MA in Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures
MA in Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures
Program Length: 1 year, with an additional thesis year option.
Tuition: $11,100
Language of instruction: English
Admissions requirements:
- Students must have a GPA above 3 or 80%.
- Students who are not native English speakers and have not completed their undergraduate studies in English in an English-speaking country will be required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Minimal IELTS requirements: Overall band score of 7.0.
Minimal TOEFL requirements: Paper-based test—573, computer-based test—230, internet-based test—79.
Application Deadline:
Ongoing rolling admissions
The Awarded Degree: MA in Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures
Study Archaeology & History of the Bible, IN the Land of the Bible!
Program Overview
The International MA in Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures (previously, International MA in Ancient Israel Studies) at Tel Aviv University is an intensive one-year MA, taught entirely in English.
The unique program puts students at the forefront of archaeological, historical, and bible studies, giving them an unrivaled opportunity to study near historical sites in Israel. The combination of classroom, field trips, and archeological excavation season in the summer provides an intellectual and social component like no other program. The vibrant and nurturing environment of the program is unparalleled and prepares students for an academic or professional global career in Archaeology.
"With archaeology, we can see a fuller picture of society, including the lives of everyday people. It is about telling stories that might otherwise be lost. For me, the journey has been incredible, and I look forward to what lies ahead in archaeology."—Jonathan Steilmann, program graduate
The Field Is Our Classroom
Integral to the curriculum, students participate in comprehensive field trips to archaeological sites in Israel from north to south throughout the year.
- Tel Dan
- Tel Hazor
- Bet Shean
- Tel Megiddo
- Tel Lachish
- Bet Guvrin
- Tel Beer Sheva
- Timna
And more.
Uncover the ancient world using the latest technology & methods developed in our state-of-the-art laboratories.
Our institute is at the nexus of sciences and humanities studies. In our labs, we are working with primary materials; stone tools, pottery, glass, bone, metal objects, and textiles, fresh out of the ground from our excavations. Well equipped with high-tech instruments, the latest field methodologies in Archaeological Sciences are developed here.
Our Research Labs:
- Ceramic Restoration Lab
- Zooarchaeology Lab
- Laboratory of Archaeometallurgy
- Archaeobotany Lab
- Laboratory of Metal Conservation
- Ceramic Petrography Lab
- Laboratory of Computational Archaeology
- Graphic documentation studio
Join students from across the world for a unique international experience
For over 10 years running, the program draws upon students from all over the globe to study Archaeology with a specialization in Biblical History, in the Land of the Bible.
Learn among distinguished scholars
Our award-winning faculty are leading researchers, world-renowned experts, and top scholars specializing in:
- Early and Late Iron Age,
- Numismatics, Textiles and Pottery
- Maritime Archeology
- Classical Periods
- Maritime Archeology
- Prehistory
- Biblical Archeology
- Ancient Languages
- Ancient Cultures of the Levant
and much more.
Professor Ran Barkai is among the top 100 most cited researchers in his field.
(Stanford Index 2024: ranks the top 2% of researchers based on their work and citation impact)
Dafna Langgut (Head of the Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Ancient Environment) and Professor Nadav Na'aman have also been recognized for their outstanding academic contributions.
Hear from Prof. Oded Lipschits:
Academic Track Options
- One year MA in Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures (previously, MA in Ancient Israel Studies)
- One year International MA in Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures with thesis (and additional year) (previously MA in Ancient Israel Studies with thesis)
- Accredited PhD track
Scholarships
For scholarships and financial assistance options see our Scholarships page
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