• Curiosity and excitement about working with architecture and objects from art and culture.
• A strong interest in the developmental history of the Mediterranean region.
• An interest in relevant secular and religious written sources.
• A knowledge of ancient languages (esp. Greek and Latin) is highly beneficial; however, this will also be acquired during the course of your studies. Proficiency in another modern language such as Greek, French, or Italian is also an advantage. However, these language skills can also be acquired during the course of your studies. A readiness to work with secular and religious texts is a prerequisite. All courses in Byzantine Archaeology are taught in German.
• However, for this program of study, you must be able to read and understand specialist literature in English. You will not be required to provide separate proof of your language skills.
• During the program of study, many of the modules will be completed with an independently composed term paper as well as a presentation. Aside from reading specialist literature, it is also important to have an interest and ability in writing texts yourself and presenting scientific content to an audience.

This subject is a subject of specialization in the ALPHA (B.A.) degree program. You can also study this subject as a minor within the two-subject bachelor’s degree program.

Program structure

During your studies, you will gain comprehensive skills needed to recognize, understand, classify, and interpret monuments, and you will learn how to apply these methods. Alongside university lectures, a large part of your studies will be made up of visual instructions within the practical modules. Field trips in countries belonging to the Byzantine cultural area or to museums will also enable you to experience architectural monuments and art, excavation sites, and finds up close.

Introductory phase

Your studies will commence with a common introductory phase. In this phase, you will gain a comprehensive overview of the various disciplines of Ancient Studies, become familiar with the basic methods and content of the key subjects involved, and gain an insight into the wide range of career opportunities.

Specialization

You can already select Byzantine Archaeology as your specialization during the application period. As part of your chosen specialization, you will receive an in-depth practical and theoretical education and you will culminate your studies with your bachelor’s thesis.

If you choose Byzantine Archaeology as your specialization, and you cannot provide proof of relevant language proficiency at the start of your studies, you must successfully complete a university course in “Latin for beginners,” as well as a university course “Ancient Greek for beginners” by the end of your studies (in the area of professional skills).

Individual qualification in the adjacent area

A special characteristic of the ALPHA degree program is the adjacent area. This represents an individualized qualification that affords you the opportunity to design your studies according to your personal interests. You can either choose one or two minors from the areas of specialization available in the degree program or opt for external module packages (e.g. Ancient history, Book science, Ethnology, Art history, Linguistics, etc.). In the “Professional skills” module, you can also develop individual skills that will help you in your future career.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

The recommended time to study abroad for this program of study is after the 5th semester.

Internships

As part of your studies, you will complete an internship lasting at least four weeks in a relevant field (excavation, surveying, museums, preservation of historical monuments…). Additionally, you will take part in at least one field trip (of at least 8 days).

Voluntary internships are another good opportunity to obtain more in-depth insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

As a graduate of Christian Archaeology and Byzantine Art History, you will have gained the following competences:

• Application of archaeological and art-historical methods
• Techniques for academic work based on different artifacts from art and architecture
• Basic and specialized knowledge about monuments
• The ability to identify and classify of works of art on the basis of art-history
• Knowledge of historical and art-historical correlations

These skills qualify you to work in various professional fields:

Typical professional fields

• University: Profession as a research associate (teaching, research, academic self-administration)
• Research institutes, especially the German Archaeological Institute:
   Profession as a graduate assistant or advisor (research, public relations, editing, project management)
• Museums: Profession as a trainee and later as a curator (research,education)
• Preservation of historical monuments, e.g., state archaeology
• Excavation companies

Other potential professional fields:

• (Archaeological) publishing, e.g., the Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (with Zabern, Theiss)
• Media (e.g., ZDF)
• Ministries of culture, cultural institutions
• Science management, e.g., staff departments at JGU
• Tourism
• Publishing companies
• Press
• New media
• Diplomatic institutions

Good to know:

In general, a consecutive master’s degree is required in order to work at a university, in research and education, and also in science-related professions.

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.