About the Program
Graduate programs leading to the MA and PhD degrees are offered in Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian languages and literature, Near Eastern Archaeology, Art History, Cuneiform, Hebrew Bible, Biblical and Judaic Studies, Old Iranian Studies, Egyptology, and Islamic Studies.
The length of time needed to complete an advanced degree in the Department depends on financial considerations, the extent of the student's earlier preparation, and similar factors. Students are urged to complete the M.A. requirements in two years, and students in the Ph.D. program are urged to complete degree requirements in an additional five years. Degree requirements should be completed according to the University's "normative time" standards.
Admissions
Admission to the University
Uniform minimum requirements for admission
The following minimum requirements apply to all programs and will be verified by the Graduate Division:
- A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;
- A minimum grade-point average of B or better (3.0);
- If the applicant comes from a country or political entity (e.g. Quebec) where English is not the official language, adequate proficiency in English to do graduate work, as evidenced by a TOEFL score of at least 570 on the paper-and-pencil test, 230 on the computer-based test, 90 on the iBT test, or an IELTS Band score of at least 7 (note that individual programs may set higher levels for any of these); and
- Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in the given field.
Applicants who already hold a graduate degree
The Graduate Council views academic degrees as evidence of broad research training, not as vocational training certificates; therefore, applicants who already have academic graduate degrees should be able to take up new subject matter on a serious level without undertaking a graduate program, unless the fields are completely dissimilar.
Programs may consider students for an additional academic master’s or professional master’s degree if the additional degree is in a distinctly different field.
Applicants admitted to a doctoral program that requires a master’s degree to be earned at Berkeley as a prerequisite (even though the applicant already has a master’s degree from another institution in the same or a closely allied field of study) will be permitted to undertake the second master’s degree, despite the overlap in field.
The Graduate Division will admit students for a second doctoral degree only if they meet the following guidelines:
- Applicants with doctoral degrees may be admitted for an additional doctoral degree only if that degree program is in a general area of knowledge distinctly different from the field in which they earned their original degree. For example, a physics PhD could be admitted to a doctoral degree program in music or history; however, a student with a doctoral degree in mathematics would not be permitted to add a PhD in statistics.
- Applicants who hold the PhD degree may be admitted to a professional doctorate or professional master’s degree program if there is no duplication of training involved.
Applicants may only apply to one single degree program or one concurrent degree program per admission cycle.
Any applicant who was previously registered at Berkeley as a graduate student, no matter how briefly, must apply for readmission, not admission, even if the new application is to a different program.
Required documents for admissions applications
- Transcripts: Upload unofficial transcripts with the application for the departmental initial review. Official transcripts of all college-level work will be required if admitted. Official transcripts must be in sealed envelopes as issued by the school(s) you have attended. Request a current transcript from every post-secondary school that you have attended, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs. If you have attended Berkeley, upload unofficial transcript with the application for the departmental initial review. Official transcript with evidence of degree conferral will not be required if admitted.
- Letters of recommendation: Applicants can request online letters of recommendation through the online application system. Hard copies of recommendation letters must be sent directly to the program, not the Graduate Division.
- Evidence of English language proficiency: All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency. This requirement applies to applicants from Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Latin America, the Middle East, the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and most European countries. However, applicants who, at the time of application, have already completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better at a U.S. university may submit an official transcript from the U.S. university to fulfill this requirement. The following courses will not fulfill this requirement: 1) courses in English as a Second Language, 2) courses conducted in a language other than English, 3) courses that will be completed after the application is submitted, and 4) courses of a non-academic nature. If applicants have previously been denied admission to Berkeley on the basis of their English language proficiency, they must submit new test scores that meet the current minimum from one of the standardized tests.
Admission to the Program
The MA Degree
Applicants for the MA program should have fulfilled the equivalent of the Departmental requirements for the BA degree. Minor deficiencies in preparation would need to be repaired in the student's first year of graduate work.
