Prospective Students

The Department of Classics at Florida State University is the oldest in Florida and offers the intimacy of a small liberal arts college in the midst of a large state university. There is a vibrant community of more than fifty majors and thirty-six graduate students. Dedicated faculty specializes in Greek and Latin poetry, ancient history and historiography, ancient philosophy, science and medicine, Mediterranean archaeology, ancient religion, mythology, gender, and cultural studies. Their teaching has been recognized with university and national teaching awards. The Department also plays an important role in preparing its students for a diverse range of careers in the 21st century, with FSU Classics alumni currently holding positions as university professors and administrators, museum curators, professional archaeologists, federal grant officers, editors, secondary school teachers. Lastly, FSU hosts a wide variety of public lectures and events, including annual conferences of international scope through its endowed Langford Family Foundation.

 

Graduate Study

The Department of Classics is currently accepting students to its M.A. and Ph.D. programs. M.A. tracks include Ancient History, Classical Archaeology, Classical Civilizations, Greek, Latin, and Greek and Latin. The Ph.D. in Classics includes programs in Classics (ancient history, philology, literary criticism) and in Classical Archaeology. Students holding the B.A. who wish to do doctoral level work in the Department may apply directly to the Ph.D. program or may apply from the M.A. program. The Department also offers fieldwork opportunities at Corinth, Cetamura del Chianti, Cosa, and Sardinia.

 

How to apply

Applications are submitted online. Follow the instructions for the online application detailed by FSU Graduate Admissions. As part of the application process, you will need to provide the following:

  • Statement of Purpose describing your background and why you intend to pursue Classics at the graduate level

  • 3 letters of recommendation (your letter writers will be able to submit their letters online as well)

  • 1 sample of your written work, not to exceed 20 pages

  • CV or resume

  • Official transcripts from each university or college attended

Note that the general university deadlines as listed on the Graduate Admissions site are not the same as the departmental deadline, listed above, for funding consideration. All materials must be received by January 15 in order to ensure that your application be considered for funding.

 

Admissions Requirements

The minimum admission requirements for all programs leading to the MA are:

  • A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree;  A 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (GPA) in all upper-division work; 

  • Sufficient undergraduate work in Classics to warrant study on the graduate level. 

The minimum requirements for admission to the doctoral program are:

  • A Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Master of Arts (MA) degree in Classics or related field; 

  • A 3.6 GPA overall and 3.8 GPA in upper division coursework; 

  • Sufficient language skills in Greek and Latin to begin graduate-level coursework (normally two years each of college-level Greek and Latin with average grades of at least “A–”); 

  • Well-developed writing abilities. 

Please note the GRE has been waived for both our MA and PhD programs.

 

Funding

We are pleased to be able to offer strong financial support to both Ph.D. students and MA students. It is our policy to fully fund all admitted Ph.D. students for five years. Ours is one of the few MA programs to offer funding to a large majority of its MA-level students, primarily through teaching assistantships. Additional financial support for both Ph.D. and MA students is available for graduate travel and research through the department’s multiple endowments and from faculty grants. The department regularly supports students attending international programs, delivering conference papers, and studying abroad.

 

Deadlines

The receipt deadline for all applications is January 15.