The Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Oxford is one of the world’s leading centres for research and teaching on the languages, history and cultures of Asia and the Middle East. Among subjects in the humanities, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies is unique in introducing students to civilisations that are radically different from the Western ones that form the basis of the curriculum in most British schools and colleges.
The courses offered by the Faculty present both the major traditions of the regions studied and, in most cases, their modern developments. All courses include language, literature, history and culture, and there are a wide range of options in such fields as art and archaeology, history, literature, philosophy, religion and modern social studies. The following are the principal areas of study:
- Islamic World
- Hebrew and Jewish studies
- Eastern Christianity
- Assyriology, Egyptology, and the early Iranian world
- South and Inner Asia
- East Asian studies.
Asian and Middle Eastern studies has a long history in Oxford. The Bodleian and other libraries have acquired magnificent collections. The Nizami Ganjavi (Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies), KB Chen China Centre Library, and Bodleian Japanese Library offer loan collections in their respective fields. Adjacent to Pusey Lane is the Ashmolean Museum, which houses superb collections. The Bodleian Art, Archaeology, and Ancient World Library includes the principal collections for Assyriology, and Egyptology, and houses the Griffith Institute, home to one of the finest Egyptological archives in the world.
Courses are listed on the Faculty Undergraduate and Graduate admissions pages. Once you have consulted the Faculty pages about each course, the main University Undergraduate Admissions and Graduate Admissions pages provide further information about the available courses, their fees and entry requirements, and details on how to apply.
Details about Exam Regulations for each of the courses can be found here.
Funding
Further information can be found on our Funding webpage.
