Once devoted solely to ancient Egypt, Brown's newly expanded Department of Egyptology and Ancient Western Asian Studies will eventually encompass as well study of the ancient Near East from Mesopotamia to the Mediterranean. The graduate program includes archaeological courses in conjunction with the Artemis A.W. and Martha Sharp Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World. Degrees are offered in Egyptology or Ancient Western Asian Studies, but the curriculum aims at a well-rounded knowledge of both areas of study.

Additional resources: Excellent library; particularly in Egyptology; access to nearby museum collections of Egyptian and Ancient Western Asian antiquities in Providence, Boston, and New York; opportunities for fieldwork in Egypt and the Middle East.

Completion requirements: These requirements are currently under revision, pending approval. The program is intended for students seeking the Ph.D. degree in Egyptology or Ancient Western Asian Studies; the A.M. degree is offered as an option after two years of study. The curriculum normally includes three or four years of courses in language and texts, history, religion, art, and archaeology. Reading knowledge of French and German must be demonstrated by examinations in the first and second years. Egyptology students are expected to have a command of Middle Egyptian and one other phase (Old or Late Egyptian, Demotic, or Coptic) by the end of the second year, as well as acquaintance with one other ancient language (Akkadian, Hebrew, or other Near Eastern, or Greek) or Arabic, depending on what will best serve their Egyptological interest; similar language proficiency is required in Ancient Western Asian Studies. Written examinations are given at the end of the second year, and written and oral final examinations at the end of the third or fourth year. Upon successful completion of the two-year examinations, the A.M. degree may be granted after submission of a Master's thesis. The Ph.D. degree requires completion of a dissertation after final examinations.

ADMISSION INFORMATION

Admission requirements: Writing sample: at least one college paper in Egyptology or Ancient Western Asian Studies. Reading knowledge of both German and French recommended. Students selected for preliminary approval will be asked to an interview before being accepted in the program.

GRE General: Required

GRE Subject: Not required

Application deadline: January 1

FACULTY