Assyriology

Entry requirements

Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK High II.i Honours Degree.

A knowledge of French and/or German may be deemed advantageous.

Months of entry

October

Course content

This MPhil caters both for beginners in Akkadian and those with some previous knowledge of the language. A demanding course, this MPhil delivers competence in the language and specialist knowledge of Mesopotamian culture and social history over a relatively short time. It can be a final degree or serve as the basis for further research using cuneiform documents or material culture. This taught MPhil recruits students who are prepared for graduate work and wish to undertake research in the field of ancient Mesopotamia making use of the wealth of information to be derived from the cuneiform textual sources, whether on linguistic, historical or cultural topics.

The aims of the course are to:

provide students with the opportunity to study, at an advanced level, substantive subjects and major debates in the field of ancient Mesopotamia, through lectures, seminars, and language classes; by the end of the course, students are expected to display competence in this field.

prepare students for research in the languages, history, culture and archaeology of Mesopotamia at doctoral level and beyond; by the end of the course, students are expected to be able to pursue independent research in this specialisation.

give students training in a range of general, transferable skills, such as writing, presentation, research design, data analysis, and formulating and analysing arguments. By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to exercise these skills in independent research in historical, archaeological, literary, linguistic and cultural topics, and in any professional-level work which requires them.

Information for international students

Language Requirement

IELTS (Academic)

Element Score

Listening 7.0

Writing 7.0

Reading 7.0

Speaking 7.0

Total 7.5

TOEFL Internet Score

Element Score

Listening 25

Writing 25

Reading 25

Speaking 25

Total 110

CAE

Score: Grade A & B (overall score of 193, with no element lower than 185 plus a Language Centre assessment)

CPE

Score: Grade A, B, or C (with at least 200 with no element lower than 185).