Graduate

MA Degree Requirements and Curriculum

1. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required. International students whose native language is not English should submit a TOEFL score of 90 (Internet-Based TOEFL) or better, or an IELTS score of 7 or better. All applicants should have an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0/Good or better.

2. The MA requires a minimum of 36 graduate-level credits to include: 18 credits of ancient Egyptian language; at least two three-credit courses in Egyptian history; at least one three-credit course in ancient Egyptian religion; and at least three three-credit elective courses from an allied subject-area, to be approved by the Concentration advisor. Recommended subjects include Arabic, Classical Greek, Biblical Hebrew, archaeology/anthropology, art history, religious studies, linguistics or informatics/digital heritage. Most students will follow the Model Curriculum outlined below. However, with the approval of the Concentration advisor, students with previous advanced undergraduate course-work in Egyptology from Indiana University or from other programs may substitute up to three Special Topics courses (MELC-E695) for courses in the Model Curriculum.

3. An MA thesis is required. Up to three credits of thesis research (MELC-N710) may be counted towards the MA.

4. Students will demonstrate reading proficiency in scholarly French or German by the end of the first year, either by completing a 492-level course in the chosen language, or by passing the graduate-student reading proficiency examination administered by the Bloomington Evaluation Services and Testing office. Note that 400-level language courses taken to acquire and demonstrate modern-language proficiency do not count towards the required 36 graduate credits.

5. Students may also have the opportunity to take graduate courses at institutions that take part in the “Traveling Scholars” program of the Big Ten Academic Alliance. The Big Ten Academic Alliance, which includes the universities in the Big Ten conference plus the University of Chicago, allows graduate students to take courses at member institutions but register at, and pay tuition to, their home institution. Therefore, courses taken in the “Traveling Scholars” program would not count as transfer credits.

6. At the conclusion of their course work, students will take written examinations in Egyptian history (two hours) and in Egyptian religion (two hours), and take a translation examination in Middle Egyptian (two hours).

   A student may request a waiver of one, two, or all three of the required final examinations if she or he earned an A in the relevant courses and if she or he has a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better in the Concentration as of the end of the semester before graduation is expected. This request will be considered at the end of the fourth week of the student’s final semester, and may be approved if she or he is performing at a high level in all current classes.

Prof. Vinson is occasionally able to get a one-semester Student Academic Appointment (SAA) to fund one or more teaching assistants when teaching unusually large undergraduate classes; SAA positions cover tuition and a stipend. We have been reasonably successful in getting SAAs for Egyptology students in other departments, including Classics, French and Italian, and East Asian Languages and Cultures. Many such positions involve working in the classroom as a teaching assistant or instructor, but others, which carry the same benefits, are primarily office jobs. For a listing of open SAAs, see the SAA vacancy link at the Indiana University GradGrants center. Check this link often for updates. If you have been accepted to Indiana University, you can apply for positions immediately, even before you enroll; we strongly advise students to apply for any and all positions that they may be qualified for.

It can also be effective to contact departments directly, to see if they anticipate SAA openings for students with any language or other advanced skills that you may have. Students with advanced Arabic skills, particularly native speakers, may be considered for SAA positions as Arabic instructors within the Department of Middle Eastern Language and Cultures; contact Prof. Vinson for advice and contact information.

US citizens or permanent residents should apply for a Foreign Language – Area Studies (FLAS) grant. These are US government grants that fund graduate students who study critical, less-commonly taught modern languages; the grants include a tuition remission and stipend. Egyptology students should consider applying for FLAS scholarships in Arabic, Hebrew, Modern Greek, and Italian, all of which are possibilities, and all of which could be relevant to studying Egyptology. Be sure to inquire with Prof. Vinson to discuss this opportunity.

International students should also explore the possibility of coming to Indiana University on a Fulbright Grant, which sponsors students from many countries to study in the United States.

Click here for more information on applying.

Please also consult the website of the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures for general information on graduate applications.

Use the contact form to reach us with any questions.