Classical and Near Eastern archaeologists study the material culture of ancient Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Roman Empire both through fieldwork and the study of the history, culture, and literature of the period.
The Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies offers a unique interdisciplinary Master's program that allows students to specialize in archaeology through the completion of coursework, archaeological fieldwork, 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 from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity. 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.