Doctor of Philosophy in Classical Archaeology

The field of Classical Archaeology is understood to cover the archaeology of ancient Mediterranean cultures. Faculty will also arrange work on a cross-departmental basis in related fields such as Egyptian, Near Eastern, and other areas of archaeology.

Prerequisites. Entering students are expected to have competence in both Greek and Latin, with sufficient preparation to take courses numbered above 100 in one of these languages upon beginning the program.

Some preparation in German and either French or Italian should be undertaken before admission to the program.

Academic Residence. Minimum of two years of full-time study (16 courses, or 64 credits). Students are not normally permitted to take more than two courses numbered 301 before sitting for their General Examinations.

Program of Study (for students who entered the program in or after 2023). Such as to foster knowledge of the archaeology and monuments of the classical world in their historical and social context.

1. Proseminar: Taken in the first year. Pass/Fail. (one course)
2. Classical Archaeology: three graduate seminars, of which at least one shall be on a Greek topic and another on a Roman topic. One of the three may be in a related field. (three courses)
3. A course on archaeological theory and/or methods. This may be an independent study course, Classic 301 (one course)
4. Languages and Literatures: two courses at or above the 100 level in either Greek or Latin. (two courses)
5. Ancient History: two courses, one of which shall be a graduate seminar, and one other course which may be in non-Classical ancient history. (two courses)
6. Other Fields: three courses, to be chosen from areas such as anthropology, art history, epigraphy, numismatics, palaeography, papyrology, digital archaeology, archaeological science, history of archaeology, museum studies, conservation, reception studies, gender studies, aesthetics and visual media studies, or a related field at the discretion of the director of graduate studies. (three courses)

Program of Study (for students who entered the program before 2023). Such as to foster knowledge of the archaeology and monuments of the classical world in their historical and social context.

1. Proseminar: Taken in the first year. Pass/Fail.
2. Classical Archaeology: four graduate seminars, of which at least one shall be on a Greek topic and another on a Roman topic. One of the four may be in a related field.
3. Languages and Literatures: three courses at or above the 100 level, of which at least one shall be in the "major language" and another in the "minor language," and one of which shall be a graduate seminar.
4. Ancient History: three courses, of which at least one shall be in Greek and another in Roman history. One of the three shall be a graduate seminar.
5. Other Fields: three courses, of which one must be in non-classical art history, and the other two are to be chosen from fields such as anthropology, art history, epigraphy, numismatics, palaeography, and papyrology, or a related field at the discretion of the director of graduate studies.

Modern Languages. The demonstration of a reading knowledge of French or Italian and of German, to be tested by the department (with the aid of dictionaries). This requirement must be fulfilled before the dissertation prospectus is approved. Tests are normally administered in October and April.

Pedagogy. Students take a practicum course (Classic 360) in the craft of teaching, normally in their third year. Strategies will be applicable to courses taught in translation as well as language courses.

General Examinations. All students will, normally by the end of May of the second year, take General Examinations comprising two parts:

1. A three-hour written examination testing knowledge of major and representative archaeological sites, monuments, artifacts, and works of art of the Greco-Roman world from the Bronze Age to the Late Roman period (including pre-Roman Italy) within their historical and cultural contexts, as covered in up-to-date handbooks of the discipline.
2. A one-and-one-half hour oral examination testing general knowledge of major sites, monuments, artifacts, and works of art of the Greco-Roman world from the Bronze Age to the Late Roman period (including pre-Roman Italy) within their historical and cultural contexts, employing the terms, concepts, approaches, and methods typically used in the discipline. The examiners may use visual evidence (including objects) to prompt questions. The examining committee will consist of three faculty members, one of whom will be appointed to moderate the proceedings and to intervene at his or her discretion.

All students will, normally by the end of August of their third year, take a three-hour written examination on either Greek or Latin consisting of six passages for translation (three prose, three verse) from the works prescribed in the reading list for that language. Students are also urged to read widely in translation from authors and works not included on the list.

Each of examinations may be repeated only once in the event of failure. If a student fails only one part of the examination, then they need only repeat that part.

Special Examinations. All students will, normally at the end of the third graduate year, take a two-hour oral examination in three topics, of which at least one should be Greek and one Roman. The choice of topics should be submitted for approval by the graduate committee at the time of the General Examinations, or within a month following them. Preparation for this examination will be by independent study, with regular supervision by a faculty member for each part of the examination. These examinations may be repeated only once in the event of failure.

Study Abroad. After passing the Special Examinations, students are required to spend a summer, semester, or year in an academic program such as at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, the American Academy in Rome, or programs (including archaeological excavations) which provide the opportunity of working closely with ancient material culture. Archaeological fieldwork fulfills this requirement, as well. Archaeological fieldwork fulfills this requirement as well. This work abroad shoudl be completed before taking the degree, and preferably before the end of the fifth year of study. Students applying for the American School of Classical Studies at Athens should apply for the Charles Eliot Norton Fellowship.

Dissertation Regulations. See the Dissertation Regulationspage.