Classics

University of California, Berkeley

This is an archived copy of the 2014-15 guide. To access the most recent version of the guide, please visit http://guide.berkeley.edu/.

About the Program

The program of studies which leads to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Classics at Berkeley is designed to give a thorough preparation in the fundamentals of classical scholarship while encouraging the pursuit of intellectual enquiry and the development of original research according to the capacity and interests of the individual student. The examination and course requirements which every student must satisfy before being advanced to candidacy to write a dissertation are intended to ensure attainment, up to at least the minimum level essential for a Classical scholar, of specific skills and all-round competence in the languages (ancient and modern), in the history, literature, and culture of ancient Greece and Rome, in the fundamental techniques of scholarship, and in the ability to sustain informed and penetrating discussion; the dissertation is intended to demonstrate the student’s ability to make a successfully independent and original contribution to research.

In addition the program has a practical professional aim. The holder of a Berkeley PhD in Classics should be able to teach any lower division course in Greek or Latin, any upper division course in the language of special emphasis, and graduate courses in at least one area in the language of special emphasis and/or in an area common to both languages. This is the minimal aim, but all will be encouraged to go beyond it.

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Admissions

Admission to the University

Uniform minimum requirements for admission

The following minimum requirements apply to all programs and will be verified by the Graduate Division:

  1. A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;
  2. A minimum grade-point average of B or better (3.0);
  3. If the applicant comes from a country or political entity (e.g. Quebec) where English is not the official language, adequate proficiency in English to do graduate work, as evidenced by a TOEFL score of at least 570 on the paper-and-pencil test, 230 on the computer-based test, 90 on the iBT test, or an IELTS Band score of at least 7 (note that individual programs may set higher levels for any of these); and
  4. Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in the given field.

Applicants who already hold a graduate degree

The Graduate Council views academic degrees as evidence of broad research training, not as vocational training certificates; therefore, applicants who already have academic graduate degrees should be able to take up new subject matter on a serious level without undertaking a graduate program, unless the fields are completely dissimilar.

Programs may consider students for an additional academic master’s or professional master’s degree if the additional degree is in a distinctly different field.

Applicants admitted to a doctoral program that requires a master’s degree to be earned at Berkeley as a prerequisite (even though the applicant already has a master’s degree from another institution in the same or a closely allied field of study) will be permitted to undertake the second master’s degree, despite the overlap in field.

The Graduate Division will admit students for a second doctoral degree only if they meet the following guidelines:

  1. Applicants with doctoral degrees may be admitted for an additional doctoral degree only if that degree program is in a general area of knowledge distinctly different from the field in which they earned their original degree. For example, a physics PhD could be admitted to a doctoral degree program in music or history; however, a student with a doctoral degree in mathematics would not be permitted to add a PhD in statistics.
  2. Applicants who hold the PhD degree may be admitted to a professional doctorate or professional master’s degree program if there is no duplication of training involved.

Applicants may only apply to one single degree program or one concurrent degree program per admission cycle.

Any applicant who was previously registered at Berkeley as a graduate student, no matter how briefly, must apply for readmission, not admission, even if the new application is to a different program.

Required documents for admissions applications

  1. Transcripts:  Upload unofficial transcripts with the application for the departmental initial review. Official transcripts of all college-level work will be required if admitted. Official transcripts must be in sealed envelopes as issued by the school(s) you have attended. Request a current transcript from every post-secondary school that you have attended, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs.
    If you have attended Berkeley, upload unofficial transcript with the application for the departmental initial review. Official transcript with evidence of degree conferral will not be required if admitted.
  2. Letters of recommendation: Applicants can request online letters of recommendation through the online application system. Hard copies of recommendation letters must be sent directly to the program, not the Graduate Division.
  3. Evidence of English language proficiency: All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency. This requirement applies to applicants from Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Latin America, the Middle East, the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and most European countries. However, applicants who, at the time of application, have already completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better at a U.S. university may submit an official transcript from the U.S. university to fulfill this requirement. The following courses will not fulfill this requirement: 1) courses in English as a Second Language, 2) courses conducted in a language other than English, 3) courses that will be completed after the application is submitted, and 4) courses of a non-academic nature. If applicants have previously been denied admission to Berkeley on the basis of their English language proficiency, they must submit new test scores that meet the current minimum from one of the standardized tests.

