Classical Archaeology PhD

About this programme

The Department of Classics offers both the MA and PhD in Classical Archaeology (the archaeology of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds). All students apply to the PhD program. Those with the BA as their highest degree are admitted to the MA program, while in some instances those who hold an MA in classical archaeology or a related field are admitted directly to the PhD program. Students admitted to the MA program receive the MA upon completion of the MA requirements and then apply for advancement to the PhD program. The Program in Classical Archaeology accepts a broad definition of the field, recognizing its grounding in both the humanities and the social sciences. It accordingly provides a rigorous general preparation in the archaeology of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds while allowing students to develop one or more specializations in a variety of specific areas. Students are required to participate in archaeological fieldwork in the Mediterranean (in many cases, participating in projects directed by UC Berkeley faculty) and are also encouraged to work with the unusually rich array of artifactual, epigraphical, and papyrological materials housed on the UC Berkeley campus. At the PhD level students opt to focus on either Greek archaeology or Roman archaeology, with their specific fieldwork, course, and ancient and modern language requirements determined by this choice. Students who complete the PhD program should be well-qualified candidates for college and university-level teaching positions in classical archaeology and — depending upon their specific course of study — curatorial appointments in ancient art.