Oriental Studies

Bachelor Oriental Studies (600 [4] - Version 2022)

Introductory and Orientation Period (16 ECTS)

Compulsory Module OR-1 Introduction to Oriental Studies (2 ECTS)

• 141001 VO ( OV STEOP ) OR-1 VO Introduction to Middle Eastern Studies

Group of Elective Modules Einführung in die orientalischen Sprachen (14 ECTS out of 2 Elective Modules)

OR-2a/AO-1 Introduction to Babylonian I (7 ECTS)

• 141049 VO ( STEOP ) STEOP: Introduction to Babylonian I

OR-2b/AR-1 Introduction to Arabic I (7 ECTS)

• 141270 VO ( STEOP ) STEOP: Arabic Language I

OR-2c/TU-1 Introduction to Turkish I (7 ECTS)

Group of Compulsory Modules Oriental Studies (43 ECTS)

OR-3 Cultural and Economic Geography of the Middle East and North Africa (5 ECTS)

• 141312 VO Cultural and Economic Geography of the Near East and North Africa

OR-4 Religious History of the Middle East (6 ECTS)

• 141172 VO Introduction to the History of Islam

OR-5 Ancient Near Eastern History (8 ECTS)

OR-6 History of the Middle East and North Africa after the Rise of Islam (8 ECTS)

• 141018 VO Philosophers and their time: - Intellectual History and History of Philosophy of the Arabic-Islamic World up to the 15th cen. CE

OR-7 History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey (8 ECTS)

• 141030 VO Political history of the Ottoman-Turkish area (up to the present)

OR-8 Cultural and Historical Continuities (8 ECTS)

• 141004 VO Socio-economic and cultural longue-durée phenomena in the Middle East and North Africa
• 141019 VO Linguistic and cultural encounters in the Central Mediterranean: Tunisia, Malta, Sicily.

Alternative Group of Compulsory Modules (91 ECTS)

Ancient Near Eastern Philology and Archaeology (91 ECTS)

AO-2 Babylonian II (9 ECTS)

AO-3 Babylonian III and Academic Research and Writing (7 ECTS)

• 141111 PS Babylonian III and methodology - Old Babylonian Letters

AO-4 Sumerian I (9 ECTS)

AO-5 Sumerian II and Academic Research and Writing (7 ECTS)

• 141051 PS Sumerian II and methodology - Sumerian Dedicatory Inscriptions

AO-6 Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology I (5 ECTS)

AO-7 Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology II (5 ECTS)

AO-8 Cultural History of Mesopotamia (8 ECTS)

• 141020 VO Mesopotamian social, economic and legal history

AO-9 Mesopotamian Literature (Reading of Literary Texts) (5 ECTS)

• 141226 SE Mesopotamian Literature (Reading of Literary Texts) - The Babylonian creation myth Atrahasis

AO-10 Alternative Compulsory Module (10 ECTS out of one of the following Modules)

AO-10-1 Languages of Mesopotamia’s Neighbouring Regions (10 ECTS)

AO-10-2 Material Culture of Mesopotamia (10 ECTS)

AO-11 Alternative Compulsory Module (10 ECTS out of one of the following Modules)

AO-11-1 Philology Seminars (10 ECTS)

• 141193 SE Philological seminar - Slavery and other forms of social coercion in Mesopotamia

AO-11-2 Seminars on History, Material Culture and Cultural History (10 ECTS)

AO-12 Elective Modules (16 ECTS out of 2 Elective Modules)

AO-12-1 Seminar on Akkadian (including BA Thesis) (8 ECTS)

• 141193 SE Philological seminar - Slavery and other forms of social coercion in Mesopotamia

AO-12-2 Seminar on Sumerology (including BA Thesis) (8 ECTS)

• 141193 SE Philological seminar - Slavery and other forms of social coercion in Mesopotamia

AO-12-3 Seminar on Archaeology (including BA Thesis) (8 ECTS)

Arabic and Islamic Studies (91 ECTS)

AR-2 Language Module: Arabic II (12 ECTS)

AR-3 Language Module: Arabic III (12 ECTS)

• 141043 UE Arabic Language E / Practical Training
• 141294 VO+UE Arabic Language D incl. Tutorial

AR-4 Language Module: Arabic IV (12 ECTS)

AR-5 Language Module: Arabic V (6 ECTS)

• 141039 UE Arabic Texts and Conversations I
• 141118 UE Arabic Grammar and Linguistics I

AR-6 Language Module: Arabic VI (6 ECTS)

AR-7 Arabic Dialect (Basic Level) (5 ECTS)

