Candidates will choose one of the following five concentrations: (1) Greek, (2) Latin, (3) Classical Art and Archaeology, (4) Classical Antiquity, or (5) Teaching of Latin.
It is expected that students opting for the teaching of Latin either have achieved accreditation at the secondary level or are planning to do so through the School of Education. The MA degree alone does not satisfy the state requirements for certification.
For more information, visit the department's Graduate Degrees in Classics webpage.
Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program
Students may earn this degree as part of the Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's (BAM) degree program, which allows currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to earn a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time.
For more information, see the Accelerated Master's tab for the associated bachelor's degree(s): Classics - Bachelor of Arts (BA).
Requirements
The degree requirements listed here are subject to change. Students wishing to pursue graduate work in classics should visit the department website for the most up-to-date degree requirements.
Students must complete 30 credit hours of graduate (5000 level or above) coursework, at least 21 of which must be taken at CU Boulder. At least 24 credit hours of coursework must be taken in Classics; courses outside the department must be approved by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. Students may earn the MA degree in classics through coursework alone; a thesis is optional.
All graduate students must follow the Graduate School's requirements for graduation (see the Graduation Requirements webpage).
Students will meet with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies at least twice a year to guarantee that they are on track to meet these requirements.
Electives
The following is a comprehensive list of classics graduate courses, any of which can serve as electives depending on concentration.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Greek Language and Literature Courses | ||
| GREK 5013 | Topics in Greek Prose | 3 |
| GREK 5023 | Topics in Greek Poetry | 3 |
| GREK 5093 | Survey of Greek Literature | 3 |
| GREK 6003 | Graduate Reading | 3 |
| GREK 6843 | Graduate Independent Study | 1-3 |
| GREK 7013 | Graduate Seminar in Greek Literature | 3 |
| Latin Language and Literature Courses | ||
| LATN 5014 | Topics in Latin Prose | 3 |
| LATN 5024 | Latin Prose Composition | 3 |
| LATN 5044 | Topics in Latin Poetry | 3 |
| LATN 5084 | Survey of Roman Literature Part 2: Imperial | 3 |
| LATN 5094 | Survey of Roman Literature Part 1: Republican to Augustan | 3 |
| LATN 5824 | Latin Teaching Methods: Open Topics | 3 |
| LATN 6004 | Graduate Reading | 3 |
| LATN 6844 | Graduate Independent Study | 1-3 |
| LATN 7014 | Graduate Seminar in Latin Literature | 3 |
| Literature and History Courses | ||
| CLAS 5110 | Greek and Roman Epic | 3 |
| CLAS 5120 | Greek and Roman Tragedy | 3 |
| CLAS 5130 | Greek and Roman Comedy | 3 |
| CLAS 5140 | The Greek and Roman Novel | 3 |
| CLAS 5840 | Graduate Independent Study | 1-3 |
| CLAS 7840 | Graduate Independent Study | 1-3 |
| CLAS 5021 | Athens and Greek Democracy | 3 |
| CLAS 5031 | Alexander the Great and the Rise of Macedonia | 3 |
| CLAS 5041 | Classical Greek Political Thought | 3 |
| CLAS 5061 | Twilight of Antiquity | 3 |
| CLAS 5071 | Seminar in Ancient Social History | 3 |
| CLAS 5081 | The Roman Republic | 3 |
| CLAS 5091 | The Roman Empire | 3 |
| CLAS 5101 | Greek and Roman Slavery | 3 |
| CLAS 5761 | Roman Law | 3 |
| CLAS 7011 | Seminar in Ancient History | 3 |
| CLAS 7012 | Graduate Seminar | 3 |
| Archaeology Courses | ||
| CLAS 5099 | Ancient Greek Sculpture | 3 |
| CLAS 5109 | Ancient Italian Painting | 3 |
| CLAS 5119 | Roman Sculpture | 3 |
| CLAS 5129 | Aegean Art and Archaeology | 3 |
| CLAS 5139 | Greek Vase Painting | 3 |
| CLAS 5149 | Greek Cities and Sanctuaries | 3 |
| CLAS 5159 | Hellenistic Art and Archaeology | 3 |
| CLAS 5169 | Topics in Ancient and Classical Art and Archaeology | 3 |
| CLAS 5179 | City of Athens | 3 |
| CLAS 5189 | City of Rome | 3 |
| CLAS 5199 | Roman Architecture | 3 |
| CLAS 5209 | Classical Archaeological Field Methods | 6 |
| CLAS 5229 | Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology | 3 |
| CLAS 5269 | Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East | 3 |
| CLAS 6109 | Topics in Critical Theory and Ancient Art and Archaeology | 3 |
| CLAS 6119 | Graduate Independent Study in Classical Art and Archaeology | 1-3 |
| CLAS 7109 | Graduate Seminar in Ancient and Classical Art and Archaeology | 3 |
Concentrations
Students may earn an MA in classics with a concentration in one of the following options below.
Greek or Latin
Plan I
- A minimum of 30 hours of 5000-level credit or above (including thesis), to be distributed as follows:
- 18 hours in Greek and/or Latin.
- 6-9 hours of student's choice (including classes outside of the department, in consultation with the graduate advisor).
