Masters Degrees in Ancient Languages, United Kingdom

The SOAS MA in Ancient Near Eastern Languages offers an intensive programme of text-reading and language-learning for those who already have a good knowledge of the Akkadian language - usually at least two years' experience. The degree is intended to widen the student's experience in the vast legacy of written documentation in Akkadian and other languages from ancient Mesopotamia and Anatolia. The programme is tailor-made to serve as an intermediate level between SOAS's three-year BA in Ancient Near Eastern Studies (or an equivalent qualification) and postgraduate Assyriological research at the level of MPhil and PhD. It can, of course, be taken for its own sake.
Email: [email protected]

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/maanel/

Structure

The degree comprises three taught courses chosen from the MA list and a dissertation on an agreed subject. The courses that are avaliable at SOAS in Akkadian, Sumerian and Hittite are in the list below.

Instead of one of these SOAS courses candidates may, if qualified, take one of the following topics from MA programmes run by University College London:

- Hebrew and other North-West Semitic languages (MA in Hebrew and Jewish Studies)
- Ancient history, currently Change and Continuity in the Ancient Near East (MA in Ancient History, 91AHG003)
- Archaeology (MA in Archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East)

Not all the courses listed are available every year. Entry to courses run by University College is subject to the approval of the academic department in question (the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies, the Department of History, and the Institute of Archaeology).

Courses avaliable at SOAS
- Mesopotamian Languages and Literature A: the third millennium - 15PNMC021 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
- Mesopotamian Languages and Literature B: the second millenium BC - 15PNMC022 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
- Mesopotamian Languages and Literature C: the first millenium bc - 15PNMC023 (1 Unit) - Full Year
- Sumerian Language - 15PNMC024 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
- Christians and Muslims in Syriac Texts - 15PSRC175 (1 Unit) - Full Year
- Hittite Language - 15PNMC025 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017

MA Ancient Near Eastern Languages- Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 24kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/maanel/file80794.pdf

Teaching & Learning

- Course Information
Courses are listed under the menu item Programme Structure on the left-hand side of this page. Each course is taught two or three hours weekly in small classes of usually one to five students. Courses in language and literature comprise the reading, translation and discussion of set texts. Thorough preparation is essential.

- Dissertation
The dissertation will be on a topic agreed with the student's teachers and will extend to about 10,000 words. It may take the form of an extended essay on an approved topic or an edition with introduction and commentary of a previously unedited text or group of texts. The deadline for submission is 15 September in the year of examination.

Faculty of Languages and Cultures

Six of the academic departments are devoted to teaching and research in the languages, literatures and cultures of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and South East Asia, with the seventh teaching and conducting research in Linguistics. The Language Centre caters to the needs of non-degree students and governmental and non-governmental organisations. It maintains a huge portfolio of courses, including year-long diploma programmes, weekly evening classes in about 40 different African and Asian languages, and tailored intensive one-to-one courses. The Language Centre also offers courses in French, Portuguese and Spanish.

Their teaching is in three main areas:
- language competence acquisition;
- textual and cultural studies - both comparative and language-specific, and covering not only 'literature' in a strict sense but also visual media, performance, folklore, translation etc.;
- language studies with linguistics at its core - including the prestigious Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project.

The Faculty is also home to the Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS) (http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/).

While SOAS as a whole represents the most substantial concentration in the Western world of expertise dedicated to African, Middle Eastern and Asian studies, the Faculty of Languages and Cultures is heavily committed to teaching and research grounded in a knowledge of the principal languages and cultures of two thirds of humankind.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Combining the best of traditional classics with innovative research, this new MRes allows you to engage critically with the texts and lived experience of Greek and Roman antiquity, as well as the ways in which later societies have received and used the classical past.

You’ll gain a foundation in Graeco-Roman culture to consolidate your skills and explore a variety of topics across the field of classics. From there, you’ll choose the periods, authors and disciplines you want to research until you focus on a single topic to produce a substantial piece of independent research in your dissertation.

Intensive research training will allow you to develop your skills under the supervision of leading researchers in the field, and you’ll have the chance to learn or develop your knowledge of Latin and/or ancient Greek. You’ll gain a range of skills and valuable experience for a career in academic or professional research.

You’ll study in a supportive and stimulating environment driven by research at the forefront of classical studies. You’ll have the chance to develop your knowledge and skills in a truly interdisciplinary subject.

We also have excellent facilities to support your studies, including our world-class Brotherton Library. Its Special Collections house a range of facsimiles of Latin and Greek manuscripts, texts of ancient classical literature from the seventeenth century onwards and the Brotherton Ovid Digital Resource.

