Level 3 Egyptology Diploma

Course Content

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 1: The Land and People

This initial unit sets the scene for the historical units to follow and examines the land and people of Ancient Egypt. The River Nile was (and still is) the source of life for Egypt, and the culture that resulted depended on this mighty river for its very existence. The geography of modern and ancient Egypt is identified, including discussion of the Nile Delta and the Faiyum.

Egypt’s ecology and environment, as well as the natural resources that the ancient Egyptians exploited, are also considered. The unit also investigates the locations of ancient towns, cities, and archaeological sites that have been found along the Nile Valley, as well as the various different peoples who lived there. The unit also provides a chronology of ancient Egypt and briefly explores the legacy of ancient Egypt’s heritage for us all.

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 2: A History of Egyptology

The second unit of the course focuses on the history of exploration and research of Egypt that began in the 18th century and has continued through to today. This unit will take you on a journey with the Western explorers of Egypt and will also highlight the attitudes and interpretation of Egypt’s ancient ruins during the Medieval and Renaissance periods.

With the French expedition by Napoleon to Egypt in 1798, we see the birth of what is now known as Egyptology. The unit will consider some of the exploits and motives of the nineteenth-century adventurers before discussing the development of modern Egyptology as begun by Flinders Petrie and its development through to present day. The unit completes with a brief assessment of the archaeological techniques and methods used by Egyptologists, both in the field and in the laboratory.

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 3: The Predynastic Period

This third unit is the first of four units that outline the history of ancient Egypt. This unit begins with the earliest periods of ancient Egyptian history, culminating in the Predynastic period. The unit explores the pre-Neolithic period and the settlement of the Nile Valley by human beings, as well as evidence for the first farming communities in Egypt. The unit then looks at the important early cultures of the Egyptian Neolithic: the Badarian and Naqada cultures and the emergence of an Egyptian state and the establishment of the earliest period of Dynastic rule.

This unit will introduce you to several key early Dynastic artefacts, including the Macehead of King Scorpion as well as the Narmer Palette. You will also investigate the archaeological sites of Hierakonpolis, Abydos, and Saqqara and finally consider the development in the Predynastic and early Dynastic periods of writing, artisanship, the development of kingship, and features of early art and architecture.

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 4: The Old Kingdom Period

This unit examines one of the more famous periods of Egyptology; the Old Kingdom. The unit outlines the chronology of the Old Kingdom period before discussing the development of those most iconic of all Egyptian structures; the Pyramid complexes at Saqqara and Giza and the continued development and refinement of pyramid building through the 5th and 6th Dynasties.

The unit also explores the cult of kingship in Egypt, as well as the religious, economic, and social changes that took place during the Old Kingdom period. Finally, the unit explores the decline of the Old Kingdom and the first of ancient Egypt’s ‘Dark Ages’; the First Intermediate Period and the rise of the Theban kings and the reunification of Egypt.

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 5: The Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period

The 5th unit examines the Middle Kingdom. The Middle Kingdom was a period of renewal and resurgence for Egypt, and in this unit, you will explore the achievements of the period and the reigns of its many kings. Beginning with the 11th Dynasty and the reunification of Upper and Lower Egypt, the unit will take you through the reigns of several notable pharaohs, including Mentuhotep II and III.

The 12th Dynasty is also covered in this unit, and you will explore a new royal residence which was established at Itjtawy. The unit also examines the life and career of King Senusret I and the return of the practice of pyramid building. It is in this unit that the important historic documents known as the letters of Hekanakhte are examined. The reign of King Senusret III and his campaigns in the Near East are also outlined, and the Egyptian renaissance under King Amenemhat III and the 13th Dynasty are examined as well as the second collapse of the ancient Egyptian state which resulted in the Second Intermediate Period; another ‘Dark Age’ period in the history of Egypt. The invasion by the Hyksos is also explored within this unit.

