(1/15/97 revised 1/23/04)
Robert K. Ritner

The field of Egyptology covers languages and texts, political, social,  economic and medical history, religion, archaeology, art and artifacts, from the Pre-Dynastic origins of Egyptian civilization (ca. 3400 BC) through the latest manifestations of the native culture predominant in Coptic Christianity (7th Century, with survivals to present) - a focal span of roughly 4 millennia. 

At Chicago, Egyptology is at the heart of the Department of NELC, with our founder J. H. Breasted.  The University of Chicago is the first home of the discipline in the Western hemisphere, and while there are now 10 universities in the US and Canada offering some manner of undergraduate or graduate programs in Egyptology (Yale, Brown, Penn, NYU, Univ. of California at Berkeley and Los Angeles, Toronto, Emory, Memphis, and Michigan), The University of Chicago continues to dominate this speciality to the extent that virtually every professional Egyptologist in the Americas is either a graduate of Chicago, or the student of a Chicago graduate.  The few exceptions are European scholars trained in England or Germany, but increasingly even European and Japanese Egyptologists are likely to have a Chicago connection. Publications and research tools provided by The University of Chicago continue to be fundamental for field research in every Egyptology program worldwide; examples include the completed Coffin Texts project, the ongoing Epigraphic Survey and Demotic Dictionary, and our innovative computer projects (Egyptian texts and language classes on line; an on line seminar regarding "Women in Ancient Egypt”; virtual museums for artifacts; the Directory of North American Egyptologists).

Instruction in Egyptology at The University of Chicago concentrates upon a thorough grounding in the skills necessary for understanding and interpreting the original data of this 4,000 year civilization: five languages phases -as discrete from one another as Old and Modern English (comprising Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian, Late Egyptian, Demotic, and Coptic - with assorted dialects).  Aside from linguistic and paleographical concerns, the student also examines a wide range of political, social, religious, economic, legal and medical documents from each of these phases.  To these courses are added general historical surveys, and seminars on problems and methodology in Egyptian historiography.  A critical component of this instruction has been the study of archaeology, art and architecture, giving a meaningful context to the theoretical discussions of texts and artifacts.  Our art and archaeological component is offered by Stephen Harvey, who heads an ongoing excavation at the site of Abydos. Students who wish to concentrate specifically in Egyptian art and archaeology (as opposed to language) should note this in applications and review the guidelines for the Near Eastern Art and Archaeology program.

Egyptology at The University of Chicago has always engaged both undergraduates and graduate students, majors, interested amateurs and returning scholars.  For undergraduates, both a major and minor concentration are possible in Egyptology through the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.  All language instruction and history surveys are open to undergraduates.   In rotation with other NELC selections, Egyptology regularly contributes to undergraduate Civ. sequences, offering “Women in Ancient Egypt” by Jan Johnson, “Amarna” by Peter Dorman, and “Egyptian Religion and Magic” by myself.  

Our current teaching faculty includes Jan Johnson, senior editor of the Chicago Demotic Dictionary and specialist in Egyptian linguistics, with further concentration in matters of gender studies as well as social and political history during the Persian and Ptolemaic Periods.  Peter Dorman, former Director of Chicago House, focuses upon the languages and political history of the Old and New Kingdom in addition to funerary practices and Theban studies.  Stephen Harvey, Director of the Oriental Institute Abydos Project, researches the  archaeology, iconography and architecture of the New Kingdom with an emphasis on the Hyksos and early Eighteenth Dynasty.  My own research extends beyond a concentration in Late Period languages (Late Egyptian, Demotic and Coptic) and history to diachronic studies of religious ritual, medicine, and most recently, native adaptation to multi-cultural influences during periods of foreign domination.  A sample of issues examined by our faculty provides a window into the extraordinary interest and variety offered by Egyptology:  the first condominium leases, prenuptial community property contracts entailing alimony, the first use of the pulse as a diagnostic criterion, the first ophthalmological exam with eyechart, the impact of dynastic squabbles upon construction projects, and mythological influences upon Israel, Syria and Greece. 

Ph.D. Program in Egyptology
Course Requirements

(This is also available as a Word Document or a PDF)

Preparation: It is advisable to acquire a reading knowledge of French and German before beginning the study of Egyptian.

Course Requirements: Students qualifying for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. in Egyptology should have taken the following courses or done equivalent work by the time they take the four-year examination. Some of the work can, of course, be taken as an undergraduate.

Course number and
Quarter Completed

____________________ Introduction to Middle Egyptian-1
____________________ Introduction to Middle Etyptian-2
____________________ Middle Egyptian Texts-1
____________________ Middle Egyptian Texts-2
____________________ Introduction to Hieratic
____________________ Introduction to Old Egyptian
____________________ Introduction to Coptic
____________________ Coptic Texts
____________________ Introduction to Late Egyptian
____________________ Late Egyptian Texts
____________________ Introduction to Demotic
____________________ Demotic Texts
____________________ 400-level course in Egyptian ______________________
____________________ 400-level course in Egyptian ______________________
____________________ 400-level course in Egyptian ______________________
____________________ 400-level course in Egyptian ______________________
____________________ 400-level course in Egyptian ______________________
____________________ 400-level course in Egyptian ______________________
____________________ Egyptian History
____________________ Egyptian History
____________________ Egyptian History
Note: History requirement includes history seminar offered at least once in two years where appropriate
____________________ Art or Archaeology of Egypt
____________________ Art or Archaeology of Egypt
____________________ Art or Archaeology of Egypt
____________________ History or Archaeology of Western Asia or Aegean
____________________ History or Archaeology of Western Asia or Aegean
____________________ History or Archaeology of Western Asia or Aegean
____________________ Second Language _______________________
____________________ Second Language _______________________
____________________ Second Language _______________________
____________________ Second Language _______________________
____________________ Second Language _______________________
____________________ Second Language _______________________
Note: Usually Akkadian, Hittite, Hebrew, Arabic or Greek
____________________ Additional Work in Ancient _____________________________
____________________ Near Eastern History, ____________________________
____________________ Art and Archaeology, ____________________________
____________________ Religion, or Linguistics __________________________

Note: A full load of three courses a quarter should leave the student time to pursue other subjects by auditing courses or studying on his/her own. It is expected that students will be reading extensively in addition to assigned course work, since no program of courses can possibly cover all the materials a student should know.

For the purpose of specialization within Egyptology, the following historical periods are designated together with their corresponding stage of the Egyptian language:

Comprehensive examinations

The comprehensive exams in Egyptology will consist of the following:

1. Language of the Period of Interest (full)
2. Civilization of the Period of Interest (half)
3. One exam in each of the other four stages of Egyptian language that fall outside of the Period of Interest (four half exams)
4. Hieratic (half; may be combined with Middle or Late Egyptian)
5. Egyptian History of all periods (full)

Minimum Course Requirements:

The following course sequences have the specified minimum requirements:

Second Language: B (3.0) average overall in three courses at the second-year level of the language; or, if prior competency is claimed at admission to the program, a B (3.0) average overall in two courses at the third-year level

Ancient Near Eastern History: B (3.0) average overall in the one-year sequence

Art and Archaeology of Egypt: B (3.0) average overall in three courses