Master of Arts in Ancient Culture, Religion and Ethnicity (MA)

University of British Columbia

Canada, Vancouver

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Home/Canada/Vancouver /University of British Columbia/Master of Arts in Ancient Culture, Religion and Ethnicity (MA)

University of British Columbia

Canada , Vancouver

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Vancouver

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 3 year(s)

Tuition Fee

CAD 9,884 / per year

Next Intake September-2026

Master of Arts in Ancient Culture, Religion and Ethnicity (MA)

About

The Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies offers a unique interdisciplinary Master's program that allows students to develop a customized program specializing in any topic within the scope of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity through the completion of coursework and a thesis. Students choose from a broad range of coursework in the archaeology and material culture, religion and mythology, literature and ancient languages, and history and cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. In the second year of the program, students write a thesis under the supervision of a faculty member. The degree balances research with fieldwork to best prepare students for a career in archaeology.

The program is suitable students with a broad background in the humanities, with an undergraduate degree that included significant coursework in our areas of specialization. It is also suitable for those who wish to undertake more advanced coursework, including ancient language training, in preparation for a doctoral program in Classics, Classical or Near Eastern Archaeology, or Religious Studies.

Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies (AMNE) department will be hosting a virtual open house event for students interested in applying to our MA and PhD graduate programs to join our Fall 2026 cohort on Tuesday, November 4, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm PST over Zoom. Faculty members and current graduate students will be present to meet prospective students. Interested students may register on the AMNE Admissions website (https://amne.ubc.ca/amne-virtual-open-house-for-prospective-students/).

If you have any questions about our graduate programs or the application process, please reach out to Sheri, the graduate program advisor, at [email protected].

Disciplines

Faculty of Arts

Requirements

Entry Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement: 100

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Listening

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement: 7.0

Reading

6.5

Writing

6.5

Speaking

6.5

Listening

6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Course Requirements

It is highly recommended that students have completed the equivalent of two years' of study in one of Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew, or Latin prior to commencing the program.

Career

Career Options

Our MA students have gone on to study at outstanding universities such as McGill, University of Toronto, Yale, UC-Berkeley, Stanford, and Oxford. Others have had career success in the public and private sectors as teachers, university administrators, translators, creative professionals, bankers, and more.