Florida State University Graduate Bulletin 2007-2009

Department of Classics

College of Arts and Sciences

Chair: Daniel J. Pullen; Professors: Cairns, de Grummond, Marincola, Pullen, Tatum; Associate Professors: Fulkerson, Pfaff, Sickinger; Assistant Professors: Luke, Slaveva-Griffin, Stone, Stover; Emeritus Faculty: Golden, Plescia; Visiting Professor: Rutherford

The Department of Classics is committed to advancing our knowledge and critical appreciation of the ancient Mediterranean world through excellence in research and in teaching. The department seeks to create an atmosphere that fosters traditional scholarly approaches to the classical past while at the same time welcoming and encouraging innovative methods and perspectives. The department values the interdisciplinary nature of the classics and strives to achieve an integrated understanding of the ancient world that includes a full appreciation of history, literature, and material culture. Students are encouraged to view the classics within the context of the traditional humanities as well as in terms of the contemporary criticism of received cultural canons.

The faculty in Classics is distinguished in teaching and research. Several members of the faculty have received university and national teaching awards. Research strengths lie in ancient literary criticism, the archaeology of Greece and Italy, and the political and social history of Athens and of Rome. The department administers the Langford Family Eminent Chair in Classics, which brings distinguished classicists to campus, and it plays host to two major conferences each year, the Langford Seminar in the fall and the Langford Conference in the spring. It also welcomes distinguished classicists from the U.S. and abroad to its lecture program, which includes the endowed Hunter Lecture. The department's Thompson Library houses a full collection of Classics resources for students and faculty, and graduate students have access to up-to-date computing facilities and software. Graduate students can participate in the department's excavations at Cetamura del Chianti in Italy, while other opportunities for fieldwork and overseas study are available in both Italy and Greece.

The department enjoys a close relationship with other departments in the University, especially art history, anthropology, philosophy and religion, each of which offers graduate level courses of interest to classicists. The department is also associated with the Program in the Humanities, which offers an interdisciplinary course of study leading to the PhD in the intellectual history of the classical world.

The Department of Classics offers several programs of graduate study leading to the MA and PhD degrees. MA programs are offered in Classical Archaeology, Classical Civilizations, Classics (Greek and Latin), Greek, and Latin. The focus of each program differs, but all are designed to prepare students for teaching careers in secondary schools or to help students develop the skills necessary for study at the PhD level. Students also have the opportunity to work toward certification in Museum Studies. The PhD program has concentrations in Classical Archaeology or Classical Philology and trains students to become teachers and scholars at the college or university level. Students work closely with the director of graduate studies and departmental faculty to design a graduate program which meets their personal and professional requirements.

Admission Requirements

The minimal admission requirements for all programs leading to the MA are:

  1. A BA degree
  2. A 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (GPA) in all upper-division work and a minimum of 1100 on the aptitude test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
  3. Sufficient undergraduate work in classics to warrant study on the graduate level

The minimal requirements for admission to the doctoral program are:

  1. An MA degree (students holding the BA who wish to pursue doctoral work in the department should consult the special requirements below)
  2. A GRE score of not less than 1200 (with not less than 600 on the verbal section)
  3. A 3.5 GPA in previous graduate level course work.

The minimal admissions requirements for admission to the doctoral program for a student holding only a BA degree are:

  1. A 3.6 GPA overall and 3.8 GPA in upper division course work
  2. A GRE score of at least 1300, with a verbal score of at least 650
  3. Sufficient language skills in Greek and Latin to begin graduate-level course work (normally two years each of college-level Greek and Latin with average grades of at least A-)
  4. Well-developed writing abilities

Master of Arts Degree Requirements

The department offers a variety of programs leading to the MA degree. Each program is designed to prepare students for doctoral-level work in classical studies. Students are encouraged to study the particulars of each program with care and to consult with the director of graduate studies when making decisions about which program to enter. Students in some programs may also prepare themselves for a career teaching Latin.

General Requirements of all MA programs

Students should review all college-wide degree requirements summarized in the "College of Arts and Sciences" chapter of this Graduate Bulletin. All graduate students are required, during their first fall semester in residence, to take CLA 5936, Proseminar in Classical Studies. All students must demonstrate competence in a modern foreign language (French, German or Italian). This is accomplished by:

  1. Completing twelve (12) semester hours of college level work with a grade point average of 3.0 or above
  2. Earning a 480 or above on the appropriate examination in the Graduate School Foreign Language Tests administered by ETS
    1. or
  3. Passing the Reading Knowledge Examination (FRE 5069, GER 5069 or ITA 5069)

Graduate students are required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average in all graduate work, and no course in classics for which a student receives a grade of "C" or below may count toward any graduate degree in the department.

