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Ancient Near Eastern Studies – Cultural and Religious History of the Ancient Orient (Master of Arts)


Official titLEAltorientalistik – Kultur- und Religionsgeschichte des Alten Orients
DegreeMaster of Arts (M.A.)
Program length4 semesters / 2 years (120 ECTS points)
Startwinter and summer semester
Language of instructionGerman


The master's program is supported by the professorships of Ancient Oriental Studies and Semitic Studies. They work together with the five other professorships at the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS), which represent philologically and cultural-historically aligned socio-economic major topics with present-day relevance (Arabic Studies, Iranian Studies, Islamic Studies, Politics and Economics of the Near and Middle East). In addition, there are cooperations with other methodological departments of the Philipp University (including Linguistics, Ethnology, Religious Studies).

Major topics

Various major topics can be set within the program:

  • The application of methodologies of linguistic and textual studies,
  • The learning of one or more ancient Oriental and Semitic languages (including Akkadian, Arabic, Ethiopian, Hebrew, Hittite, Sumerian, Syrian),
  • Cultural Studies and Cultural Policy issues

Broad interdisciplinary education and regional expertise are additional, high-priority objectives of the program.

Objectives

Professional fields for successful graduates of the master's program particularly include adult education, the library and publishing sector, cultural mediation, cultural management, tourism, journalistic work with print and audio-visual media and public relations work.

Knowledge of regionally specific contexts and internationality with present-day relevance, as well as other key competencies on organizational, communicative and social levels, expand the professional field, particularly in connection with the acquired foreign language skills, in specific fields of activity abroad and in commercial enterprises.

  • Admission requirements

    Required university degreeDegree from a subject-relevant bachelor's program in the field of Ancient Near Eastern Studies or (Historical) Linguistic, Text and Literature Studies, or certification of a comparable domestic or foreign qualifying university diploma.

    A total of at least 24 credit points must have been completed in the field of Akkadian and/or Sumerian in a previous professionally qualifying degree. Proof of the relevant knowledge of Akkadian and/or Sumerian is provided by evidence of modules passed or by equivalent evidence.

    The examination board can make admission contingent on additional academic performances and/or examination performances of 24 CP at maximum being produced. In this case, the program can be extended accordingly.
    Certifications of program-specific knowledge and skills to be submitted prior to admission

    German skills:
    DSH 2

    Admission ModeDirect admission is granted with complete fulfillment of the admission requirements.

  • Who can answer questions?

    Technical questions about your application

    Uni-assist

    Content-related questions about the program

    General student advisement (Departmental representative for student advisement - bachelor's and master's programs)

    Prof. Dr. Nils P. Heeßel
    Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS)
    Deutschhausstraße 12, Room 00A47
    35032 Marburg
    Tel.: +49 6421/28-24616
    E-Mail: nils.heessel@staff.uni-marburg.de
    Office hours: by arrangement

    Dr. Elyze Zomer
    Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS)
    Deutschhausstraße 12, Room 00A44
    35032 Marburg
    Tel.: +49 6421/28-24617
    E-Mail: elyze.zomer@staff.uni-marburg.de
    Office hours: by arrangement

    Formal questions about your application

    In case of formal questions about the application, please contact Master's Coordination with your application number (if available) at .

  • Application & Deadline

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