Taught courses
You will take several courses across two semesters of teaching, including a compulsory course and a range of optional courses.
The programme can be undertaken either full-time (12 months) or part-time (24 months). Students undertake coursework amounting to 120 credit points and a dissertation of 15,000 words, amounting to 60 credit points, for a total of 180 credits.
The programme comprises a range of seminars, language classes and tutorials, which will include seminar discussion and debate, presentation to peers, directed and independent reading, as well as interactive language teaching.
Core course
The core course, Approaches to the Long Late Antiquity, will provide specialist methodological, theoretical, and cross-disciplinary training taught across the first and second semesters.
| Course name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Approaches to the Long Late Antiquity | 20 |
Language and specialist course options
Students should also undertake one skills option each semester and one specialist option each semester plus one other specialist option taken in either the first or second semester, depending on availability. Each course accounts for 20 credits.
Except in language courses, where assessment is more complex and diverse, students can expect a range of assessments including long-essays, presentations, reviews and other related assignments.
Option courses previously offered include those listed below. Option courses change from year to year and those available when you start your studies will be different from those shown in this representative list.
| Course name | Credits |
| Elementary Greek (PG) 1 and Elementary Greek (PG) 2 | 20 credits each |
| Intermediate Greek (PG) 1 and Intermediate Greek (PG) 2 | 20 credits each |
| Elementary Latin (PG) 1 and Elementary Latin (PG) 2 | 20 credits each |
| Intermediate Latin (PG) 1 and Intermediate Latin (PG) 2 | 20 credits each |
| Arabic 1A and Arabic 1B for MSc LAIBS | 20 credits each |
Additionally, courses in Biblical Hebrew can be arranged in cooperation with the School of Divinity.
| Course name | Credits |
|---|---|
|
The Seventh Century: The Transformation of East Rome and the Rise of Islam |
20 |
| Archaeology of the Roman Economy | 20 |
| Mosques, Palaces and Gardens in the Golden Age of Islam | 20 |
| Mystical Islam | 20 |
| The Qur'an - Islam's Holy Book | 20 |
| A Topic in Late Antique and Byzantine History, e.g.: Popular Culture in Late Antiquity; The Mediterranean in the Fifth Century; Centre and Periphery in the Age of Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos | 20 |
| Constantinople: The History of a Medieval Megalopolis from Constantine the Great to Süleyman the Magnificent | 20 |
| Topics in Byzantine Literary History | 20 |
| Debating Marriage between Antiquity and the Middle Ages | 20 |
| Latin Text Seminar | 20 |
| Greek Text Seminar | 20 |
| Byzantine Text Seminar | 20 |
| Greek Palaeography | 20 |
| The Latin Manuscript | 20 |
Teaching and assessment
You will take a variety of seminar-style courses in small groups.
Most courses are assessed by means of an extended piece of written work, while some courses may also assess non-written skills.
Further information
You can see more details about the 2023/24 programme structure on the Degree Programme Table for the MSc in Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies. We expect the 2024/25 programme structure to be available from May 2024.