Course content

The MRes begins with two core modules, Principles and Practices of Research in Classics and Using the Past, both taught in weekly lectures and seminars. The study of research principles and practices spans from the transmission of texts in early history to current questions of the shape and purpose of classical study in the 21st century and includes a practical introduction to digital research tools and resources in classics. Using the Past will give you a foundation in Graeco-Roman culture, the ways in which classical writers used their own past and how the classics have been received over time to the present day.

From there you’ll shape your own studies, selecting the classical eras, authors, and disciplines you want to focus on, and conduct supervised research in these areas to prepare for your dissertation.

Study of the classical languages is strongly encouraged: you’ll have the chance to learn Latin and/or Greek from beginners level, or at a more advanced level if you already have knowledge of either language. Supervised research modules allow for either linguistic or non-linguistic study of ancient literature, history and culture.

Course structure

Compulsory modules

• Dissertation 90 credits
• Principles and Practices of Research in Classics 30 credits
• Using The Past 30 credits

Optional modules

• Beginners Ancient Greek 30 credits
• Intermediate Latin 30 credits
• Intermediate Ancient Greek 30 credits
• Beginners Latin 30 credits
• Classical Commentary 30 credits
• Advanced Ancient Languages 30 credits
• Researching the Ancient World: Literature, History and Culture 30 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Classics MRes Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information on typical modules, read Classics MRes Part Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

You’ll be taught using a variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, tutorials and supervisions. Independent research is vital to this programme to develop your skills and help you develop your own ideas and interests.

Assessment

In addition to your dissertation, which will account for half of the assessed work for the programme, a variety of other methods, such as commentaries, essays, examinations and oral presentations will be used to assess the full range of programme learning outcomes.

Career opportunities

The heavy emphasis on research skills means this course is excellent preparation for PhD study and an academic career. However, you’ll also develop important transferable skills including oral and written communication, analysis and problem-solving which are valuable across a wide range of roles in different sectors, including education and the creative and heritage industries.

Careers support

We run a full programme of events in the School to enhance the employability of our graduates.

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

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The Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Latin provide a self-contained period of structured but challenging study for anyone who wishes to pursue their interest in Latin language and literature.

Course Overview

These programmes offer students the opportunity to focus exclusively on the acquisition and/or development of Latin and can be started at beginners, intermediate or advanced level depending on their linguistic ability.

The PGDip is a postgraduate degree comprised of 120 credits (six taught modules) of postgraduate study. The PGCert is a postgraduate degree comprised of 60 credits (three taught modules) of postgraduate study.

Modules

Our language system covers two main levels: Intensive and Advanced.

There are two Intensive modules for Latin. Intensive I always runs in the first semester (September to January) and starts from complete beginners level, hence is the natural starting point for anyone who has no or very little knowledge of the language. Intensive II is the continuation of Intensive I and always runs in the second semester (February to May). Upon successful completion of both Intensive modules, a student is ready to go on to Advanced level and work directly with unadapted Latin texts. The Intensive modules are designed to provide you with high level knowledge of grammar and syntax, and a good vocabulary. Each Intensive module is worth 30 credits, and you need to commit at least 23 hours per week (throughout the semester, so over 15 weeks, including examinations) to your language learning.

Advanced-level modules are in three separate levels: Advanced, Further Advanced and Higher Advanced. As you progress through the advanced-level modules, you will read a greater quantity of ancient texts, and be asked to complete more challenging work in terms of the literary and linguistic investigation of the text. Every year there are two texts/authors chosen for Latin: one text is prose, the other is verse. The texts and authors change every year, and students have the opportunity to read both canonical and non-canonical authors. Over the last few years, we have read Petronius, Columella, Ovid, Claudian and Statius.

Key Features

The PG Diploma and Certificate in Latin are mainly of interest to those who want to learn Latin to advanced level and beyond. One can start on either of the two programmes from complete beginners’ level, intermediate or advanced, based on their existing qualifications and knowledge. For those who have been studying Latin privately, we offer a test to place them in the correct level of language learning. PhD candidates, or those planning to embark on a PhD, can use these degrees to increase their competency in Latin. For those interested in teaching Latin at any level, the degrees can provide an internationally recognised qualification. The degrees in Latin are available only as part-time options.

Specifically for language learners who study at a distance, the School provides the support of dedicated distance language tutors for all its language modules. The distance language tutors provide assistance and support to language learners, as well as interim feedback on assessment. The distance learning tutors work alongside the module lecturers in providing material for language study to distance learners. All language modules include an examination; examination arrangements are communicated to distance learners by the TSD Registry, and distance learners can ask for the support of the School in making arrangements for examinations.

