Program
Profile Egyptology
Profile ANES
Digital Studies of Ancient Texts (DISTANT) is a two-year, full-time master’s program taught in English at the campus of Freie Universität in Berlin.
It is an interdisciplinary program that combines text- and language-related topics from Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Egyptology, and Coptology with computational modeling and analysis.
While DISTANT shares content with traditional master's programs in Ancient Near Eastern Studies (Cuneiform Studies) and Egyptology, it sets itself apart by offering modules on digital methods. With a specific focus on computer-assisted processing and computational analysis of ancient texts, students acquire subject-specific and interdisciplinary methodological competencies that enable them to tackle complex questions on a variety of sources.
The master's program, following standard practice in Germany, is tuition-free for all students, regardless of their country of origin.
Digital Studies of Ancient Texts (DISTANT) is an interdisciplinary master's program that is taught in English. It is offered by the Institutes of Ancient Near Eastern Studies and Egyptology, as well as the Junior Professorship Computer Philology & Data Science of the Languages of the Ancient World at the Department of History and Cultural Studies of Freie Universität Berlin.
What sets DISTANT apart is its unique integration of linguistic-philological topics from Ancient Studies with questions and methods of the Digital Humanities. This innovative approach offers students a comprehensive and sought-after skill set that is relevant to a variety of professional contexts.
DISTANT provides students with versatile and up-to-date skills in the analysis and evaluation of languages and texts from the Ancient Near East and Egypt, as well as in their digital processing. The program builds upon your prior knowledge of Ancient Near Eastern or Egyptian written sources, languages, and writing systems, and offers domain-specific courses that apply methods from philology, cultural studies, history, linguistics, and literature to the textual sources.
In addition to these domain-specific courses, you'll take specialized modules that teach you how to work with computational methods and how to use or develop innovative digital tools. These modules will help you unlock new research potentials and allow you to stay up to date with the latest advancements in this exciting and rapidly-evolving field of research.
When studying DISTANT, you will acquire the skills to research information in a subject-appropriate manner, analyze it within a discipline-specific and comparative context, and communicate it effectively to research community or public while adhering to international scholarly practices and standards.
The master's program will help you build the necessary skills to conduct research independently and make a meaningful contribution to ongoing research in the field. Furthermore, successful completion of the program will prepare you for advanced research and study, including the pursuit of a PhD.
Program structure
DISTANT is a two-year master's program. It is divided into three areas (Introductory, Specialization, and Complementary Area). Each of these areas is composed of several modules which, in turn, comprise several (usually two) courses. The fourth term is reserved for your master’s thesis and a module in which you present your ongoing research.
Profile: Ancient Near Eastern Studies
|
Semester |
Introductory Area 35 credit points |
Specialization Area 30 credit points |
Complementary Area 30 credit points |
|
1st 30 CP |
Module Data Literacy in Ancient Studies 15 CP |
Subject module Methodology of Textual and Editorial Analysis 10 CP |
Module 5 CP |
|
2nd 30 CP |
Module Methods of and in Digital Ancient Studies 15 CP |
Subject module Evaluating Primary Sources from a Cultural-Historical Perspective 10 CP |
Module 5 CP |
|
3rd 30 CP |
|
Subject module Proficiency in the Study of Primary Sources |
Module 20 CP |
|
4th 30 CP |
Module |
Master Thesis |
|
|
120 CP |
|
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Profile: Egyptology
|
Semester |
Introductory Area 35 credit points |
Specialization 30 credit points |
Complementary Area 30 credit points |
|
1st 30 CP |
Module Data Literacy in Ancient Studies 15 CP |
Subject module Approaches to the Study of Ancient Egypt 5 CP
Subject module Egyptian Philology and Linguistics: Hieratic 5 CP |
Module 5 CP |
|
2nd 30 CP |
Module Methods of and in Digital Ancient Studies 15 CP |
Subject module Traditions of Texts and Knowledge 10 CP |
Module 5 CP |
|
3rd 30 CP |
|
Subject module History and Cultural History of Ancient Egypt |
Module 20 CP |
|
4th 30 CP |
Module |
Master Thesis |
|
|
120 CP |
|
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