The PhD Degree
Applicants to the PhD program should hold the MA or an equivalent degree. Students completing the MA in this Department need to pass a Permission to Proceed exam after completing the MA requirements.
Doctoral Degree Requirements
Normative Time Requirements
Normative Time to Advancement: 4 semesters.
Normative Time in Candidacy: 4 semesters
Total Normative Time: 8 semesters
Time to Advancement
Curriculum
Language Concentration
NE STUD Courses, to include: | 24 | |
12 units of graduate courses in Near Eastern major language | ||
Three semesters of Near Eastern minor language |
Archaeology & Art History, Mesopotamian Concentration
NE STUD C220 | Seminar in Near Eastern Art | 2,4 |
NE STUD 223 | Seminar in Near Eastern Archaeology | 2,4 |
24 units of NE STUD electives, including the courses above |
Archaeology & Art History, Egyptian Concentration
NE STUD seminar electives: | 24 | |
12 units NE STUD graduate seminars; may include one graduate-level Egyptian language course | ||
2 semesters of Ancient Egyptian language beyond 2nd-year level |
Foreign Language(s)
All PhD students must have passed reading examinations in two modern European languages before proceeding to the preliminary examinations. The modern language examinations will follow the form prescribed under the MA requirements (see the Master's Degree Requirements tab). Students who have passed through an MA program of this department will already have satisfied the requirement in at least one language. Credit is not given for language examinations taken at other schools.
Preliminary Exams
The Department requires that its doctoral students pass comprehensive written preliminary examinations before proceeding to the comprehensive oral qualifying examination. Students are eligible to take the written examinations after completing all of the requirements for the PhD Students must complete one written comprehensive examination for each subject area specified in the application for admission to be covered during the comprehensive oral qualifying examinations. Three comprehensive written examinations are required, therefore, to cover the student's major subject area and two minor areas. The comprehensive preliminary examinations may be of any written form determined by the examiners, but it is suggested that they should consist of a choice of not more than three from a wide range of essay questions. Students should consult with their committee members well in advance concerning the form, which each examination will take. For all students in the department, except those in Archaeology/Art History specializations, the comprehensive written preliminary examinations will include examinations in at least two Near Eastern languages.
Fieldwork for students in Egyptian and Near Eastern Archaeology/Art History
Each student specializing in Egyptian or Near Eastern Archaeology/Art History must acquire practical experience in archaeology or museum studies. The student should confer with his or her examination committee on ways of gaining this experience, which may include participation in excavations, study in approved museums, or other activities related to fieldwork and approved by the examination committee.
Prospectus
Before applying to the advancement to candidacy to the PhD, the student must first obtain approval of a dissertation prospectus on an appropriate topic from his/her proposed dissertation committee. The prospectus should include a detailed outline, a short essay-type description of the dissertation, and a bibliography.
QE
The qualifying examination is designed to reveal the breadth and depth of the student's knowledge, as well as his or her sophistication of reasoning. It is therefore not to be concerned narrowly, nor to be concerned solely with a dissertation prospectus. Based on the student's performance, the faculty will determine whether the candidate is ready to enter the research phase of PhD study. Students are eligible to take the comprehensive oral qualifying examination after passing the written preliminary examinations.
Time in Candidacy
Advancement to Candidacy
After the student passes the qualifying examination, the student must apply for advancement to candidacy. Before filing this application, the student must first obtain approval of a dissertation prospectus on an appropriate topic from his/her proposed dissertation committee.
Prospectus
The prospectus should include a detailed outline, a short essay-type description of the dissertation, and a bibliography.
Dissertation
The completed dissertation must be signed by all three members of the dissertation committee. A final examination for the PhD degree may be required by the dissertation committee. It is the student's responsibility to be in touch with all members of the committee and to arrange for each member to have enough time to review each stage of the dissertation.
Dissertation Colloquium for PhD Candidates in Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Programs
All PhD students in the Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern programs are required to give an oral presentation (approximately 45 minutes) on their dissertation. The candidate should consult with his or her dissertation Advisers to determine the scope of the presentation. The colloquium should be scheduled during the advanced stages of the dissertation and must be attended by the candidate’s dissertation inside committee members. It is expected that all graduate students and faculty in ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern studies will attend dissertation colloquia.
