Islamic Art and Archaeology

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Local:$ 14.8 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 28.2 k / Year(s) Deadline: Jan 20, 2025
1 place StudyQA ranking:2493 Duration:2 years

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The MPhil is a two-year course combining comprehensive training in the history of Islamic art, architecture and archaeology, research, and language instruction. The course is designed for students with little or no background in Islamic art and archaeology who wish also to learn Arabic or Persian or Ottoman Turkish. It is suitable either as a stand-alone course or as the first two years of doctoral research.

You will have a supervisor who will guide your progress through the course and who will agree with you a programme of work and a timetable for each term of the course, including: general skills and research specific training, formal teaching and instruction, attendance at lectures and seminars, and regular meetings (normally at least twice per term) with the supervisor for detailed discussion on your progress. You will be expected to attend tutorials, classes, lectures and seminars regularly, and your tutors and language instructors will give you regular assignments of written work. Tutors and language instructors report to your supervisor on your progress at the end of each term, and the supervisor will write a formal report upon your work and progress during the term. The structure of the examinations for the course is as follows:

At the end of the first year of the course, you must sit the Qualifying Examination, consisting of three elements. The first is a three-hour written examination, 'Introduction to Islamic Art and Archaeology', reflecting the tutorials, lectures and seminars offered during the year. The second element is a portfolio containing reports on practical work completed during the year. During the year, eight practical classes introduce the basic techniques of describing and analysing material culture across a range of different media, which may include any of the following: architecture, ceramics, epigraphy, manuscript painting, metalwork, numismatics, and textiles; classes on presentation of work in a lecture or seminar, and on developing a personal website are also offered. The third element is a language examination in Arabic or Persian or Ottoman Turkish, which will test progress in the elementary study of the relevant language made during the year.

At the end of the second year, the final examination is taken, which consists of five elements.

The first is an extended essay of between 5,000 and 6,000 words on a topic of Islamic art and archaeology or related fields (eg non-Islamic art, architecture and archaeology, Islamic studies, history, museology) to be selected by yourself in consultation with your supervisor.

The second and third elements are two three-hour written examinations, in Arabic or Persian or Ottoman Turkish, one on language or unprepared texts, the second on prepared texts.

The fourth element is a three-hour written examination, 'Approaches to Islamic Art and Archaeology', reflecting the seminars of theory, methods and techniques offered during the year. The fifth element is a dissertation of not more than 30,000 words.

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in any subject.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

  • Official transcript(s)
  • CV/résumé
  • Statement of purpose/personal statement: Up to three pages
  • Written work:Two essays of 2,000 words each
  • References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

est

Standard level scores

Higher level scores

IELTS Academic 
Institution code: 0713

7.0 Minimum 6.5 per component  7.5  Minimum 7.0 per component 

TOEFL iBT 
Institution code: 0490

100

Minimum component scores:

  • Listening: 22
  • Reading: 24
  • Speaking: 25
  • Writing: 24
110

Minimum component scores:

  • Listening: 22
  • Reading: 24
  • Speaking: 25
  • Writing: 24
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) 185

Minimum 176 per component

191 

Minimum 185 per component

Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) 185

Minimum 176 per component

191 

Minimum 185 per component

  • Global Education
  • Hill Foundation Scholarships
  • Ertegun Scholarship Programme
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