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 6: The New Kingdom

This unit concerns itself with the period of Egypt’s renaissance known as the New Kingdom. The New Kingdom was an era in which many of the most famous and better-known Pharaohs lived and ruled in Egypt. The unit begins with a discussion of the reigns of Ahmose and Amenhotep I and the emergence of the Valley of the Kings as a burial site for royalty. The unit then follows the course of New Kingdom history through the reigns of Thutmose I-III, who hunted the Mitanni and elephants, Queen Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s most famous rulers, as well as Amenhotep II, Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III; Amenhotep IV/ Akhenaten and the Amarna Period, when Egypt’s religions were rocked to their core.

This unit also examines the reign of the boy-king Tutankhamun, made famous by the discovery of his largely intact tomb by Howard Carter, before introducing the 19th Dynasty and the great Pharaohs Sety I and Ramses II. The unit ends with a discussion of the decline in power of ancient Egypt under the later Ramessid kings during Egypt’s 20th Dynasty.

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 7: The Third Intermediate Period and Late Period

This unit is the final chronological history unit of the course and discusses the last of Egypt’s ‘Dark Ages,’ as well as the period known as the Third Intermediate Period and the evidence and developments of Egypt’s 21st, 22nd, and 23rd dynasties. The unit then goes on to explore what is called the Late Period and periods of Persian rule in Egypt from the 6th century BC before the arrival of Alexander the Great and the Macedonians in the 4th century BC.

The unit then goes on to discuss the Ptolemaic Period, and it is here that you will consider the famous ancient city of Alexandria, a rival to Rome in size and power, before ending with the brief reign of the infamous Queen Cleopatra, most famous for her affair with Mark Antony and the end of ancient Egypt with its annexation by Rome.

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 8: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

What was daily life like in ancient Egypt? In this unit, you will be led through a series of case studies sourced from archaeological findings as well as ancient Egyptian texts, tomb-paintings, and artefacts in order to discover what life and death were like for the inhabitants of ancient Egypt. The subjects covered in the unit include the importance of the River Nile in Egypt, from food production along its fertile banks to transportation, and a discussion of some of the many Nile myths. Some of the major Egyptian deities will also be considered.

The unit also considers the role of the king in Egypt as ruler and priest. The importance of scribes and also the bureaucracy that organised and regulated life for the inhabitants of ancient Egypt. The unit will help you to examine what their lives were like and present some of the records and observations that they made of life in ancient Egypt. The lives and activities of Egypt’s artisans, tomb-painters, and other trades are explored, and finally, death in ancient Egypt. It is here that we shall explore the process of mummification and burial.

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 9: Ancient Egyptian Achievement

This unit helps you to explore the legacy of ancient Egypt and the great achievements of its craftsmen, architects, and engineers. The achievements of the ancient Egyptians have left a marked impression on societies and still influence us in ways today. The unit explores some of these ancient Egyptian achievements, including the Pyramid Complexes of Giza and Saqqara; the craft skills of ancient Egyptian potters and metal smiths. The Temple complex of Karnak on the banks of the River Nile at Thebes is examined, as are the craft skills of ancient Egyptian artisans in stone and wood.

We shall also look at Ramesses II’s temple at Abu Simbel, which was the focus of international rescue efforts during the construction of the Aswan Dam and one of the largest and most ambitious programs ever, which resulted in the removal and reconstruction of the temple complete with the hill into which it was built!

Level 3 Egyptology Diploma Unit 10: Research in Egyptology

The final unit of the Egyptology Diploma course will help you to consider aspects of Egyptian history and future opportunities for further research in Egyptology. The unit looks at questions and controversies in Egyptology, and considers the ancient Egyptians’ own perceptions of history and time, as well as their relationships with the outside world. The unit then goes on to present some of the archaeological developments in Egyptology that have been made over the years, including the development and application of scientific techniques in this field.

Finally, the unit details current research centres and universities that are engaged in Egyptology, as well as museums around the world that hold important Egyptian collections and websites that can be used for further exploration of ancient Egypt and Egyptology. Unit 10 also provides 10 dissertation topics for the students on which to write a 5000-word assignment about various aspects of ancient Egypt and Egyptology.