Undergraduate Study

The following provides introductory information regarding undergraduate degree programs. For a complete outline of degree requirements and on-line application procedures, refer to the UCLA Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools Web Site.

Bachelor's Degree

Majors Offered

At the undergraduate level, the department offers a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations. This major will prepare a student for more advanced study in Egyptology at the graduate level. There are a plethora of courses offered in Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations at UCLA. In addition, undergraduate students are expected to have a substantial exposure to a number of different languages. More information on all of the undergraduate majors offered by the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures can be found here.

 

Egyptology Graduate Program

The following provides introductory information regarding graduate degree programs. For a complete outline of on-line application procedures, refer to the UCLA Graduate Programs Web Site.

The UCLA graduate program in Egyptology is an MA and PhD program, which offers a comprehensive training in the study of the culture of ancient Egypt. To qualify for candidacy a student must have completed a series of cumulative written exams. The series of six introductory exams, completion of which qualifies for a terminal master’s degree, must be completed after two years of enrollment in the program. Students take at least nine courses, of which six have to be at the graduate level, as well as a one quarter tools and methods course (NE 200). In the PhD phase, a series of additional exams allows the student to design a program that ranges from a specialization in language,  or archaeology and material culture, or a well balanced combination of these, to a broad Near Eastern program with a focus on Egypt. In consultation with the advisor the student compiles a program of six written exams or papers from the list of 10 exams given below. These six PhD exams or papers must be completed after four years of graduate study (including the MA phase). To advance to candidacy the student submits and defends a written dissertation proposal before a committee of faculty members including one faculty member from outside the department. Students will be dismissed from the program if the exams are not completed in time.

Foreign research language
German and French are indispensable for pursuing the study of ancient Egypt. After two quarters students must take an exam in one of these, which can be retaken in the third quarter. If the exam is not completed by the end of the first year, funding will be cut and the student may be dismissed from the program. After five quarters an exam in the second foreign research language must be taken, which can be retaken in the sixth quarter. If the exam is not completed by the end of the second year, the student will be dismissed from the program.

MA Phase
Introductory exams:

  1. First foreign research language                                          Winter of yr 1
  2. Survey of history and historiography                                 Spring or Summer of yr 1
  3. Survey of archaeology and material culture                                   Winter of yr 2
  4. Survey of Art and Architecture                                         Winter of yr 2
  5. Survey of religion and literature                                        Spring of yr 2
  6. Middle Egyptian (grammar and translation)                      Spring or Summer of yr 2

Required is also a class on Egyptological research methods and resources (NE 200).

PhD phase
Additional Egyptology exams to qualify for candidacy (4 out of 7 required):

  1. Coptic (grammar and translation)
  2. Egyptian philology (grammar and translation of hieroglyphic, hieratic and demotic texts, read from photo or original, in a language phase other than Classical Middle Egyptian)
  3. History of the Egyptian language (diachronic study of the ancient Egyptian language)[1]
  4. Archaeological theory, methods and fieldwork
  5. Archaeology of Egypt (concentrate on subject relevant for thesis)
  6. Material culture (concentrate on subject relevant for thesis)
  7. Selected topics (concentrate on subject relevant for thesis)

Two of these should be finalized by the Spring or Summer quarter of year 3, the other two by Spring or Summer of year 4.

Additional Ancient Near East exams to qualify for candidacy (2 out of 3 required):

  1. Second foreign research language [required]                                 
  2. Archaeology of other region in the Near East, NE Africa or E. Mediterranean [optional]
  3. Additional ancient language (Akkadian, Sumerian, Hittite, Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin. In specific cases and after consultation with advisor other languages, including Egyptian Arabic can be selected) [optional]

The second foreign research language should be finished by Spring of year 3, the other exam by the Spring or Summer of year 4.

[1] Prerequisite: Egyptian philology exam