- 4-6 hours of thesis credit.
- Thesis (to be completed during 4th semester of graduate study)
- Comprehensive Examination (upon submission of thesis): 4 hour written examination, consisting of translation and analysis of texts in the major language. This will be followed by a one-hour oral examination based upon the thesis. The translation examination will consist of two out of three prose passages and two out of three verse passages for a total of c. 100 lines. All passages will be drawn from the relevant (Greek or Latin) MA reading list. Students may fail the exam once.
Plan II
For many students Plan II will be more in line with their educational goals. They are encouraged to discuss this option with the ACGS. The requirements differ from Plan I in eliminating the 4-6 thesis hours and requiring instead 21 hours of Greek and/or Latin (5000-level or above) and 9 hours of the student's choice. The written portion of the Comprehensive Examination is the same as in Plan I; the oral portion of the exam covers the range of Greek or Latin literature represented by the reading list and tests the candidate's general knowledge of the primary sources and literary history.
Classical Antiquity
Plan I
- A minimum of 30 hours of 5000-level credit or above (including thesis), to be distributed as follows:
- 6 hours of Ancient History and/or Classical Archaeology
- 6 hours of Greek and/or Latin
- 12-15 hours of student's choice
- 4-6 hours of thesis credit
- Thesis (to be completed during 4th semester of graduate study)
- Comprehensive Examination (upon submission of thesis): 3 hours of written examination on two of the following special fields: a) Greek history, b) Roman history, c) Roman art and archaeology, d) Greek art and archaeology, e) Greek religion and mythology, f) Roman religion and mythology, g) philosophy and political theory, h) Greek translation, or i) Latin translation, and one-hour oral examination based upon the thesis. The special field examinations of 90 minutes each are based on reading lists published in the Graduate Handbook and on the department's website. The examination committee serves in an advisory capacity, in addition to setting and grading the written examinations. Students electing Greek or Roman archaeology as a special field must pass a thirty-minute slide identification exam before taking the Comprehensive Examination.
Plan II
For many students Plan II will be more in line with their educational goals. They are encouraged to discuss this option with the ACGS. The requirements differ from Plan I in substituting 3-6 additional hours of ancient history or classical archaeology for the 4-6 thesis hours of Plan I. The written portion of the Comprehensive Examination is the same as in Plan I (as above); the oral exam will focus on coursework and the reading lists. Language courses may, with the approval of the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, be substituted for other courses in fulfilling the requirements for this degree.
Classical Art and Archaeology
Plan I
- A minimum of 30 hours of 5000-level credit or above (including thesis), to be distributed as follows:
- 6 hours of Greek and/or Latin
- 15 credit hours of ancient, classical, and/or medieval art and archaeology.
- 3-6 hours of student's choice
- 4-6 hours of thesis credit
- Thesis (to be completed during 4th semester of graduate study)
- Slide Identification Exam: A one-hour slide identification exam must be passed in advance of the Comprehensive Examination.
- Comprehensive Examination (upon submission of thesis): Candidates must pass written and oral examinations in the fields of Greek art and archaeology and Roman art and archaeology. The three-hour written exam will be based on candidates' coursework and the reading lists. The oral exam will explore further aspects of candidates' understanding of theories, methods, and material culture, based primarily on the thesis.
Plan II
- For many students Plan II will be more in line with their educational goals. They are encouraged to discuss this option with the ACGS. The requirements differ from Plan I in substituting 3-6 additional hours of ancient, classical, and/or medieval art and archaeology or graduate-level language for the 4-6 thesis hours of Plan I. The Slide Identification Exam and the Comprehensive Examinations are the same as in Plan I (as above), except that the oral examination focuses on understanding of theories, methods, and material culture gained through coursework and the reading lists rather than a thesis.
The faculty strongly recommend that students planning to apply for PhD programs in classical archaeology attain graduate-level proficiency in both Greek and Latin. Language courses may, with the approval of the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, be substituted for other courses in fulfilling the requirements for this degree.
Teaching of Latin
Plan II only
Note: Students entering the MA in classics with a concentration in the teaching of Latin program who have not yet received teaching certification at the secondary level are encouraged to do so through the School of Education. Classes in the program can be taken concurrently with classes in the School of Education. Generally, it takes three years to fulfill the requirements of both qualifications, if they are embarked upon concurrently. The MA in classics alone does not satisfy the state's requirements for certification. Many students elect to pursue certification after completing the degree. Students should contact the Office of Student Services in the School of Education for further information about teaching certification. For information about licensure through the School of Education, see the Secondary Latin Teacher Licensure Program Form.
- A minimum of 30 hours of 5000-level credit or above, to be distributed as follows:
- 12 hours of Latin
- 3 hours of workshop in Latin Teaching Methods.
- 3 hours of Roman History
- 9 hours of student's choice
- 3 hours of Special Teaching Project covering the planning, teaching, and evaluation of a sequence of approximately 10 to 15 lessons.
- Special Teaching Project (to be completed during the 4th semester of graduate study). This may be extended if the student is pursuing teaching certification concurrently.
- Comprehensive Examination (upon submission of Special Project): A three hour written Latin translation examination, and a one-hour oral comprehensive examination on teaching methods and the special project.