Egyptology - Master's Programme in the Humanities 2020/2021
- 120 credits
- Uppsala
- Campus 100%
- Programme syllabus
Ancient Egypt is perhaps the world's best-known example of a complex society in the past. The area is studied with a focus on the roles played by gods and humans, accessible through texts, art and archaeology during more than three millennia. Through the programme, you will learn how to combine different types of sources, methods and perspectives to better understand the lives of people in one of the earliest literate cultures known to mankind.
Why this programme?
Studies in the humanities entail using complex and varied sources to better understand humans. The specialisation Egyptology in the Master's Programme in the Humanities is the programme for those interested in combining texts, art and material remains in the exploration of Ancient Egypt. You will learn how a scholar works by studying a fascinating set of sources, and become an expert in identifying problems and suggest possible solutions from a fragmentary record by analysing and combining different types of evidence. As part of the programme, language and text studies are combined with history, art and archaeology.
The programme entails a solid foundation for PhD studies in Egyptology at various universities in the world, but also prepares you for a career that involves aspects of cultural heritage management or administrative roles. The courses normally consists of seminars that sharpen your abilities in oral presentations and communication. Academic writing is trained continuously, preparing you for a range of situations where complex problems are analysed.
Degree
The programme leads to a Master of Arts (120 credits) with Egyptology as the main field of study. It is also possible to graduate after one academic year with a Master of Arts (60 credits).
All specialisations of this programme
Programme
The programme includes 60 credits mandatory courses and 30 credits thesis work within the discipline of Egyptology. An additional 15 credits mandatory courses are included, as well as one or two optional courses up to 15 credits offered by the university.
The programme starts with a multidisciplinary course of 7.5 credits. The course runs at half-speed and includes students who study the Master's programme in the Humanities, specialising in Archaeology at Uppsala and Visby, as well as students in the Master's programme in the Humanities, specialising in and Classical Archaeology and Ancient History at Uppsala.
At the beginning of the autumn semester, you will establish an individual study plan (ISP) together with the programme coordinator or director of studies in Uppsala. The mandatory courses are briefly described and a list of optional courses during the spring is presented. The ISP is revised if necessary in consultation with the director of studies.
The department and the faculty offer a number of courses, which normally run at half-speed. Normally you will study two courses in parallel. In addition to mandatory courses in Egyptology, you can do internships (7.5 or 15 credits) or read individually designed in-depth or method courses of 7.5 credits in the subject. Alternatively, you can read two courses in other subjects at the department, faculty or university equivalent to 15 credits.
During the final semester, you will write a thesis comprising 30 credits. All mandatory courses in the programme are given in English, but you can choose to write your thesis in Swedish or English.
Courses within the programme
The course names are generic and can vary over time, although their overarching themes will not change. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are taken together by students both in year 1 and year 2 of the programme.
Year 1
Autumn period 1
Multidisciplinary course for all students at the department*
Egyptian Social History: Art in Context*
Autumn period 2
Archaeology of Egypt*
Advanced Earlier Egyptian Texts*
Spring period 3
Optional course or internship
Spring period 4
Religion in Ancient Egypt
Introduction to Coptic
Year 2
Autumn period 1
GIS
Egyptian Social History: Architecture in Context*
Autumn period 2
Archaeology of Nubia*
Advanced Late Egyptian*
Spring periods 3 and 4
Thesis work
Learning experience
Each course normally encompasses 7.5 credits and runs at half-speed. Seminars and lectures are the most common forms of teaching. Mandatory course literature is mainly in English but German and French texts may also be included.
Assessments vary between courses, but normally consist of oral presentations, written assignments and essays.
Career
A Master's degree in this subject makes you eligible to pursue PhD studies in Egyptology. Above all, it is a certificate that you possess a number of skills required to analyse and administer complex questions without simple answers. Previous students work e.g. as archivists, museum curators or guides, analysts, aid workers, travel guides, cultural writers, editors as well as researchers and teachers at universities. It is difficult to predict what your future career will look like, but questionnaires to alumni show that a majority of previous students value their studies in Egyptology regardless of their present occupation.
Career support
During your whole time as a student UU Careers offers you support and guidance. You have the opportunity to partake in a variety of career activities and events, as well as receive individual career counselling. This service is free of charge for all students at Uppsala University. Read more about UU Careers.
Admissions
Egyptology
120 credits
Autumn 2020 - 100 % - Campus
Location: Uppsala
Application Deadline: 2020-01-15
Enrolment Code: UU-M5000 Application
Language of Instruction: English
Requirements:
Academic requirements
A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. The main field of study must be within the humanities or social sciences.
Also required is 120 credits in egyptology including 30 credits in Egyptian languages.
Language requirements
All applicants need to verify English language proficiency that corresponds to English studies at upper secondary (high school) level in Sweden ("English 6"). This can be done in a number of ways, including through an internationally recognised test such as TOEFL or IELTS, or through previous upper secondary (high school) or university studies.
The minimum test scores are:
- IELTS: an overall mark of 6.5 and no section below 5.5
- TOEFL: Paper-based: Score of 4.5 (scale 1–6) in written test and a total score of 575. Internet-based: Score of 20 (scale 0–30) in written test and a total score of 90
- Cambridge: CAE, CPE
Selection: Students are selected based on:
- a total appraisal of quantity and quality of previous university studies; and
- a statement of purpose (1 page) where you detail why you want to pursue Master's studies within the programme.
Fees:
If you are not a citizen of a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees. Fees cover application and tuition only and do not cover accommodation, academic literature or the general cost of living. Read more about fees.
Application Fee: SEK 900
Tuition fee, first semester: SEK 50000
Tuition fee, total: SEK 200000
Contact and further resources
Contact
Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology: Claudia Merli
+46 18 471 22 83
Classical Archaeology and Ancient History, Archeology, Egyptology
Gender Studies: Jacob Bull
+46 18 471 57 98
Cultural Heritage and Sustainability: Gustaf Leijonhufvud
gustaf.leijonhufvud@konstvet.uu.se
+46 18 471 28 87
Musicology: Mattias Lundberg
+46 18 471 15 84
Philosophy: Pauliina Remes
Aesthetics: Elisabeth Schellekens Dammann
elisabeth.schellekens@filosofi.uu.se
For admissions-related or general information, please contact our applicant support team:
Contact the respective department for information about your chosen specialisation.
Student portal
The Student Portal provides logged-on students access to course and programme pages, study results, e-transcripts, information from the student unions, file area, webmail, and more. In order to log on, you must have applied for a student account. The course and programme pages in the Student Portal can be seen without being logged on here. The pages contain basic information plus those features that the department has chosen to make accessible.
www.uu.se/education