• 141292 VU Arabic Dialect A: Maroccan Arabic

AR-8 Arabic Dialect (Intermediate Level) (5 ECTS)

• 141002 VU Arabic Dialect - Intermediate Level: Iraqi Arabic
• 141291 VU Arabic Dialect - Intermediate Level: Syrian Arabic

AR-9 Arabic Dialect (Advanced Level) (6 ECTS)

• 141021 UE Arabic Dialect Advanced I: Tunesian Arabic
• 141228 UE Arabic Dialect Advanced II: Egyptian Arabic

AR-10 Introduction to Academic Methods (3 ECTS)

AR-11 Introduction to Selected Fields of Arabic and Islamic Studies (4 ECTS)

AR-12 Selected Fields of Modern Middle Eastern Studies (4 ECTS)

• 141183 VO Modern Arabic Politics and Society (Modern Arab History 1)

AR-13 Seminar on Philology (including BA Thesis) (8 ECTS)

AR-14 Seminar on Islamic Studies (including BA Thesis) (8 ECTS)

• 141120 SE Seminar in Islamic Studies (and Bachelor's Paper) - Muslims and the Quran in the past and present

Turkish Studies (91 ECTS)

TU-2 Turkish, Basic Level II (8 ECTS)

TU-3 Turkish, Intermediate Level I (6 ECTS)

• 141164 VU Turkish Grammar III
• 141168 UE Turkish Conversation Class III

TU-4 Turkish, Intermediate Level II (10 ECTS)

TU-5 Turkish, Advanced Level I (7 ECTS)

• 141152 UE Reading Subject-Specific Texts I

TU-6 Turkish, Advanced Level II (8 ECTS)

TU-7 Persian, Basic Level (8 ECTS)

• 141037 UE Persian Grammar I

TU-8 Introduction to Academic Methods and Selected Fields of Turkish Studies (6 ECTS)

• 141044 PS Introduction to methodology and selected fields of work in Turkology

TU-9 Ottoman I (8 ECTS)

• 141166 UE Ottoman I

TU-10 Ottoman II (8 ECTS)

• 141007 UE Ottoman Texts

TU-11 Seminar on Linguistics or Literature (including BA Thesis) (8 ECTS)

• 141026 SE Linguistics or Literary Seminar (and Bachelor's Paper)

TU-12 Seminar on Turkish History and Cultural History (including BA Thesis) (8 ECTS)

TU-13 Society and Culture of Modern Turkey (6 ECTS)

• 141163 VO [ de en ] Ringvorlesung: Manuscript Cultures in Eurasia

Ancient Oriental Philology and Oriental Archaeology (672)

Compulsory Modules (56 ECTS)

Akkadian Seminars incl. Seminar Paper (16 ECTS)

• 141226 SE Mesopotamian Literature (Reading of Literary Texts) - The Babylonian creation myth Atrahasis

Archaeological Seminar I incl. Seminar Paper (8 ECTS)

History and Cultural History of Mesopotamia (8 ECTS)

Advanced Module on Philology I (8 ECTS)

• 141226 SE Mesopotamian Literature (Reading of Literary Texts) - The Babylonian creation myth Atrahasis

Sumerological Seminars incl. Seminar Paper (16 ECTS)

• 141193 SE Philological seminar - Slavery and other forms of social coercion in Mesopotamia

Alternative Copulsory Modules (8 ECTS)

APM Semitisitcs (8 ECTS)

• 141015 VO [ en ] ( ON-SITE ) Ge’ez II
• 141028 UE Afro-Asian language 1: Maltese
• 141300 VO [ en ] Afro-Asiatic language 1: Syriac-Aramaic I

APM Archaeology (8 ECTS)

Group of Elective Modules(16 ECTS)

WM Archaeological Seminar II incl. Seminar Paper (8 ECTS)

WM Advanced Module on Philology II (8 ECTS)

• 141193 SE Philological seminar - Slavery and other forms of social coercion in Mesopotamia

WM South Arabia, Past and Present (8 ECTS)

WM Sabean Studies (8 ECTS)

Master-Module (8 ECTS)

Master-Seminar (8 ECTS)

Master Turkish Studies (675 [2] - Version 2020)

Groups of compulsory modules I-II (62 ECTS)

GCM I: History, Culture and Politics of the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey (52 ECTS)

M1 CM: Archives, Sources and Research Approaches in Ottoman Studies (10 ECTS)

• 141003 UE Archives, Ottoman Sources, and Media (reading texts included)
• 141160 VU M1 - VU Contemporary Research and Methods in Ottoman Studies

M2 CM: Transformation in the Ottoman Empire: From Empire to Nation (16 ECTS)