Admission to the Program

Competition for admission to graduate study at Berkeley is extremely keen. In recent years there have been from 60-80 applicants per year, and the Department’s admission quota has been around 12 to 16 admits, with the expectation that 5 to 7 new students will enroll each fall. While some applicants are denied admission for lack of adequate preparation or for undistinguished academic records, a substantial number each year who are judged capable of doing good graduate work at Berkeley are denied admission through a process of competitive ranking. The Department's policy is to try to limit enrollment to the number of students who can be fully supported through a normal graduate career.

Applicants are judged by an Admissions Committee of 5 to 7 faculty members, including the Graduate Advisor. The Committee represents a variety of specialties and interests, and different members assign somewhat different weights to the various criteria for admission, which include the following:

  1. Preparation: In Greek and Latin. Whether the applicant has a major in Greek or Latin or Classical Languages or some other subject, the committee is looking for, as a minimum, language preparation more or less equivalent to what is received in the undergraduate major at Berkeley itself. This includes a full year of introductory language study, three additional semesters in central authors or texts of each language (e.g., Homer [3-4 books], Plato [a short dialogue], Greek drama [1 complete play], Vergil [3-4 books], Republican prose [40-50 pages], Horace [30 poems]) plus two additional semesters of more advanced reading in either Greek or Latin. In practice, a student with two years of study in the weaker language is usually considered marginally prepared.
    An applicant with an MA is expected to offer substantially stronger preparation in at least one of the two languages, since the Committee will be judging such an applicant against a real or notional pool of other MA students and not against students with only a BA.
    Elements of additional preparation which reflect favorably on an applicant include: courses in Greek or Latin composition; especially extensive reading in one or both languages; reading knowledge of modern languages (particularly German and/or French or Italian); courses in ancient history, classical civilization, ancient and world literature in translation, philosophy, art history, archaeology, anthropology, and other disciplines that are helpful to the broad range of Classical Studies.
  2. Academic Distinction: The Committee considers overall GPA, GPA in junior and senior years, and GPA in Classics courses, with emphasis on the last two and especially on the last. Successful applicants in recent years have usually offered a junior/senior GPA in the range of 3.6 to 4.0, with many above 3.8. A student who has floundered in other fields earlier in his or her undergraduate education and then performed well upon discovering Classics is not necessarily at a disadvantage because of the earlier record, although the Committee is duly impressed by candidates who have been able to achieve excellence in many disciplines.
    The Department has had many students from overseas and in evaluating academic distinction makes every effort to make appropriate allowances for the differences in grading and examination systems. Successful applicants from Great Britain usually have a first class or a high second class degree.
  3. Letters of Recommendation: A minimum of three letters of recommendation is required. The Committee values letters that are frank and specific as to the applicant’s achievement and promise. If possible, recommenders should make comparisons with other students they know have applied to or enrolled at Berkeley. The contacts for letters of recommendation will be entered by you during the online application process. Recommenders will be contacted via email to submit their recommendation online.
  4. GRE Scores: GRE scores are normally required by the Classics Department of all students receiving a BA in North America and of those overseas students whose native language is English or who have studied for one or more years at a university at which classes are conducted in English. Applicants are strongly advised to take the October GRE, since results of later exams may not arrive in time to be given due consideration in the admission and fellowship competition. There is disagreement on most committees about how important and relevant the GRE scores are, and some members do not attend to the quantitative score.  GRE scores older than 5 years old will not be accepted. Code 2609 (Classical Languages) should be used to have GRE scores reported to the department by ETS.
  5. Statement of Purpose: The Committee appreciates clearly-written and cogent statements of purpose explaining why applicants are interested in graduate work in Classics, what they hope to accomplish, and where their eventual specialization may lie. The statement of purpose is also the appropriate place for the applicant to address and explain any particular weaknesses in the dossier.
  6. Writing Sample: The Committee finds it helpful for candidates to submit a sample of scholarly writing, such as a paper written for a course or a portion of a senior honors thesis. (A candidate who wishes to submit an entire honors thesis should submit a summary with the application and indicate its most representative sections.) Writing samples are submitted as part of the online application. Members of committees differ in their treatment of writing samples. Some refer to them only if they judge the previous five criteria insufficiently indicative.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

