The ANES major provides students with a broad understanding of the civilizations of the ancient Near East and emphasizes the study of the Hebrew Bible and related literature or the Greek New Testament and related literature in the broader ancient Near Eastern context.

Within the ANES major, the Greek New Testament Emphasis also focuses on the study of Koine Greek to enable students to read the Greek New Testament and related literature such as the writings of the early Christian fathers and Jewish writings in Greek such as the Septuagint, apocryphal literature, Josephus, and Philo. It also provides coursework on Judaism and especially early Christianity in the Classical Near East.