M3 CM: Archives, Sources and Research Approaches in Turkish Studies (10 ECTS)

M4 CM: Turkey in a Global World: The Republic of Turkey in Transition (16 ECTS)

• 141165 SE Politics and Society
• 141666 SE M4 - SE Culture and Cultural Policy

GCM II: Language, Literature, Society (10 ECTS)

M5a Alternative CM: Ottoman Literature (10 ECTS)

• 141416 SE Ottoman Literatures (reading texts included)

M5b Alternative CM: Modern Turkish Literature and Society (10 ECTS)

Groups of elective modules I-III (30 ECTS)

GEM I: Regional and Thematic Focus

M5.1a Ottoman Literature (10 ECTS)

M5.1b Modern Turkish Literature and Society (10 ECTS)

M6 Advanced Turkish: Languages for Specific Purposes and Everyday Use (10 ECTS)

• 141012 UE Advanced Turkish: Technical Language and Language Practice Written Expression - Fortsetzung vom 2024S

M7 Reading Primary Sources: Ottoman / Turkish (10 ECTS)

M8 Individual Specialisation (10 ECTS)

• 141027 UE Individual immersion

M9 Central Asia (10 ECTS)

M10 Digital Humanities for Orientalist Scholars (10 ECTS)

M11 International Contextualisation (30 ECTS)

GEM II: Interdisciplinarity Transottomanica

M12 History of South-Eastern Europe, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, Alevi Theological Studies, Islamic Art History (10 ECTS)

• 090086 VO [ en ] Big books in Byzantine Studies: Sources and Scholarship
• 090087 VO [ de en ] Greek literature of the Early Modern Period

GEM III: Interdisciplinarity History, DH, Comparative Literature

M13 Digital Humanities, Comparative Literature, Contemporary History, History of Science, Global History, History of South-Eastern Europe, Gender History, Media History, Public History (10 ECTS)

• 090087 VO [ de en ] Greek literature of the Early Modern Period

CM: Master’s Module

M14 CM Master’s Thesis Coaching (4 ECTS)

Master Arab World Studies: Language and Society (676 [2] - Version 2022)

Group of Compulsory Modules Common Core (16 ECTS)

GK-1 Basics of Arabic Linguistics and Philology (8 ECTS)

• 141151 SE Basics of Arabic Linguistics and Philology

GK-2 Basics of Societies in the Modern Arab World (8 ECTS)

Alternative Group of Compulsory Modules (32 ECTS)

Religion and Politics (32 ECTS)

RP-1 Islam in the Arab World and Beyond (8 ECTS)

• 141024 VU Talismans and magic spells: - The so-called occult sciences in the Arab-Islamic world
• 141192 VU [ en ] Islam: Phenomena, Developments and Analyses I

RP-2 Arabic-Islamic Heritage (8 ECTS)

• 141005 SE Galen's art of medicine in the Arab tradition

RP-3 Social, Political and Religious Movements in the Arab World (8 ECTS)

• 141017 SE [ en ] Islam and Modernity
• 141025 SE Concepts of the State and Political Thought in the Arab-Islamic World

RP-4 The Arab World and the Internet (8 ECTS)

• 141197 SE The Arab world and the Internet

Arabic Linguistics with Emphasis on Spoken Varieties (32 ECTS)

AS-1 Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Arabic Linguistics (8 ECTS)

• 141199 VU [ en ] Arabic Dialects from Diachronic and Synchronic Perspectives

AS-2 Geographical and Typological Classification of Arabic Dialects (8 ECTS)

• 141016 VU [ en ] The Arabic Dialects of Western Asia

AS-3 Selected Topics of Arabic Dialectology and Linguistics I (8 ECTS)

• 141200 SE [ en ] Arabic Dialect at the periphery

AS-4 Selected Topics of Arabic Dialectology and Linguistics II (8 ECTS)

Arabic Texts from the Classical and Post-Classical Periods (32 ECTS)

AT-1 Texts: Their Materiality and Content (8 ECTS)

• 141024 VU Talismans and magic spells: - The so-called occult sciences in the Arab-Islamic world

AT-2 Texts from a Synchronic Perspective (8 ECTS)

AT-3 Texts from a Diachronic Perspective (8 ECTS)

• 141005 SE Galen's art of medicine in the Arab tradition

AT-4 Reading of Classical and Post-Classical Texts (8 ECTS)

Group of Elective Modules (32 ECTS) - freely selectable, unless included in the chosen alternative compulsory module

WM-1 Arabic Popular Culture (8 ECTS)

WM-2 History of Culture and Science in the Arab World (8 ECTS)

