A Master of Arts in Classics & Archaeology is recommended for students who hope to pursue a PhD in Archaeology, Ancient History, Art History, or Classics; to move into cognate humanistic fields; or to pursue employment in fields where knowledge of classical and Near Eastern antiquity is valuable, such as museums, heritage management, historic preservation, and tourism. This degree will give students training in ancient Greek and Latin, archaeological methods and practices, and the study of ancient Mediterranean material culture, and will make them competitive for the best PhD programs in classics as well as classical archaeology, both in the United States and abroad. It will also allow students to apply for PhDs in cognate fields of art history, ancient history, and religion.
To enter the program, students must have completed four semesters of both ancient Greek and Latin.
In addition, this program will enable students pursuing the new BA in Classics & Archaeology to continue into the (new) BA/MA in Classics & Archaeology in their fifth year.
Admissions
MA applicants for the Department of Classical Studies must follow the application procedures as described on the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions page. Please pay close attention to the deadlines posted in the Bulletin. Important factors in the department’s ranking of applicants are the breadth and quality of the undergraduate experience –particularly the language components, the quality of the essay and writing sample, the strength of the letters of recommendation, GRE scores, and the suitability of the department’s programs to the particular applicant.
Funding and Fellowships
There is currently no funding for MA-only students.
Course Requirements
To enter the program, students must have completed four semesters of both ancient Greek and Latin. Successful completion of the program requires 8 graduate-level courses (= 32 credits) in classics and archaeology or in related disciplines with an advisor’s permission. Courses must be passed with a grade of B– or better for credit. Specific requirements are:
- Two courses in ancient Greek or Latin at or above the 500 level.
- Three of the following four courses:
- GRS AR 891 Contemporary Theory in Archaeology
- GRS AR 892 Archaeological Ethics and Law
- GRS AR 893 World Archaeology
- GRS AR 894 Scientific Methods in Archaeology
- Three electives at the graduate level in consultation with an advisor. One of these electives may be a Directed Study for the purposes of completing a master’s project. This project should include original research or comprise examples of professional development, such as course syllabi, a museum display plan, or a cultural heritage management plan.
This major will be administered in the Department of Classical Studies. Students in this major must consult advisors in both the Department of Classical Studies and in the Archaeology Program.