Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [Ancient Near Eastern Studies] From School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

Once studied for the light it could shed on the world of the Old Testament, the ancient Near East has now emerged from the sidelines as the fountainhead of modern civilisation. It was in the ancient Near East more than 5000 years ago that people first learned to live in cities, invented writing and developed the first high civilisations.Ê

Though the origins of humanity's spiritual and intellectual adventure were once sought in the Bible and in Greece, the fascinating discoveries of Near Eastern archaeologists over the last 150 years have revealed the crucial roles played in forming our common heritage by the peoples of the Ancient Near East, especially the Sumerians, the Babylonians and the Hittites.Ê

The Ancient Near Eastern StudiesÊprogramme offered byÊSOAS University of LondonÊis taught jointly with University College London (UCL). It provides a multi-disciplinary introduction to the ancient Near East, its languages, history, cultures and archaeology, while also offering final-year students the opportunity of specializing in their field of interest.

Careers

As a student specialising in the Ancient Near Eastern, you will gain competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of the Middle East.

Graduates leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers in both business and the public sector. These include written and oral communication skills, attention to detail, analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.