• 141005 SE Galen's art of medicine in the Arab tradition

WM-3 Security Policy in the Arab World (8 ECTS)

• 141011 SE [ en ] Political Theories and Governance in Islamic Thought
• 141025 SE Concepts of the State and Political Thought in the Arab-Islamic World

WM-4 Internet Structures in the Arab World (8 ECTS)

WM-5 Modern Written Arabic Language: Conversation and Translation (8 ECTS)

WM-6 Media Arabic: Listening Comprehension, Analysis (8 ECTS)

WM-7 Paleography and Codicology (8 ECTS)

WM-8 Afroasiatic Language I (8 ECTS)

• 141015 VO [ en ] ( ON-SITE ) Ge’ez II
• 141028 UE Afro-Asian language 1: Maltese
• 141067 VO Afro-Asian Language 1: Amharic
• 141232 VO ( REMOTE ) Amharic II
• 141300 VO [ en ] Afro-Asiatic language 1: Syriac-Aramaic I

WM-9 Afroasiatic Language II (8 ECTS)

• 141015 VO [ en ] ( ON-SITE ) Ge’ez II
• 141028 UE Afro-Asian language 1: Maltese
• 141067 VO Afro-Asian Language 1: Amharic
• 141232 VO ( REMOTE ) Amharic II
• 141300 VO [ en ] Afro-Asiatic language 1: Syriac-Aramaic I

WM-10 South Arabia in the Past and Today (8 ECTS)

WM-11 Regional and Thematic Focus: Workshop or Excursion (16 ECTS)

WM-12 Urbanisation in the Arab World (8 ECTS)

WM-13 Art and Architecture in the Arab World (8 ECTS)

WM-14 Current Discussions in the Arab World (8 ECTS)

WM-15 Digital Humanities in Arabic Studies (8 ECTS)

WM-16 Arabic Dialect (16 ECTS)

• 141292 VU Arabic Dialect A: Maroccan Arabic

WM-17 Islam in the Arab World and Beyond (8 ECTS)

• 141024 VU Talismans and magic spells: - The so-called occult sciences in the Arab-Islamic world
• 141192 VU [ en ] Islam: Phenomena, Developments and Analyses I

WM-18 Arabic-Islamic Heritage (8 ECTS)

• 141005 SE Galen's art of medicine in the Arab tradition

WM-19 Social, Political and Religious Movements in the Arab World (8 ECTS)

• 141017 SE [ en ] Islam and Modernity
• 141025 SE Concepts of the State and Political Thought in the Arab-Islamic World

WM-20 The Arab World and the Internet (8 ECTS)

• 141197 SE The Arab world and the Internet

WM-21 Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Arabic Linguistics (8 ECTS)

• 141199 VU [ en ] Arabic Dialects from Diachronic and Synchronic Perspectives

WM-22 Geographical and Typological Classification of Arabic Dialects (8 ECTS)

• 141016 VU [ en ] The Arabic Dialects of Western Asia

WM-23 Selected Topics of Arabic Dialectology and Linguistics I (8 ECTS)

• 141200 SE [ en ] Arabic Dialect at the periphery

WM-24 Selected Topics of Arabic Dialectology and Linguistics II (8 ECTS)

WM-25 Texts: Their Materiality and Content (8 ECTS)

• 141024 VU Talismans and magic spells: - The so-called occult sciences in the Arab-Islamic world

WM-26 Texts from a Synchronic Perspective (8 ECTS)

WM-27 Texts from a Diachronic Perspective (8 ECTS)

• 141005 SE Galen's art of medicine in the Arab tradition

WM-28 Reading of Classical and Post-Classical Texts (8 ECTS)

Master Arabic Linguistics (578 [1] - Version 2025)

Compulsory module: General Linguistics (7 ECTS)

GLI-1 General Linguistics (7 ECTS)

Compulsory module: Arabic Dialectology (24 ECTS)

DIA-1 Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Arabic Linguistics (8 ECTS)

• 141199 VU [ en ] Arabic Dialects from Diachronic and Synchronic Perspectives

DIA-2 Geographical and Typological Classification of Arabic Dialects (8 ECTS)

• 141016 VU [ en ] The Arabic Dialects of Western Asia

DIA-3 Geographical Focus (8 ECTS)

Compulsory module: Arabic Sociolinguistics (15 ECTS)

SOL-1 Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Arabic Sociolinguistics (7 ECTS)

• 141022 VO [ en ] Theoretical and Methodological Principles

SOL-2 Arabic Sociolinguistics: Selected Topics (8 ECTS)

Compulsory module: Master’s Thesis Preparation (8 ECTS)

MAP-1 Master’s Thesis Preparation (8 ECTS)

