This programme enables graduates in Egyptology related disciplines to deepen their knowledge of Egyptian language and material culture. The MA provides intensive preparation for research and offers training in fields such as analytical and generic problem solving.
Introduction
The core component of the programme is the development of skills and practices necessary for scholarly research in the discipline. Our one-year curriculum puts emphasis on the integration of the taught modules (such as language, research practices, material culture, social history, landscape archaeology) with individual research projects (dissertation).
Depending on the module pathways selected, the emphasis of the course is on the archaeology or language of ancient Egypt, from the Predynastic to the Coptic period.
Our MA students are also encouraged to take full advantage of the range of classes offered in the department, and to sit on available modules dispensing breadth and depth of knowledge in the areas of study relevant to their research interest.
This course is designed for graduates in Egyptology related disciplines who want to deepen their knowledge of Egyptian language and material culture.
What you'll learn
Knowledge and critical understanding of the nature and development of Egyptian culture
Knowledge of subject-specific theories and their application
Critical engagement with debates in the field of Egyptology
The chance to improve proficiency in Egyptian language (module choice dependent)
Become familiar with a diverse range of primary sources and secondary literature relevant to the study of Ancient Egypt
Professional skills in the field of Egyptology
The ability to write and present a dissertation in the field of Egyptology at postgraduate level.
Course content
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
Semester one
Students in the MA Egyptology full-time programme take 30 credits of required modules and 30 credits of optional modules in Semester one.
The dissertation (60 credits) is researched over the duration of the course and is completed over the summer vacation period.
Students with a research interest involving archaeological method and practice or with interests that stretch beyond Pharaonic Egypt, either into contemporary cultures of the Near East or the Mediterranean or into the GraecoRoman period, may choose modules outside the specific discipline of Egyptology, available from the listings of other MA degrees in the Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology.
Compulsory modules
RESEARCH SKILLS FOR ACE M-LEVEL STUDENTS (ALGY601)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will provide students with a set of skills that is necessary for the development, structuring and presentation of their dissertation topic (which can be later applied to PhD research) alongside transferable skills (clarity of written expression, critical faculty, advanced level ability to structure and present arguments in a range of media, and project management) applicable to academic and non-academic work environments; The module also aims to develop your abilities to engage with current historiographical and theoretical debates appropriate to MA level in an informed, analytical and critical manner.
Optional modules
ADVANCED ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LANGUAGE AND SCRIPT 1 (ALGY721)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 1
This module comprises study of textual sources in the Ancient Egyptian language, written in the hieroglyphic and hieratic scripts, selected for their appropriateness for study for students with existing language background. The module presents a reading programme of suitable textual sources along with critical philological, linguistic and epigraphic/palaeographical discussion thereof for enhancement of existing knowledge of relevant phases of the Ancient Egyptian language and of reading inscriptions in the original hieroglyphic script, as well as developing a progressional competence in reading literary and documentary sources in original hieratic script. Whilst students on this module will have a good existing competence in Ancient Egyptian language and hieroglyphic script from their undergraduate studies, the module introduces the hieratic script for the first time in a systematic manner. Hieratic is the principal script used for Ancient Egyptian document writing from the Old Kingdom until the Late Period. Such documents are usually published with hieroglyphic transcriptions provided by the editor(s) (and studied through such transcriptions at undergraduate level). However, at research level, an ability to engage with the original hieratic is an important research skill in assessing and using primary resources directly and/or to comment critically on earlier editions of such sources.
EGYPTIAN WRITING I (ALGY707)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module is designed to promote the acquisition of skills in the understanding and interpretation of ancient Egyptian texts, with a view to their use as primary data in research projects. Particular emphasis is put on palaeography – using original ancient Egyptian writings, in their original hieratic format – as sources for the study of ancient Egypt and on developing an appreciation of these texts in their social, historical and cultural context.
EGYPTIAN FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS I (ALGY717)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
Introductory course in reading Middle Egyptian (hieroglyphs) for MA students. Assumes no prior knowledge of the Egyptian language. The syllabus consists of working through the standard grammatical patterns, and the acquisition of a sign-list and vocabulary, following the chapters of the recommended text-books and teaching notes provided. The syllabus is divided into weekly units, which consist of introduction to a topic, student reading and exercises and tutorial feedback on the exercises. The majority of language classes as well as tutorials and museum visits are taken together with the undergraduate introductory Egyptian cohort. The three extra tutorials are specific to the MA cohort, and focus on research-related language skills (e.g. lexicographical research, referencing, and citation, plus presentation of language work).
ISSUES IN EGYPTIAN SETTLEMENT ARCHAEOLOGY (ALGY676)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module is designed to promote key skills in the collection, analysis and interpretation of primary material (archaeological and textual) relevant to a reconstruction of the nature and organisation of settlement in ancient Egypt;
It will use detailed case-studies to encourage students to develop their ability to formulate and present independent argument using this archaeological and textual material as data;
It will further encourage the presentation of such argument and analysis in a coherent format as might be appropriate for publication.
