Study Abroad
Classics concentrators have many opportunities for research and travel. Every spring, we offer Classical Studies 112: Regional Study, a course that involves a spring break trip. Recent courses have focused on Sicily or Macedonia. Outside the classroom, our concentrators take part in a host of other study abroad opportunities. Some students, for example, participate in an archaeological dig affiliated with the university, such as the Archaeological Expedition of Sardis or the Falerii Novi Project. Others enroll in a structured program during the term or the summer, through institutions like The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome (ICCS). Students also undertake internships through two Harvard-affiliated academic centers: the Center for Hellenic Studies and Dumbarton Oaks.
On this page, we list some study abroad opportunities available to undergraduates. Undergraduate students should visit the website for Harvard's Office of International Education for general information on study abroad, term-time and summer programs approved for credit, and important deadlines. In addition to the opportunities below, undergraduate students should consult the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Concentrators interested in research/travel over summer or spring breaks (either independently or as part of a program) should consider applying for a Charles P. Segal Fellowship for Research and Travel. For more details, visit our page on Undergraduate Funding.
List of Opportunities
Classical Studies 112: Regional Study
Undergraduate Classics Concentrators in the Classical Civilizations/Ancient History tracks are required to take a course, Classical Studies 112: Regional Study, that involves a spring break trip as part of its curriculum. Currently, the destination of this course is Sicily. Concentrators in the Languages and Literatures track or in Languages and Literatures and an allied field, as well as students completing a secondary field in Classics, can enroll as space permits.
Harvard Alumni Association—Center for Hellenic Studies Spring Break Trips
Every year, the Harvard Alumni Association, in conjunction with the Center for Hellenic Studies, organize a spring break trip to Greece. The travel group consists of students and alumni, enriching the academic experience with the presence of an intergenerational Harvard community.
Center for Hellenic Studies Internships (Greece)
Harvard University's Center for Hellenic Studies, an educational center in Washington D.C. with a satellite center in Greece, offers several summer internships, including
- A Teaching Internship, wherein Harvard College students to serve as Teaching Fellows (TFs) for the CHS High School Summer Program (HSSP) in Greece
An internship at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens
Dumbarton Oaks Summer Internships (Washington, D.C.)
Dumbarton Oaks, an institute of Harvard University that supports scholarship in Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape Studies, regularly offers summer internships. These opportunities provide training in a range of areas, including education, publishing, landscape studies, and archival work.
Villa I Tatti Summer Internship Program (Florence, Italy)
I Tatti, a center for advanced research in the humanities located in Florence, Italy, offers a limited number of undergraduate summer internships. The primary goal is to allow students to spend two months (June-July) at the Florence center to carry out a project that contributes to their academic development. Students apply to contribute to specific projects, which are outlined on I Tatti's website.
The Archaeological Expedition of Sardis
The Archaeological Exploration of Sardis, sponsored by the Harvard Art Museums, has summer opportunities for undergraduate Archaeological Interns in western Türkiye. Sardis was a major city of western Asia Minor from the time of Homer until the Byzantine period, home of the Lydian king Croesus and one of the Seven Churches of Asia. The Sardis Expedition has been conducting excavation and research at the site each year since 1958.
The Falerii Novi Project
The Falerii Novi Project (FNP) is an excavation project at the site of Falerii Novi, an ancient city 50 km north of Rome in central Italy. FNP is a research collaboration between the British School at Rome, University of London, Harvard University, and the University of Toronto, in consultation with Cambridge University, Ghent University, and the Università di Firenze.
Other Excavations
In the past, Classics concentrators have enjoyed participating in many other archaeological digs in Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor. Students can discover outside fieldwork opportunities Archaeological Institute of America's Archaeological Fieldwork Opportunities Bulletin (AFOB).
Harvard Summer Program in Greece
The Harvard Summer Program in Greece, a program support by CHS Greece, is a 5-week-long summer course idivided between the historical city of Thessaloniki and the seaside town of Nafplio.
External Summer Programs
Students can find many outside study abroad opportunities relating to classics by studying abroad. See this sample list.
- American Academy in Rome Summer Programs
- American School of Classical Studies in Athens
- College Year in Athens Summer Courses
- Leiden University Summer School in Languages and Linguistics
- Thesaurus linguae Latinae Latin Lexicography Summer Workshop in Munich
Undergraduates wishing to do an intensive summer course in Greek or Latin should consult our preceptor, Dr. Ivy Livingston, about existing options. In the past, students have defrayed the cost of these external programs by applying for a Charles P. Segal Fellowship for Research and Travel. See our page on Undergraduate Funding for more details.