a full understanding of their culture and language, shared historical experience, and
associated geography.
Instruction Schedule:
The following is an outline for the sixteen weeks of instruction; the schedule in its final format will
incorporate reflections based on our initial progress and it will include all and any modified
homework assignments/ due dates.
Week 1
Introduction
Arab League
Documentary: The Arabs: Who They Are, Who They Are Not (30 minutes)
Reading: Hourani-chapters 1 & 2
Homework: Write a one-page essay on “Who are the Arabs?”
Week 2
The Middle East: Cradle of Islam
Reading: Hourani-chapters 3 & 4
Homework: Write a one-page essay on “The Arabs make their entrance”
Documentary: The Historic Memory (30 minutes)
Week 3
The Arab Muslim World
Reading: Hourani – Chapters 5 ,6, & 7
Homework: Write a one-page essay on “The Life of Cities”
Documentary: The Bonds of Pride (30 minutes)
Week 4
The Ottoman Era
Reading: Hourani- Chapters 13,14, &15
Documentary: House of Saud (1 hr & 50 minutes)
Homework: Write a one page reflection on House of Saud
Paper #1 is due “The Arab World, historical perspectives””
Week 5
Arabs and the West
Reading: Hourani- Chapters 17,18, &19
Homework: Write a one-page essay on “The Culture of Imperialism”
Documentary: Arabs and the West (30 minutes)
Week 6
Nation States
Reading: Hourani- Chapters 21 & 22
Syria & Jordan
Presentation by Guest speaker from Syrian Heritage
Presentation by Guest speaker from Jordan
Week 7
Arab Nationalism
Reading: Hourani- Chapters 23, 24
Homework : Write a one-page essay on “The climax of Arabism”
Week 8
Arab Unity and Disunity
Reading: Hourani- Chapters 25, 26
Paper #2 is due. “ Arab Nationalism”
Week 9
Egypt & Iraq
Presentation by Guest speaker from Iraq
Presentation by Guest speaker from Egypt
Homework: Write a one page reflection on each presentation
Week 10
Morocco & Yemen
Presentation by Guest speaker from Morocco
Presentation by Guest speaker from Yemen
Homework: Write a one page reflection on each presentation
Week 11
The Gulf
UAE, Oman, Qatar
Country projects discussion
Week 12
Libya & Sudan
Presentation by Guest speaker from Libya
Homework: Write a one page reflection on each presentation
Week 13
Palestine-Israel
Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Presentation
Homework: Write a one page reflection on the presentation
Week 14
Free Reading on the Palestinian/Arab-Israeli Conflict – e.g. Google Search
Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Presentation
Paper #3 is due
Week 15
Current Issues
Week 16
Review, Open discussion, and Reflections
Presentations by students-Country Reports
Course Evaluation
Attendance:
Attendance is very important, it includes coming on time and it directly affects your grade. Grading
will highly depend on class participation and you must attend in order to participate. Students who
have 3 unexcused absences will drop one letter grade.
Papers:
Students will write three papers, #1 (7-9 pgs), #2 (7-9 pgs), #3 (9-11 pgs) with one (1) inch
margins, a size twelve (12) font and double-spaced in accordance with MLA manuals. The papers
due dates will be specified at the beginning of the semester.
Homework:
You will be given homework assignments with specified due dates, late work will be penalized.
Specific dates will be laid out as we approach instruction
Quizzes:
There will be 4 to 6 quizzes. They will be announced in advance. The lowest quiz grade will be
dropped in computing the final grade. Specific dates will be laid out as we approach instruction.
Office Hours:
I will have posted office hours during the week, every one is encouraged and is welcome to come
in, visit for questions or discussion and I am also available by appointment.
VI Department Summary (Required if several forms are submitted) In a separate document list course
number, title, and proposed change for all proposals.
VII Copies and Electronic Submission. After approval, submit original, one copy, summary of
proposals and electronic file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt.edu.