As a university museum, the Egypt Centre has an important role to play towards the learning and teaching of students. Museum staff have been involved in teaching Swansea University students since Egyptology was introduced as a degree scheme in 2000.
Swansea University Modules
CL-M77 is a Master’s course focused on museum practices. Taught by the Egypt Centre staff, it delves into various aspects of museology, including ethical considerations, object interpretation, preservation techniques, education, and audience engagement. The course emphasises hands-on experience. Students choose a group of related objects from the Egypt Centre’s collection and curate their own mini-exhibition based on a specific theme of their choice.
CLE327 is a placement module, which is also held exclusively at the Egypt Centre.
Other modules take place at the Egypt Centre for which museum staff act as facilitators rather than directly teaching. This includes modules in both Egyptology and Ancient History, such as Egyptian Archaeology (CLE214), Egyptian Art and Architecture (CLE220), Beyond Mainland Greece (CLH268), and Set in Stone? Inscribing and Writing in Antiquity (CLH2005). All classes involve students interacting with the collection via handling sessions. The interaction with objects—and working in museums more generally—involves a way of learning that is not the same as academic learning. This experiential learning method can appeal to those with non-traditional learning skills or complement the traditional learning skills of those who have them.
Swansea University Pottery Project (SUPP)
The Swansea University Pottery Project (SUPP) was established in 2021 as a collaborative project between the Egypt Centre and the Department of History, Heritage, and Classics. The aims of SUPP are to provide a complete, up-to-date record of each piece of pottery in the online collection catalogue so that this important material is fully accessible to all for free. At the same time, we want to promote student involvement in research, engage students in roles that enhance employability, and improve our learning community.
While staff direct the project, the actual task of getting these objects online is largely the work of the students who donate two hours each week to the project during semester time. Students receive full training in handling, recording, and describing museum objects. They then use these skills to record the objects, moving towards independent work as the semester progresses. So far, the project has inspired two undergraduate dissertation projects.
