Basics of Ancient Ugaritic


Course Description

Basics of Ancient Ugaritic, taught by Michael Williams, is an introductory course on this language spoken at the time of Abraham and occurring in ancient texts in cuneiform writing. The course begins with the alphabet, each new lesson builds on the ones before, and in 15 units students will be equipped with a basic grasp of the language for reading and study.


Knowledge of biblical Hebrew is not a prerequisite of the course. Reviews and assessments in each unit enable students to test their grasp of the material as they progress. Overall, Basics of Ancient Ugaritic represents an accessible introduction to the larger world of Semitic languages beyond biblical Hebrew and Aramaic.

By completing this course, you'll gain:

  • an introduction to the Ugaritic alphabet and the basic building blocks of ancient Ugaritic
  • foundational knowledge of Ugaritic nouns, prepositions, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech
  • an overview of Ugaritic verb forms
  • confidence in your growing knowledge through unit assessments and cutting-edge review tools

Course Instructor

Michael Williams

Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania


Michael Williams (PhD, University of Pennsylvania) is Professor of Old Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary and a member of the NIV Committee on Bible Translation. He is the author of Deception in Genesis, The Prophet and His Message, Basics of Ancient Ugaritic, and How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens, and editor and contributor of Mishneh Todah. His passion is to equip students with knowledge of the Old Testament and its languages so that they may grow in their comprehension and appreciation of redemptive history and be adequately prepared to promote and defend the faith through word and action. Michael resides in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife, Dawn.

Course Outline

1.   Ugarit in a Nutshell

2.  Language Basics

3.  Nouns

4.  Adjectives

5.  Prepositions

6.  Pronouns

7.   MIDTERM

8.  Verbs


9.   Moods

10.  Infinitives

11.  Thematic Stems

12.  Weak Verbs

13.  Adverbs

14.  Miscellanea

15.  FINAL EXAM

Course Textbook

This Course is based on the book Basics of Ancient Ugaritic by Michael Williams. While taking this course, you will have online access to most of this book's contents. However, if you want off line access or want this book in your personal library as a long-term reference, you may purchase it by clicking on the button to the right which will link you to amazon.ca.

Course Details

Basics of Ancient Ugaritic

by Michael Williams


13 Units, Self-paced

4.5 Hours of Video

12 Months of Access to All Online Course Content

3 Credits toward a Certificate, Diploma or Degree

Support by a Clearwater College Professor


Cost: $510 CAN