Students

AHIX2250 – Ancient Egypt: Culture and Society

2026 – Session 2, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Camilla Di Biase-Dyson
camilla.dibiasedyson@mq.edu.au
Tutor
Ellen Ryan
ellen.ryan@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The unit examines diversity, complexity and transformation in Ancient Egyptian culture and society, drawing on material, textual and visual case studies from the Predynastic to Late Antique periods (ca. 5000 B.C.E to 1000 C.E). The unit also aims to contextualise the conditions within which disciplinary, historical and/or archaeological knowledge about ancient Egypt has been constructed. Based on a range of different assessment types centred around source analysis, students will critically examine both ancient evidence and modern interpretations of that evidence. This critique will be informed by theory and research paradigms developed in the social and cultural sciences. The unit will engage with Indigenous modes of learning and pedagogical principles to develop historical and cultural empathy. The unit will consider the different ways historical knowledge of Ancient Egypt has been constructed over the last two centuries, on the basis of what sources and in what historical contexts. It will thus engage with the roles played by colonialism, orientalism and modern identity politics in the emergence and trajectory of the fields of Egyptology, archaeology and manuscript studies. Students in the unit will develop skills in critical and reflexive thinking through the examination of primary sources from diverse contexts and historiographical critique of secondary literature.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of the evidence of society and culture in ancient Egypt
  • ULO2: Evaluate ancient source material and modern interpretations of that material at an advanced level.
  • ULO3: Formulate arguments, express ideas and respond to the views of staff and peers relating to unit content, in both oral and written forms.
  • ULO4: Articulate historiographical theories, including how historical information (in the broadest sense) may be extracted from ancient texts and archaeological remains and contextualising the conditions within which disciplinary knowledge has been constructed.  

General Assessment Information

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.     This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.  Please consult the General Assessment Resources section (inside the Assessments area) of the iLearn site for information on which assessments are eligible for short extensions and which require Special Consideration.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Skills Logbook 1 30% No 06/09/2026 Individual Yes Open
Skills Logbook 2 30% No 01/11/2026 Individual Yes Open
Final Exam 40% No Exam Period Individual No Observed

Skills Logbook 1

Assessment Type 1: Portfolio
Indicative Time on Task 2: 33 hours
Due: 06/09/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

The first submission of the logbook students keep over the session that covers unit content, skill development, and personal reflection.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of the evidence of society and culture in ancient Egypt
  • Evaluate ancient source material and modern interpretations of that material at an advanced level.
  • Formulate arguments, express ideas and respond to the views of staff and peers relating to unit content, in both oral and written forms.
  • Articulate historiographical theories, including how historical information (in the broadest sense) may be extracted from ancient texts and archaeological remains and contextualising the conditions within which disciplinary knowledge has been constructed.  

Skills Logbook 2

Assessment Type 1: Portfolio
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: 01/11/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

The second submission of the logbook students keep over the session that builds on the first submission, covers unit content, skill development, and personal reflection.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of the evidence of society and culture in ancient Egypt
  • Evaluate ancient source material and modern interpretations of that material at an advanced level.
  • Formulate arguments, express ideas and respond to the views of staff and peers relating to unit content, in both oral and written forms.
  • Articulate historiographical theories, including how historical information (in the broadest sense) may be extracted from ancient texts and archaeological remains and contextualising the conditions within which disciplinary knowledge has been constructed.  

Final Exam

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 2 hours
Due: Exam Period
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

A final exam based on unit content.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of the evidence of society and culture in ancient Egypt
  • Evaluate ancient source material and modern interpretations of that material at an advanced level.
  • Formulate arguments, express ideas and respond to the views of staff and peers relating to unit content, in both oral and written forms.
  • Articulate historiographical theories, including how historical information (in the broadest sense) may be extracted from ancient texts and archaeological remains and contextualising the conditions within which disciplinary knowledge has been constructed.  

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • Academic Success for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

For on-campus students, 1-hour tutorials take place every week. For online students, activities based on readings are completed at home and discussions of content take place on the iLearn forum.

Unit Schedule

Please consult the iLearn site for the Unit Schedule.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/service-desk. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2026.07 of the Handbook