leiden university classics phd

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Classics (MA)

About the programme

The MA Classics and Ancient Civilizations covers one year and can be studied in four tracks: Classics is one of them. While diving into the literary, cultural and intellectual worlds of Greece and Rome, you will be involved in current research, and stimulated to reflect on the significance of Classics to the 21st century.

Programme structure

The MA Classics and Ancient Civilizations specialization programme Classics comprises 60 EC spread out over two semesters.

Together with classes from cultural-historical disciplines (e.g., Ancient Philosophy, Ancient History or Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity), courses on Greek and (Renaissance-) Latin literature and linguistics form the heart of the programme.

Core courses All students participate in two core courses. The Ancient World Thesis seminar focuses on academic writing skills, job market training, and the interdisciplinary exploration of ancient civilizations. Classics Now! is a seminar examines the current relevance of the study of Classics: we will discuss current issues in modern society (from migration to #MeToo), while applying ancient texts as ‘tools for thinking’.

Thesis You will conclude the programme by writing a thesis based on a research question or hypothesis of your own formulation, which involves the interpretation of classical texts, and/or the exploration of linguistic or literary concepts.

Electives Next to the Classics and Ancient Civilizations MA Seminar and Classics Now! , students of the MA programme Classics take 35 EC courses in Greek and Latin literature and/or linguistics and a limited number of classes from the cultural-historical disciplines (e.g., Ancient Philosophy, Ancient History or Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity).

For a more detailed programme, see the  Prospectus .  Please note that this guide applies to the current academic year, which means that the curriculum for next year may slightly differ.

You have the option to study abroad. A maximum of 20 EC can be obtained through classes taken abroad.

Ineke Sluiter

Professor of Greek Language and Literature

“We have a wonderful and international team of colleagues here at Leiden: Dutch, German and American classicists and guest-researchers come together to work side-by-side in a friendly yet competitive and challenging academic environment.Between us, we offer a wide range of expertise, including Homer, rhetoric, Greek and Roman drama, papyrology, philosophy, or Neo-Latin.”

Research enterprises "I personally love to involve students in research enterprises – and they are very active and enterprising themselves: we have a manuscript club, where we decipher the oldest manuscript of Homer’s Iliad. The Iliad text is surrounded on all sides by very hard-to-read commentaries that go back to the 3rd century BCE. Our students are currently helping to create a digital edition of this as part of the Homer Multi-text Project, which we are working on together with Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies." Approaches to Classics "Our courses offers a great mix: on the one hand we teach the continental approach to Classics, with its emphasis on technical skills and philology and, on the other, the more problem-driven and theory-oriented approach from the Anglo-American world.”

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Subject guide

Overview of databases, reference works and websites for research in Classics

The physical collection Classics is located in the University Library . Most books are in the closed stacks and have to be requested via the Catalogue . On the reading room floor near entrance 5 (Greek and Latin) and 6](Papyrology and remaining Latin collection) you will find a reference collection in this discipline. A very extensive research collection on Greek and Demotic Papyrology is located at the Papyrological Institute . To find the location of individual titles, please use the catalogue .

Reference collection

The reference collection of Classics contains approximately 8,000 titles on classics. The collections focuses on Greek and Latin language and literature.The reference collections also contains titles on ancient history and archaeology, especially on epigraphy. Items from the reference collection can not be borrowed, it is possible to make copies or scans. Please note: the passage between the halls near entrance 5 and 6 is closed. In the reference collection you will find:

• Reference works and bibliographies sorted by subject
• Primary and secondary literature for a selection of authors
• Loeb Classical Library

The reference collection is organized by the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) . Book titles in the field of Classics  usually have following subject codes:

Collection at the reading room Papyrology

At the Reading room Papyrology near reading room 6 you can find our collection on Greek documentary papyrology among other text editions of Greek papyri and ostraca and secundary literature. Please note: the collection Papyrology follows its own LCC, apart from the Library collections.

Printed journals

Current issues of journals in the field of Classics which are not available online are placed in the round journal cabinets at the entrance to reading room 6. Back volumes are generally located in the S-UB (basement, stairs next to the information desk). Journals in the Closed Stacks can be requested through the Catalogue .

Find our databases on Classics in the catalogue.

L'Année Philologique is the most complete bibliography for classical antiquity.

Library of Latin Texts is the best digital corpus of Latin texts, with almost all of the classical literature.

Loeb Classical Library : editions of Greeks and Latin texts with an English translation and commentaries

The Thesaurus Linguae Graecae  is the best digital corpus of Greek texts, with all of the classical literature.

Bibliotheca Teubneriana Latina Re-publication in electronic format of the Latin texts published in the Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana (until 1997). This BTL contains the full text of the editiones maiores, without critical apparatus and praefatio. Included are works from 300 B.C. until 800 A.D

New Pauly is the encyclopedia for all aspects of classical antiquity.

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Classics and Ancient Civilizations

Interested.

Would you like to know more about this master's programme? Please visit the website for prospective students .

Specialisations

• Assyriology 
• Hebrew and Aramaic Studies

Website for enrolled students

Are you already a student of this master's programme? Please go to the programme website.

Classics and Ancient Civilizations: Classics

The Classics program offers advanced seminars in ancient Greek and Latin literature, linguistics, and the cultural history of the ancient world. In the program, three courses are compulsory for all students: the Ancient World Seminar (10 EC), the seminar Classics Now! (5 EC), and the Master’s thesis (15 EC). Furthermore, the students need to choose 10 EC in Greek literature or linguistics, 10 EC in Latin literature or linguistics, and 10 EC in cultural historical seminars (ancient history, ancient philosophy, or material culture).