Curriculum

Courses Required
CLASSIC 200Proseminar4
CLASSIC 203Approaches to Classical Literature4
Elective Seminars (40 units in 200 series; 200, 250, 260, not counted):
5 Electives Letter-graded A- or Higher
5 Electives in minimum of three out of six specified fields (with 2 electives minimum in one of six specified fields)
Greek Subjects (4 units must be CLASSIC 201A, CLASSIC 201B, OR CLASSIC 250)16
Latin Subjects (4 units must be CLASSIC 202A, CLASSIC 202B, OR CLASSIC 260)
CLASSIC 300Course Not Available

Courses

Literature and Culture:

Languages:

Classics

CLASSIC 200 Proseminar 4 Units

An introduction to the general literature of classical philology, to methods of research, and to textual criticism.

CLASSIC 201A Survey of Greek Literature 4 Units

A sequence of readings and lectures on Greek literature.

CLASSIC 201B Survey of Greek Literature 4 Units

A sequence of readings and lectures on Greek literature.

CLASSIC 202A Survey of Latin Literature 4 Units

A sequence of readings and lectures on Latin literature.

CLASSIC 202B Survey of Latin Literature 4 Units

A sequence of readings and lectures on Latin literature.

CLASSIC 203 Approaches to Classical Literature 4 Units

Introduction to basic methods of literary analysis and interpretation, and study of particular critical approaches of significance for the understanding of Classical literature. Close reading of selected passages of Greek and Latin will be emphasized. The critical approaches that are to be studied may vary from year to year. The course will be team taught.

CLASSIC C204 Proseminar in Classical Archaeology and Ancient Art 2 or 4 Units

This seminar is intended to introduce graduate students--both archaeologists and non-archaeologists--to the discipline of classical archaeology, history, and evolution, and its research tools and bibliography. Since it is both impossible and undesirable to attempt to cover the entire discipline in one semester, after two introductory lectures on the history of the field, we will address a selection of topics that seems representative of its concerns.

CLASSIC 211 Archaic Greek Poetry 2 or 4 Units

. Topics in iambic, elegiac, and lyric poets from Archilochus to Pindar.

CLASSIC 213 Hellenistic Poetry 2 or 4 Units

. Study of Callimachus, Theocritus, Apollonius, or other topics in Hellenistic poetry and poetics.

CLASSIC 214 Greek Drama 2 or 4 Units

. Study of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, or other topics in Greek drama and dramatic theory.

CLASSIC 218 Greek Philosophers 2 or 4 Units

Study of PreSocratics, Plato, Aristotle, Hellenistic Philosophy, or other topics in ancient Greek philosophy through Plotinus.

CLASSIC 219 Ancient Novel 2 or 4 Units

Study of Greek novelists, Petronius, Apuleius, or other topics in Greco-Roman romance or novel.

CLASSIC 220A Greek and Latin Epigraphy 2 or 4 Units

Greek epigraphy

CLASSIC 224 Classical Poetics and Rhetoric 2 or 4 Units

Ancient views of literature; theories and practice of criticism, scholarship, and education, from Homer to Byzantium.

CLASSIC 225 Papyrology 2 or 4 Units

The course introduces students to Greek papyrology. Its principal aim is to develop the skills necessary to edit and interpret papyrological texts. Sessions are devoted to learning the techniques of papyrology and to investigating historical issues to which the papyrological corpus has much to contribute (the ancient economy, gender in antiquity, education, etc.). Extensive use will be made of Berkeley's outstanding collection of papyri from Tebtunis.

