The Griffith Institute, which is to move to the new Sackler Library complex in 2001, has unique resources for Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies. Most courses offer the opportunity to spend time in the region being studied. The Arabic course includes a year in the Middle East, and the Chinese course includes four months on a course of language study in East Asia. Students of Japanese spend the third term of their first year in Japan and many also spend an optional further year there. Although linguistic ability is essential for success in Oriental Studies, it is not necessary to have studied languages at A- level.
Many candidates take English or History at A-level, or equivalent.
Many colleges are keen to take candidates for Oriental Studies. There are Open Days in the summer term for potential candidates and teachers, the first on a Saturday and the second on a Tuesday. Please indicate also if you are particularly interested in European and Middle Eastern Languages, or Classics and Oriental languages. Honours Courses Ancient Near Eastern Studies covers the world's oldest civilisations in Mesopotamia and Egypt. See also Egyptology, below.