The Egyptology department currently has Erasmus agreements with Brussels University, Strasbourg University and University College London. Terms and conditions vary for each program. Please contact the Egyptology Department for detailed information.

If you are coming from or wish to go out to a university different from those listed above you can consider checking with the department of African studies for more options or try to use programs established by other departments of your university or at Cologne.

General information on the Erasmus partnerships, including on the application procedure and on the terms and conditions, are offered by the Erasmus office in the Centre for International Relations at the Faculty of Humanities.

Teaching semesters in Cologne run over 14 or 15 weeks from approximately mid-October to early February, and from early April to mid-July. Egyptology courses include language classes, discussion based seminars and lectures. They are usually taught in German, but you may be able to follow and contribute to classes in English. 

Two or more courses are usually combined in broader thematic modules assessed with exams, essays and oral presentations. International students can choose entire modules, usually running over a full year, or pick individual courses from within a module. Please, check with your home institution which courses at Cologne fit your study program and which assessments will be accepted. You may contact the Egyptology department at Cologne to check the course menu and any prerequisites for particular courses.

Language modules focus on the transliteration, translation and interpretation of ancient Egyptian texts. Middle Egyptian and Coptic are taught every year. In addition, courses in Old and Late Egyptian, Demotic and Coptic are offered alternately over the years. Students prepare a text every week and are asked to contribute to discussions in class. Language modules are assessed with either an exam or an essay.

Discussion based seminars cover Egyptian archaeology, themes of the society and culture of ancient Egypt and the Sudan, and cultural heritage. They are usually structured around one or two articles which students read in advance of the classes and prepare for discussion. The seminars are assessed with oral presentations and essays.

Lectures address broad issues of the history, religion and archaeology of ancient Egypt and the Sudan. They are open to students from all disciplines and do not require previous knowledge of ancient Egypt. Lectures are not assessed separately.

Further courses are offered at the Egyptology department in Bonn.

Egyptology students from Cologne University can spend one or two semesters at a university abroad. Courses and assessments taken abroad will usually be accepted as being equivalent to courses at Cologne if course contents and requirements are overall comparable. Students are advised to check early the admission procedure at the university abroad, any language requirements (and documentation thereof) and existing programs and to discuss their study program abroad with staff at the Egyptology department.

Applications are submitted to the Erasmus+ office in the Centre of International Relations. Information on financial support, the application procedure and relevant documents can be found on their website. 

Doctoral studies at the Faculty of Humanities are organised through the a.r.t.e.s. graduate school. The PhD is awarded on the basis of a thesis and an oral examination. It is usually completed within three years.

Students can either enrol for an individual program (regular track) or a structured program (integrated track). The structured program includes interdisciplinary seminars and lectures and offers additional options for funding through the graduate school. Students of both programs can apply for funding within the University of Cologne or for fellowships offered by foundations from outside the university.

Admission to a doctoral program requires an MA degree in Egyptology or an equivalent qualification in a related subject area. The application includes a research proposal of 3-5 pages. The proposal includes the proposed title for the thesis, an outline of the wider research context of the project, a research question, a definition of the aims of the project, a comment on data and methods used and on the current state of research as well as a list of up to ten references in the bibliography. Please contact your preferred supervisor in advance of your application to discuss your PhD project. Further information on the application process and required documents are offered on the website of the graduate school.

Upon submission of the PhD thesis students need to demonstrate knowledge of the ancient Egyptian language and of English at the level required to complete the MA degree Egyptology at the University of Cologne. In addition, students from abroad require a certificate of German at the level C1 of the CEF (Common European Framework) or, if the thesis is not written in German, at the level B2. It is possible to waive German requirements upon submission of the admission documents prior to enrolment. Students can take language courses during their doctoral studies to fulfil the language requirements.

Questions on administrative processes may be directed to the PhD office of the graduate school. The procedure for all doctoral studies at the Faculty of Humanities is outlined in the “Promotionsordnung (doctoral regulations)”.

You are welcome to contact the Egyptology department for any questions concerning supervision and structure of the thesis.

General information and support for international students at Cologne University are offered by the International Office.

Further information, including for students from outside Europe, are offered by the Centre for International Relations at the Faculty of Humanities and the International Office of the University of Cologne.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the most important national institution coordinating and supporting student and staff exchange worldwide.