Graduate Programs

Why Study Classics at Western?

Proven track record

The University of Western Ontario offers graduate programs leading to both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Classics. We have a long history of success at the M.A. level (over 50 years) and are excited to offer qualified students the opportunity to conduct advanced research and study in our new Ph.D. program.

Dedicated Resources

The relatively small size of our program allows for a high degree of faculty/student interaction and offers our students the opportunity to work closely with internationally renowned scholars, especially in the areas of Greek literature, Roman social and cultural history, and Roman archaeology. In addition, Western’s Classics department enjoys a fruitful collaboration with the Departments of Modern Languages and Literatures, Philosophy, and Visual Arts. The library resources at Western are outstanding: over 200 periodicals in classics (print and online) and a first-class collection of classical texts and research resources.

Comprehensive Course Offerings

Western regularly offers courses in the major authors of Greek and Latin literature, but that’s not all. Recently taught courses include seminars in Roman Architecture and Society, Aegean Bronze Age Wall Painting, The City of Rome, and Greek and Roman Numismatics, as well as regular seminars in Greek (Epic Poetry, Drama, The Greek Novel, Oratory and Philosophy, Historiography) and Latin (Roman Personal Poetry, Epic, Historiography and Biography, Drama, Augustan Poetry).

Innovative Features of the Program

Students at Western also enroll in our “Core Course”, a survey course that aims to introduce students to the major scholarly approaches and questions of the discipline of classics through the examination of selected texts and evidence from archaeology and material culture. Students are exposed to the standard scholarly literature for and critical approaches to three major genres: History and Historiography; Archaeology and Material Culture; and Literature, in a broad sense.

A Thriving Exchange of Ideas

Western is ideally located to attract visiting speakers from across Canada, the U.S. and from abroad. Students and faculty also regularly participate in colloquia and conferences both locally and internationally. Recent and future speakers include Jan Bremmer, Kathleen Coleman, Sean Corner, Michael Dewar, Jonathan Edmondson, Claude Eilers, Patricia Fagan, Elaine Fantham, Andrew Faulkner, Judith Fletcher, John Geyssen, Alison Glazebrook, Mark Golden, Ingrid Holmberg, Regina Höschele, David Konstan, C.W. Marshall, Thierry Petit, C. Michael Sampson, Nicola Terrenato, Peter Toohey, Lisa Tentin, Craig Williams.

For more information on Western’s M.A. or Ph.D. program, contact the Graduate Chair.