There are four Ph.D. programs: Classics, Classics with Historical Emphasis, Classical and Mediaeval Latin, and Classical Archaeology. A minor, consisting of at least eighteen graduate credit hours in another department, is permitted in appropriate cases. The requirements for the various degree programs follow.
Examinations in any program may be taken earlier than the ordinary time if the student's preparation warrants that. Students interested in this should consult with the Director of Graduate Studies. Under certain circumstances the Director of Graduate Studies may authorize postponement of examinations for a student. Students who do not pass an exam will normally be encouraged to re-take it in the following semester.
All students should make reasonable progress toward their degrees. The Department requires students to complete the M.A. within two and a half years and encourages each one to spend his or her second summer completing a draft of the thesis; failure to complete the M.A. within this time will make the student ineligible for financial aid from the Department until the semester after the student completes the thesis, the Master's degree is awarded by the Graduate School, and the student is readmitted to the Ph.D. program. Students should aim to finish the Ph.D. in another two and a half to three and a half years, but the Department recognizes that a longer period may be necessary, and we will do everything we can to assist the student both financially and in her or his work.