Honours BA in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations (Specialist) - St. George in Toronto Canada | University of Toronto

The Department focuses on the multidisciplinary exploration of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations and cultures spanning from the Neolithic era to modern times. This encompasses their archaeology, historical development, mythological traditions, religious beliefs, artistic expressions, architectural achievements, and linguistic heritage (including Akkadian, Ancient Egyptian, Arabic, Aramaic, Coptic, Geez, Hebrew, Persian, Sumerian, Syriac, and Turkish). Our programs offer students exceptional access to the study of sophisticated non-Western societies and their cultural legacies.
In academic contexts, the Near East traditionally denotes Southwest Asia's Mediterranean-adjacent territories - encompassing the Levant, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Anatolia - from antiquity through the emergence of Islam in the 7th century AD. The Middle East represents a more extensive geographic zone extending from North Africa to West and Central Asia. While Islamic culture became and remains dominant, the region has historically hosted diverse religious communities including Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and others. Arabic served as a lingua franca comparable to Latin in medieval Europe, yet numerous other languages and cultural traditions (particularly Persian and Turkish) significantly shaped Islamic civilization. We encourage students from all academic disciplines to explore Near and Middle Eastern studies. Numerous courses are accessible without regional language proficiency, though we maintain that true cultural comprehension is best achieved through engagement with one or more of the area's languages.