Texas Tech University

Funded M.A. In Classics

Earn a professional degree, solidify your languages, develop your research skills, and gain hands-on teaching experience with the Masters of Arts in Classics at Texas Tech University.

The M.A. is the highest degree that a student can earn in Classics at Texas Tech; our graduate students benefit in additional ways from this privileged position. Graduate students serve as Teaching Assistants in language and large culture courses and receive extensive pedagogical training. There are opportunities for faculty-student research collaboration and to work with the journals Helios and Intertexts, both of which are edited on campus. There are also opportunities to work with our branch of the Archaeological Institute of America and with area K-12 Latin programs. Funding is available for summer research and for presenting at conferences. Texas Tech has one of the best libraries in Texas for Classics, as well as a departmental Classics library. Graduate students also have dedicated individual office space in the department and full access to Interlibrary Loan. 

Students are typically admitted with at least intermediate level proficiency in both Ancient Greek and Latin (4+ semesters at the college level). 

All students undertake the same core coursework and exams in Classical Languages, Literature, Culture, and Archaeology and Material Culture as a part of the M.A. degree. We also offer supplementary opportunities and individualized mentorship to suit the goals of our students who wish to specialize further in Philology, Archaeology and Material Culture, and/or Pedagogy. For instance: Students on the Philology track are able to take an additional course in Literary Theory, Philosophy, History or other relevant field, depending on student interest. Those on the Archaeology and Material Culture track are able to participate in one of our faculty-led field projects, take an additional course in Anthropology, History, or other relevant discipline and/or pursue the Geo-Sciences certificate. Those on the Pedagogy track are able to participate in the region's vibrant secondary school Latin community, especially through the regional arm of the Texas Junior Classics League. All students also have the opportunity to participate in faculty research and other Departmental activities.

The Classics Program prides itself on the diversity of our M.A. students and strongly encourages applications from all students, including those from backgrounds not traditionally well-represented in Classics and Classical Archaeology.

Financial Support

Students usually receive financial support via employment as a Teaching Assistant, Graduate Part-Time Instructor, or as the Editorial Assistant to Helios or Intertexts. The University also offers several competitive scholarships and funding for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Deadlines for the latter, which includes support from the Graduate School, are January 15th. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply before these deadlines. With this financial support package, students are provided with significant resources adequate to cover their reduced tuition fees, accommodation, and board.

Placement

Here at Texas Tech we are proud of the success of our M.A. students. They have gone on to: 

  • Top Ph.D. programs in Classics and related fields 
    • Recent placements include Berkeley, Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Michigan, Princeton, Rutgers, St Andrews, and UNC-Chapel Hill 
  • Careers in Latin and Greek teaching at the K-12 level, in both public and private schools throughout the nation 
  • Careers in Publishing, Information Systems, Museums, and the Civil Service 
  • Other advanced professional degrees, including in Law and Business 

For more information about the program and application process: 

We review applications continually; to be considered for University scholarships, applications must be completed by January 15th. 

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Admission

Admission to the Languages & Cultures - Classics M.A. degree program presupposes an undergraduate major's proficiency in either Latin or Greek, or as close to the equivalent as possible. Proficiency in the other of the two classical languages is needed for completion of the degree. Applicants wishing to specialize in ARCHAEOLOGY AND MATERIAL CULTURE may be considered with lower levels of language proficiency and should contact Dr. Christopher Witmore.

Study can be pursued with a concentration in one of two areas or a combination thereof: Archaeology or Language and Literature. A degree plan for each student will be set in consultation with the Graduate Advisor. Students who wish to study Language and Literature should have significant experience in Greek or Latin, preferably both. Students for Archaeology should have significant background in Archaeology and/or Classical Culture; knowledge of Greek and/or Latin is highly desirable, In all cases, admission decisions and the formation of a degree plan will be based on a holistic review of the candidate's dossier. There is broad scope to create a program of study suited to students' needs.

You will need to apply to the Texas Tech Graduate School.

The Program

1. Basic framework. The program extends over two years. There are two options: 39 hours minimum of regular courses (9 hours per semester plus 3 hours of Pedagogy) , or 33 hours minimum of regular courses plus 6 hours minimum of thesis hours. In each student's first year, a Degree Program will be compiled and submitted to the Graduate School, listing the courses to be taken as part of the student's program. This Degree Program is subject to revision as necessary. The core requirements of the Degree Program are as follows: CMLL 5305 Survey of Greek and Latin Poetry/Prose (4x's) CMLL 5309 Survey of Greek and Roman Culture (1x) LING 5322 Pedagogy (1x) The following seminars will complete the degree plan in consultation with the Graduate Advisor: CLAS 53xx/GRK 53xx/LAT 53xx (7x's)* *One of these courses may be replaced with CMLL 5302 (Theoretical Foundations) in consultation with the graduate advisor. Students with concentrations in Philology will enroll primarily in courses designated GRK or LAT; those with concentrations in Archaeology will enroll primarily in courses designated CLAS and either GRK or LAT, depending on their stronger language. In exceptional cases, students may pursue a thesis in consultation with the Graduate Advisor. Ordinarily, the thesis is in addition to the 9 hours/semester load of regular courses and the topic will emerge from a term paper or similar project in the first year which the faculty consider worthy of more extended treatment.