Required Professional Development
Teaching
Every year, the Department appoints graduate students as Graduate Student Instructors to teach discussion sections of lecture courses and sections of language courses.
Master's Degree Requirements
Curriculum
Language Concentration
12 units graduate courses in Near Eastern major language | ||
3 semesters, Near Eastern minor language |
Archaeology & Art Hist, Mesopotamian Concentration
NE STUD C220 | Seminar in Near Eastern Art | 2,4 |
NE STUD 223A | Course Not Available | 4 |
NE STUD 223B | Course Not Available | |
24 units of NE STUD electives, including courses above |
Archaeology & Art Hist, Egyptian Concentration
12 units NE STUD graduate seminars; may include one graduate-level Egyptian language course | ||
2 semesters Ancient Egyptian language beyond second-year level |
Foreign Language
The students must pass the modern European language examination or receive approval of the Adviser and Dean for a waiver of the examination before applying for candidacy for the MA degree.
Preliminary or Field Exams
The student must successfully complete written examinations covering one major and two minor fields. Two research papers, one of which must demonstrate bibliographic mastery of a given topic, must be placed on file in the departmental office at least four weeks prior to the MA examination. These papers may be written in the context of coursework taken for the MA, or may be written independently of coursework, under the supervision of a faculty member. Any paper submitted as an MA paper must be approved by the faculty member for whom it was written, as well as by the M.A committee.
Teaching/Pedagogy
The Department appoints graduate students as Graduate Student Instructors to teach discussion sections of lecture courses and sections of language courses.
Advancement to Candidacy
Students must be advanced to candidacy prior to taking their comprehensive MA examinations. The student's petition for candidacy must be filed after the student satisfies the European language exam requirement and before the student appears for the MA examination.
Courses
Select a subject to view courses
Arabic
ARABIC 200 Arabic Grammatical Tradition 3 Units
Study of selected grammatical phenomena of Arabic based on readings from the classical Arabic grammarians, on the modern study of linguistics in the Arab world, and on the Western grammatical tradition.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 105 or the equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
ARABIC 202 History of Arabic 3 Units
The history of Arabic from its Semitic antecedents through the formation of the modern dialects.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 20B or its equivalent with consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topics vary. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
ARABIC 212 Topics in Modern Arabic Literature: Poetry 3 Units
Intensive study of modern poetry in relation to the cultural tradition.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 109
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
ARABIC 220 Seminar in Classical Arabic Literature 3 Units
A close reading and careful literary analysis of significant authors and specific topics in Classical Arabic prose or poetry or both.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 20B or its equivalent and consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
ARABIC 245 Seminar: Modernist Arabic Poetics 3 Units
This course examines the origins, status, and function of literary theory in the making of modern Arabic literature. Questions of cultural influence, literary genres, forms, modes, and techniques of representation are all central to the interests of this course.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
ARABIC 298 Seminar 1 - 4 Units
Special topics in Arabic. Topics vary and are announced at the beginning of each semester.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Cuneiform
CUNEIF 200A Advanced Akkadian 3 Units
Reading of a variety of genres of Akkadian documents and literature. Texts selected are based on the individual needs of participating students.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 101A-101B
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with consent of instructor. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Cuneiform/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
CUNEIF 200B Advanced Akkadian 3 Units
Reading of a variety of genres of Akkadian documents and literature. Texts selected are based on the individual needs of participating students.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 101A-101B
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with consent of instructor. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Cuneiform/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
CUNEIF 298 Seminar 1 - 4 Units
Special topics in Cuneiform. Topics vary and are announced at the beginning of each semester.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Cuneiform/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Egyptian
EGYPT 201A Later Stages of Egyptian 3 Units
Introduction to late Egyptian and Demotic.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 101A-101B and 102A-102B
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Egyptian/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
EGYPT 202B Egyptian Texts 3 Units
Philological analysis of texts of a single genre and period.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Concurrent or previous enrollment in 201A-201B or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Egyptian/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Hebrew
HEBREW 201A Advanced Biblical Hebrew Texts 3 Units
The exegesis of a biblical book in the light of its ancient Near Eastern background.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 101A-101B
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
HEBREW 202A Advanced Late Antique Hebrew Texts 3 Units
Historical and literary study of Hebrew and Aramaic Judaic texts (e.g., Talmud and Midrash).
