Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations
Program Learning Outcomes for the BA Degree with a Major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations
Upon completing the BA degree with a major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations, students will be able to:
- Explain the historical trajectory of at least two of these Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations: Graeco-Roman, Islamic, Jewish, Christian.
- Identify and explain how cultural, political, intellectual, religious, and other aspects of Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations have affected aspects of contemporary societies.
- Create convincing arguments about one or more aspects of Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations through the evaluation and critical analysis of textual and material evidence.
Requirements for the BA Degree with a Major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations
For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations must complete:
- A minimum of 10 courses (30-31 credit hours, depending on course selection) to satisfy major requirements.
- A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 5 courses (15 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
- A maximum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional program guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
Although not required, courses in ancient languages are recommended.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor, or where applicable, the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations | 30-31 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the BA Degree with a Major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations | 120 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select 3 courses from 3 of the 5 following categories (see course lists below) | 9 | |
Graeco-Roman Civilization | ||
Islamic Civilization | ||
Jewish Civilization | ||
Christian Civilization | ||
Archaeological Methods and Theory | ||
| Themes Across Time 1 | ||
| Select 1 course from the Themes Across Time category (see course list below) | 3 | |
| Comparative Studies 2 | ||
| Select 1 course from the Comparative Studies category (see course list below) | 3-4 | |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 5 elective courses from any of the course lists below | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations | 30-31 | |
| Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements * | 58-59 | |
| University Graduation Requirements * | 31 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| * | Note: University Graduation Requirements include 31 credit hours, comprised of Distribution Requirements (Groups I, II, and III), FWIS, and LPAP coursework. In some instances, courses satisfying FWIS or distribution requirements may additionally meet other requirements, such as the Analyzing Diversity (AD) requirement, or some of the student’s declared major, minor, or certificate requirements. Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements include general electives, coursework completed as upper-level, residency (hours taken at Rice), and/or any other additional academic program requirements. |
| 1 | Courses in this requirement address the creation, transmission, and reception of traditions in the Mediterranean world. |
| 2 | Courses in this requirement address two different cultural traditions or reflect similar themes but from different cultures (e.g. Women in Greece and Rome). |
Course Lists to Satisfy Requirements
Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 3 courses from 3 of the following 5 categories: | ||
| Graeco-Roman Civilization | ||
| ANTH 325 / SWGS 332 | SEX, SELF, AND SOCIETY IN ANCIENT GREECE | 3 |
| CLAS 107 / HUMA 107 | GREEK CIVILIZATION AND ITS LEGACY | 3 |
| CLAS 108 / HUMA 111 | ROMAN CIVILIZATION AND ITS LEGACY | 3 |
| CLAS 124 | CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE | 3 |
| CLAS 210 | HOMER AND VIRGIL AND THEIR RECEPTION | 3 |
| CLAS 225 | AUGUSTUS AND THE 'GOLDEN AGE' OF ROME | 3 |
| CLAS 235 | CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY: INTERPRETATION, ORIGINS, AND INFLUENCE | 3 |
| CLAS 303 | SOCRATES | 3 |
| CLAS 316 / PLST 316 | DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL THEORY IN ANCIENT GREECE | 3 |
| CLAS 336 / LING 336 | INTRO TO INDO-EUROPEAN | 3 |
| GREE 101 | ELEMENTARY GREEK I | 3 |
| GREE 102 | ELEMENTARY GREEK II | 3 |
