1. Departments
  2. Department of Sociology, Egyptology and Anthropology
group of students on a historical site visit

Welcome to the Department of Sociology, Egyptology and Anthropology (SEA)

The department aims to provide quality education to students from Egypt and the world and to engage in scholarly research and publication relevant to the department’s disciplines and to Egypt, the wider Arab World, and beyond. It also strives to provide appropriate community service, participation in development programs and activities, and efforts toward the preservation of cultural heritage.

Grounded in the traditions of the liberal arts and sciences, the department’s programs contribute to the development of critical thinking, reflect the changing conditions of the world, foster a global perspective and respect for human diversity, enhance a holistic understanding of peoples and their societies and cultures, and assist in the development of socially-aware and culturally-sensitive citizens.


More About SEA

Message From the Chair

Greetings from the Department of Sociology, Egyptology, and Anthropology (SEA).We are proud of our strong liberal arts tradition as part of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HUSS) at AUC. Our department makes significant contributions to AUC’s Core Curriculum program and has introduced the importance of a liberal arts education to AUC students across the university regardless of major.

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Dr. Ian Morrison

Programs Offered

a tourist taking a photo inside the egyptian museum

Egyptology

Egyptology is the scientific study of the history and culture of ancient Egypt, from the earliest times to the Arab conquest, a time span of some 4,600 years. The program covers all aspects of ancient Egyptian civilization, from language and religion to art, architecture and social structure, as well as heritage management, and provides first-hand experience of ancient monuments and sites.
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group of students listening to a lecture

Sociology

Sociology is the systematic study of society with special attention to social interaction and the social making of humans. It investigates the forces that hold society together and that threaten to pull it apart through the analysis of interaction at every level from micro-group interaction to competition of nation-states.
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Anthropology Class

Sociology - Anthropology

Located at the heart of the Middle East, the faculty and students engage critically with the region and the representation of its people, cultures, and politics. The program seeks to provide a thorough foundation in the principles of Sociology and Anthropology while also developing critical skills for a wide range of real-world professional situations. It offers a unique opportunity for students to conduct original research amidst an intellectually stimulating environment. Its longstanding tradition of combining scholarship with a commitment to social, economic and political justice makes the program a dynamic environment for learning and research.
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a woman in a museum

Egyptology-Coptology

AUC’s Egyptology-Coptology program provides students with a unique opportunity to visit sites and museums and interact directly with Egypt’s ancient heritage. Students also gain insight and experience from leading international experts in Cairo on a wide range of topics, from language and religion to art, architecture, the social structure of the ancient Egyptians, and heritage issues
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cave paintings, petroglyphs

Anthropology

The undergraduate program aims to present the main themes and trends in cultural and social anthropological thought and practice and thereby to nurture critical, intercultural, and reflexive perspectives as part of liberal education.
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international students

Development Studies

The purpose of the development studies minor is to offer students an introduction to the various social, political, economic, and cultural factors related to the process of development. The approach is interdisciplinary and comparative, with a primary emphasis on development-related issues.
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Community Development and Organizing Minor

The minor in Community Development provides students with theoretical and practical knowledge that enhances their understanding and vision of a strong civil society, one that is engaged and participatory.
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News

Salima Ikram Faculty Professor

Salima Ikram (YAB '86) featured in Al-Ahram

Al-Ahram ran a full-page profile of Salima Ikram (YAB '86), distinguished University professor of Egyptology. Read the article (in Arabic) about her work and research

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Faculty

Ian

Ian
Morrison

Chair, Department of Sociology, Egyptology, and Anthropology. Principal Investigator, Extimacies: Critical Theory from the Global South The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Helen
Rizzo

Associate Professor and Sociology Unit Head

Ramy M.K.
Aly

Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Anthropology Unit Head
Salima Ikram Faculty Professor

Salima
Ikram

Distinguished University Professor

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Academic Support

Department of Sociology, Egyptology and Anthropology is available to support you and answer questions Sunday through Thursday 9 am- 3 pm.

For Student Inquiries and arranging zoom one to one meetings

Shorouk El Sayed

Email: shorouk.elsayed@aucegypt.edu