Program Overview

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Introduction to the Program

The Bachelor of Arts in Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Cultures is a multi-subject bachelor's program that provides students with a broad knowledge of the languages and cultures of the Ancient Near East. The program is designed as a philologically based, interdisciplinary regional science, focusing on the cuneiform script and its use in the Near East from the end of the 4th millennium BC until its disappearance in the first century AD.

Key Facts

• Degree: Bachelor of Arts
• Supplement to degree: major in a multi-subject bachelor's programme
• Admission restriction: without admission restriction (without NC)
• Duration: 6 Semesters
• Credits/ECTS: 120
• Teaching language: German
• Tuition fee: None
• Semester contribution: € 305,05
• Start of studies: Winter semester
• Part-time possible: Yes
• Institutions: Faculty of Arts, Institute of Near Eastern Studies, Indo-European Studies and the Archaeology of Prehistory to the Early Middle Ages

Programme Content

The subject Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures with a focus on Ancient Near Eastern Studies is designed to provide students with a broad knowledge of the languages and cultures of the Ancient Near East. The basis of the programme is intensive language training, which opens up unbiased access to the sources of Ancient Near Eastern History. The focus is on the cuneiform Akkadian and Sumerian languages, which had a particular influence on Mesopotamian cultures. In addition to these ancient Near Eastern languages, the programme provides students with knowledge of a modern Near Eastern language, whereby they can choose between Arabic, Georgian, Persian, and Turkish.

Structure

The Bachelor's degree is the first professional qualification. The standard period of study is six semesters in total, during which various forms of courses (e.g., seminars, lectures, or tutorials) are offered for the individual modules. A multi-subject Bachelor's degree consists of a major subject with 120 credit points and a supplementary subject with 60 credit points.

Compulsory Modules

The focus of the Ancient Near Eastern Studies major subject consists of five compulsory modules totaling 45 CP, which cover Akkadian and Sumerian, the History and Culture of the Ancient Near East, and an introduction to linguistics.

Compulsory Elective Section

The compulsory elective section of the degree programme, totaling 30 CP, offers the opportunity to develop an individual profile by choosing a modern Near Eastern language and registering for modules from the related disciplines of Classical Studies and Ancient History, Arabic Studies, Indo-European Studies, Caucasian Studies, and Theology.

Elementary General and Academic Skills

Elementary general and academic skills are acquired in the practical part of the programme (scope: 30 CP). The subject-specific key qualifications focus in particular on the presentation of scientific facts and research results in oral presentations and are taught in four presentations in the modules of the specialization area.

Programme Structure Example

The following table shows an example of a possible programme structure in the major subject »Languages and Cultures of the Near East with a focus on Ancient Near Eastern Studies«: 1st semester | 2nd semester | 3rd semester | 4th semester | 5th semester | 6th semester ---|---|---|---|---|--- Introduction to Ancient Oriental Studies (20 CP) | Akkadian reading (5 CP) | Introduction to Sumerian (5 CP) | Practical module: Internship of at least 6 weeks (10 CP) | Bachelor's thesis (10 CP) | History and Cultures of the Ancient Orient (10 CP) | Introduction to Linguistics (5 CP) | | | | | | Compulsory elective area1: Modern Near Eastern language (20 LP) | | | | | Compulsory elective modules2 (10 LP) | | | | | General key qualifications3 (10 CP) | | | Subject-specific key qualifications (10 CP) | | | | |

Why Study in Jena?

• Focus: The specializations represented in Jena (history of writing, language, and law, especially of the 1st millennium BC) as well as the compulsory combination of age and new languages of the Near East (especially Arabic) are unique in Germany in this combination.
• Good requirements: With the Hilprecht Collection - the largest university-owned cuneiform collection in Germany - the study location Jena offers unique requirements for gaining experience and knowledge regarding the scientific handling of cuneiform artefacts.
• Individual supervision: As a so-called minor subject, Ancient Near Eastern Studies offers students on the degree programme particularly close and individual supervision thanks to small group sizes.
• Extensive tender: With the Thuringian University and State Library and the Department of Digital Culture and Collection Management, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena has an excellent information and research infrastructure in the subject area of Humanities.
• Unlimited possibilities: Experience internationality! The university attracts students and academics from all over the world with its attractive conditions and characterizes Jena as a future-oriented and cosmopolitan city - ideal requirements for prospective international students.

Career Opportunities

As an academic degree programme, the Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures with a focus on Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena forms the basis of an academic career and prepares students specifically for the consecutive master's programme in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures as well as a subsequent doctorate in Ancient Near Eastern Studies. The degree programme also opens up a wide range of other career paths, depending on the individual focus, including:

• Adult education
• Education management
• Journalism
• Tourism (study trips)
• Libraries and archives
• Publishing
• Public relations

Postgraduate Master's Programs

The university offers various postgraduate master's programs, including:

1. Education ‐ Culture ‐ Anthropology Master of Arts

• Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Admission Requirements

• University entrance qualification: A university entrance qualification, such as a general secondary school leaving certificate, is required for admission onto the study programme.
• Language requirement: English (A2); proof by registration for module AO 320 at the latest

What Are We Looking for in Prospective Students?

• Interest in language and History
• Scientific curiosity
• Intercultural openness
• Enjoyment of research work
• Interest in archaeology