About the Program

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The major in Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Art and Archaeology introduces students to the histories, societies, languages, literature, and cultures as well as to the archaeology of ancient Egypt and the ancient Near East. Students in this major choose one of two emphases: 

• Ancient Near Eastern Art and Archaeology 
• Egyptian Art and Archaeology 

Please note, the Egyptian Art and Archaeology major is currently under review for updates and revisions. Please contact the undergraduate major advisor for more information. For specific information regarding degree requirements for each emphasis, please see the Major Requirements tab on this page.

Declaring the Major

Students are recommended to declare the major early in their academic careers. Near Eastern Studies 10 is a required course, which may be taken after declaring the major. Students should consult with the undergraduate student advisor regarding major requirements, transfer credits, and the opportunity to combine two disciplines through a double major study.  

Honors Program

With the consent of the faculty major advisor, students in any of the Near Eastern Studies majors, with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 or higher in all coursework taken at the University and a GPA of 3.51 or higher in courses completed in the major, may apply for admission to the honors program in their senior year. Students must maintain the required GPA in the major in order to remain eligible for the honors program.

In addition to the GPA requirement, students must submit an honors thesis of at least 20 double-spaced, typewritten pages in their senior year. Students are required to enroll in an Independent Study course (NES 199) in the fall semester and the honors course (NE STUD H195) in the spring semester of their senior year in order to receive credit for the thesis. The honors thesis must be read and evaluated by a two-member committee consisting of a department faculty thesis supervisor and another member of the faculty. The thesis must be deemed to be of at least B+ quality in order to qualify the candidate for graduation with a degree of honors. Students may also receive distinctions of "high honors" or "highest honors" for outstanding thesis papers. 

Minor Program

The Near Eastern Studies Department also offers programs leading to a minor in modern Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, or Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Civilizations. 

Other Majors and Minors Offered by the Department of Near Eastern Studies

Ancient Egyptian Near Eastern Art and Archaeology (Major)
Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Civilizations (Major)  
Near Eastern Languages and Literatures (Major)
Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Civilizations (Minor)
Arabic (Minor)
Hebrew (Minor)
Persian (Minor)
Turkish (Minor)

Visit Department Website

Major Requirements

The Egyptian Art and Archaeology major is currently under review for updates and revisions. Please check in with the undergraduate major advisor for more information. In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program. 

General Guidelines

1. All courses taken to fulfill major requirements must be taken for a letter grade and be at least 3 units.
2. Students pursuing a double major may overlap two courses to meet both major requirements. Students can also overlap one course to fulfill major and minor requirements.  
3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper and lower division courses used to fulfill the major requirements. For information regarding residency requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.
4. With prior consent of the major adviser, students may take courses across various disciplines to fulfill major requirements.

For information regarding residency requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

Emphasis I: Ancient Near Eastern Art and Archaeology

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Lower Division
NE STUD 10	Course Not Available
NE STUD 15	Introduction to Near Eastern Art and Archaeology [4]
Lower Division, Recommended Courses
NE STUD 18	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 25	Course Not Available
ANTHRO 2	Introduction to Archaeology [4]
Upper Division
A total of 8 upper division courses are required for the major.
The faculty major adviser may approve external department substitution courses for the culture/history requirement.
NE STUD 104	Course Not Available [3]
NE STUD 105A	Course Not Available [3]
NE STUD 108	Course Not Available
NE STUD 109	Course Not Available [3]
NE STUD 113	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 114	Course Not Available [3]
NE STUD C119	Course Not Available [3]
NE STUD C120A	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD C120B	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 122	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 123	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 124	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 126	Course Not Available
NE STUD 129	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD C188	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 190A	Course Not Available
NE STUD 192A	Course Not Available
Ancient Languages of the Near East.
Please consult with the faculty major adviser prior to taking these courses for the major.
CUNEIF 100A	Elementary Akkadian [4]
CUNEIF 100B	Elementary Akkadian [4]
CUNEIF 101A	Selected Readings in Akkadian [4]
CUNEIF 101B	Selected Readings in Akkadian [4]
CUNEIF 102A	Elementary Sumerian [4]
CUNEIF 102B	Elementary Sumerian [4]
CUNEIF 103A	Selected Readings in Sumerian [3]
CUNEIF 103B	Selected Readings in Sumerian [3]

Emphasis II: Egyptian Art and Archaeology

Some background in French, German, and/or Arabic is recommended for students who undertake this emphasis.

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Lower Divison
NE STUD 10	Course Not Available
NE STUD 18	Course Not Available
Lower Division, Recommended Courses
NE STUD 15	Introduction to Near Eastern Art and Archaeology [4]
ANTHRO 2	Introduction to Archaeology [4]
Upper Division
A total of 8 upper division courses are required for the major.
EGYPT 100A	Introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs [5]
EGYPT 100B	Introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs [5]
NE STUD 101	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 102	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 103	Course Not Available [3]
NE STUD 110	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 112	Course Not Available
NE STUD 115	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 116	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD C188	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 190A	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 190B	Course Not Available [4]
NE STUD 192B	Course Not Available [2,4]

College Requirements

Undergraduate students must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.

For detailed lists of courses that fulfill college requirements, please review the College of Letters & Sciences page in this Guide. For College advising appointments, please visit the L&S Advising Pages. 

University of California Requirements

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley. 

