Languages & Cultures, M.A.Classics

Overview

The M.A. is the highest degree that a student can earn in Classics at Texas Tech; our graduate students benefit in many ways from this privileged position. Graduate students receive extensive pedagogical training by serving as Teaching Assistants in language and large culture courses. They can also gain research and publishing experience through opportunities like faculty-student research collaboration and by working with the journals Helios and Intertexts, both of which are edited on campus. Students also have opportunities to work with our local 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. Graduate students here enjoy full access not only to our departmental Classics library, but also to the Texas Tech Library, one of the best libraries in Texas for Classics - including full access to Interlibrary Loan. Our graduate students also have dedicated individual office space in the department.

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.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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.

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. Deadlines for these opportunities, which include support from the Graduate School, are January 15th. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply before these deadlines. TTU's financial support packages are sufficient to cover students' reduced tuition fees, accommodation, and board.

Placement

Here in Classics  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, Univ. of Michigan, Princeton, Rutgers, UNC-Chapel Hill, Univ. of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Univ. of Washington-St. Louis, UT-Austin
• 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
• Advanced professional degrees, including in Law and Business

View Graduate Placement Statistics

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For more information about the program and application process: 

Contact Dr. Caroline Bishop, Graduate Advisor