Program Overview

Life and Culture in Ancient Egypt

Key Facts

• Cost: Ł500
• Credits: 40

Summary

This course explores in detail key issues of historical and cultural importance in ancient Egypt. It covers developments in kingship, the mechanics of administering Egypt, and the personal and religious lives of the working populace. The course utilizes local Egyptological collections and can be taken online, with students expected to attend a class test.

Requirements of Entry

Students should have completed Introduction to Ancient Egypt 1 and 2, and Ancient Egyptian Art. Alternatively, Ancient Egyptian Archaeology 1 and 2 is an acceptable substitute for Introduction to Ancient Egypt 1 and 2.

Course Aims

The course aims to:

• Build upon and develop students' understanding of Egyptian history through cultural case studies
• Encourage students to use their pre-existing skills in interpreting Egyptian art and/or texts as primary source material
• Guide students through challenging issues in Egyptology and encourage them to develop their own strategies for responding to those issues
• Develop students' ability to critically analyse and reflect upon secondary sources
• Encourage students to communicate their ideas not only in writing but also verbally and/or visually through class discussion and individual presentations

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Define and evaluate the key social and cultural themes that underlie and inform the course of Egyptian history
• Formulate and explain their ideas about wider themes and issues raised by the primary and secondary material studied
• Discuss their ideas confidently with their peers and present their opinions to the class as a whole

Target Audience

This course is suitable for anyone with an interest in Ancient Egyptian history and culture.

Qualifications/Credits

The course offers 40 credits at SCQF 8 / Level 2, which can contribute towards the attainment of:

• Certificate or Diploma in Higher Education
• Certificate in Higher Education in Egyptology (Language)
• Certificate in Higher Education in Egyptology (Material Culture)
• Diploma in Higher Education in Egyptology

Assessment

The course is assessed by a combination of:

• 2 essays of no more than 1000 words based on object biographies (20% each)
• 2 presentations that can be done orally or in the form of posters (10% each)
• 1 final exam at the end of the course (40%)

Mode of Study

This course is taught in live sessions on Zoom, with class materials posted on the course website (Moodle).

Prospects

Completing this course can be a starting point for studying Ancient History or Archaeology at university level.

Available Sessions

• Date: 15/01/2026 - 11/06/2026
• Day: Thursday
• Time: 18:30 - 20:30
• Reference: Life and culture in ancient Egypt-Online live (11170)