Ancient Cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean

AKOEM is a research-oriented interdisciplinary Master’s degree programme. It is aimed at students who are interested in archaeology and cultural heritage, languages and texts, history and politics, cultures and religions of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Students acquire specialist knowledge of the ancient Mediterranean regions based on current research issues. They will be able to classify regional historical phenomena in a broader context. By integrating Christian and Islamic theology as well as Jewish studies, the interface between the eastern Mediterranean region can be studied from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students achieve methodological skills through excellent courses, practical exercises and project management activities.

The University of Münster offers an outstanding study environment which is characterized by a large number of subjects in ancient studies. Students can choose from a wide range of ancient languages: Akkadian, Sumerian, Hittite, Ugaritic, (Hieroglyphic) Egyptian, Demotic, Hieratic, Coptic, Aramaic, Syriac, Classical Arabic. Its scientists are involved in archaeological field research projects all around the Mediterranean in which students also participate.

As most of the courses are taught in German, good knowledge of German is essential (level C1 / DSH 2).

At the University of Münster, no tuition fee is charged. However, enrolled students pay a “semester fee”, currently €317.48. This includes various services, inter alia, local transport all over Germany.

Only in German.

All disciplines of ancient studies networked in the GKM participate in the study program "Ancient Cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean (AKOEM)". The usual concentration on Greek and Roman antiquity is thus specifically expanded in this study program.

This expansion is made possible by:

the broad range of theologies: Faculty of Protestant Theology including Jewish Studies, Faculty of Catholic Theology, Orthodox Theology, Institute for Jewish Studies, Islamic Studies

the numerous archaeologies: Archaeology of Egypt, Archaeology of the Near East, Biblical Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Christian Archaeology, Prehistoric and Early Historic Archaeology.

the wide range of ancient languages: Akkadian, Aramaic, Ancient Armenian, Ancient Greek, Ancient Persian, Demotic, Etruscan, Hebrew, Hittite, Hieratic, Hieroglyphic Egyptian, Coptic, Latin, Sumerian, Syriac, Classical Chinesse, and Classical Arabic.

Courses from the field of Digital Humanities also provide an understanding of the requirements and challenges of digitization in textual sciences and archaeologies.

The program is designed for students who are interested in the languages and texts, the history and politics, the cultures and religions, the material and ideal legacies of the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as current issues, and who deliberately choose this interdisciplinary program for this purpose.

Our goal: an optimal study program. We are constantly working towards this goal in consultation with students, lecturers, student advisors and the examination office.

• Student Advisory Service
• Online application portal of the University of Münster
• Information sheet AKOEM [de]
• Access and admission requirements
• Module overview and module descriptions

After the Master AKOEM you can do a PhD in the network at the University of Münster.