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 102A-102B or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as texts vary. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
HEBREW 202B Advanced Late Antique Hebrew Texts 3 Units
Historical and literary study of Hebrew and Aramaic Judaic texts (e.g., Talmud and Midrash).
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 102A-102B or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as texts vary. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
HEBREW 203A Advanced Medieval Hebrew Texts 3 Units
Literary analysis of belletristic Hebrew texts, either prose or poetry, chiefly from the Iberian medieval period.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 103A-103B and 105A-105B
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
HEBREW 203B Advanced Medieval Hebrew Texts 3 Units
Literary analysis of belletristic Hebrew texts, either prose or poetry, chiefly from the Iberian medieval period.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 103A-103B and 105A-105B
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
HEBREW 204A Advanced Modern Hebrew Literature and Culture 3 Units
Critical approaches to the history and textual practices of modern Hebrew poetry and fiction. Alternating focus between period, genre, and author, seminar topics include stylistic developments in Hebrew poetry and fiction from the Enlightenment to the present, modernism, and modernity, the creation of the modern Hebrew novel, women writers and the Hebrew canon, and single-author seminars.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Two semesters of 104A-104B or 105A, or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Graduate
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
HEBREW 204B Advanced Modern Hebrew Literature and Culture 3 Units
Critical approaches to the history and textual practices of modern Hebrew poetry and fiction. Alternating focus between period, genre, and author, seminar topics include stylistic developments in Hebrew poetry and fiction from the Enlightenment to the present, modernism, and modernity, the creation of the modern Hebrew novel, women writers and the Hebrew canon, and single-author seminars.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Two semesters of 104A-104B or 105A, or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Graduate
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
HEBREW 206 Ancient and Modern Hebrew Literary Texts 3 Units
Focus on biblical texts seen from a literary point of view, attempting to establish connections with later Hebrew literature.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 100A-100B or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
HEBREW 298 Seminar 1 - 4 Units
Special topics in Hebrew. Topics vary and are announced at the beginning of each semester.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
HEBREW 301A Teaching Hebrew in College 3 Units
The methodology of teaching Hebrew as a foreign language at the college level. Lectures on contrastive analysis of English and Hebrew, classroom strategies, and the development of instructional materials. Required of all new Graduate Student Instructors in Hebrew.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate Standing
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Professional course for teachers or prospective teachers
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
HEBREW 301B Teaching Hebrew in College 3 Units
The methodology of teaching Hebrew as a foreign language at the college level. Lectures on contrastive analysis of English and Hebrew, classroom strategies, and the development of instructional materials. Required of all new Graduate Student Instructors in Hebrew.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate Standing
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Professional course for teachers or prospective teachers
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Iranian
IRANIAN 201A Iranian Philology 3 Units
Reading of texts in Avestan, western Middle Iranian, and Sogdian, taken from Zoroastrian, Manichaean, and Buddhist texts.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 110A-110B, 111A-111B, or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Iranian/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
IRANIAN 201B Iranian Philology 3 Units
Reading of texts in Avestan, western Middle Iranian, and Sogdian, taken from Zoroastrian, Manichaean, and Buddhist texts.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 110A-110B, 111A-111B, or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Iranian/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Near Eastern Studies
NE STUD 200 Graduate Proseminar 1 Unit
Introduction to the academic profession of Near Eastern studies. This course will survey the various disciplines and subfields contained under this rubric, including their developmental histories, methodologies, and primary and secondary data sources. Enrollment in this course is required of all graduate students during their first year of study.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-2 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
An introduction to the diversity of fields and disciplines that comprise ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern studies, including current and traditional methods and trends. Designed for candidates for higher degrees in Near Eastern Studies and related programs.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
NE STUD 205 Using Cuneiform Texts in Research 3 Units
This seminar is meant for graduate students who wish to use cuneiform texts (in original or in translation) for their research. The most general question that we will ask is: how does a text produce meaningful information? The seminar is organized around three tasks: evaluation of secondary literature, methodological reflection on the use of texts, and using cuneiform texts in a scholarly paper.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge (at least one year) of a cuneiform language
