Programme Assyriology (research)

The Research master programme in Classics and Anciet Civilizations: Assyriology is a two-year programme, which prepares students to pursue academic research positions in the field of languages and civilizations of Ancient Mesopotamia and Anatolia from a philological, grammatical, historical or socio-religious point of view. The courses are offered in close collaboration with scholars from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), the Catholic University Leuven in Belgium and the University of Münster in Germany.

Programme information

The study load of the Research Master programme runs up to 120 EC and is spread over four semesters. To complete the specialization Assyriology, students attend 60 EC of track electives within the specialization track Assyriology (seminars, tutorials, reading lists). Though some of these track electives are shared with the regular Master programme, students in the Research Master programme follow these courses at a more advanced level. A number of track electives can be replaced by a stay abroad.

In addition to the track electives, two core common courses are part of the programme (compulsory for all students), concentrating on "The Commentary in Ancient Civilizations" and "Cultural Contact in the Hellenistic World". The structure of the study programme:

First semester
- Common core course 1 (10 EC)
- Track electives (20 EC)

Second semester 
- Track electives/stay abroad (30 EC)

Third semester
- Common core course 2 (10 EC)
- Tutorial in preparation for the thesis (10 EC) 
- Track elective (10 EC)

Fourth semester
- Thesis presentation and research proposal (5 EC)
- Master thesis (25 EC)

The e-Prospectus contains course details for all programmes in the Faculty of Humanities (and other faculties). Please consult the Assyriology (research) section of the Prospectus for more (detailed) information about the programme and for recent courses on offer. The information in the Prospectus is updated annually, in June.


Forms for approval programme and thesis

Students are required to hand in a programme proposal to the Board of Examiners, because all Research Master students have an individual programme focusing on their specialization track. The form Approval Individual Programme is filled in at the start of the first study year. To fill in this form, students first make an appointment with the Co-ordinator of Studies (of their specialization track), in order to check whether or not their study plans meet the requirements of the Research Master programme. Then, students should discuss their programme with their track leader. If the track leader has approved the programme and signed the form, the student sends it to the secretary of the Board of Examiners for final approval.

N.B. Courses for the second year of the programme are sometimes not available yet. In this case, students are required to fill in at least one study year. They fill in the second year in general terms (track elective, tutorial, reading list, thesis, etc.)

 
In the second year, when students start writing the Master thesis, they should hand in the Thesis Approval form to the Board of Examiners. As soon as students have determined the subject of their thesis, and when they have formulated their research questions, they fill in the Thesis Approval form. On this form they also put the name of the thesis supervisor they have in mind, since the supervisor must also be approved by the board of examiners.  

Timetables and calendar

Application, enrollment and examinations

  • To enroll in a specific course or examination, use the Study administration system uSis.

  • This website is intended for students who are already enrolled in the programme. Prospective students looking for application information should consult unileidenmasters.nl.

Co-ordinator of Studies

For practical issues and information concerning the Research Master's programme students may refer to the Co-ordinator of Studies. The Co-ordinator of Studies is available for advice pertaining to progress and delay, personal circumstances and exam regulations.

Graduation and deregistration

Research Master students who have completed the Research Master programme can apply for their graduation. See the Graduation page for more information about the graduation procedure, the regulations concerning the Reseach Master thesis, and the process of deregistration from Leiden University after graduation.

Teaching and Examination Regulations and Faculty Regulations

All rights and obligations of students in the faculty of Humanities are stated in regulations, the most important of which are indicated below.

  • Teaching and Examination Regulations state the contents of your programme and the specialisations within the programme.
  • Registration for lectures, tutorials and tests is obligatory: see the uSis registration procedure.
  • The Student Charter informs students about what they can expect from the University and what the University expects from them.
  • Regulations on plagiarism are in place, to counter any instances of malpractice. These regulations provide advice on how to use sources and citations.

Boards, committees, and co-participation

Students within the Faculty of Humanities, are represented in the following boards and committees:

  • the Departmental Teaching Committee
  • the Departmental Board
  • the Faculty Council
  • the Faculty Board

Another committee that is relevant to your studies, but in which students are not represented, is the Board of Examiners.

Contact

Practical questions can be directed to: 

Web Editor Classics and Ancient Civilizations
Last Modified: 21-11-2012