Egyptology MPhil
About
The MPhil in Egyptology is a two-year taught graduate degree that offers a satisfying, advanced course of study in the languages, cultures, and history of ancient Egypt. While the MPhil functions as a course in its own right, it is also designed to take students to the stage where they can embark on doctoral research in Egyptology.
The MPhil in Egyptology normally has two paths through the curriculum and in both cases, syllabuses are tailored to the interests of individual students:
- Syllabus A
Syllabus A allows those with previous training in Egyptology to pursue their study of the subject to a higher level, to gain specialised expertise, and to begin advanced research in an area of their choice.
- Syllabus B
Syllabus B enables graduates in another discipline to convert to Egyptology through a graduate level course that offers a certain amount of specialisation, including a significant element of advanced research.
The principal focus throughout both syllabuses is on detailed familiarity with the primary sources, studied in the original language and through the original manuscripts where possible, and with various methods and approaches. Use of a range of interpretive and analytical approaches to the primary sources is integral to the course, including, for example, historiographical and/or literary-critical frameworks; overall there is an emphasis on texts as artefacts in a material context.
The syllabuses can also be designed with an archaeological and/or material-culture focus. You will have the opportunity to develop your skills in working with Egyptian artefacts from the extensive and diverse collections of the Ashmolean Museum.
The MPhil is a very intensive course. For example, you must treat the university vacations as integral parts of your work time and you will be expected to take relatively limited holidays. From the start of your course you should also think about whether you need to do fieldwork in Egypt or elsewhere and when this will best be done. Where possible, if you have not been to Egypt before you should ideally try to visit before the end of the course, to experience something of the landscape and country.
The number of students accepted for the course each year is very small. This ensures that teaching can be tailored to the research interests and training requirements of individual students. Teaching is also very much focused around small groups and one-on-one tutorials and supervisions for which small cohorts are vital. In the first year you will share language classes and lectures on history and culture with first year undergraduates. Some other classes may also be shared with undergraduates and graduates on other degrees where appropriate for your research training needs.
Assessment
Students on Syllabus A are normally required to sit one or two qualifying examinations in the language(s) and/or language phase(s) they are specialising in, during or after the end of Trinity term of their first year. Students on Syllabus B will sit two qualifying examinations in Middle Egyptian during or after the end of Trinity term of their first year.
During the second year, you will write a dissertation. This will give you the opportunity to identify and design your own research project and to develop advanced research skills. You should expect to spend the Easter vacation finishing your dissertation, which must be submitted half way through Trinity term.
Two research essays developed out of work done for one part of the course must be submitted by the end of Hilary term of the second year. Depending on the course design, there can also be a take-home examination at the start of Trinity term of the second year.
The final examinations are sat towards the end of Trinity term. Different examination provision may be made for students who have chosen options that are offered in other faculties, such as Classics or Archaeology.
Teaching staff
Course director
Teaching staff
Resources for study
Libraries and museums
You will have access to the facilities and resources of the Griffith Institute, which is home to one of the most significant Egyptological archives in the world and two major research projects, the Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Statues, Reliefs and Paintings, and the Online Egyptological Bibliography. It is possible for archive holdings to form the basis of dissertation work or special fields.
Volunteering in the archive or for the institute's projects offers excellent training in the management of primary sources as well as archival practices. The Griffith Institute, as well as teaching rooms and staff offices, is located in a wing of the Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library. This library houses the principal collection of books on Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, and is one of the finest libraries for the subject in the world. The Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library also includes general archaeology, Classical civilisation, and Western and Eastern art.
A further vital University resource in Egyptology is the Ashmolean Museum. You will be strongly encouraged to make yourself familiar with the collections, both on display and in the stores. You may like to consider working with a specific category of material in the museum for a special field or dissertation. It may also be possible to gain museum work experience on a voluntary basis in the Department of Antiquities. Artefact classes for Egyptology undergraduates are held in the museum, and MPhil students are strongly encouraged to attend these where possible. Another Oxford museum with an Egyptian collection is the Pitt Rivers Museum. You may wish to explore the possibility of working with its collection, as well as those of other museums in the UK, such as the British Museum.
Faculty resources
Students have access to the University's centrally provided electronic resources, the Faculty's IT Officer, and other bibliographic, archive or material sources as appropriate to the topic. There is a computing room for the use of graduate students in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, as well as a common room where tea and coffee are available and staff and students can meet.
Oxford colleges
Oxford’s colleges provide support, facilities and membership of a friendly and stimulating academic community. All colleges provide library and IT facilities, welfare support, and sports and social events. Although your academic studies will be directed by the faculty, colleges can be a valuable source of support. Please check the application guide for information about colleges.
How to apply
Improving access to graduate study
The Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies is taking part in initiatives to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.
Socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used as part of an initiative to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.
FAQs
Can I submit one 4,000 word piece of written work instead of two 2,000 word pieces?
Not for our courses. We ask for two pieces which will show a range of ability rather than two highly similar pieces and you may find it useful to check the criteria your written work will be assessed for when choosing your samples. Your samples can be extracts from longer pieces of work and if this is the case, please indicate this on a cover page, or at the beginning of each piece of work.
Where can I find out about funding available for applicants?
Your best guide to funding opportunities will always be the University's admissions webpages. We recommend that you use the Fees, funding and scholarship search which is a useful tool for finding any funding that you may be eligible to apply for.
If you submit your application by the January deadline you will automatically be considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships. There’s no separate scholarship application process or extra supporting documentation required for funding. Based on the information supplied in your graduate application, you will be automatically considered for scholarships where you meet the eligibility criteria with most scholarships using academic merit and/or potential as the basis on which award decisions are made.
However, please note, in addition to submitting an application form for your chosen course, the scholarships listed on the following page also require an additional application to be considered for them.