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with consent of instructor. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD C220 Seminar in Near Eastern Art 2 or 4 Units
Seminar on critical aspects of Near Eastern art requiring intensive study and presentation of a research paper. Topics vary from semester to semester.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Also listed as: HISTART C220
NE STUD 223 Seminar in Near Eastern Archaeology 2 or 4 Units
Seminar on critical aspects of Near Eastern archaeology requiring intensive study and presentation of a reseach paper and oral report. Topics vary from semester to semester.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Formerly known as: 223A-223B
NE STUD 290A Special Studies: Near Eastern Studies 1 - 5 Units
Students may enroll in more than one section of 290, but the total number of units of Special Study in any one semester may not exceed 12.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer:
6 weeks - 2.5-12.5 hours of independent study per week
8 weeks - 1.5-9 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 290B Special Studies: Arabic 1 - 5 Units
Students may enroll in more than one section of 290, but the total number of units of Special Study in any one semester may not exceed 12.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer:
6 weeks - 2.5-12.5 hours of independent study per week
8 weeks - 1.5-9 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 290C Special Studies: Cuneiform 1 - 5 Units
Students may enroll in more than one section of 290, but the total number of units of Special Study in any one semester may not exceed 12.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5-9 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 290D Special Studies: Egyptian 1 - 5 Units
Students may enroll in more than one section of 290, but the total number of units of Special Study in any one semester may not exceed 12.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5-9 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5-9 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 290E Special Studies: Hebrew 1 - 5 Units
Students may enroll in more than one section of 290, but the total number of units of Special Study in any one semester may not exceed 12.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5-9 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 290F Special Studies: Iranian 1 - 5 Units
Students may enroll in more than one section of 290, but the total number of units of Special Study in any one semester may not exceed 12.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5-9 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 290G Special Studies: Semitics 1 - 5 Units
Students may enroll in more than one section of 290, but the total number of units of Special Study in any one semester may not exceed 12.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5-9 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 290H Special Studies: Turkish 1 - 5 Units
Students may enroll in more than one section of 290, but the total number of units of Special Study in any one semester may not exceed 12.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5-9 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 291 Dissertation Writing Workshop 4 Units
A faculty member will oversee the group, offering guidance and making sure guidelines are followed. Students will manage the group's day-to-day operations. At least one week before each meeting a student will pre-circulate a draft of a chapter. During the meeting, students will give feedback on the draft. This feedback will be used to revise the chapter, which will be due at the end of the semester. The workshop is open to graduate students from other departments who are writing on topics associated with Near Eastern Studies.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy, limited to students engaged in research for and writing of the doctoral dissertation
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of workshop and 1.5 hours of directed group study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 292 Museum Internship 4 Units
Jointly supervised by a professional staff of a participating museum and a faculty member in the Art and Archaeology division of the Department of Near Eastern Studies.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 10-15 hours of internship per week
Summer:
6 weeks - 24-35 hours of internship per week
8 weeks - 18-26 hours of internship per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
NE STUD N295 Supervised Field Research in Archaeology 2 - 8 Units
Full time participation in an archaeological excavation or exploratory survey, preceded by three hours of seminar per week for one half of one semester, at the discretion of the instructor. Students will participate in all aspects of the operation and will be responsible for preparing a written report on some specific part of the work. Geographical areas and sites to be determined each year. Students taking the seminar only will receive 2 units only.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Summer: 8 weeks - 2-8 hours of fieldwork per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 296 Topics in Egyptian Art and Archaeology 2 or 4 Units
Changing topics involving ancient Egyptian art and archaeology. Focus may be regional, chronological, methodological, and/or thematic.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 102A-102B or 106A-106B or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
NE STUD 297 Topics in Ancient Ceramics of Egypt and the Levant 2 or 4 Units
Changing topics in the study of ancient ceramics, stressing the relationship between pottery on the one hand, and archaeological practice and research in Egypt and/or the Levant on the other hand. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between pottery and broader issues involving the history and culture of these regions. Where appropriate, extensive use is made of slides and "hands-on" experience with available ceramic collections (e.g., Hearst Museum collection.)
