Introduction
The Bachelor’s degree in Ancient Languages and Literatures: Oriental Studies trains students to become specialists in one or more of the following fields : ancient Near East, Pharaonic Egypt, Byzantium, the Christian East, Islam, the Arab world, India, the Far East.
Working on original textual sources, written in various different oriental languages, you will be required to develop progressively the ability to study these tests with rigour and precision to explain the context and discover the meaning.
This specialist training will enable you to develop general skills in precise, objective and critical analysis of information.
Your profile
To join this course, it is not necessary to have made a clear choice of career. A strong interest in languages, literature and history, as well as a passion for ancient and oriental civilisation is an excellent reason to do this training.
- Do you wish to open your mind to cultures which are different from our own, while discovering what today’s society owes to ancient oriental civilisation?
- Do you enjoy discovering alphabets which are different from ours and studying the many different facets of human thinking by using textual sources in their original language?
- Do you like thorough analysis and wish to develop your critical skills?
- Do you enjoy documentary research and working in a library?
If so, you have what it takes to study Languages and Literatures: Oriental Studies.
Your future job
Some of our graduates work in the field of research, producing editions of classical texts or detailed studies on different aspects of ancient civilisations, while others go into teaching of ancient languages in secondary schools antiques, for which they will have done a Master’s agree or teacher training after this degree. Others find posts in the private and public sectors particularly because of the versatility their training in philosophy, arts and letters. The intellectual rigour and open-mindedness which they acquire during the training enables them to make their mark rapidly in their work environment, even if they do not necessarily already have the all the specific technical skills.
Your programme
The Bachelor’s degree in Ancient Languages and Literatures: Oriental Studies provides :
- general training in philosophy, arts and letters ;
- specific training in a field of Oriental studies chosen from :
– Pharaonic Egypt and the ancient Near East;
– the Byzantine world and the Christian East;
– the Arab world and Islam ;
– India and the Far East.
The specific training includes the following aspects:
- two courses in Oriental languages (selected in relation to an individual project in agreement with the Secretary of the Bachelor’s degree examination board); Greek; hieroglyphic Egyptian; languages with a cuneiform alphabet (Akkadian and Hittite), biblical Hebrew; Aramaic languages (Aramaic and Syrian); Caucasian languages (Armenian and Georgian); Arabic; Sanskrit; Chinese. These courses include learning the relevant alphabets, basic grammar and the translation of moderately difficult literary texts) ;
- courses on history and civilisation relating to the selected languages ;
- courses chosen from the fields of philosophy, oriental religions, art and archaeology, with the possibility of taking a course in a third oriental language (ancient or modern) ;
- activities designed to develop skills in documentary research, critical analysis of sources and communication.
By the end of the Bachelor’s degree, you may continue your studies by taking either the 120 credit Master’s degree or the 60 credit Master’s degree in Ancient Languages and Literatures: Oriental Studies. By taking certain minor subjects, you may also gain access to other second cycle course, such as the 120 credit or 60 credit Master’s degree in Ancient Languages and Literatures: Classics.