Assessment

Our language degrees in Latin involve a wide range of assessment methods. In addition to traditional essays and exams, you will be assessed through commentaries and in-class tests. This variety of assessment helps develop skills in presenting material in clear, professional and a lucid manner, whether orally or in writing.

Career Opportunities

The programme provides a strong foundation for postgraduate work, by laying particular stress on the languages. The course also provides a professional qualification for teachers or others seeking Continuing Professional Development.

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Our innovative MA in Classics and Ancient History gives you the chance to study for a world-class degree with the flexibility to tailor the programme to match your own interests. We will give you a supportive and stimulating environment in which to enhance the knowledge and skills you picked up at Undergraduate level.

You can choose to follow an open pathway to mix your modules and interests or one of the specially designed research streams that match our own specialisms. The research streams we currently offer are:

• Ancient Philosophy, Science and Medicine 

• Ancient Politics and Society

• Classical Receptions 

• Cultural Histories and Material Exchanges 

• Literary Interactions

At the heart of the Department is the A.G. Leventis Room, our dedicated Postgraduate study space, which you will have full access to. You might also take the opportunity to participate in Isca Latina, our local schools Latin outreach programme. We have a vibrant Postgraduate community which we hope you will become an active part of.

If you decide to join us at Exeter you will become part of one of the largest and most successful Classics and Ancient History Departments in the UK. We have an excellent reputation for both our teaching and our research with league table rankings to match.

Programme Structure

The programme is divided into units of study(modules).

Compulsory modules

• Research Methodology
• Dissertation

Optional modules

The optional modules determine the main focus of your MA study. Some examples of the optional modules are as follows;

• Food and Culture;
• Ancient Drama in its Social and Intellectual Context;
• Hellenistic Culture and Society – History;
• Hellenistic Culture and Society – Literature ;
• Cultural Transformations in Late Antiquity;
• Migration and the Migrant Through Ancient and Modern Eyes;
• Ancient Philosophy: Truth and Ancient Thought;
• Roman Myth; Rome: Globalisation, Materiality;
• The City of Rome (subject to availability);
• Greek;
• Latin;
• Fast-Track Greek;
• Classical Language and Text: Greek and Latin Epic.

The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

Research areas

Our academic staff have a broad range of expertise and ground-breaking research interests, some of the research streams available on our MA reflect these. We regularly review and update our MA programme to reflect both the needs of our students and the latest emerging research within the field.

Research expertise

Some of the areas we have a special research interest include:

• Ancient and modern philosophy, especially ethics

• Classical art and archaeology

• Classics in the history of sexuality

• Comparative philology and linguistics

• Food in the ancient world

• Greek and Roman epic, tragedy and comedy

• Greek and Roman mythology, religion and magic

• Greek and Roman social history, especially sexuality

• Hellenistic history, especially the barbarian interface and the Greek culture of Asia Minor and dynastic studies

• History of medicine in antiquity, especially Galen

• Later Greek literature, including Lucian, Athenaeus, ecphrasis

• Latin literature

• Palaeography

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The Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Ancient Greek provide a self-contained period of structured but challenging study for anyone who wishes to pursue their interest in Ancient Greek language and literature.

Course Overview

These programmes offer students the opportunity to focus exclusively on the acquisition and/or development of ancient Greek and can be started at beginners, intermediate or advanced level depending on their linguistic ability.

The PGDip is a postgraduate degree comprised of 120 credits (six taught modules) of postgraduate study. The PGCert is a postgraduate degree comprised of 60 credits (three taught modules) of postgraduate study.

Modules

Our language system covers two main levels: Intensive and Advanced.

There are two Intensive modules for ancient Greek. Intensive I always runs in the first semester (September to January) and starts from complete beginners level, hence is the natural starting point for anyone who has no or very little knowledge of the language. Intensive II is the continuation of Intensive I and always runs in the second semester (February to May). Upon successful completion of both Intensive modules, a student is ready to go on to Advanced level and work directly with unadapted ancient Greek texts. The Intensive modules are designed to provide you with high level knowledge of grammar and syntax, and a good vocabulary. Each Intensive module is worth 30 credits, and you need to commit at least 23 hours per week (throughout the semester, so over 15 weeks, including examinations) to your language learning.

Advanced-level modules are in three separate levels: Advanced, Further Advanced and Higher Advanced. As you progress through the advanced-level modules, you will read a greater quantity of ancient Greek texts, and be asked to complete more challenging work in terms of the literary and linguistic investigation of the text. Every year there are two texts/authors chosen for Greek: one text is prose, the other is verse. The texts and authors change every year, and students have the opportunity to read both canonical and non-canonical authors. Over the last few years, we have read the Homeric Hymns, Plato, Diodorus, Sophocles and Euripides.

