Doctor's degree in Bible and Ancient Near East at Brandeis University

Preparation for the Ph.D.: A well-trained student entering the BANE doctoral program has studied Hebrew (biblical or modern) or another Near Eastern language for at least three years, and knows one or two other relevant languages (Akkadian, various Northwest Semitic languages, Arabic, Greek, German, or French).

An undergraduate concentration in BANE is not required, though training in the humanities or social sciences (e.g., languages, literature, philosophy, history, sociology, or anthropology) is helpful. Students must be prepared to examine the Bible and Near Eastern texts from an historical-critical point of view.

Students with less training are nonetheless encouraged to apply to the program. All applicants are encouraged to consult the faculty of the BANE program prior to their application to seek answers to questions, specially if there are questions about qualifications. Students lacking the proper training may want to apply for the MA program.

Course Work: Students in the BANE doctoral program take courses for the first three years. Typically a student will take four courses each semester (the minimum full time load is seven courses per year). In a typical semester,a student will take a course in Hebrew Bible, Akkadian, and Northwest Semitics, with a fourth text or content course. (The latter includes courses such as Ancient

Near Eastern Religion and Mythology, Women in the Bible, Near Eastern Law, Dead Sea Scrolls, etc.) The fourth course may be chosen in accordance with a student's ultimate specialty. Students interested in grammar or Semitics are encouraged to study Arabic; those who want to do textual criticism should study Greek.
Each student is to consult with all BANE faculty members about course selection at the beginning of each semester.

Research Language Examinations: Students take exams demonstrating their ability to read German, French, and modern Hebrew scholarship on the Bible and Ancient Near East. These are administered by the BANE faculty. Each exam is three hours long. Students, using a dictionary, translate a portion of and answer questions on a text in the research language. Students are normally expected to take one of these language exams in each of the first three years. The language
exams must be completed before the dissertation proposal can be approved. Any courses taken in these languages do not count among the courses taken for the BANE doctoral program.