Thus, the structure of the program is as follows:

10 EC Greek (elective, either 1st or 2nd semester)

10 EC Latin (elective, either 1st or 2nd semester)

10 EC Ancient History or Ancient Philosophy or Material Culture (elective, either 1st or 2nd semester)

10 EC Ancient World Seminar

5 EC Classics Now

15 EC Master’s thesis

Classics is a specialization of the Master’s program in Classics and Ancient Civilizations . This Master programme is unique in the Netherlands in the breadth of its subject matter, the historical periods covered and the multidisciplinary approach of its study. Characteristic for the Master is its focus on reading ancient texts in their original languages, and discussing the different interpretations the texts allow.

The student may specialize in one of four tracks:

Assyriology

Hebrew and Aramaic Studies

Please consult the information page for more details on the program and visit our website .

Career Preparation

The program of the MA Classics and Ancient Civilizations provides comprehensive training in the languages, literatures and cultures of the ancient Mediterranean region and the Near East. But how will you be able to use your knowledge of the ancient world and your academic skills on the job market? What skills will you develop, and how can you best prepare yourself for the future? We discuss these questions at several moments during the MA program, and there are several opportunities for you to receive more information. We organize job market events and meetings with alumni, and we can help you to find internships.

Ancient World Thesis seminar Internships Leiden Antiquity Network Meetings Humanities Career Service Humanities Career Event Forum Antiquum and Ancient World Network (Lunch Talks) Transferrable Skills Meetings with the Study Advisor

Ancient World Thesis seminar

The job market is one of the central topics of the Ancient World Thesis seminar . Part of this seminar are meetings with representatives of the Career Service of the Faculty of Humanities. There is one meeting on ‘Personal Skills’, consisting of two parts: a panel discussion with a large group of alumni, who are invited to share their experiences on the job market; and a workshop that explores what students expect from the job market and what they and the university could do to achieve their goals. There is also a meeting on writing your CV and application letters.

Internships

Internships are very useful for students who wish to familiarize themselves with the job market. We have established firm connections with several institutions and companies that have agreed to offer annual internships for students of Classics and Ancient Civilizations: Brill Publishers, Uitgeverij LAMBO, NINO and RMO (the National Museum of Antiquities). Other internships are also possible. The Board of Examiners must approve your internship plan, which can be either part of your study program (10 EC) or extracurricular. For more information, contact the internship coordinator and visit the website Finding and arranging an internship .

Leiden Antiquity Network Meetings

The program annually organizes Leiden Antiquity Network Meetings: at these events students can meet alumni with different jobs. Apart from presentations by alumni about their careers, the Leiden Antiquity Network Meeting may include ‘speed-dating’ sessions for students and alumni.

Humanities Career Service

The Faculty of Humanities Career Service provides Humanities students with professional advice and guidance concerning (international) internships and jobs, courses in career planning and job application, and job application readers. The internship coordinator and the career advisor assist you in exploring your individual interests and abilities, and guide you towards the most appropriate internships and job. Please consult the Humanities Career Service webpage for more information.

Humanities Career Event

This career day is organised by the Faculty of Humanities. It is meant for students who are preparing themselves for a future career in The Netherlands. There are various things to do during this event. There are inspiring keynote speakers; organisations and companies give workshops about work experience from employees and the career opportunities for Leiden University alumni; and there are also workshops about for example Linkedin, networking, and applying for jobs. The date of the next Humanities Career Event will be announced on the university website and by e-mail.

Forum Antiquum and Ancient World Network (Lunch Talks)

For students who wish to pursue an academic career, there are two lecture series where you can meet scholars and learn about new approaches to the ancient world. Forum Antiquum is the lecture series that focuses on research in Classics. Lectures are organized every other week during the semester on Thursdays. Every semester, a number of national and international speakers are invited, both well-known experts and promising young researchers. The Ancient World Lunch Talks provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and latest research in an informal atmosphere with an audience of MA and PhD students, Postdocs and Faculty and all interested students. There is free pizza and everyone is welcome to bring lunch! If you are not in the mailing list and you would like to receive e-mails about the lunch talks, please contact the study advisor .

Transferrable Skills

Your future employers will not only be interested in your knowledge of Classics and Ancient Civilisations, but also in the skills that you have developed during your studies. Therefore, it is important that you are aware of the skills that you are training in your MA programme. The course descriptions in the e-Prospectus tell you which skills you will acquire. In the MA programme you learn how to analyse a problem, how to formulate a research question, how to select and assess your sources, how to assess secondary literature, how to give a clear and well-argued oral presentation either for specialists or for a wider audience, and how to write a clear and well-argued paper. You will be training the following transferrable skills:

critical thinking (formulating questions, checking assumptions, assessing sources and scholarship)

analytical skills (selecting, ordering, sorting out, and solving a problem)

oral presentation skills (speaking, listening, discussing, receiving feedback)

writing skills (reporting, summarizing, presenting an argument, with structure and style)

independence (self-discipline, initiative, motivation)

project management (planning, demarcation of a topic, discipline, meeting deadlines)

flexibility (adapting to changes)

creativity (curiosity, developing new ideas and innovative topics)

academic integrity (acting with honesty, fairness, and responsibility)

collaboration (working together with other students on a joint project)

Meetings with the Study Advisor

Students who have questions about their orientation on career prospects can contact the study advisor of the MA programme Classics and Ancient Civilizations.

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New language proficiency requirements for PhD candidates from 1 September 2024 onwards

3 April 2024

From 1 September 2024 onwards, contract and external PhD candidates who are starting a PhD trajectory at the Graduate School of Humanities, need to submit proof of their language proficiency. The required minimum language proficiency need to be fulfilled at the start of the PhD trajectory.

An overview of the new minimum language proficiency requirements and exemptions can be found on the  external website of the Graduate School .

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