Key Features

The PG Diploma and Certificate in Greek are mainly of interest to those who want to learn ancient Greek to advanced level and beyond. One can start on either of the two programmes from complete beginners’ level, intermediate or advanced, based on their existing qualifications and knowledge. For those who have been studying Greek privately, we offer a test to place them in the correct level of language learning. PhD candidates, or those planning to embark on a PhD, can use these degrees to increase their competency in Greek. For those interested in teaching Greek at any level, the degrees can provide an internationally recognised qualification. The degrees in Greek are available only as part-time options.

Specifically for language learners who study at a distance, the School provides the support of dedicated distance language tutors for all its language modules. The distance language tutors provide assistance and support to language learners, as well as interim feedback on assessment. The distance learning tutors work alongside the module lecturers in providing material for language study to distance learners. All language modules include an examination; examination arrangements are communicated to distance learners by the TSD Registry, and distance learners can ask for the support of the School in making arrangements for examinations.

Assessment

Our language degrees in Greek involve a wide range of assessment methods. In addition to traditional essays and exams, you will be assessed through commentaries and in-class tests. This variety of assessment helps develop skills in presenting material in clear, professional and a lucid manner, whether orally or in writing.

Career Opportunities

The programme provides a strong foundation for postgraduate work, by laying particular stress on the Greek language. The course also provides a professional qualification for teachers or others seeking Continuing Professional Development.

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Note: this MPhil can be developed into a PHD.

You'll be required to write a thesis of up to 60,000 words (exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography). Work for this degree can be done in any of the areas where the Centre can offer expert supervision. Please consult the staff list to see current research interests.  https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/about_us/centrestaff/

Please note that all doctoral students are first registered as MPhil students. There is an upgrade procedure in the third term of the first year (for full-time students) or the first term of the second year (for part-time students), in order to register for a PhD degree.  Details of the procedure are included in the Graduate Handbook which students receive upon arrival in the Department. Further details may be requested from the Director of Graduate Studies, https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/about_us/

The University of Warwick boasts an unusually high concentration of staff with research interests in the Medieval, Renaissance and Early Modern periods, many of whom are recognised international experts in their field. Their joint expertise offers unparalleled opportunities for interdisciplinary study. Staff who teach for the Centre are drawn from the departments of English and Comparative Literary Studies, History, History of Art, Theatre Studies, Classics, School of Modern Languages (inc Italian, French and Hispanic Studies). Geographically, the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance has particular strengths in Renaissance and Early-Modern England and Britain, Italy, France, and central Europe (especially Germany and Switzerland). Thematically, the CSR promotes research in (but not limited to):

• Aristotelianism and Platonism in Early Modern Europe
• Court and Civic Culture
• Early modern theatre and performance
• Education in the Renaissance
• Greek Diaspora in Renaissance Europe
• History of Art
• History of Translation
• Intellectual Culture
• Manuscript studies, print culture and the history of the book
• Medieval and Renaissance Drama
• Modern thought and intellectual culture (including the history of scholarship and universities; The Classical tradition / reception studies; commentaries; the history of medicine and the history of science)
• Neo-Latin Literature
• Religious, political and social history
• Renaissance Venice
• The visual arts and the world of artisans, especially in Italy

Courses typically start in September/October of each year; other dates are possible subject to various rules & regulations and supervisor(s) availability.  Further details may be requested from the Director of Graduate Studies, https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/about_us/

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If you already have a considerable base of knowledge and a firm idea of where your interests lie, this course could be for you. The degree requires no coursework; the main focus is a 40,00-word dissertation, supervised by an appropriate member of staff. You will be encouraged to undertake relevant research-skills training and, where appropriate, further language study. 

Courses typically start in September/October of each year; other dates are possible subject to various rules & regulations and supervisor(s) availability. The University of Warwick boasts an unusually high concentration of staff with research interests in the Medieval, Renaissance and Early Modern periods, many of whom are recognised international experts in their field. Their joint expertise offers unparalleled opportunities for interdisciplinary study. Staff who teach for the Centre are drawn from the departments of English and Comparative Literary Studies, History, History of Art, Theatre Studies, Classics, School of Modern Languages (inc Italian, French and Hispanic Studies). Geographically, the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance has particular strengths in Renaissance and Early-Modern England and Britain, Italy, France, and central Europe (especially Germany and Switzerland).  Further details of staff who are linked to the Renaissance Centre can be found on this webpage: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/about_us/centrestaff/ by checking the 'academic staff' box, top left.

