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A pathway in the BA Classics and the Ancient World
BA Classics and the Ancient World: Middle Eastern Studies
This programme is also available with a Year Abroad
This page gives an overview of how the pathway Ancient Middle Eastern Studies works, with some sample modules. This pathway has a focus on the language, literature, history and archaeology the ancient Middle East (Anatolia, Syria, and Mesopotamia), and the rich network of connections with neighboring regions. All students take one or more cuneiform languages (Akkadian, Hittite, Sumerian).
- UCAS code Q802 (after entering this programme code you'll be sent a form to select the pathway)
- Modules available to students
- This BA pathway is open to those who have no previous experience of ancient languages.
All students must take 90 credits in a cuneiform language (Akkadian, Hittite, Sumerian) during their degree.
- They can take more if they want, and are free to specialise in ancient languages.
- They can take ancient Greek/Latin in all years as optional modules if they wish (or any other module from any pathway).
In the first year students must take
- at least 30 credits of a cuneiform language
- the core module Approaches to Studying the Ancient World; and one history module (30 credits) and one archaeology module (15 credits)
- History: the Ancient Middle Eastern History survey module HIST0650 Babylon from Hammurabi to Alexander or HIST0164 Bronze Age States in the Ancient Middle East (or similar on the advice of the programme tutor) (30 credits)
- Archaeology: usually ARCL0009 Texts in Archaeology (or similar on the advice of the programme tutor) (15 credits)
In the second year students must take
- at least 30 credits of a cuneiform language
- The ancient history Second Year Research Seminar (30 credits).
In the third year students must take
- the final-year Dissertation (30 credits).
- 30 credits of a cuneiform language.
(The structure for this pathway with Year Abroad is identical, except that in their first and second years students study also need to take 30 + 15 credits in the language of the country they wish to visit unless they can demonstrate proficiency: note that this excludes otherwise allowed optional modules outside the field of Classics and the Ancient World in the first year. They spend their third year abroad, then take their final year at UCL in their fourth year.)
❧ Sample Module Choices
Ancient Middle Eastern Studies
| Year One | Year Two | Year Three |
| Introductory Akkadian | Intermediate Akkadian | Dissertation |
| Approaches to the Ancient World* | Introductory Hittite | Introductory Sumerian |
| Texts in Archaeology* | Assyrian Imperialism in ancient Iraq: Nineveh and Nimrud | Hittite Texts |
| Babylon from Hammurabi to Alexander The Late Bronze Age Aegean* | The Late Bronze Age Aegean* | Understanding Complex Societies: Egypt and Mesopotamia* |
| Introduction to Egyptian & Near Eastern Archaeology* | The Early Islamic World* | Archaeology of Early South Asia* |
| Texts In Archaeology* |
Total 120 credits per year. An asterisk indicates a 15 credit module (usually one term); all others are 30 credits (usually two terms).
This student chose Introductory Akkadian, an ancient cuneiform language, for their 30 credits of compulsory language in the first year. Another 15 credits were taken up by the compulsory Approaches to the Studying the Ancient World module. Another 15 credits were taken up by the compulsory Texts in Archaeology Module, and further 30 credits were taken up by the history module Babylon from Hammurabi to Alexander. With their remaining module, they pursued interests in archaeology. In their second year they continued with Akkadian, started Hittite, a cuneiform language from Anatolia, for the compulosory language modules. They pursued their interest in ancient middle eastern history and archaeology. In their final year they took Sumerian, the earliest cuneiform language, fulfilling their language requirement. They took the compulsory dissertation module. With the remaining options, they decided to continue their study of Hittite. Their remaining modules reflected their interest in archaeology (including a 15 credit module outside the area of the ancient Mediterranean and Middle East).
❧ Notes
- Note that text modules and thematic modules are rotated each year in order to provide maximum choice. Sample modules not running in the current academic year are without a link.
- Your first year modules may include up to 30 credits, and your second and third year modules may include up to 30 credits altogether over the two years, of modules entirely outside the field of Classics and the Ancient World studies, which is defined as including all modules that relate to any aspect of Graeco-Roman antiquity, the Ancient Middle East, ancient Egypt, the ancient languages of this area, and other ancient Indo-European languages.
- See the list of modules available in the Ancient World at UCL.
- Information on our degree programmes with year abroad.