The graduate programs (especially the Ph.D.) in Classics have undergone a significant revision in the years since 2012-2013. For information regarding the current M.A. and Ph.D. degrees offered by the Department of Classics, consult the "Graduate" tabs in the main menu above.
N.B. the programs described on this page have ceased admissions, and the courses listed are no longer being offered. For questions about current and past graduate programs, contact our Graduate Advisor, Professor Christina Hoenig.
Prior to 2012, the Department of Classics offered the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy:
Requirements for the M.A. (pre-2012)
The Master of Arts in Classics is primarily designed as an intermediate step in the student's preparation for the PhD degree, but it can also be pursued by students in a PhD program in another field at this university, or by those who want to study classics at the graduate level without pursuing the PhD.
The course requirements for the MA degree are a minimum of ten one-term graduate credit courses (30 credits), of which at least four must be on the 2000-level. Students may take no more than 4 courses (12 credits) on the 1000 level, which are recognized by the department as graduate credits. Included in the program must be Classics 2010 (Introduction to Classical Studies) and a two-term sequence, consisting of a reading course and a seminar on a single subject. Students may emphasize either Greek or Latin, but they must pass at least one course at the level of 1300 or higher in each language.
For the MA, a reading knowledge of German is required. This requirement may be met either by taking two appropriate courses and receiving a letter grade of B or higher, or by passing an examination administered by the department.
An MA comprehensive examination consisting of three parts is also required. Students choose, in consultation with the graduate advisor and the department, the three fields in which they will be examined. The three are usually chosen from the following six fields: Greek translation, Latin translation, Greek literature, Latin literature, Greek history, and Roman history. Either Greek translation or Latin translation must be included. Students who are preparing to take the MA comprehensive examination may take up to a maximum of 6 credits in the courses designated for exam preparation, Greek 2902 and/or Latin 2902: Directed Study for MA students.
Requirements for the Ph.D. (pre-2012)
Credit Requirement: The requirements for the PhD are at least 72 graduate-level credits, including the master's degree, earned from any suitable combination of formal course work, independent study, research, teaching, or dissertation work as detailed elsewhere in this bulletin.
PhD Qualifying Examination: The MA comprehensive exam also serves as the PhD qualifying exam for those students who wish to pursue graduate work at the PhD level. Students admitted to the graduate program with MA degrees from other institutions must take the MA comprehensive/PhD qualifying exam, usually within their first year of study at the University of Pittsburgh.
Supervised Teaching Experience: Supervised teaching experience is an integral part of the doctoral program. All PhD students are required to take part in the department’s undergraduate teaching program as preparation for scholarly and professional careers.
Comprehensive Examination: Students normally complete, by the end of the three years of full-time graduate study, the PhD comprehensive, which consists of four written examinations: (a) special author in Greek; (b) special author in Latin; (c) special genre; and (d) special field or topic. The student is given considerable latitude in choosing individual topics for the PhD comprehensives, as long as the four examinations demonstrate competence in a variety of aspects of classical studies.
Dissertation Overview: Upon completion of the comprehensive examination and all other requirements, the student files an application for admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy. In consultation with a dissertation advisor, the student presents a prospectus of a dissertation to a faculty committee, following the general procedure described in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Bulletin.
Dissertation Defense: The final oral examination in defense of the doctoral dissertation is conducted by the doctoral committee and is open to the University community.
Graduate Courses
CLASS 1210 Greek History 3 CR
CLASS 1220 Roman History 3 CR
CLASS 1312 Plato 3 CR
CLASS 1314 Aristotle 3 CR
CLASS 1510 Greek Art 3 CR
CLASS 1520 Roman Art 3 CR
CLASS 1710 Sanskrit 1 3 CR
CLASS 1720 Sanskrit 2 3 CR
GREEK 1300 Greek Authors 1 3 CR
GREEK 1302 Greek Authors 2 3 CR
GREEK 1400 Greek Reading: Epic 3 CR
GREEK 1402 Greek Reading: Tragedy 3 CR
GREEK 1406 Greek Reading: Lyric 3 CR
GREEK 1416 Greek Reading Historians 3 CR
GREEK 1418 Greek Reading: Orators 3 CR
GREEK 1420 Greek Reading: Philosophers 3 CR
GREEK 1440 Greek Reading: Poetics 3 CR
GREEK 1530 Hellenistic Literature 3 CR
GREEK 1700 Greek Prose Composition 1-3 CR
LATIN 1030 Medieval Latin Authors I 3 CR
LATIN 1032 Medieval Latin Authors II 3 CR
LATIN 1300 Latin Authors 1 3 CR
LATIN 1301 Latin Authors 1 - Writing Practicum 3 CR
LATIN 1302 Latin Authors 2 3 CR
LATIN 1303 Latin Authors 2 - Writing Practicum 3 CR
LATIN 1400 Latin Reading: Epic 3 CR
LATIN 1402 Latin Reading: Drama 3 CR
LATIN 1406 Latin Reading: Lyric 3 CR
LATIN 1412 Latin Reading: Elegy 3 CR
LATIN 1416 Latin Reading: Historians 3 CR
LATIN 1418 Latin Reading: Orators 3 CR
LATIN 1420 Latin Reading: Philosophers 3 CR
LATIN 1422 Latin Reading: Epistolography 3 CR
LATIN 1430 Latin Reading: Special Topics 3 CR
LATIN 1700 Latin Prose Composition 1-3 CR
Graduate reading and seminars in Greek and Latin are offered in the Fall and Spring Terms; they may be repeated for credit provided that the author and/or works treated are different. Other 2000 courses are offered from time to time as the need arises.