CLASSIC 226 Myth and Literature 2 or 4 Units

A study of the interplay of mythical thinking and formal literary expression in texts of all kinds in the Greco-Roman world.

CLASSIC 228 Ancient Society and Law 2 or 4 Units

. Study of social, legal, or administrative structures of the Greek or Roman world.

CLASSIC 230 Latin Poetry of the Republic and Early Empire 2 or 4 Units

. Study of Lucretius, Vergil, Horace, Ovid, or other topics in Latin poetry from Ennius to Juvenal.

CLASSIC 239 Topics in Greek or Roman Literature, History, and Culture 2 or 4 Units

Select issues in ancient Greek and/or Roman literature or history or culture.

CLASSIC 250 Advanced Greek Composition 4 Units

Advanced instruction in the writing of Greek prose.

CLASSIC 260 Advanced Latin Composition 4 Units

Advanced instruction in the writing of Latin prose.

CLASSIC 270 Seminar in Classical Archaeology 2 or 4 Units

Advanced study of ancient Greek art objects and sites.

CLASSIC 298 Special Study 2 - 12 Units

Normally reserved for students writing the doctoral dissertation.

CLASSIC 299 Special Study 1 - 4 Units

Special individual study for qualified graduate students.

CLASSIC 302 Teaching Practicum 3 - 6 Units

Supervised teaching of lower division Greek, Latin, or Classics or of discussion sections in Classics. Two semesters normally required for Ph.D. candidates.

CLASSIC 375 Teaching of Classics: Methods and Problems 3 Units

Seminar in problems of teaching. Required for all new graduate student instructors.

CLASSIC 601 Individual Study for Master's Candidates 1 - 12 Units

Individual study for the comprehensive or language requirements in consultation with the graduate adviser or personal adviser. Units may not be used to meet either unit or residence requirements for a master's degree.

CLASSIC 602 Individual Study for Doctoral Candidates 1 - 12 Units

Individual study in consultation with the graduate adviser or personal adviser, intended to provide an opportunity for qualified students to prepare themselves for the various examinations required of candidates for the Ph.D. May not be used for unit or residence requirements for the doctoral degree.

Greek

GREEK 1 Elementary Greek 4 Units

Beginners' course.

GREEK 2 Elementary Greek 4 Units

Beginners' course.

GREEK 10 Intensive Elementary Greek 8 Units

Beginners' course (intensive); equivalent to Greek 1-2.

GREEK 15 The Greek Workshop 10 Units

Designed primarily for prospective and beginning graduate students wishing to complete as early as possible a requirement in the classical languages or to gain rapidly a basic control of Greek in order to proceed directly into intermediate courses in Homer, Plato, and Euripides. Lectures, discussions, drills and tutorial sessions on grammar and vocabulary; readings in Attic prose and poetry (Plato and Greek Tragedy). A grade of B enables the students to enroll directly in upper division Greek.

GREEK 40 Intermediate Greek Prose Composition 4 Units

. Development of skills in writing Attic prose and sight reading; grammar review.

GREEK 98 Directed Group Study for Freshmen and Sophomores 1 - 4 Units

GREEK 99 Supervised Independent Study and Research 1 - 4 Units

GREEK 100 Plato and Attic Prose 4 Units

Readings from Plato's or , and from other Attic prose authors (e.g., Xenophon, Lysias); some review of grammar.

GREEK 101 Homer 4 Units

Selected readings in the or .

GREEK 102 Drama and Society 4 Units

Reading of one Greek tragedy, and of further selections from the dramatists and/or prose literature of fifth century Athens.

GREEK 105 The Greek New Testament 4 Units

Readings in the Gospels and/or Acts and/or Epistles.

GREEK 115 Archaic Poetry 4 Units

Readings in various Greek poets.