Elective module group: Diachrony - Typology - Contact (16 ECTS)

DTC-1 Diachronic Aspects in Arabic Linguistics (8 ECTS)

DTC-2 Typology (8 ECTS)

DTC-3 Grammaticalisation (8 ECTS)

DTC-4 Arabic in Contact with Other Languages (8 ECTS)

• 141200 SE [ en ] Arabic Dialect at the periphery

Elective module group: Regional Specialisation - Arabic Dialects (10 ECTS)

ADI-1 Arabic Dialect - Basic Level A (5 ECTS)

• 141292 VU Arabic Dialect A: Maroccan Arabic

ADI-2 Arabic Dialect - Basic Level B (5 ECTS)

ADI-3 Arabic Dialect - Medium Level A (5 ECTS)

ADI-4 Arabic Dialect - Medium Level B (5 ECTS)

Elective module group: Afro-Asiatic Languages and Linguistic Specialisation (16 ECTS)

AAS-1 Afro-Asiatic Languages A (8 ECTS)

• 141028 UE Afro-Asian language 1: Maltese
• 141067 VO Afro-Asian Language 1: Amharic
• 141300 VO [ en ] Afro-Asiatic language 1: Syriac-Aramaic I

AAS-2 Afro-Asiatic Languages B (8 ECTS)

• 141232 VO ( REMOTE ) Amharic II

LIS-1 Linguistic Specialisation A (8 ECTS)

LIS-2 Linguistic Specialisation B (8 ECTS)

Extension Curriculum Turkish History, Literature and Culture (640 [2] - Version 2017)

Compulsory modules TU (15 ECTS)

EC-TU-1 Turkish cultural history within the framework of Middle Eastern cultures (5 ECTS)

• 141001 VO ( OV STEOP ) OR-1 VO Introduction to Middle Eastern Studies
• 141312 VO Cultural and Economic Geography of the Near East and North Africa

EC-TU-2 Aspects of Turkish culture, history and literature in past and present (11 ECTS)

• 141163 VO [ de en ] Ringvorlesung: Manuscript Cultures in Eurasia

Extension Curriculum North Africa and Near East: Religion and Politics (642)

Compulsory modules RPAR (15 ECTS)

RPAR-1 Selected Topics of Modern Oriental Studies (6 ECTS)

• 141183 VO Modern Arabic Politics and Society (Modern Arab History 1)

RPAR-2 Study of Religions

• 141172 VO Introduction to the History of Islam

RPAR-3-1 Politics and History: Iran (5 ECTS)

RPAR-3-2 Politics and History: Turkey (6 ECTS)

• 141163 VO [ de en ] Ringvorlesung: Manuscript Cultures in Eurasia

Extension Curriculum The Arab World: Language and Culture (643)

Compulsory modules SKAR (15 ECTS)

SKAR-1

• 141312 VO Cultural and Economic Geography of the Near East and North Africa

SKAR-2

• 141018 VO Philosophers and their time: - Intellectual History and History of Philosophy of the Arabic-Islamic World up to the 15th cen. CE
• 141030 VO Political history of the Ottoman-Turkish area (up to the present)

SKAR-3

• 141050 VO Basic Course in Arabic 1

Extension Curriculum History and Culture of Ancient Mesopotamia (644)

Compulsory modules AOGK (15 ECTS)

AOGK-1 Ancient Near Eastern History (8 ECTS)

AOGK-2 Ancient Near Eastern Cultural History and Archaeology (7 ECTS)

• 141020 VO Mesopotamian social, economic and legal history

Extension Curriculum Ancient Near Eastern Languages (645)

Compulsory modules AOP (15 ECTS)

AOP-1 Introduction to Ancient Near Eastern philology (7 ECTS)

• 141049 VO ( STEOP ) STEOP: Introduction to Babylonian I

AOP-2 Ancient Near Eastern philology: Advanced Module (8 ECTS)

Extension Curriculum Iranian History and Culture (646)

Compulsory modules IRGK (15 ECTS)

IRGK-1 History of Iran (7 ECTS)

• 141006 VO VO History of Iran from antiquity to the end of Mongol rule

IRGK-2 Cultural History of Iran (8 ECTS)

• 141010 VO Cultural contacts in Iran, Central Asia, and India

Extension curriculum Society and Law in the Islamic World (648)

Compulsory modules GRIW (15 ECTS)

GRIW-1 Introduction to Islamic Jurisprudence (7 ECTS)

• 141172 VO Introduction to the History of Islam

GRIW-2 Specialisation (8 ECTS)

• 141025 SE Concepts of the State and Political Thought in the Arab-Islamic World