Notes:

  • Specific topics in courses, ordinarily specifying authors, genres, or theoretical approaches, will be chosen with a view to the needs of the current graduate students and the specialties of the faculty.
  • Any member of the graduate faculty may direct a thesis. The thesis committee ordinarily consists of the Director and one or two other members, chosen by the student in consultation with the Graduate Advisor. The course pattern of a thesis student will be adjusted according to the student's needs and future plans.

2. The MA language requirement. The Graduate School requires sophomore proficiency in a second language for completion of the Classics MA degree. Classics graduate students meet and surpass this requirement by taking courses in both Latin and Greek in their degree program.

3. Exams. As part of the requirements for completion of the MA degree, all students will have a Comprehensive Oral Exam and a Language Proficiency Exam in their final semester. Students should consult with the graduate advisor at the beginning of their final semester to schedule these exams.

The Classics Comprehensive Oral Exam

Toward the end of a candidate's final semester a comprehensive oral examination is administered by a committee, ordinarily consisting of three faculty members, and composed in consultation between the graduate advisor and the candidate. This exam gives the candidate an opportunity to show what she or he has achieved and lasts for approximately 75 minutes. Beginning with areas of greatest familiarity to the candidate and proceeding outward, the exam covers the courses the candidate has taken, the thesis if there is one, and the reading list of recommended primary and secondary sources. The candidate will supply the committee in advance with a list of courses taken, briefly indicating the contents of those courses. In testing the candidate over the reading list, the committee will look for evidence of an overall grasp of the main periods in Greek and Latin literature and ancient Greek and Roman history and culture. Students will receive either a HIGH PASS, PASS, or FAIL.

If a candidate has written a thesis, there will be a separate Thesis Defense, administered by the members of the Thesis Committee. This will last approximately one hour.

The Classics Language Proficiency Exam

In April 2001, the Classics Graduate Faculty instituted a Language Proficiency examination requirement in Latin and Greek, to be fulfilled near the beginning of each student's last (usually the fourth) semester and based on the reading list of primary sources as well as the texts studied in each student's coursework. In exceptional cases, a student may be permitted to take the exam near the end of the third semester. The purpose of the requirement is to enable the student to demonstrate and document achievement in mastery of the languages.

The guidelines for students with concentrations in Philology are as follows:

  • A test of four passages will be made up for each student, two in each language. The passages will be unseen, chosen from the texts which each student has read either in class or on the Reading List (students may NOT use a dictionary). Students will be given ample time to translate three of the four passages (THREE HOURS), since we are not gauging speed. Approximate length of each passage: 15-20 lines (occasionally shorter or longer passages have been assigned).
  • There will be one passage in prose and one passage in poetry in each language.
  • Passing two of the three parts of the test will constitute fulfillment of the requirement. To achieve a grade of HIGH PASS, the student must have a HIGH PASS score on all three passages submitted.
  • The test will be administered early enough in the semester to provide time for the student to retake a part or parts of the test if necessary.

The guidelines for students with concentrations in Archaeology are as follows:

  • A test of four passages will be made up for each student, in the student's strongest language. The passages will be unseen, chosen from the texts which each student has read either in class or on the Reading List (students may NOT use a dictionary). Students will be given ample time to translate three of the four passages (THREE HOURS), since we are not gauging speed. Approximate length of each passage: 15-20 lines (occasionally shorter or longer passages have been assigned).
  • There will be two passages in prose and two passages in poetry.
  • Passing two of the three parts of the test will constitute fulfillment of the requirement. To achieve a grade of HIGH PASS, the student must have a HIGH PASS score on all three passages submitted.
  • The test will be administered early enough in the semester to provide time for the student to retake a part or parts of the test if necessary.

Faculty

Texas Tech Classics features a diverse faculty who are at home in both traditional Classical scholarship and contemporary theoretical approaches. For the core faculty and their areas of expertise, please see our Faculty Webpage

Resources

  • Texas Tech University Library: It includes a solid collection of basic classical texts, dictionaries, concordances, atlases, periodical runs, the standard corpora of Latin and Greek inscriptions, and other fundamental research materials in Classics such as Pauly-Wissowa. The Library's Special Collections includes a repository of rare sixteenth and seventeenth century editions of classical authors, among them Aldine editions.
  • The Jirgensons Reading Room: A location for study in the Foreign Language Building with a  collection of Latin and Greek authors, Greco-Roman history, and Latin and Greek teaching texts. Additionally, the Reading Room offers access to research resources via the library computer, such as the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (TLG).
  • The AJP Collection: A strong collection of books published from 2007-2018 in Classics and related areas.

Graduate Studies Committee

The Classics MA Program functions with the support of a Graduate Studies Committee, whose purpose is to provide advice regarding the conduct of the program. The Committee is composed of the members of the Classics Graduate Faculty plus one student representative, elected each fall semester by the Classics graduate students currently in progress toward a degree. The representative chosen should be available for meetings on campus during each semester.

*All the details of this webpage are subject to, and supplemented by, the regulations of the Texas Tech University Graduate School, the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures, and the current Graduate Catalog, or the catalog under which the student completes the program.*

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CMLL Classics

  • Address

    CMLL Building, 2906 18th St, Lubbock, TX 79409
  • Phone

    806.742.3145