GREEK 116 Greek Drama 4 Units

Selected readings from Greek tragedy and/or comedy.

GREEK 117 Hellenistic Poets 4 Units

Readings in various Hellenistic poets.

GREEK 120 Herodotus 4 Units

Readings in Herodotus.

GREEK 121 Thucydides 4 Units

Readings in Thucydides.

GREEK 122 Attic Oratory 4 Units

Readings in oratory.

GREEK 123 Plato and Aristotle 4 Units

Readings in Plato and Aristotle.

GREEK 125 Greek Literature of the Hellenistic and Imperial Periods 4 Units

Selected readings in Greek prose or poetry written by authors active during the Hellenistic Age and the Roman Empire (3rd century BCE to 6th century CE).

GREEK H195 Honors Course in Greek 4 Units

Largely independent study for one semester building on work in a previous upper-division course used in fulfillment of the Greek major; the work will result in the writing of a thesis, to be evaluated by an honors committee of three members. Written thesis due the Monday of the 13th week of the semester in which the course is taken.

GREEK H195A Honors Course in Greek 2 - 4 Units

This is a two-semester Honors course [H195A-B]. The work for the Honors course may either build on work in a previous upper division course used in fulfillment of the Greek major or may be a newly conceived project. The work will result in the writing of a thesis, to be evaluated by an Honors committee of three members. Written thesis due the Monday of the 13th week of the semester in which the course is taken.

GREEK H195B Honors Course in Greek 4 Units

The work for the Honors course may either build on work in a previous upper division course used in fulfillment of the Greek major or may be a newly conceived project. The work will result in the writing of a thesis, to be evaluated by an Honors committee of three members. Written thesis due the Monday of the 13th week of the semester in which the course is taken.

GREEK 198 Directed Group Study for Advanced Undergraduates 1 - 4 Units

GREEK 199 Supervised Independent Study and Research 1 - 4 Units

Latin

LATIN 1 Elementary Latin 4 Units

Beginners' course.

LATIN 2 Elementary Latin 4 Units

Beginners' course.

LATIN 10 Intensive Elementary Latin 8 Units

Beginners' course (intensive); equivalent to Latin 1-2.

LATIN 15 The Latin Workshop 10 Units

Designed primarily for prospective and beginning graduate students wishing to complete as early as possible the Latin requirement for doctoral work in Comparative Literature, English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish. Lectures, discussions, drills, and tutorial sessions on grammar and vocabulary; readings in Vergil, Cicero, and Horace. A grade of B enables the student to enroll directly in upper division Latin.

LATIN 40 Intermediate Latin Prose Composition 4 Units

Development of skills in writing Latin prose and sight reading; review of grammar.

LATIN 98 Directed Group Study for Freshmen and Sophomores 1 - 4 Units

LATIN 99 Supervised Independent Study and Research 1 - 4 Units

LATIN 100 Republican Prose 4 Units

Selected readings in Caesar, Sallust, and Cicero; some review of grammar.

LATIN S100X Republican Prose 4 Units

Selected readings in Caesar, Sallust, and Cicero; some review of grammar.

LATIN 101 Vergil 4 Units

Selected readings from Vergil.

LATIN 102 Lyric and Society 4 Units

Reading in Catullus and Horace, and of short selections from prose literature of their periods.

LATIN 115 Roman Drama 4 Units

Readings in Comedy (Plautus and/or Terence) and Tragedy (Seneca).

LATIN 116 Lucretius, Vergil's <Georgics> 4 Units

Readings in the and the .

LATIN 119 Latin Epic 4 Units

Readings in Latin epic poetry.

LATIN 120 Latin Prose to AD 14 4 Units

Readings in Latin prose authors such as Sallust, Cicero, Caesar, and Livy.

LATIN 121 Tacitus 4 Units

Readings in Tacitus.

LATIN 122 Post-Augustan Prose 4 Units

Readings in Seneca, the younger Pliny, and other prose writers.

