Prospective Students

If you want to understand how the civilisations of the Ancient Near East shaped the Bible or how ancient societies influence modern cultures and values, this course would be of great interest to you. If you find yourself asking how societies develop their values and perspectives, you will be able to explore how they do so over the course of some of the most exciting periods of human history.

Encountering these cultures is not confined to the classroom and there are study abroad opportunities in Europe and in the Middle East and North Africa. Each year international figures working in areas such as Human Rights, Biblical and Jewish Studies, Holocaust Studies, Islamic Studies and Middle Eastern archaeology come to the Department to contribute to the courses. We also offer internships in our Museum for those interested in gaining skills and experience.

A range of student activities will be available to you and many of these help you to develop the kind of skills employers look for. Graduates go on to work in many careers: some have entered professional schools in such fields as law, journalism, or are in communal or social work. Others have combined their interest in Jewish, Islamic and Near Eastern Studies with careers in business, NGOs, international human rights, and the arts. All have found the degree to be an intellectually and personally rewarding experience and an important aspect of their career pathway. Our graduates have also been very successful in gaining places in MA and PhD programmes.