Graduate Program in Egyptology

• Language and Literature Concentration

  Primary Field:

  1) Ancient Egyptian language and literature: at least 8 courses
  2) History, culture, archaeology, and art of ancient Egypt: at least 6 courses

  Secondary Field:

  1) Language of chosen secondary field: at least 4 courses
  2) History, culture, archaeology, and art of the chosen secondary field: at least 2 courses
   

• Archaeology Concentration

  Primary Field:

  1) Archaeology, art, and culture of ancient Egypt: at least 7 courses
  2) History of ancient Egypt: at least 2 courses
  3) Language of ancient Egypt: at least 4 courses

  Secondary Field:

  1) Art, archeology, history, culture, and anthropology of chosen secondary field: at least 6 courses
  2) Archaeological interpretation and techniques: at least 1 course

• Primary Field

  1) Ancient Egyptian language and literature

  For the PhD, the student must acquire a detailed knowledge and proficiency in all phases of ancient Egyptian: Old, Middle, and Late Egyptian, as well as Demotic and Coptic. All genres of texts and all types of writing are to be learned. Each student is to acquire a thorough understanding of the grammar of each period and diachronic relationships.

  2) History, culture, art, and archaeology of ancient Egypt

  Courses chosen should provide the student with a detailed knowledge of Egyptian history from prehistoric until Graeco-Roman times. Familiarity with the basic trends in the history of Egyptian art and archaeology is to be acquired along with knowledge of the chief groups of artifacts and their chronological and cultural significance. A thorough understanding of Egyptian religion, political organizations, social structure, and technology must be obtained. The student must acquire the ability to relate archaeological, cultural, and textual evidence.
   

• Secondary Field:

  1) Language of chosen secondary field of concentration

  The student must obtain a working knowledge of another language of the ancient Near East or Greece: Akkadian, Sumerian, Hittite, Biblical Hebrew, or Greek. With appropriate permission of the Advisor, Arabic may in specific occasions be substituted.

  2) History, culture, art, and archaeology

  It is necessary to obtain knowledge of the major aspects of the history and culture of the secondary field of concentration in which the language was chosen. These include: Mesopotamia, Syria-Palestine, Turkey, or Greece and, in addition, a basic knowledge of the history of the ancient Near East.

• Primary Field:

  1) Language of ancient Egypt

  The student must obtain a comprehensive knowledge of Middle Egyptian texts and grammar and have familiarity with texts and grammar of Old and Late Egyptian.

  2) Archaeology, art, history, and culture of ancient Egypt

  The student must obtain a detailed knowledge of the main styles and development of Egyptian art and architecture, and of their cultural functions; detailed knowledge of the chief groups of artifacts and of their chronological and cultural significance; and thorough familiarity with archaeological techniques in general and of those relevant to Egypt in particular. A comprehensive understanding of religion, political organizations, social structure, and technology of ancient Egypt is also essential. The student must be able to integrate cultural, archaeological, and textual evidence.

  3) History of ancient Egypt

  The student is to acquire a detailed knowledge of all phases of ancient Egyptian history, from prehistoric through Graeco-Roman times.
   

• Secondary Field:

  1) Art, Archaeology, history, culture, and anthropology

  Students will be required to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of these aspects of the chosen secondary area of concentration as well as a basic general knowledge of the history of the ancient Near East.

  2) Archaeological interpretation and techniques

  The students must become familiar with basic archaeological field techniques and the methods used to interpret archaeological evidence.

​​​​​​Graduate students in other programs (such as Mesopotamian Civilizations or Biblical Studies) who take a secondary field in Egyptology must take at least four courses in Egyptian language (Middle Egyptian and another significant phase) and two in history and culture.

• Qualifying Exams

  Qualifying Exams in Egyptology are normally comprised of two or three exams. For language specialists, they will normally be one Egyptian language (Middle Egyptian) exam of three hours length, one exam in religion and art/architecture of three hours length, and one exam in a minor language (normally Biblical Hebrew, Sumerian, Akkadian, or Greek) of three hours length.

• Candidacy Exams

  For language specialists, Candidacy Exams in Egyptology are normally composed of four parts: (1) the writing of a research paper on an assigned topic over two-four days, (2) three Egyptian language exams (Old Egyptian hieroglyphs, Late Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Late Egyptian hieratic), each of the three exams being three hours in length and taken over a course of three consecutive days, (3) an exam on Egyptian archaeology (three hours), and (4) an exam on Egyptian history (two parts: each three hours). 

• For archaeology specialists, Candidacy Exams in Egyptology are normally composed of four parts:

  (1) the writing of a research paper on an assigned topic over two-four days, (2) an archaeology exam (two parts: one on archaeology and society, and one on material culture; each three hours) (3) three Egyptian language exams (Old Egyptian hieroglyphs, Late Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Late Egyptian hieratic), each of the three exams being three hours in length and taken over a course of three consecutive days, (4) an exam on Egyptian history (two parts: each three hours).