Thematically, the CSR promotes research in (but not limited to):

• Aristotelianism and Platonism in Early Modern Europe
• Court and Civic Culture
• Early modern theatre and performance
• Education in the Renaissance
• Greek Diaspora in Renaissance Europe
• History of Art
• History of Translation
• Intellectual Culture
• Manuscript studies, print culture and the history of the book
• Medieval and Renaissance Drama
• Modern thought and intellectual culture (including the history of scholarship and universities; The Classical tradition / reception studies; commentaries; the history of medicine and the history of science)
• Neo-Latin Literature
• Religious, political and social history
• Renaissance Venice
• The visual arts and the world of artisans, especially in Italy

Further details may be requested from the Director of Graduate Studies, https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/about_us/

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Our collaborative programme, led by our department of Archaeology and department of Classics and Ancient History gives you advanced grounding in the main themes and methods in Roman Archaeology and is ideal preparation for a PhD on the subject.

Balancing core elements that bring together theoretical sophistication with cutting-edge digital methodologies, from the ‘big data’ of Roman artefacts to high-resolution LiDAR imaging, we offer a wide choice of specialist topics to suit your own requirements and aspirations, including the possibility to tailor genuinely interdisciplinary training through modules offered by world leading experts in Archaeology, Ancient History, and Classics.

Additionally, by choosing to study at the University of Exeter you will not only be joining a vibrant and active postgraduate community, but you will also benefit from Exeter’s origins as a Roman city with a wealth of excavated material currently housed by the local Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) as well as the ongoing research at the nearby rural settlement of Ipplepen.

Programme structure 2018/19

The MA in Roman Archaeology programme is a one year full-time programme of study at National Qualification Framework level 7. The programme can also be studied part time.

The programme includes 120 compulsory credits, including 30 credits of general archaeology modules (Research Design and Themes in Archaeological Theory and Practice), 30 credits of specialist modules and 60 credits of Dissertation. You must also choose 60 credits of optional modules from those available from the Masters Programmes within the Department of Archaeology or the Department of Classics and Ancient History.

Interim Awards

After successful completion of 60 Masters Level credits, you are eligible for a Postgraduate Certificate in Roman Archaeology. After successful completion of 120 Masters Level credits, you are eligible for a Postgraduate Diploma in Roman Archaeology.

You may take optional modules of up to 30 credits outside of the programme as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.

Modules

Please note constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced in future years as a consequence of programme development. Details at any time may be obtained from the programme website.

Recent examples of compulsory modules are as follows;

• Research design in archaeology
• Themes in archaeology theory and practice
• Rome: Globalisation, materiality
• Roman archaeology in the digital world
• Dissertation in classics and ancient history

Optional modules can include;

Archaeology modules:

• Experimental archaeology in practice
• Discovering the past with molecular science
• Field study
• Landscape archaeology
• Material culture
• Advance zooarchaeology
• Funerary osteoarchaeology
• Musculo-skeletal anatomy
• Researching the historic environment online
• Forensic anthropology: principles and practice

Classics modules

• The city of Rome
• History through art and archaeology
• The western dragon in lore, literature and art
• Hellenistic culture and society - history
• Hellenistic culture and society - literature
• Cultural transformation in late antiquity
• Migration and the migrant through ancient and modern eyes
• Ancient philosophy: truth and ancient thought
• Greek 1
• Latin 1

Assessment method

The assessment of these skills is through a combination of essays, other written reports/projects, oral presentations, visual presentations, and you will be given an opportunity to develop your own study skills through a piece of individual research, a dissertation.

Research areas

Drawing directly on the internationally-recognised research and teaching expertise located in the Departments of Archaeology and in that of Classics and Ancient History, within the College of Humanities. In particular, this MA programme will build on the recent success of the vibrant cross-departmental Centre for Connectivity in the Roman World, which has a strong archaeological emphasis in its research activity, as well as drawing upon recent developments in Digital Humanities.

The research culture in the Department of Archaeology and of Classics and Ancient History at Exeter is characterised by world-leading and internationally excellent research projects and publications in a wide range of sub-disciplinary fields. Interdisciplinary work is an increasingly important part of funded research and we regularly work with colleagues from across the College of Humanities and wider University.

You will be also welcome to join our Centre for Hellenistic and Romano-Greek Culture and Society, where academic staff and Postgraduate students work together to develop cutting-edge research in this area.

Find out more about our research on the Classics and Ancient History and Archaeology websites.

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