Assyriology
| Specialisation of: | Classics and Ancient Civilisations |
|---|---|
| Degree: | Master of Arts in Classics and Ancient Civilisations |
| Mode of Study: | Full-time |
| Duration: | 1 year |
| Start date: | September, February |
| Language of instruction: | English |
| Location: | Leiden |
| Croho/isat code: | 60821 |
Leiden University is a pre-eminent location to study the ancient Middle Eastern cultures that used the cuneiform script—invented pre-3000 BC—as a writing system. Leiden’s Mesopotamian and Anatolian studies programmes have gained international recognition, through such projects as the Altbabylonische Briefe in Umschrift und Übersetzung series, which consist of a corpus of epistolary texts from the Old Babylonian period.
As well as having access to renowned scholars and research projects, you will also have the opportunity to follow research programmes at various top-flight universities outside the Netherlands—including Leuven, Cambridge, Münster, and Heidelberg—with which regular exchanges take place.
Programme
The programme offers a wide range of study options. Your choice of specialisation will be related to the fields of expertise of the staff, which include:
- The Sumerian language and history and culture of the third millennium BC
- The Akkadian language – specifically Old Assyrian, Old Babylonian, Middle Babylonian and Peripheral Akkadian (Syria-Palestine), and the society and culture of these periods
- The Hittite language and Anatolian history and culture
- The Elamite, Hurrian and Urartean languages
- Babylonian music and astronomy
The MA programme is divided into two semesters.
Semester 1
You will follow three courses, each with a value of 10 ECTS.
Semester 2:
You will be required to follow one course with a value of 10 ECTS and write a thesis. More information is available from your study tutor.
For the most up to date course overview, see the e-Prospectus.
Objectives
The aim of the programme is to ensure you graduate with insight into—and an understanding of—the language, culture and archaeology of your chosen sub-sector within Mesopotamia and Anatolia.
You will acquire the skills necessary to work independently, formulate clear and substantiated arguments, as well as understand the academic and societal relevance of your specialisation.
