College of Archaeology

The Department of Archaeology – University of Mosul was established in 1969 within the College of Arts, and the first students were accepted during the academic year (1969-1970) and they were graduated in the academic year (1972-1973). These graduates were in the field of Ancient Archaeology only. After that, admission to this scientific department was suspended. In 1994, the College of Arts – University of Mosul reopened the Department for the academic year (1994-1995), and that the department with its both branches of Ancient Archaeology and Islamic Archaeology began its scientific journey with a new beginning and benefiting from the University’s continued support for the department and the unique experience of its professors. In 2008, the College of Archaeology was established at the University of Mosul, which is considered the mother college for Archeology colleges throughout Iraq, so that the Department of Archaeology is going to be included in the college and continued the academic career where it took a broader steps and greater possibilities, benefiting from the university’s support for the college.

The Department of Archaeology includes most of the scientific specializations that fall under the specialty of Archaeology, especially since the department includes two branches for the study of Archaeology. The first is the branch of ancient archeology which is specialized in studying the oldest human tracks from the Stone Ages to the first century AD. It includes ancient languages, arts, ancient architecture, excavations, and archaeological surveys, as well as modern excavation methods. The branch also studies the excavation of antiquities and the subject of engineering drawing and surveying, which the department offer to students in a theoretical and practical way. As for the second branch, the Department of Islamic Archaeology is specialized in the study of Archaeology from the beginning of AD history until the end of Ottoman control over Iraq and the Arab countries. The study in this department includes the Islamic Arts and Architecture of Iraq and the countries of the Levant and the Arab Maghreb, comparative studies, and the study of Calligraphy and coins in addition to the study of Arab-Islamic civilization, also participates in its study with the ancient branch through modern excavations, archaeological surveys, and the subject of engineering drawing, surveying, and museology.

The duration of study in the department is four years, during which specialization is one year in the first and second stages, then specialization in ancient and Islamic antiquities begins from the third stage. The department has adopted a year system and a quarterly system in its academic Callender. The Archaeology Department relies in its curricula on the international scientific standard to provide the best methods in which the student meets the scientific needs. A graduate of the Department of Archaeology can complete his/ her postgraduate studies for the Ancient and Islamic master’s degrees and a Doctorate (Ph.D.) for the ancient branch, under the supervision of a scientific staff specialized in both branches of the department.