All students pursuing the thesis option for a degree are expected, before arranging their comprehensive or translation exams or commencing work on a thesis, to select a major professor. The major professor will help the student to select his or her MA committee, will direct the student's thesis and will work with the director of graduate studies in order to be certain that the student has met every requirement for the MA degree. Comprehensive and translation exams will ordinarily be given during one week of each term: in the fall term, it will be the second week in November; in the spring term, it will be the week following the spring break.

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with University regulations concerning required forms and deadlines, as well as with the Classics Graduate Student Handbook available on the Department of Classics Web site (http://www.fsu.edu/~classics).

Master of Arts with a Major in Classical Archaeology

The program in classical archaeology allows a student to focus his or her course work on archaeology and art history. It is recommended for students who intend to pursue further graduate work in classical archaeology.

All students must achieve at least a 3000 level proficiency in either Greek or Latin and the equivalent of one year's study of the other of the two classical languages. These requirements should be viewed as the minimum of language preparation. Students in archaeology are strongly encouraged to achieve graduate level proficiency in at least one ancient language. This program may be taken under the course option or the thesis option.

Requirements for Course Option (Thirty-two [32] semester hours total)

Students who choose the course option are required to write a substantial research paper (usually an expanded version of a seminar paper) during the semester in which they are registered for CLA 5910

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
CLA 5789r 4
Seminars (usually CLA 5799) 6
Archaeology courses 9
Electives in classics 9
Comprehensive examination 0
CLA 5910 3

Requirements for Thesis Option (Thirty-two [32] semester hours total)

Students who choose the thesis option are required to write and defend a thesis to be placed on deposit with the university.

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
CLA 5789r 4
Seminars (usually CLA 5799) 6
Archaeology courses 9
Electives in classics 6
CLA 5971r 6
Comprehensive examination 0
Thesis Defense 0

There are various means of meeting the fieldwork requirement. Students should consult with the archaeology committee in order to determine the most appropriate means of fulfilling this requirement.

Comprehensive Examinations for Classical Archaeology

The comprehensive exam in classical archaeology is divided into two parts:

  1. Two hours of identifications:
    1. 25 slides each viewed for two minutes. Students are asked to identify and to explain the significance of major monuments of the type typically found in introductory textbooks on Greek and Italian archaeology.
    2. 25 terms (out of a selection of 35). Study lists of terms can be obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies.
  2. Two hours of essays:
    1. Select one essay from either the Bronze Age or Hellenic period.
    2. Select one essay from either the Etruscan or Roman period.

For the purposes of the comprehensive examinations, the archaeology committee is the examination committee. A student's thesis committee may vary. It is strongly recommended that at least two members of the committee be archaeologists.

Master of Arts with a Major in Classics (Greek and Latin)

The program in classics (Greek and Latin) enables a student to concentrate his or her course work on both languages. The program will prepare students for further graduate work in classical studies or for a career in teaching. This program may be taken under the course option or the thesis option. The department recommends the course option.

Requirements for Course Option (Thirty-three [33] semester hours total)

Students who choose the course option are required to write a substantial research paper (usually an expanded version of a seminar paper) during the semester in which they are registered for CLA 5910.

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
Six courses at the 5000 (or 6000) level in Greek or in Latin (at least two courses must be taken in each ancient language) 18
One history course 3
One archaeology course 3
Electives in classics 5
Translation examination 0
CLA 5910 3

Requirements for Thesis Option (Thirty-one [31] semester hours total)

Students who choose the thesis option are required to write and defend a thesis to be placed on deposit with the university.

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
Six courses at the 5000 (or 6000) level in Greek or in Latin (at least two courses must be taken in each ancient language) 18
One history course 3
One archaeology course 3
Translation examination 0
CLA 5971 6
Thesis Defense 0

See below for a description of the translation examinations.

Master of Arts in Latin

The program in Latin enables the student to concentrate his or her course work on that language. This program will prepare students for further graduate work and for teaching in the schools. Students hoping to proceed to doctoral-level work should also have some course work in Greek. This program may be taken under the course option or the thesis option. The department recommends the course option.

Requirements for Course Option (Thirty-three [33] semester hours total)

Students who choose the course option are required to write a substantial research paper (usually an expanded version of a seminar paper) during the semester in which they are registered for CLA 5910.

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
Six courses at the 5000 (or 6000) level in Latin 18
One history course 3
One archaeology course 3
Electives in classics 5
Translation examination 0
CLA 5910 3

Requirements for Thesis Option (Thirty-one [31] semester hours total)

Students who choose the thesis option are required to write and defend a thesis to be placed on deposit with the university.

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
Six courses at the 5000 (or 6000) level in Latin 18
One history course 3
One archaeology course 3
Translation examination 0
LNW 5971 6
Thesis Defense 0

See below for a description of the translation examinations.