RESEARCH THEMES IN THE NEOLITHIC OF THE NEAR EAST (ALGY656)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will examine the conceptual frameworks and research methods used in investigating the development of the world’s first agricultural, pastoralist and sedentary communities, all changes fundamental to the development of complex and modern society. We will explore the behaviours of these ‘Neolithic’ communities across the Near East and Europe in a thematic fashion, possible themes selected by students might include ritual and symbolism, mortuary practice, the development of the household, the development of religion, human-animal relationships, landscapes and landscape management, identities, the first monuments and institutions.
EXPERIMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY: MATERIALS, THEORIES AND PRACTICES (ALGY740)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This strongly practical module provides an introduction to field of experimental archaeology with a focus on ancient materials and technologies. From the first use of fire to the glass furnaces of Medieval Europe, we will consider how our understanding of cultural material is shaped and extended by practical experience of materials, skills and processes. We will examine the history, the potential, and the pitfalls of experimental studies in archaeology and learn to identify archaeological questions and to design and carry out practical experiments to address them in the laboratory and in the field. The module provides a baseline for students interested in ancient materials and artefacts, or their production and use.
These skills can further developed in ALGY737 and/or through focussed dissertation research. The module is a good complementary module for students interested in lithic technologies studying ALGY763.
Any optional modules listed above are illustrative only and may vary from year to year. Modules may be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved and staff availability. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
Semester two
Students in the MA Egyptology full-time programme take 30 credits of required modules and 30 credits of optional modules in Semester two.
Students with a research interest involving archaeological method and practice or with interests that stretch beyond Pharaonic Egypt, either into contemporary cultures of the Near East or the Mediterranean or into the GraecoRoman period, may choose modules outside the specific discipline of Egyptology, available from the listings of other MA degrees in the Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology.
Compulsory modules
RESEARCH DESIGN IN EGYPTOLOGY (ALGY784)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 2
This module aims to promote key skills in the design of practical aspects in museum practices in Egyptology; It will encourage students to develop their ability to (a) prepare and carry through specific practical projects related to the study of Egyptian artefacts (including text) and (b) create themed museum displays of ancient Egyptian material;
Through this module, students will not only develop career skills in the above areas of Egyptology but also learn to apply the basic principles of research design to their coursework and dissertation;
The primary sources will comprise both archaeological and textual data, thus extending students’ ability to combine these two types of evidence in assessing and analysing the interconnection between artefacts and society in Egypt during the pharaonic period;
Detailed knowledge of the main Egyptological collections (local and international) and their history, combined with seminar discussions relating to questions of provenance, function, context, and display, will provide a subject-based platform for the consideration of the process of research design in Egyptology.
Optional modules
ADVANCED ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LANGUAGE AND SCRIPT 2 (ALGY722)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 2
Study of textual sources in the Ancient Egyptian language and written in the original scripts selected for their appropriateness for study for students with advanced language background.
EGYPTIAN WRITING II (ALGY708)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 2
MA module designed for students who have previously taken a module in basic Middle Egyptian and who wish to develop their language reading and research analytical skills at masters level.
EGYPTIAN FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS II (ALGY718)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 2
The module provides a second semester of continuing core language acquisition for beginning students of hieroglyphs, extending knowledge of vocabulary and range of constructions, towards reading a text in standard Middle Egyptian and studying ancient Egyptian script.
SOCIAL LIFE IN EGYPT (ALGY677)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 2
The module examines the socio-economic behaviour of the Egyptians, through the evidence of texts (literary and documentary) and the archaeological record (tombs, town sites, art and objects). Egyptian documents providing socioeconomic and legal data, and literary discussions of morality and of proper behaviour are compared to the
documentary and archaeological data relevant to a description of social life in Egypt. Social organisation is examined, at the personal family level and in the political context, and related to economic behaviour and economic organisation. The integration between social custom and law provides a focus for developing an independent appreciation of the social realities of an ancient society. Students are expected to use the acquired knowledge base, and theoretical frameworks for the study of ancient society, as a context for collection, processing and evaluation of specific primary data for research writing.
ECONOMIES AND EXCHANGE IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST (ALGY688)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 2
This module introduces the students to key issues, methods and evidence essential to conducting archaeological and historical research on production and trade in the Ancient Near East, from the Fifth to the First Millennium BC, with a focus on the earliest history of Mesopotamia.
ARTEFACTS AND ANALYSIS (ALGY737)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 2
An introduction to the scientific examination of archaeological artefacts, this course provides students with a critical understanding of scientific research in the field of archaeological materials. It provides opportunities for the discussion of relevant theoretical and ethical issues in the study of artefacts and enables you to develop practical skill and experience in artefact analysis and reporting.
Any optional modules listed above are illustrative only and may vary from year to year. Modules may be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved and staff availability. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
Final project
The dissertation (60 credits) is researched over the duration of the course and is completed over the summer vacation period.
Compulsory modules
ACE MA AND MSC DISSERTATION (ALGY600)
Credits: 60 /
Semester: summer
ALGY600 provides the framework for MA students, in the Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, to undertake independent guided research on a scholarly topic of relevance in the discipline of their choice. This substantial piece of work is developed and written up over the course of the M-level study in conjunction with the ‘taught’ component of the programme.
