Description and Requirements
Course of Study
The Post-Baccalaureate Program has two distinct tracks, one in Classics and one in Religious Studies, with slightly different requirements for admission and for earning the certificate. The track in Classics is designed for students who wish to apply to graduate programs in Classics, Classical Archaeology, or Ancient History; the track in Religious Studies is for students who wish to apply to graduate programs in Early Christianity, Early Judaism, or Biblical Studies. All entering post-baccalaureate students work with the Program Director or faculty contact in Religious Studies, depending on their track, in order to design a coherent course of study. This will normally involve two to three years of course work, depending on the student’s needs and previous training. Students may register for two courses (up to eight credit hours) per semester and may audit one additional course. They choose from among the undergraduate and graduate courses offered each semester by Classics or Religious Studies. The only courses in these departments for which post-baccalaureate students may not register are individual special or directed readings courses, such as GREK or LATN 396. Enrollment in courses offered by other departments is also possible, but depends on the policies of the department in question.
Because post-baccalaureate students register for two courses and only audit a third, they are considered part-time students by the University. Students are responsible for knowing what the consequences of this will be in terms of visa status or the repayment of student loans.
Requirements for the Certificate
To qualify for a certificate in the Classics track, a student must:
1. Complete at least two courses at the 300 level or higher in either Greek or Latin (LATN 601 and 602 do not count towards this requirement).
2. Complete at least two courses numbered 200 or higher in the language not used to satisfy the first requirement (LATN 601 does not count towards this requirement).
To qualify for a certificate in the Religious Studies track, a student must:
1. Complete at least two courses in Greek numbered 221 or higher, or two upper-level biblical Hebrew reading courses (e.g., RELI 504 or equivalent, with program approval).
2. Complete at least two courses in a second ancient language, normally Greek, Hebrew, or Latin; depending on availability and with program approval, students may substitute another ancient language relevant to their interests and goals (e.g., Akkadian, Coptic, Syriac, Ugaritic).
Note: In Greek and Latin, 203 and 204 are second-year courses, which students typically take before taking 221 and 222 in their third year of study. 300-level courses are generally for students who have completed six semesters of college Latin or Greek, although talented and well-motivated students may sometimes succeed in 300-level courses after four good semesters of college work. For full course descriptions, see our Greek and Latin course listings. LATN 601 and 602 are courses in introductory Latin for graduate students. RELI 211 and 212 constitute the introductory sequence of classical Hebrew and are taught every year; introductory Coptic (RELI 413) is taught every two years, with a second semester course offered periodically. Students interested in Hellenistic/Biblical Greek (RELI 807), Patristic Greek, Patristic Latin, intermediate Hebrew (RELI 403-404), Aramaic/Rabbinic Hebrew (RELI 410), Syriac (RELI 414), Akkadian (RELI 411), or Ugaritic (RELI 412) should contact the faculty contact in Religious Studies.
Tuition and Fees
Enrollment in courses in the Post-Baccalaureate Program is through the University’s Friday Center for Continuing Education, and the University’s Student Accounts Services office sets the tuition rate. Tuition is based on the number of credit hours for which a student is enrolled. Post-baccalaureate students are considered “Part-Time Classroom Studies – Graduate Students” for the purposes of tuition. When researching tuition costs, make certain that you are looking at graduate tuition for 6-8.9 hrs per semester for the regular academic year — fall and spring semesters — and not at the lower summer tuition numbers. Applicants who have not already established North Carolina residency for tuition purposes will need to pay the tuition rates for non-residents, which are considerably higher; non-residents should currently expect to pay on the order of $20,000 per year in tuition. Note that tuition rates are not normally set until early August, so interested students should check the listing for estimated costs after that time. Tuition is typically rated by the semester, so the annual figure will be twice the listed amount. Also, rates usually increase each year.
Post-baccalaureate students pay only the Educational and Technology (E&T) Administrative Systems, Association of Student Governments, and Student Information System Registration Fees. However, because they do not pay other fees, they do not have privileges, such as athletic passes or access to Student Health Services. Post-baccalaureate students are not eligible to stay in University dormitories and must find their own housing within the community. However, there are many housing options in Chapel Hill or in nearby Carrboro, most of which are accessible by the extensive and free bus system. The department cannot help you find housing or part-time jobs, but we can forward your emailed inquiries to current post-baccalaureate or Ph.D. students, who are good sources of information.
There are no scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships currently available for this program. Some students may qualify for low-interest loans. Students interested in this type of aid should contact the Financial Aid Office.