Master of Arts in Greek

The program in Greek enables the student to concentrate his or her course work on that language. Students hoping to proceed to doctoral-level work should also have some course work in Latin. This program may be taken under the course option or the thesis option. The department recommends the course option.

Requirements for Course Option (Thirty-three [33] semester hours total)

Students who choose the course option are required to write a substantial research paper (usually an expanded version of a seminar paper) during the semester in which they are registered for CLA 5910.

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
Five courses at the 5000 (or 6000) level in Greek 15
One history course 3
One archaeology course 3
Electives in classics 8
Translation examination 0
CLA 5910 3

Requirements for Thesis Option (Thirty-one [31] semester hours total)

Students who choose the thesis option are required to write and defend a thesis to be placed on deposit with the university.

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
Five courses at the 5000 (or 6000) level in Greek 15
One history course 3
One archaeology course 3
Electives in classics 3
Translation examination 0
GRW 5971 6
Thesis Defense 0

See below for a description of translation examinations.

Master of Arts with a Major in Classical Civilizations

The program in classical civilization offers the student the most flexibility of any program in the department. A student may proceed to doctoral-level work through this program, but must take care to have raised his or her languages to a suitable level of competency. If the student hopes to be involved in advanced work in archaeology, he or she must take care to acquire a background in archaeology sufficient to meet the requirements of doctoral programs in classical archaeology. Students in this program can easily combine language study with courses in archaeology and history. Graduates of this program have also gone on to teach in the schools. However, that opportunity requires that the student acquire sufficient skill in Latin. It is also possible to pursue this degree in order to prepare for further work in fields other than classics (such as comparative literature or humanities). This program may be taken under the course option or the thesis option. There are no comprehensive or translation examinations in this degree program. Students may, however, sit one of the translation exams in Greek or Latin, and that fact will be noted in letters of recommendation. The department recommends the course option.

Requirements for Course Option (Thirty-three [33] semester hours total)

Students who choose the course option are required to write a substantial research paper (usually an expanded version of a seminar paper) during the semester in which they are registered for CLA 5910.

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
Two courses in 1) Greek or Latin or 2) two courses in literature-in translation (or a combination thereof) 6
Two history courses (may be substituted for by taking courses in archaeology, Latin or Greek (at the 5000 level) 6
One archaeology course 3
Electives in classics 14
CLA 5910 3

Requirements for Thesis Option (Thirty-one [31] semester hours total)

Students who choose the thesis option are required to write and defend a thesis to be placed on deposit with the university.

Required Courses Required Hours
CLA 5936 1
Two courses in 1) Greek or Latin or 2) two courses in literature-in translation (or a combination thereof) 6
Two history courses (may be substituted for by taking courses in archaeology, Latin or Greek at the 5000 level) 6
One archaeology course 3
Electives in Classics 9
CLA 5971 6
Thesis Defense 0

Translation Examinations for Classics, Latin or Greek

Students seeking an MA in Classics, Latin or Greek will sit a two-hour translation examination. Passages will be representative of a student's previous course work. All passages will be of medium difficulty. The level of competence required to pass the exam is that which might reasonably be expected of a student who has completed two years of graduate study.

Classics: from a selection, a student will translate four passages; one in Greek prose, one in Greek poetry, one in Latin prose and one in Latin poetry.

Greek or Latin: from a selection (all in the relevant language), a student will translate four passages; two in prose and two in poetry.

PhD with Majors in Classics or Classical Archaeology

The department offers the PhD in classics (ancient history, philology, literary criticism) and in classical archaeology. Students holding the BA with sufficient training in classics and who wish to pursue doctoral-level work in the department may apply directly to the PhD program. Students holding the BA, but without sufficient training in classics, should first apply to the MA program. Students entering the MA program may, upon recommendation and review by the faculty, be admitted to the PhD program before completion of the MA.

The PhD requires thirty (30) semester hours of course work beyond the MA, at least twelve (12) semester hours of which must be at the 6000 level. Students should consult the Classics Graduate Student Handbook, available on the Department of Classics Web site (www.fsu.edu/~classics) for details of requirements, annual evaluations, and examinations. Each program requires a series of comprehensive examinations.

The program in classics requires: reading list examinations in Greek and Latin; demonstration of proficiency, by exam or through course work, in Greek and Roman history; detailed examinations in Greek and Latin literature; a special author examination; a special field or topic examination; an examination in an interdisciplinary topic.

The program in classical archaeology requires: a reading list examination in either Greek or Latin; demonstration of proficiency, by exam or through course work, in Greek and Roman history; examination on a topic in Bronze Age or Greek archaeology; examination on a topic in Etruscan or Roman archaeology; a special field or topic examination; an examination in an interdisciplinary topic.

Doctoral students must complete and successfully defend a dissertation that makes an original contribution to scholarship.

