Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations

200-300
Ancient Near Eastern History and Society I-II-III
Ancient Near Eastern Thought and Literature I-II-III
Ancient Empires I-II-III
Archaeology of the Ancient Near East I-II-III-IV-V-VI
Semitic Languages, Cultures, and Civilizations I-II-III
Islamic History and Society I-II-III
Islamic Thought and Literature I-II-III
Jewish Civilization I-II +
300-400
Research Colloquium
Note that the course sequence on “Archaeology of the Ancient Near East” does not fulfill the general education requirement in civilization studies. All of the other NELC civilization sequences do fulfill the general education requirement. If a Near Eastern civilization sequence is used to meet the College general education requirement, a second Near Eastern civilization sequence is required for the NELC major.
Students who began taking Jewish Civilization courses prior to Autumn 2018 may continue to use the courses that previously satisfied the civilization studies requirement. See the Jewish Studies page for details.
Credit for language courses may not be granted by examination or petition.
These may consist of any NELC courses, including additional language courses, an additional civilization sequence, or NELC courses in areas such as archaeology, art, literature in translation, history, and religion. NEHC 29995 Research Project may be counted towards the elective requirement. Contact the NELC Director of Undergraduate Studies for questions about course requirements.
Archaeological Methods and Interpretations
Ancient Landscapes I
Geographic Information Science I
Ceramic Analysis for Archaeologists
New Approaches to Old Stones: Chipped & Ground Stone Analysis
Zooarchaeology
Ancient Landscapes II
Geographic Information Science II    and Geographic Information Science III
Archaeological Data Sets
Bioarchaeology and the Human Skeleton
Human Origins: Milestones in Human Evolution and the Fossil Record
Archaeology of the Ancient Near East I-II-III-IV-V-VI
Introduction to Islamic Archaeology
Ancient Mediterranean World I-II-III
Archaeology of Anyang: Bronzes, Inscriptions, and World Heritage
Archaeology of Bronze Age China
Statistical Methods and Applications **
Basic Mathematics and Statistics for Digital Studies
Field Archaeology ++
Research Colloquium
Students can also choose other approved undergraduate courses in archaeological methods or in the application of social theory in archaeological interpretation that may be offered in NELC or another department (e.g., archaeobotany, archaeometallurgy, archaeological conservation, ancient DNA, epigraphic methods, etc.)
This list is purely indicative. Students should discuss with the Director of Undergraduate Studies to establish a coherent list of electives in their areas and periods of interest.
Students who have taken statistics to fulfill other requirements may substitute an approved elective.
This course entails participation in archaeological fieldwork with a University of Chicago faculty member or in an approved field school sponsored by another university. The fieldwork requirement for the major will often be fulfilled during the Summer Session for course credit from the University of Chicago or for transfer credit from another school. If the fieldwork is done without earning course credit, the student will substitute an additional elective chosen among the methodologically oriented courses or the courses in the archaeology, history, or culture of the region(s) of interest quoted above, or an additional language course. In any case, the student must engage in approved archaeological fieldwork as a requirement of the major.
Ancient Near Eastern History and Society I-II-III
Elementary Classical Hebrew I-II-III
Intermediate Arabic I-II-III
Islamic Thought and Literature I-II-III
Ancient Empires I-II-III
Ancient Near Eastern Thought and Literature I-II-III
Archaeological Methods and Interpretations
Geographic Information Science I
Ceramic Analysis for Archaeologists
Zooarchaeology
Archaeology of the Ancient Near East III: Levant
Archaeology of the Ancient Near East VI: Egypt