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Vancouver

Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies

Get a post-graduate work permit for up to three years if you are a full-time UBC international student graduating from a bachelor’s degree program and meet all eligibility criteria.

Want to learn more?

Visit the Faculty of Arts website to learn more about Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies.

View full program details

Program information

Learn about the culture, history, and mythology of the ancient Mediterranean world, explore world religions in a comparative context, and investigate the history and material culture of the ancient Near East and ancient Egypt.

Program overview

Campus
Vancouver
Program length
4 years
Faculty
Faculty of Arts
Co-op
Yes
Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Honours
Yes

What you'll learn

Tailor your own program based on your own unique interests and goals. Interested in literature? With a Bachelor of Arts specialization in Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies, you can study biblical, ancient Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern literature all at once, increasing both the breadth and depth of your knowledge of textual and literary analysis.

Or, if you’re more interested in material culture and have your sights set on a career in archaeology, you can take a range of courses in the art and architecture of the entire ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Perhaps your interests cover language, art, history, and religion. You have the opportunity to design a program that combines all of these and more.

Program advantages

Feel welcomed in a friendly department with small class sizes and outstanding teaching faculty Explore the full complexity and scope of human civilizations in and around the ancient Mediterranean and Near East with interdisciplinary courses and the opportunity to study ancient languages. Get involved with archaeological fieldwork in the Mediterranean.

Most popular courses

Temples, Tombs, and Tyrants: The Archaeology of the Middle East, Greece, and Rome

The rise of civilizations, cultural interconnections, and power dynamics in the ancient Middle East (including Egypt), Greece, and Rome (10,000 BCE – 300 CE). Archaeological methods and interpretation, and analysis of ancient artifacts in UBC collections

History, development, and social function of various forms of spectacle in ancient Greece and Rome, from the Olympic games to the Roman arena

Origins, nature, and transmission of myth in the Western tradition, with particular attention devoted to the interpretation of myth from ancient times up to the present. Some background in myth is recommended

Selected topics in the history and culture of the ancient Mediterranean, Near East and/or Egypt, with an emphasis on research. A maximum of 12 credits will be granted for AMNE 420 and CLST 401. Students should consult the AMNE Undergraduate Advisor before registering

Outcomes

Graduates emerge with training in a wide variety of skill sets in demand by today’s employers – from critical thinking and communication to cutting-edge digital technologies for recording and analyzing ancient sites and objects. In the 2014 alumni survey, 81% of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies alumni said their degree contributed to their career development. Graduates include lawyers, teachers, business analysts, archivists, communications professionals, and academics.

Program graduates

  • Legal counsel, VanCity Credit Union
  • Asset management supervisor, Financial Conduct Authority (UK)
  • Grant writer and development consultant, Grant Writer Etc.
  • Curator, Vancouver Maritime Museum
  • Associate academic advisor, University of British Columbia
  • Assistant professor, Princeton University
  • Executive director, Vancouver International Dance Festival
  • Senior policy consultant, Ontario Ministry of Health

Take action & plan

Program requirements

Choose application type:

English-language requirements

English is the language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students must demonstrate English-language competency prior to admission. There are numerous ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard.

General admission requirements

IB Diploma Programme

  • Completed IB Diploma, including at least three Higher Level courses.

IB Certificate Courses

  • IB Certificate courses (Standard and Higher Level) may be used in an admissions average if you are graduating from a recognized high school curriculum that can be used as your basis of admission.
  • IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, do not satisfy the math requirement for admission to UBC’s science-based programs, the Faculty of Management, the UBC Sauder School of Business, or the Vancouver School of Economics.

Degree-specific requirements: Arts

  • No specific courses required beyond those needed for general admission

Related courses

The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in your junior year and senior year.

  • Language Arts
  • Mathematics and Computation
  • Second Languages
  • Social Studies
  • Visual and Performing Arts

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Get a post-graduate work permit for up to three years if you are a full-time UBC international student graduating from a bachelor’s degree program and meet all eligibility criteria.

Want to learn more?

Visit the Faculty of Arts website to learn more about Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies.

View full program details