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Studies & Degrees in Egyptology

Egyptology is the study of ancient Egypt: its language and scripts, history, archaeology, religion, literature and art. It is a small academic field taught at a limited number of universities, usually inside a department of ancient Near Eastern, Asian and Middle Eastern or archaeological studies. The Department of Egyptology and Assyriology at Brown University, for example, explores the histories, languages, cultures and sciences of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and their neighbours.

Two skills run through every programme. The first is language. Students learn to read hieroglyphic Egyptian, normally starting with Middle Egyptian, the classical phase of the language, and may go on to Late Egyptian, Demotic or Coptic. The second is the study of material remains: sites, monuments, objects and images. Students who are mainly interested in texts concentrate on the language and its literature. Those who lean towards archaeology take more courses in art, architecture and excavation methods.

Qualifications and levels

Few universities offer a full first degree in Egyptology. Many students start in archaeology, ancient history or classics and specialise later, at master's or doctoral level.

  • Bachelor's level. At Brown University the undergraduate concentration in Egyptology and Assyriology has two tracks, Assyriology and Egyptology. The Egyptology track consists of ten courses: two in the ancient Egyptian language, ordinarily beginning with Middle Egyptian; four foundation courses, one each in history, archaeology, religion and literature, and the making of knowledge; two courses for depth and two for breadth. All students complete a capstone project. At the University of Oxford, Egyptology is taught within the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, which names Assyriology, Egyptology and the early Iranian world as one of its principal areas of study.
  • Master's level. The Oxford faculty offers one-year (MSt or MSc) and two-year (MPhil) taught master's courses across its subject areas, including Egyptology and the Ancient Near East.
  • Doctorate. A PhD is the normal qualification for a university or senior museum career. Oxford has a doctoral programme in the faculty, and the Brown department teaches graduate courses in Egyptology, Assyriology and the history of ancient science.

Admission to the Oxford BA in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies requires AAA at A-level or 39 points in the International Baccalaureate, according to the faculty. Applicants are not expected to have studied one of the faculty's languages before. The faculty offers its courses for full-time study only.

Where to study Egyptology

SpainExchange lists 2 active schools for Egyptology: Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, in the United States, and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Both teach in English. Brown established its department in the 2005-06 academic year. In Oxford, the Bodleian Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library holds the principal collections for Egyptology and houses the Griffith Institute and its Egyptological archive, and the Ashmolean Museum is next to the faculty.

For a wider search, the International Association of Egyptologists (IAE), the professional organisation of scholars who study the ancient cultures of Egypt, publishes a list of universities worldwide that offer bachelor's and master's programmes in Egyptology. It includes universities in Egypt, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the United States, among other countries, and two entries in Spain, Barcelona and Jaén.

When comparing programmes, check how much language teaching is included, whether fieldwork or museum work is part of the course, and which museum collections and libraries are within reach.

Careers

Egyptologists work mainly in universities and research institutes, in museums and collections, and on archaeological projects. Related work exists in heritage management, publishing and education. Permanent posts are few, and most of them require a doctorate.

There are no separate official employment figures for Egyptologists. For anthropologists and archaeologists as a whole, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that they typically need at least a master's degree and that some positions require a PhD. It projects employment growth of 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 800 openings a year in the whole of the United States, which shows how small the field is.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know ancient Egyptian before I start?

No. The language is taught from the beginning. At Brown the Egyptology track ordinarily starts with Middle Egyptian I, and Oxford states that applicants are not expected to have studied one of the faculty's languages before.

Can I study Egyptology as a first degree?

Yes, at a limited number of universities. Brown University has an Egyptology track within its undergraduate concentration in Egyptology and Assyriology, and the list of the International Association of Egyptologists includes undergraduate study at Oxford.

Which languages will I study?

Middle Egyptian comes first. The Brown course list also includes Late Egyptian, Demotic and Coptic, and languages of neighbouring cultures such as Akkadian.

Where can I find more universities that teach Egyptology?

The International Association of Egyptologists keeps a list of universities with bachelor's and master's programmes, ordered by country.