Taught courses

You will take several courses across two semesters of teaching, including a compulsory course and a range of optional courses.

The programme can be undertaken either full-time (12 months) or part-time (24 months). Students undertake coursework amounting to 120 credit points and a dissertation of 15,000 words, amounting to 60 credit points, for a total of 180 credits.

The programme comprises a range of seminars, language classes and tutorials, which will include seminar discussion and debate, presentation to peers, directed and independent reading, as well as interactive language teaching.

Core course

The core course, Approaches to the Long Late Antiquity, will provide specialist methodological, theoretical, and cross-disciplinary training taught across the first and second semesters.

Course nameCredits
Approaches to the Long Late Antiquity20

Language and specialist course options

Students should also undertake one skills option each semester and one specialist option each semester plus one other specialist option taken in either the first or second semester, depending on availability. Each course accounts for 20 credits.

Except in language courses, where assessment is more complex and diverse, students can expect a range of assessments including long-essays, presentations, reviews and other related assignments.

 

Courses 2024/25

Two courses (40 credits) 

* * Please note that the list of courses below is provisional and subject to change.  

Course nameCredits
Elementary Greek (PG) 1 and  Elementary Greek (PG) 220 credits each
Intermediate Greek (PG) 1 and Intermediate Greek (PG) 220 credits each
Elementary Latin (PG) 1 and Elementary Latin (PG) 220 credits each
Intermediate Latin (PG) 1 and Intermediate Latin (PG) 220 credits each
Arabic 1a for PG Credit and  Arabic 1b for PG Credit20 credits each
Arabic 2a for PG Credit and Arabic 2b for PG Credit20 credits each
Persian 1A for PG Credit and Persian 1B for PG Credit20 credits each
Persian 2A for PG Credit and Persian 2B for PG Credit20 credits each
Turkish 1A for PG Credit and Turkish 1B for PG Credit20 credits each
Turkish 2A for PG Credit and Turkish 2B for PG Credit20 credits each

Additionally, courses in Biblical Hebrew can be arranged in cooperation with the School of Divinity.

 

Three courses (60 credits) must be taken from a list of specialist option courses, subject to availability. 
Course nameCredits
Art and Cultural Exchange in Mughal India 1500-190020
A Topic in Late Antique and Byzantine History 120
A Topic in Late Antique and Byzantine History 220
Constantinople: The History of a Medieval Megalopolis from Constantine the Great to Suleyman the Magnificent20
Creeds, Councils and Controversies: Patristic and Medieval20
Introducing Classical Syriac (PG)20
Islamic Philosophy20
Mariners, Monks and Mobility: the archaeology of the early medieval Atlantic Archipelago20
Martyrdom, Monasticism and Mysticism: Women Writers of the Early and Medieval Church20
Science, Sorcery and Wonder in Islam (PG)20
The History and Culture of Iran20

Select exactly 40 credits of the following language courses

  • Arabic 1a for PG Credit
  • Arabic 1b for PG Credit
  • Elementary Greek (PG) 1
  • Elementary Greek (PG) 2
  • Elementary Latin (PG) 1
  • Elementary Latin (PG) 2
  • Intermediate Greek (PG) 1
  • Intermediate Greek (PG) 2
  • Intermediate Latin (PG) 1
  • Intermediate Latin (PG) 2
  • Introducing Classical Syriac (PG)

Select between 40 and 60 credits of the following Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies courses

  • A Topic in Late Antique and Byzantine History 1
  • A Topic in Late Antique and Byzantine History 2
  • Archaeology of Late Antique Religion
  • Around 900: The Early Islamic West in a Global Context
  • Art and Cultural Exchange in Mughal India 1500-1900
  • Creeds, Councils and Controversies: Patristic and Medieval
  • Debating Marriage between Antiquity and the Middle Ages
  • Introducing Classical Syriac (PG)
  • Islamic Philosophy
  • Mariners, Monks and Mobility: the archaeology of the early medieval Atlantic Archipelago
  • Martyrdom, Monasticism and Mysticism: Women Writers of the Early and Medieval Church
  • Science, Sorcery and Wonder in Islam (PG)
  • The History and Culture of Iran
  • The Latin Manuscript: Palaeography, Codicology, Textual Criticism
  • The Qur'an - Islam's Holy Book (PG version)

Select between 0 and 20 credits of the following online courses

  • The Crusades and the Euro-Mediterranean world of the Central Middle Ages (online)

Select exactly 40 credits of the following language courses

  • Arabic 1a for PG Credit
  • Arabic 1b for PG Credit
  • Elementary Greek (PG) 1
  • Elementary Greek (PG) 2
  • Elementary Latin (PG) 1
  • Elementary Latin (PG) 2
  • Intermediate Greek (PG) 1
  • Intermediate Greek (PG) 2
  • Intermediate Latin (PG) 1
  • Intermediate Latin (PG) 2

 

Select between 40 and 60 credits of the following Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies courses

 

  • A Topic in Late Antique and Byzantine History 1
  • A Topic in Late Antique and Byzantine History 2
  • African Christianity to 1500 (PG)
  • Creeds, Councils and Controversies: Patristic and Medieval
  • Debating Marriage between Antiquity and the Middle Ages
  • Islamic Philosophy
  • Islamic Philosophy (Online)
  • Judaea under Roman Rule
  • Mariners, Monks and Mobility: the archaeology of the early medieval Atlantic Archipelago
  • Martyrdom, Monasticism and Mysticism: Women Writers of the Early and Medieval Church
  • Of Wine, Love and Loss: Reading Iran through Classical Persian Literature (PG Version)
  • The History and Culture of Iran

 


Teaching and assessment

You will take a variety of seminar-style courses in small groups.

Most courses are assessed by means of an extended piece of written work, while some courses may also assess non-written skills. 

Further information

You can see more details about the 2024/25 programme structure on the Degree Programme Table for the MSc in Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies. We expect the 2025/26 programme structure to be available from May 2025.

 

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