Any optional modules listed above are illustrative only and may vary from year to year. Modules may be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved and staff availability. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
How you'll learn
Teaching takes place on campus, augmented with online support materials. Classes comprise a mixture of staff-led presentations, student-led seminars, language / text-reading classes, and one-on-one dissertation supervision. Formative group work is a built-in part of the design of some modules.
Class sizes vary by module: language classes may have five students, culture classes a dozen, while the departmental masters skills module may have over two dozen.
Students are expected to undertake 600 hours of work total per semester (including contact time, library research, private study and writing assignments). Contact hours per semester vary depending on module combination, but students availing themselves of the opportunity to access classes might easily take 8 or more sessions per week of teaching.
How you're assessed
Students are assessed through coursework in a variety of formats: for those who choose to take language, this would comprise translation exercises for beginners, with palaeographical exercises and tailored individual language projects for intermediate and advanced language students.
Culture modules’ assessments usually focus on examining prominent research themes and debates within Egyptology.
The dissertation is studied over the course of the whole MA, supervised by an Egyptological staff member, and it is submitted in the September following the start of the course (i.e. 12 months later).
Liverpool Hallmarks
We have a distinctive approach to education, the Liverpool Curriculum Framework, which focuses on research-connected teaching, active learning, and authentic assessment to ensure our students graduate as digitally fluent and confident global citizens.
Your experience
The Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology is part of the School of Histories, Languages and Cultures. Teaching takes place across campus, including in specialist facilities in the Central Teaching Hub and Garstang Museum of Archaeology.
Support for students with differing needs from the Disability advice and guidance team. They can identify and recommend appropriate support provisions for you.
Why Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology at University of Liverpool?
Fantastic on-campus facilities such as the Garstang Museum with its outstanding archaeological collections and GIS suite for archaeological drawing
Our extensive laboratories used for conservation, lithics, geomagnetism, stable isotope, trace elements, finds processing and sample preparation
An enviable library which has been built up since the Ancient World and Archaeology has been studied at Liverpool since the 1880s
Opportunities to learn ancient languages such as Greek, Latin, Akkadian, Sumerian, Egyptian and Coptic
Archaeological projects based internationally, in Egypt, Greece, Bulgaria, Jordan, Turkey, Italy, Zambia, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa, as well as in the British Isles
What students say...
The university has excellent resources for the study of Egyptology. There is a very good collection of books at the library, and there you can find some ancient and rare books as well as the most recent publications. In fact, it is quite clear the effort to offer the students a significant range of both physical and digital access options, which certainty facilitates our studies and our work.
Graduates of Liverpool MA Egyptology have a proven track record of moving on to employment in Egyptology and related areas, including both at university and in the museums sector, as well as in heritage more widely. Current UK Egyptology museum curators and lecturers at Manchester, Edinburgh and London are graduates of our department, as is the head of archaeology at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Career support from day one to graduation and beyond
In addition to careers in Egyptology, graduates from our MA have gone on to pursue a wide variety of humanities careers in:
Heritage and archives management
Travel and tourism
Teaching
Civil service
Finance
Marketing
University administration.
Fees and funding
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Tuition fees
UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)
Full-time place, per year
£11,700
Part-time place, per year
£5,850
International fees
Full-time place, per year
£24,100
Part-time place, per year
£12,050
Fees stated are for the 2025-26 academic year.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support.
If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan worth up to £12,167 to help with course fees and living costs. Learn more about fees and funding.
Additional costs
We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.
We accept a 2:2 honours degree from a UK university, or an equivalent academic qualification from a similar non-UK institution. This degree should be in an Egyptology related discipline.
International qualifications
If you hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, but don’t meet our entry requirements, you could be eligible for a Pre-Master’s course. This is offered on campus at the University of Liverpool International College, in partnership with Kaplan International Pathways. It’s a specialist preparation course for postgraduate study, and when you pass the Pre-Master’s at the required level with good attendance, you’re guaranteed entry to a University of Liverpool master’s degree.
International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.
English language qualification
Requirements
IELTS
6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0
TOEFL iBT
88 overall, with minimum scores of listening 19, writing 19, reading 19 and speaking 20. TOEFL Home Edition not accepted.
Duolingo English Test
120 overall, with no component below 105
Pearson PTE Academic
61 overall, with no component below 59
LanguageCert Academic
70 overall, with no skill below 65
PSI Skills for English
B2 Pass with Merit in all bands
INDIA Standard XII
National Curriculum (CBSE/ISC) - 75% and above in English. Accepted State Boards - 80% and above in English.
WAEC
C6 or above
PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH
Do you need to complete a Pre-Sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?
The length of Pre-Sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.
Liverpool bursts with diversity and creativity which makes it ideal for you to undertake your postgraduate studies and access various opportunities for you and your family.
To fully immerse yourself in the university experience living in halls will keep you close to campus where you can always meet new people. Find your home away from home.
Discover what expenses are covered by the cost of your tuition fees and other finance-related information you may need regarding your studies at Liverpool.
Contact us
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