CLASS 2010 Introduction to Classical Studies 1 CR
CLASS 2040 Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin 3 CR
CLASS 2090 Topics in Classics 3 CR
CLASS 2140 Ancient Poetry 3 CR
CLASS 2210 Social History of Ancient World 3 CR
CLASS 2300 Studies in Ancient Philosophy 3 CR
CLASS 2310 Studies in Presocratic Philosophy 3 CR
CLASS 2312 Studies on Plato 3 CR
CLASS 2314 Studies in Aristotle 3 CR
CLASS 2316 Studies in Hellenistic Philosophy 3 CR
CLASS 2340 Ancient Medicine 3 CR
CLASS 2370 Studies in Medieval Philosophy 3 CR
CLASS 2390 Topics in Ancient Philosophy 3 CR
CLASS 2902 Directed Study for MA Students 1-9 CR
CLASS 2970 Teaching of Greek 3 CR
CLASS 2971 Teaching of Latin 3 CR
CLASS 2972 Teaching of Classical Civilization 3 CR
CLASS 2990 Independent Study 1-9 CR
CLASS 2995 Directed Study 1-9 CR
CLASS 3000 Research and Dissertation for the PhD Degree 1-9 CR
CLASS 3902 Directed Study for PhD Students 1-9 CR
GREEK 2100 Greek Reading: Epic 3 CR
GREEK 2102 Greek Reading: Tragedy 3 CR
GREEK 2104 Greek Reading: Comedy 3 CR
GREEK 2106 Greek Reading: Lyric 3 CR
GREEK 2116 Greek Reading: Historians 3 CR
GREEK 2118 Greek Reading: Orators 3 CR
GREEK 2120 Greek Reading: Philosophers 3 CR
GREEK 2140 Greek Reading: Poetics 3 CR
GREEK 2150 History of the Greek Language 3 CR
GREEK 2190 Topics in Greek 3 CR
GREEK 2200 Greek Seminar: Epic 3 CR
GREEK 2202 Greek Seminar: Tragedy 3 CR
GREEK 2204 Greek Seminar: Comedy 3 CR
GREEK 2206 Greek Seminar: Lyric 3 CR
GREEK 2208 Greek Seminar: Pastoral 3 CR
GREEK 2214 Greek Seminar: Novel 3 CR
GREEK 2216 Greek Seminar: Historians 3 CR
GREEK 2218 Greek Seminar: Orators 3 CR
GREEK 2220 Greek Seminar: Philosophers 3 CR
GREEK 2230 Greek Seminar: Special Topics 3 CR
GREEK 2240 Greek Seminar: Poetics 3 CR
GREEK 2318 Aristotle's Matter Theory 3 CR
GREEK 2990 Independent Study 1-9 CR
GREEK 2992 PhD Reading Examination 0 CR
GREEK 2995 Directed Study 1-9 CR
LATIN 2100 Latin Reading: Epic 3 CR
LATIN 2102 Latin Reading: Drama 3 CR
LATIN 2106 Latin Reading: Lyric 3 CR
LATIN 2110 Latin Reading: Satire 3 CR
LATIN 2112 Latin Reading: Elegy 3 CR
LATIN 2116 Latin Reading: Historians 3 CR
LATIN 2118 Latin Reading: Orators 3 CR
LATIN 2120 Latin Reading: Philosophers 3 CR
LATIN 2122 Latin Reading: Epistolography 3 CR
LATIN 2140 Latin Reading: Poetics 3 CR
LATIN 2150 History of the Latin Language 3 CR
LATIN 2190 Topics in Latin 3 CR
LATIN 2200 Latin Seminar: Epic 3 CR
LATIN 2202 Latin Seminar: Drama 3 CR
LATIN 2206 Latin Seminar: Lyric 3 CR
LATIN 2208 Latin Seminar: Pastoral 3 CR
LATIN 2210 Latin Seminar: Satire 3 CR
LATIN 2212 Latin Seminar: Elegy 3 CR
LATIN 2214 Latin Seminar: Novel 3 CR
LATIN 2216 Latin Seminar: Historians 3 CR
LATIN 2218 Latin Seminar: Orators 3 CR
LATIN 2220 Latin Seminar: Philosophers 3 CR
LATIN 2222 Latin Seminar: Epistolography 3 CR
LATIN 2230 Latin Seminar: Special Topics 3 CR
LATIN 2240 Latin Seminar: Poetics 3 CR
LATIN 2300 Latin Paleography 3 CR
LATIN 2540 Early Medieval Latin and Literature 3 CR
LATIN 2990 Independent Study 3 CR
LATIN 2992 Graduate Reading Examination 0 CR
LATIN 2995 Directed Study 1-9 CR