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 102AB, 124AB or the equivalent; Consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
NE STUD 298 Seminar 1 - 4 Units
Special topics in Near Eastern Studies. Topics vary and are announced at the beginning of each semester.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-4 hours of seminar per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 2.5-7.5 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 299 Dissertation Research and Writing 3 - 12 Units
All students advanced to candidacy must enroll in 299 every semester in which they are registered. When in residence, students are required to meet with their primary dissertation advisor at least twice a semester. Students not in residence should communicate either by phone or email with their advisor at least twice a semester. Semester grade will be based on written work turned in to the instructor to consist of at least one draft chapter of the dissertation or the equivalent.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy, limited to students engaged in research for and writing of the doctoral dissertation
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4-12 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 7.5-22.5 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
NE STUD 375 Teaching Modern Near Eastern Languages in College: Seminar in Language Pedagogy 3 Units
This course is an introductory course that surveys theories of learning and approaches to the teaching of foreign languages in college. Theories will be analyzed and students encouraged to test those theories against their own experiences as students and teachers. This course is designed for new Graduate Student Instructors of Hebrew, Arabic, Persian and Turkish. This course includes classroom observations and reflective teaching.
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: 1. a theoretical background in the process of foreign language learning and teaching pedagogy
2. a space to discuss and test these theories and develop their own teaching philosophy
3. a place for current GSIs to discuss questions and issues that arise during their teaching
4. practical experience in creating lesson plans, material adaptation and development, and assessment
5. the opportunity to reflect on their own teaching and get feedback
6. to explore issues particular to teaching all (or any) of the modern Near Eastern languages
Student Learning Outcomes: Students gain sufficient theoretical and practical background to prepare them for teaching language courses in NES.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate Standing
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Professional course for teachers or prospective teachers
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Instructor: Variable
NE STUD 601 Individual Studies for Master's Students 1 - 8 Units
Individual study for the comprehensive or language requirements in consultation with the graduate adviser. Units may not be used to meet either unit or residence requirements for a master's degree.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5-15 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate examination preparation
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
NE STUD 602 Individual Study for Doctoral Students 1 - 8 Units
Individual study in consultation with the major field adviser, intended to provide an opportunity for qualified students to prepare themselves for the various examinations required of candidates for the Ph.D. May not be used for unit or residence requirements for the doctoral degree.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5-15 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Near Eastern Studies/Graduate examination preparation
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Persian
PERSIAN 200A Readings in Persian Literary Texts 3 Units
Advanced topics in Persian literature from various periods of Persian culture and literary history.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Twelve units of upper division course work in Persian or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Persian/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
PERSIAN 200B Readings in Persian Literary Texts 3 Units
Advanced topics in Persian literature from various periods of Persian culture and literary history.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Twelve units of upper division coursework in Persian or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Persian/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
PERSIAN 202A Persian Sufi Writings 3 Units
Readings in all genres of Sufi expression, prose and poetry, with concentration on major figures.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Persian/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
PERSIAN 202B Persian Sufi Writings 3 Units
Readings in all genres of Sufi expression, prose and poetry, with concentration on major figures.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Persian/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