American History and American Institutions

The American History and Institutions requirements are based on the principle that a US resident graduated from an American university, should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

Berkeley Campus Requirement

American Cultures

All undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass this course in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.

College of Letters & Science Essential Skills Requirements

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.

Reading and Composition

In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing, and critical thinking the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition in sequence. Students must complete parts A & B reading and composition courses by the end of their second semester and a second-level course by the end of their fourth semester.

College of Letters & Science 7 Course Breadth Requirements

Breadth Requirements

The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.

Unit Requirements

• 120 total units

• Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units

• Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department

Residence Requirements

For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through UC Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to meet an adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.

Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.

Senior Residence Requirement

After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your BA degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.

You may use a Berkeley Summer Session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.

Modified Senior Residence Requirement

Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP), Berkeley Summer Abroad, or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.

Upper Division Residence Requirement

You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding UCEAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.

Summary of Modifications

1. L&S College Requirements: Reading & Composition, Quantitative Reasoning, and Foreign Language, which typically must be satisfied with a letter grade, can be satisfied with a Passed (P) grade during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 if a student elects to take the course for P/NP. Note: This does not include Entry Level Writing (College Writing R1A). 

2. Requirements within L&S majors and minors can be satisfied with Passed (P) grades during the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. This includes prerequisites for majors. Contact your intended or declared major/minor adviser for more details.

3. Departments may create alternative methods for admitting students into their majors. 

4. L&S students will not be placed on academic probation automatically for taking all of their courses P/NP during Fall 2020 or Spring 2021. 

Student Learning Goals

Learning Goals for the Major

1. The ability to analyze architecture, art, and archaeological sites.
2. Knowledge of the main historical and cultural periods, sites, monuments, and geographies relevant to the chosen field.
3. Familiarity with the entire area of the Near/Middle East from ancient to modern times.
4. Awareness of the importance of the Near/Middle East in today’s global society.
5. The ability to formulate a well-organized argument, supported by evidence.
6. The ability to critically read and analyze scholarship in the field.
7. The ability to write and to communicate orally.

Courses

Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Art and Archaeology

Faculty and Instructors

Faculty

Azza Ahmad, Assistant Adjunct Professor. Arabic Languages, CMES.

Wali Ahmadi, Associate Professor. Persian languages, Persian literature.
Research Profile

Asad Ahmed, Associate Professor. Islam (social and intellectual history).
Research Profile

Adam Benkato, Professor. Iranian Studies, Senior Research Scholar at CMES.

Daniel Boyarin, Professor. Talmud, rhetoric, Christianity, genealogy of, invention of Judaism.
Research Profile

Simon Brelaud, Assistant Adjunct Professor. Assyrian Studies, Syriac Language.

Ahmad Diab, Assistant Professor. Modern Arabic Literature.
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

Rita Lucarelli, Associate Professor. Near Eastern Studies, Egyptology.
Research Profile

Maria Mavroudi, Professor. Byzantine studies.
Research Profile

Nasser Meerkhan, Assistant Professor. Near Eastern Studies, and Spanish and Portuguese.

Benjamin Porter, Associate Professor. Archaeology, Near Eastern archaeology, Middle East, Arid Environments, anthropology, Heritage, tourism, and Museum Studies.
Research Profile

Carol A. Redmount, Associate Professor. Egyptology.
Research Profile

Francesca Rochberg, Professor. History of science, ancient near east, cuneiform studies.
Research Profile

Niek Veldhuis, Professor. Digital humanities, intellectual history, Sumerian, cuneiform.
Research Profile

Lecturers

Rutie Adler, Lecturer.

Hatem A. Bazian, Lecturer. Near Eastern studies.
Research Profile

Elsa Elmahdy, Lecturer.

Gholam-Reza Ghahramani, Lecturer.

John L. Hayes, Lecturer.

Sanjyot Mehendale, Lecturer. Near Eastern studies, Central Asia, Central Asian studies, archaeology and art history.
Research Profile

Haitham S. Mohamed, Lecturer.

Laurie Pearce, Lecturer.

Barbara Richter, Lecturer.

Jason Christopher Vivrette, Lecturer.

Emeritus Faculty

Ayla Algar, Lecturer Emeritus. Turkish language and literature, language pedagogy.

Hamid Algar, Professor Emeritus.

Robert B. Alter, Professor Emeritus. Comparative literature, Near Eastern studies, 19th-century European and American novel, modernism, literary aspects of the bible, modern and biblical Hebrew literature.
Research Profile

Guitty Azarpay, Professor Emeritus. Art and archaeology of the ancient Near East and Central Asia.
Research Profile

Ariel A. Bloch, Professor Emeritus.

Chava Boyarin, Professor Emeritus.

Wolfgang J. Heimpel, Professor Emeritus. Near Eastern studies.
Research Profile

Anne D. Kilmer, Professor Emeritus.

David Larkin, Lecturer Emeritus. Egyptology.

James T. Monroe, Professor Emeritus.

Jaleh Pirnazar, Lecturer Emeritus. Modern Iranian history Persian language and literature, Iranian Cinema.

Martin Schwartz, Professor Emeritus. Near Eastern studies.
Research Profile

Muhammad Siddiq, Professor Emeritus. Near Eastern studies.
Research Profile

David B. Stronach, Professor Emeritus.