BA Ancient Near Eastern Studies

SOAS, University of London

Bachelor's degree

In City of London

£ 9,250 + VAT

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Description

  • Type

    Bachelor's degree

  • Location

    City of london

  • Start date

    Different dates available

Programme Code: Q400BA/ANESt
Mode of Attendance: Full-time
NB: This degree enrols new students only in odd years, i.e. 2017, 2019, 2021 ect.
Once studied for the light it could shed on the world of the Old Testament, the ancient Near East has now emerged from the sidelines as the fountainhead of modern civilisation. It was in the ancient Near East more than 5000 years ago that people first learned to live in cities, invented writing and developed the first high civilisations.
Though the origins of humanity's spiritual and intellectual adventure were once sought in the Bible and in Greece, the fascinating discoveries of Near Eastern archaeologists over the last 150 years have revealed the crucial roles played in forming our common heritage by the peoples of the Ancient Near East, especially the Sumerians, the Babylonians and the Hittites.
The three-year degree in Ancient Near Eastern Studies has been formulated to take advantage of the unique opportunities offered by London, the home of the largest group of specialists in the various branches of Ancient Near Eastern Studies in Europe. Not only do many different academic departments of the University of London employ teachers in these fields, but Bloomsbury also houses the British Museum, with its collections of Near Eastern antiquities unrivalled in the world.
The Ancient Near Eastern Studies degree is taught jointly with University College London (UCL). It provides a multi-disciplinary introduction to the ancient Near East, its languages, history, cultures and archaeology, while also offering final-year students the opportunity of specializing in their field of interest.
Convenors
Andrew R George
Mark Weeden
Key Information Set Data

Facilities

Location

Start date

City of London (London)
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Start date

Different dates availableEnrolment now open

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2018

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Subjects

  • Project
  • Teaching
  • Options
  • IT
  • Archaeology
  • University
  • Language Skills
  • Intercultural awareness
  • Ancient
  • Eastern Studies
  • Introductory Akkadian
  • Akkadian

Course programme

Learn a language as part of this programme

Degree programmes at SOAS - including this one - can include language courses in more than forty African and Asian languages. It is SOAS students’ command of an African or Asian language which sets SOAS apart from other universities.

At SOAS in the first year the student begins the study of the major language of the ancient Near East, Akkadian (Babylonian and Assyrian) in the cuneiform script, and takes a module in the literatures of the Near East. Meanwhile, at UCL the student commences the study of the history of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt (History Department), and takes an introductory module in Near Eastern archaeology (Institute of Archaeology).

In the second year further Akkadian is taken at SOAS, and it is possible at this stage to begin a second language (normally Hittite), as well. At UCL the student continues the history of the ancient Near East and studies the archaeology of the Near East in the historical periods.

During the third year follow-up modules in Akkadian and archaeology or history are taken and a study project written on an ancient Near Eastern subject. To complete the final year a wide range of options will normally be available to permit specialisation in either language or history or archaeology, or a combination of two of these. The student whose primary interest is in language may study Sumerian, Hieroglyphic Egyptian, biblical Hebrew, North-West Semitic epigraphy, Aramaic or Ugaritic, subject to availability. Non-language options include further modules in ancient history, Egyptology and the archaeology of the ancient Near East.

Single HonoursYear 1Core Module

Must be passed to proceed to the following year

  • Introductory Akkadian
Compulsory Module
  • Literatures of the Near and Middle East
UCL Compulsory Module

UCL HIST6111: Bronze Age States in the Ancient Middle East

UCL Introductory Archaeology Module

Students must take archaeology modules to the value of 30 credits. The modules usually taken are: UCL ARCL1009 Introduction to Egyptian and Near Eastern archaeology (15 credits) and UCL ARCL1011 Texts in archaeology (15 credits)

Year 2

It is possible to begin a second language at this stage(usually Sumerian or Hittite)

Core Module
  • Akkadian Texts 1
UCL Compulsory Module

UCL HIST6102: The Near East 1200-336BC: Empires and pastoralists

UCL Archaeology Module

One module in archaeology from the list of options under the Teaching & Learning tab

1 Optional Module

One further module from the list of options below or from the UCL list of options under the Teaching and Learning tab OR another approved module.

Year 3Compulsory Module
  • Independent Study Project in Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Akkadian Language Module

Choose one Akkadian language module from the list of options below

UCL Archaeology or History Module

Choose one Archaeology or History module from the list of options under the Teaching & Learning tab.

1 Optional Module

One further module from the list of options below or from the UCL list of options under the Teaching and Learning tab OR another approved module.

Module OptionsLanguage and literature

Language modules are also available at UCL, please see the Teaching & Learning tab for more details.

  • Introductory Akkadian
  • Akkadian Texts 1
  • Akkadian Texts 2
  • Akkadian Texts 3
  • Introductory Sumerian
  • Introductory Hittite
  • Hittite Texts 1
Extended essay
  • Independent Study Project in Ancient Near Eastern Studies
History and culture

Modules available from UCL, please see the Teaching & Learning tab for more details.

Archaeology

Modules avaliable from UCL, please see the Teaching & Learning tab for more details.

Programme Specification
  • BA Ancient Near Eastern Studies - Programme Specifications 2012/13 (msword; 96kb)
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BA Ancient Near Eastern Studies

£ 9,250 + VAT

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