PERSIAN 298 Seminar 1 - 4 Units
Special topics in Persian. Topics vary and are announced at the beginning of each semester.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Persian/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
PERSIAN 301A Teaching Persian in College 3 Units
Lectures on the methodology of teaching Persian as a foreign language at the college level. Lectures on constructive analysis of English and Persian, classroom strategies, and the development of instructional materials. Required of all new graduate student instructors in Persian.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of lecture per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Persian/Professional course for teachers or prospective teachers
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Semitics
Ugarit language and literature with stress on comparative morphology and lexicography. Sequence begins Fall.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 101A-101B or 100A-100B or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Semitics/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Ugarit language and literature with stress on comparative morphology and lexicography. Sequence begins Fall.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 101A-101B or 100A-100B or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Semitics/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
SEMITIC 209A Northwest Semitic Epigraphy 4 Units
This two course sequence will study the epigraphic remains of the Northwest Semitic languages. First semester will study inscriptions in Hebrew. Second semester topics will vary from year to year. Possible topics include: Canaanite dialects; El-Amarna Akkadian; Eblaite. The inscriptions will be studied both from the perspective of the comparative history of the Northwest Semitic languages and also for their relevance in illuminating contemporaneous history and culture.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Reading knowledge of Biblical Hebrew
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Semitics/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
SEMITIC 209B Northwest Semitic Epigraphy 4 Units
This two course sequence will study the epigraphic remains of the Northwest Semitic languages. First semester will study inscriptions in Hebrew. Second semester topics will vary from year to year. Possible topics include: Canaanite dialects; El-Amarna Akkadian; Eblaite. The inscriptions will be studied both from the perspective of the comparative history of the Northwest Semitic languages and also for their relevance in illuminating contemporaneous history and culture.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Reading knowledge of Biblical Hebrew
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Semitics/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Turkish
TURKISH 298 Seminar 1 - 4 Units
Special topics in Turkish. Topics vary and are announced at the beginning of each semester.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-4 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Turkish/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Faculty
Professors
Daniel Boyarin, Professor. Gender and sexuality, rhetoric, Judaism, Christianity, Talmud, genealogy of religion.
Research Profile
Ronald Hendel, Professor. Textual criticism, Hebrew bible, ancient Near Eastern religion and mythology, Northwest Semitic linguistics.
Research Profile
Chana Kronfeld, Professor. Comparative literature, modernism, Hebrew, Yiddish, modern poetry, minor literatures, politics of literary history, feminist stylistics, intertextuality, translation studies.
Research Profile
Margaret Larkin, Professor. Near Eastern studies.
Research Profile
Francesca Rochberg, Professor. History of science, ancient near east, cuneiform studies.
Research Profile
Niek Veldhuis, Professor. Intellectual history, Sumerian, cuneiform.
Research Profile
Associate Professors
Wali Ahmadi, Associate Professor. Persian languages, Persian literature.
Research Profile
Asad Ahmed, Associate Professor.
Carol A Redmount, Associate Professor. Near Eastern studies.
Research Profile
Assistant Professors
Rita Lucarelli, Assistant Professor.
Benjamin W. Porter, PhD, Assistant Professor. Intellectual history, critical social theory, Near Eastern archaeology, Bronze and Iron Age Levant, Gulf archaeology, field archaeology, mortuary archaeology, materials sciences, historical ecology, Middle Eastern anthropology, heritage and tourism and development studies.
Research Profile
Adjunct Faculty
Sabrina Sonia Maras, PhD, Adjunct Faculty.
Lecturers
Rutie Adler, Lecturer.
Hatem A Bazian, Lecturer. Near Eastern studies.
Research Profile
Chava Boyarin, Lecturer.
John L. Hayes, Lecturer.
Sanjyot Mehendale, PhD, Lecturer. Near Eastern studies, Central Asia, Central Asian studies, archaeology and art history.
Research Profile
Laurie Pearce, PhD, Lecturer.
Jaleh Pirnazar, Lecturer. Near Eastern studies.
Research Profile