Graduate studies in MELC are conducted under the auspices of the Graduate Group in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. In the Graduate Group faculty, the Standing Faculty of MELC is augmented by archeologists, historians, art historians, and specialists on religions of Middle Eastern origin who share its focus on the primary sources of the Middle East. Many emeritus faculty also continue to be active in working with students in the MA and PhD programs.
MELC faculty also hold close connections with Penn Museum (which draws several of its curators from the faculty of MELC), the Middle East Center, the Center for Ancient Studies, the program in Ancient History, the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, and the program in the Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World, among other programs and institutions.
Stephen J. Tinney
Acting Graduate Chair Clark Research Associate Professor of Assyriology (Sumerian), Deputy Director, PENN Museum
Sumerian Language & Literature
230 PENN MuseumRead Bio
Eve M. Troutt Powell
Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of History
Middle Eastern History
College Hall 213Read Bio
Robert Vitalis
Professor of Political Science
Comparative, International Relations
Ronald O. Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics, Room 433Read Bio
Josef W. Wegner
Department Chair Professor of Egyptology and Egyptian Archaeology, Curator, Egyptian Section, University Museum
Egyptology, Egyptian Archaeology
520 PENN MuseumRead Bio
Steven Weitzman
Abraham M. Ellis Professor of Hebrew and Semitic Languages and Literatures Ella Darivoff Director of the Katz Center of Advanced Judaic Studies
Hebrew Bible and the origins of Jewish culture
222 Cohen HallRead Bio
Christopher Woods
Professor of Assyriology and Sumerology Avalon Professor in the Humanities, Williams Director, PENN Museum
Seçil Yılmaz
Assistant Professor, Department of History
Richard L. Zettler
Undergraduate Chair Professor of Mesopotamian Archaeology, Curator-in-Charge, Near Eastern Section of the PENN Museum
Syro-Mesopotamian Archaeology
523 PENN MuseumRead Bio