THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2023/2024

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Divinity : Divinity

Undergraduate Course: Moses and the Torah (DIVI08011)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Divinity CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course is the partner to Prophets and their Oracles (level 8), and is aimed at students beginning their academic study of biblical literature. It is an introduction to the first five books of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible, and aimed at students beginning study of the content of the Torah or Pentateuch by a survey of important themes.
Course description Academic Description:
This course is intended for students beginning their academic study of Biblical literature, and is a partner to the Level 8 course Prophets and their Oracles. It is an introduction to the scholarly study of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament, the Torah or the Pentateuch (Genesis to Deuteronomy), traditionally attributed to Moses.

Syllabus/Outline Content:
Students taking this course will acquire the knowledge-base and skills to become competent readers of the Bible. Over the course of the eleven weeks, students will be required to read all five books of the Pentateuch in English translation.

Student Learning Experience Information:
Lectures and tutorials will focus on selected biblical passages that have engendered scholarly attention and debate. The lectures will provide orientation, underscore matters particularly important at an introductory level, and show how scholars approach the study of the Bible. The seminars are intended to give students the opportunity to discuss in small groups issues arising from the biblical texts and scholarly approaches.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Students MUST NOT also be taking Moses and the Torah (BIST08020)
Other requirements Students who have previously taken the following course MUST NOT enroll: Moses and the Torah (BIST08020)
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate a knowledge of the content of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.
  2. Evidence a knowledge of different interpretative approaches to the biblical texts (e.g. historical criticism, literary criticism, feminist criticism, early Jewish approaches, etc).
  3. Demonstrate an ability to work with the standard biblical tools (e.g. dictionaries, Bible encyclopedias, commentaries, etc).
  4. Identify key interpretative issues, describe and account for varying interpretations, and offer some independent analysis.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills - Capacity to modify, suspend or otherwise change position when warranted
- Analytical ability and the capacity to formulate questions and solve problems
- Writing skills, including clear expression and citing relevant evidence
- Ability to engage critically with the meaning of documents and recognise that meanings may be multiple
KeywordsMoses,Torah,Bible,Literature,Old Testament
Contacts
Course organiserProf Timothy Lim
Tel: (0131 6)50 8919
Email:
Course secretary
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