| GREE 201 | INTERMEDIATE GREEK I: PROSE | 3 |
| GREE 202 | INTERMEDIATE GREEK: EURIPIDES MEDEA/BIBLICAL KOINE | 3 |
| HART 201 | ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 216 / CLAS 218 | CITIES, SANCTUARIES, CIVILIZATIONS: INTRODUCTION TO GREEK ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY | 3 |
| HART 360 | FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE: INVENTING ROMAN ART | 3 |
| HIST 200 | ANCIENT EMPIRES: ORIGINS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATIONS | 3 |
| HIST 307 | IMPERIAL ROME FROM CAESAR TO DIOCLETIAN | 3 |
| HIST 308 / MDEM 308 | THE WORLD OF LATE ANTIQUITY | 3 |
| HIST 357 / MDEM 357 | JEWS AND CHRISTIANS IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE | 3 |
| LATI 101 / MDEM 101 | ELEMENTARY LATIN I | 3 |
| LATI 102 / MDEM 102 | ELEMENTARY LATIN II | 3 |
| LATI 201 / MDEM 211 | INTERMEDIATE LATIN I: PROSE | 3 |
| LATI 202 / MDEM 212 | INTERMEDIATE LATIN II | 3 |
| LATI 303 | ADVANCED LATIN: PLAUTUS AND TERENCE | 3 |
| LATI 313 | CICERO AND CATULLUS: LITERATURE AND SOCIETY IN THE ROMAN REPUBLIC | 3 |
| Islamic Civilization | ||
| ASIA 221 / RELI 221 | THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD | 3 |
| RELI 223 | QUR'AN AND COMMENTARY | 3 |
| RELI 442 | CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY ARABIC TEXTS | 3 |
| Jewish Civilization | ||
| HIST 381 / RELI 385 | GOD, TIME AND HISTORY | 3 |
| JWST 201 | GREAT BOOKS OF JEWISH HISTORY AND CULTURE | 3 |
| RELI 104 / MDEM 103 | INTRODUCTION TO JEWISH MYSTICISM | 3 |
| RELI 108 | INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM | 3 |
| RELI 120 | BIBLICAL ETHICS | 3 |
| RELI 122 | THE BIBLE AND ITS INTERPRETERS | 3 |
| RELI 125 / HEBR 125 | INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL HEBREW I | 3 |
| RELI 126 / HEBR 126 | INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL HEBREW II | 3 |
| RELI 127 | INTERMEDIATE BIBLICAL HEBREW III | 3 |
| RELI 203 / HIST 201 | JUDAISM OF JESUS AND HILLEL | 3 |
| RELI 382 | LOST JUDAISMS: THE APOCRYPHAL WRITINGS | 3 |
| RELI 383 | THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS | 3 |
| Christian Civilization | ||
| RELI 112 | COMPARING CHRISTIANITIES: INTRODUCTION TO EARLY CHRISTIANITY | 3 |
| RELI 120 | BIBLICAL ETHICS | 3 |
| RELI 122 | THE BIBLE AND ITS INTERPRETERS | 3 |
| RELI 125 / HEBR 125 | INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL HEBREW I | 3 |
| RELI 126 / HEBR 126 | INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL HEBREW II | 3 |
| RELI 127 | INTERMEDIATE BIBLICAL HEBREW III | 3 |
| RELI 243 | THE BOOK OF GENESIS | 3 |
| RELI 271 / MDEM 271 | MEDIEVAL POPULAR CHRISTIANITY | 3 |
| RELI 282 | INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIANITY | 3 |
| RELI 304 | JESUS AND THE GOSPELS | 3 |
| RELI 307 | BASIC COPTIC 1 | 3 |
| RELI 308 | BASIC COPTIC 2 | 3 |
| RELI 309 | BASIC COPTIC 3 | 1-3 |
| RELI 365 | PAUL AND THE NEW TESTAMENT | 3 |
| RELI 381 | THE MESSIAH | 3 |
| RELI 383 | THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS | 3 |
| RELI 416 | NEW TESTAMENT / CHRISTIAN ORIGINS | 3 |
| RELI 449 | SECOND CENTURY CHRISTIANITIES | 3 |
| Archaeological Methods and Theory | ||
| ANTH 203 | INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY | 3 |
| ANTH 205 | INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY | 3 |
| ANTH 303 | INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE | 3 |
| ANTH 312 / MDEM 311 | THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF AFRICA | 3 |
| ANTH 315 | ZOOARCHAEOLOGY | 4 |
| ANTH 345 | THE POLITICS OF THE PAST: ARCHAEOLOGY IN SOCIAL CONTEXT | 3 |
| ANTH 346 | QUEER ARCHAEOLOGY | 3 |
| ANTH 352 | PEOPLE AND ANIMALS IN THE PAST | 3 |
| ANTH 355 | SPACE, PLACE, AND LANDSCAPE | 3 |
| ANTH 362 | ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD TECHNIQUES | 3 |
| ANTH 363 | THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF CITIES AND STATES | 3 |
| ANTH 392 | KINGS, QUEENS, AND COMMONERS: THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF ANCIENT MESOAMERICA | 3 |
| ANTH 394 | THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF SLAVERY AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA | 3 |
| ANTH 425 | ADVANCED TOPICS IN ARCHAEOLOGY | 3 |
| ANTH 460 | ADVANCED ARCHAEOLOGICAL THEORY | 3 |
Themes Across Time
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 1 course from the following: | ||
| ANTH 363 | THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF CITIES AND STATES | 3 |
