Our department offers graduate work in Classics, Ancient History, and Sanskrit. A degree of M.A. is available for students already working toward the Ph.D. in cognate programs at Brown; however, we do not admit directly into a Master’s program.
The discipline of Classics entails a breadth --and depth-- of focus that is nearly unparalleled. In proceeding to the doctoral degree, each student has the opportunity to enrich his or her knowledge of many aspects of Greek and Latin literature, history, and culture, as well as related fields (e.g., Sanskrit, archeology, epigraphy).
The work of the department is carried on in formal courses, seminars, and guided research, with considerable flexibility in regard to students' particular interests and objectives. Emphasis is placed on an overall command of the languages, literatures, and histories of ancient Greece and Rome or, in the case of Sanskrit, of ancient India. Students are also encouraged to consider courses outside of the Classics Department that are relevant to their areas of interest.