How to Apply

The Classics Department is admitting new graduate students for Fall 2024.

The application deadline for the Ph.D. program is January 15, 2024.

 

Admissions Process

Applications are due by January 15 of each year.

All applicants are required to apply to the Department of Classics. Applications will be reviewed by the graduate faculty in Classics and by an interdisciplinary committee comprising faculty members from the three departments Classics, Philosophy, and History and Philosophy of Science. A personal interview is not required for candidates applying to this program. Candidates who wish to visit the campus and would like to arrange a meeting with available graduate faculty are advised to contact the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) prior to their visit.

 

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must hold a Master of Arts (M.A.), or an equivalent qualification, in Classics or Classical Studies upon admission to the degree program, and be prepared to transfer at least 30 credits of relevant coursework. Transfer credit will not be accepted for courses in which a grade lower than B or its equivalent has been received (For more information on transfer credits, please see the Graduate and Professional Bulletin).
 
Applicants should have a broad exposure to the cultural history of ancient Greece and Rome, and will have demonstrated knowledge of Ancient Greek and Latin appropriate for graduate work. All applicants will also have demonstrated reading knowledge of at least one modern foreign research language besides English (German, French, or Italian) before beginning the program. Applicants from outside the U.S. must show evidence of having completed a program of study equivalent to a Master of Arts degree and be prepared to present certification of the degree or license at the time of registration. If the credentials are incomplete or not familiar, please send a copy of the application to Office of International Services for evaluation. 

For applicants whose first language is not English, please refer to this page here to ensure fulfillment of the University’s language requirements.

 

Required Application Materials:

Please note that GRE scores are no longer required.

• The University of Pittsburgh’s on-line Application for Admission (note the $75.00 application fee). In an effort to reduce financial barriers to attending graduate school, the Kenneth P. Dietrich Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers application fee waivers. Please note that fee waivers are approved on a case-by-case basis and not all fee waiver requests will be granted. All requests received will be reviewed and responded to within 48 hours during normal business hours: Monday - Friday 8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. EST.  To be considered for a fee waiver, please complete the fee waiver survey for review.

• To apply, please visit the GradCAS portal.

A personal statement indicating your reasons for pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh and your academic and professional goals. You may submit your Statement of Purpose and writing sample in the “Additional Information” section of the online Application for Admission, which allows you to upload your document. Alternatively, you can mail it to the Department of Classics.

Official or Unofficial College Transcripts. Admitted students will need to send copies of their official transcript  by email (link) before they can be matriculated. The transcripts need to come directly from an applicant's institution.

3 Letters of Recommendation. You must submit the names of three referees with your online Application for Admission. The letters should address the applicant’s expertise in Latin and/ or Ancient Greek, their ability to conduct independent research and their academic potential. The recommendation form to be included with each letter of recommendation is available for download as a .pdf file once you begin your online application process. Referees receive an automated email requesting recommendation letters and typically submit them electronically through the GradCAS portal.

• Two samples of academic writing.

Non-US citizens: TOEFL or IELTS scores. The application portal allows you to upload them, but you may also submit these scores later to the department directly. This process must be completed by January 15.

Upon learning of your decision to our offer, we will forward your information to the Office of International Services (OIS). At that point, you will be contacted by OIS directly on how to submit your financial documentation. More information to become familiar with OIS's financial requirements can be found here. Becoming familiar with this document will expedite the process for visa documents, once admitted.

Please direct questions about graduate student applications, as well as program-specific questions, to Mike Orbin or Christian Wildberg.