Programme Classics and Ancient Near Eastern Civilisations
The Leiden Research MA programme in Classics and Ancient (Near Eastern) Civilisations provides students with comprehensive training covering the entire range of present-day research on the ancient civilisations of Greece, Rome, Egypt, and the Near East. Graduate students holding a BA in Assyriology, Classics, Egyptology, Hebrew or Jewish Studies, Semitics or other religious studies (Old/New Testament/Hebrew Bible) further deepen the knowledge they gained in their BA study.
Students will read ancient texts from the beginning of history in Egypt, Greece and Mesopotamia, up to Medieval texts in Neo-Latin, Coptic, Hebrew or Aramaic, and discuss the possible interpretations the texts allow. Traditional philology with its intimate knowledge of languages and texts, while still indispensable, is enriched by social history and political theory, comparative literature, the study of religion in an anthropological perspective and archaeology and material culture.
Specialisation tracks
The Leiden Research MA Classics and Ancient Near Eastern Civilisations has a wide range of specialisation possibilities. There are five specialisation tracks for which students can apply:
- Assyriology
- Classics
- Egyptology
- Hebrew Bible Studies
- New Testament and Early Christian Studies
Structure
The study load runs up to 120 ECTS and is divided over four semesters. To complete the specialisation for which students have been accepted, they attend 60 ECTS of track electives within their specialisation track (seminars, tutorials, reading lists). Though some of these track electives are shared with the regular MA-programmes, students in the Research MA follow these courses at a more advanced level. A number of track electives can be replaced by a stay abroad.
In addition to the track electives, the programme consists of two core common courses which concentrate on in The Commentary in Ancient Civilisations (10 ECTS) and Cultural Contact in the Hellenistic World (10 ECTS).
Students write an MA thesis in the field of their specialisation (25 ECTS). In preparation for the thesis they will follow a tutorial (10 ECTS). When writing their thesis, students participate in a seminar in which they present the outline of their MA thesis (subject, research questions, approach, expectations, results) and discuss a part of it more in detail. At the end of the seminar, students write a research proposal (5 ECTS).
More information
For questions about the Research MA programme please contact one of the coordinators of studies.