LATIN 140 Medieval Latin 4 Units

Introduction to medieval Latin: readings in prose and poetry from Cassiodorus to the Italian Renaissance, with emphasis on certain periods.

LATIN 155A Readings in Medieval Latin 4 Units

Study of texts selected from the early, high, or late medieval periods. Focuses on prose.

LATIN H195 Honors Course in Latin 4 Units

Largely independent study for one semester building on work in a previous upper-division course used in fulfillment of the Latin major; the work will result in the writing of a thesis, to be evaluated by an honors committee of three members. Written thesis due the Monday of the 13th week of the semester in which the course is taken.

LATIN H195A Honors Course in Latin 2 - 4 Units

This is a two-semester Honors course [H195A-B]. The work for the Honors course may either build on work in a previous upper division course used in fulfillment of the Latin major or may be a newly conceived project. The work will result in the writing of a thesis, to be evaluated by an Honors committee of three members. Written thesis due the Monday of the 13th week of the semester in which the course is taken.

LATIN H195B Honors Course in Latin 4 Units

This is a two-semester course [H195A-B]. The work for the Honors course may either build on work in a previous upper division course used in fulfillment of the Latin major or may be a newly conceived project. The work will result in the writing of a thesis, to be evaluated by an Honors committee of three members. Written thesis due the Monday of the 13th week of the semester in which the course is taken.

LATIN 198 Directed Group Study for Advanced Undergraduates 1 - 4 Units

LATIN 199 Supervised Independent Study and Research 1 - 4 Units

Faculty

Professors

Anthony W. Bulloch, Professor. Language, classics, Greek literature, myth and religion, ancient metrics, ancient Greek culture and society.
Research Profile

Giovanni R. F. (John) Ferrari, Professor. Classics, ancient philosophy, Greek culture, ancient poetics and rhetoric.
Research Profile

Mark Griffith, Professor. Gender and sexuality, Greek literature and performance, Greek and Roman education, Greek tragedy and comedy, Hesiod and wisdom literature, ancient music.
Research Profile

Leslie V. Kurke, Professor. Classics, Greek literature and culture, archaic Greek poetry, Herodotus.
Research Profile

Francois Lissarrague, Professor.

Donald J. Mastronarde, Professor. Classics, Greek literature, Greek drama, Greek textual transmission, Greek literary papyrology, Greek palaeography.
Research Profile

Ellen Oliensis, Professor. Latin Literature, Ovid.
Research Profile

J. Theodore Pena, Professor. Roman archaeology, Roman and pre-Roman Italy, city of Rome, Pompeii, ancient economy, ceramic analysis, material culture studies.
Research Profile

Associate Professors

Frank Bezner, PhD, Associate Professor. Medieval Latin literature; Medieval literary culture; Neo-Latin; Intellectual history.
Research Profile

Kathleen Mccarthy, Associate Professor. Classics, Roman literature and culture, slavery.
Research Profile

Trevor M. Murphy, Associate Professor. Ethnography, classics, Roman prose authors.
Research Profile

Nikolaos Papazarkadas, Dphil, Associate Professor. Greek epigraphy, Greek history.
Research Profile

Dylan Paul Sailor, Associate Professor. Rhetoric, classics, Greek literature, Latin Literature, ancient Greek, Latin, historiography, ancient Rome, ancient Greece.
Research Profile

Assistant Professors

Sara Magrin, Assistant Professor.

Contact Information

Department of Classics

7233 Dwinelle Hall

Phone: 510-642-4218

Fax: 510-643-2959

Visit Department Website

Department Chair

John Ferrari, PhD

7217 Dwinelle Hall

Phone: 510-642-3164

gferrari@berkeley.edu

Head Graduate Adviser

Leslie Kurke, PhD

4331 Dwinelle Hall

Phone: 510-642-2054

kurke@berkeley.edu

Graduate Student Affairs Officer

Candace Groskreutz

7222 Dwinelle Hall

Phone: 510-643-8741

candaceg@berkeley.edu

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