| CLAS 124 | CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE | 3 |
| CLAS 210 | HOMER AND VIRGIL AND THEIR RECEPTION | 3 |
| HART 101 / CLAS 102 / MDEM 111 | INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART I: ANTIQUITY TO GOTHIC | 3 |
| HIST 200 | ANCIENT EMPIRES: ORIGINS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATIONS | 3 |
| HIST 308 / MDEM 308 | THE WORLD OF LATE ANTIQUITY | 3 |
| HIST 381 / RELI 385 | GOD, TIME AND HISTORY | 3 |
| PHIL 281 | HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY I | 3 |
| PHIL 370 | SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY | 3 |
| PHIL 372 | HISTORY OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY | 3 |
| PHIL 381 | ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY | 3 |
| RELI 104 / MDEM 103 | INTRODUCTION TO JEWISH MYSTICISM | 3 |
| RELI 120 | BIBLICAL ETHICS | 3 |
| RELI 315 / ASIA 315 / SWGS 315 | GENDER AND ISLAM | 3 |
Comparative Studies
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 1 course from the following: | ||
| ANTH 392 | KINGS, QUEENS, AND COMMONERS: THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF ANCIENT MESOAMERICA | 3 |
| CLAS 336 / LING 336 | INTRO TO INDO-EUROPEAN | 3 |
| HART 307 | WOMEN IN ANCIENT ART | 3 |
| HIST 357 / MDEM 357 | JEWS AND CHRISTIANS IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE | 3 |
| PHIL 381 | ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY | 3 |
| RELI 112 | COMPARING CHRISTIANITIES: INTRODUCTION TO EARLY CHRISTIANITY | 3 |
| RELI 348 | CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM IN AFRICA | 3 |
| RELI 384 | PILGRIMAGE AND CRUSADE | 3 |
| RELI 392 | JERUSALEM: RELIGION AND POLITICS PAST AND PRESENT | 3,4 |
Policies for the BA Degree with a Major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s transfer credit advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Program Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations should be aware of the following program-specific transfer credit guidelines:
- No more than 4 courses (12 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the major.
- Requests for transfer credit will be considered by the program director (and/or the program’s official transfer credit advisor) on an individual case-by-case basis.
Distribution Credit Information
The determination of distribution credit eligibility is done initially as part of the new course creation process. Additionally, as part of an annual roll call coordinated each Spring by the Office of the Registrar, course distribution credit eligibility is routinely reviewed and reaffirmed by the Dean’s Offices of each of the academic schools.
Faculty and leadership in the academic schools are responsible for ensuring that the courses identified as distribution-credit-eligible meet the criteria as set in the General Announcements. Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet graduation requirements by completing coursework designated as distribution-credit-eligible at the time of course registration.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations website:
https://amc.rice.edu/
Opportunities for the BA Degree with a Major in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Distinction in Research and Creative Work
Students who wish to be considered for Distinction in Research and Creative Work in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations must complete a thesis. A committee drawn from Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations faculty will evaluate the thesis for distinction according to the following criteria. Although students may draw on work done in previous courses, the thesis must present substantially new research based on primary sources (in translation), archaeological and visual materials, or some combination of them. The thesis should be at least thirty pages long, with additional formal bibliography and footnotes. It must locate its argument and importance in scholarly discussion. Theses will be written during the two semesters of the senior year. Before beginning the thesis, students must consult with the Director of the Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations program, no later than the spring semester of the junior year.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations website:
https://amc.rice.edu/
See https://humanities.rice.edu/student-life for tables of fellowships, prizes, and internships/practica that may be relevant to this major.