Definition of Prefixes

ARH—Art History

CLA—Classical and Ancient Studies

CLT—Classical Literature in Translation

EUH—European History

FLE—Foreign Language Education

GRE—Classical Greek (Language Study)

GRW—Classical Greek Literature (Writings)

LAT—Latin (Language Study)

LNW—Latin Literature (Writings)

Graduate Courses

ARH 5111. Art and Archaeology of the Bronze Age in the Aegean (3). Analysis of Minoan and Mycenaean art and architecture and of the archaeological evidence for prehistoric culture in Crete and Greece.

ARH 5119. Archaeology of Ancient Egypt (3). Survey of the archaeology and art of Ancient Egypt from the Predynastic to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Emphasis on the art, architecture, and culture of the Old and New Kingdoms.

ARH 5125. Etruscan Art and Archaeology (3). Analysis of Etruscan art and architecture and of the archaeological evidence for Etruscan culture.

ARH 5140. Greek Art and Archaeology of the Fifth and Fourth Centuries B.C. (3). Analysis of classical Greek architecture, painting, sculpture, and other arts, and of the archaeological evidence for the chronology and cultural history of the classical period.

ARH 5160. Art and Archaeology of the Early Roman Empire (3). Analysis of Roman architecture, painting, sculpture, and other arts from Augustus through the Antonines, and of the archaeological evidence for the chronology and cultural history of the early Imperial period.

ARH 5161. Archaeology of the Late Roman Empire (3). This course comprises a study of Roman art and archaeology from the second to the sixth century CE with emphasis on important sites and monuments.

ARH 5174r. Studies in Classical Art and Archaeology (3). Studies in specific aspects of Greek and Roman art and archaeology. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

ARH 5934r. Tutorial in Classical Archaeology (1–3). Prerequisite: Instructor's consent. Intensive readings and discussion within a small group centered upon a specific topic or research problem in classical archaeology. May be repeated when topics vary to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

ARH 6937r. Doctoral Seminar in Classical Archaeology (3). Prerequisite: CLA 5936. Doctoral-level seminar devoted to a specific issue in classical archaeology. May be repeated when topics vary to a maximum of twenty-four (24) semester hours.

CLA 5438r. Studies in Greek History (3). Study of selected topics in Greek history in the Archaic, Classical, or Hellenistic period. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

CLA 5448r. Studies in Roman History (3). Critical study of topics related to the Roman Republic or Empire. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

CLA 5789r. Classical Archaeology: Fieldwork (1–6). Excavation experience through the Florida State University Field School at Cetamura, Italy. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.

CLA 5799r. Seminar in Classical Archaeology (3). Seminar on special topics in classical archaeology with emphasis on understanding the workings of the discipline. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

CLA 5885. Roman Law (3). Detailed study of the principles and procedures of Roman Law.

CLA 5905r. Directed Individual Study (1–4). May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

CLA 5910r. Supervised Research (1–3). (S/U grade only.) May be repeated to a maximum of three (3) semester hours.

CLA 5920r. Classics Colloquium (1-3). (S/U grade only.) A series of lectures and seminars given by FSU faculty and visiting scholars on current research topics in Classics. May be repeated to a maximum of eighteen (18) semester hours.

CLA 5931r. Special Topics in Classics (3–9). This course examines specific aspects of Greco-Roman literature and culture. May be repeated when topics vary to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

CLA 5936. Proseminar in Classical Studies (1). (S/U grade only.) Introduction to research in classical studies.

CLA 5940r. Supervised Teaching (0–3). (S/U grade only.) May be repeated to a maximum of three (3) semester hours.

CLA 5942r. Internship in Museum Studies (3–6). Internship in a museum or similar institution. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

CLA 5971r. Thesis (1–6). (S/U grade only.) A minimum of six (6) semester hours credit is required.

CLA 6932r. Seminar in Classics (3–12). Research topics dealing with specific aspects of Greco-Roman literature and culture are examined. May be repeated when topics vary to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.

CLA 6980r. Dissertation (1–12). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: CLA 8964r.

CLA 8961r. Master's Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)

CLA 8964r. Preliminary Doctoral Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)

CLA 8976r. Master's Thesis Defense (0). (P/F grade only.)

CLA 8985r. Dissertation Defense (0). (P/F grade only.) Prerequisites: CLA 6980r, 8964r.

CLT 5295r. Studies in Greek Tragedy: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides (3). Readings and criticism of selected plays from the Greek tragedians in English translation.

CLT 5345. Studies in Greek and Roman Epic (3). Analysis of the principal pieces of epic literature from the classical world read in English translation.

CLT 5379r. Seminar in Ancient Mythology (3). Special study in seminar format of topics in ancient myth and its interpretation. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

EUH 5407. Hellenistic Greece (3). Study of the Greek world from the death of Socrates (399 B.C.) to the Roman conquest (146 B.C., the sack of Corinth by Mummius).

EUH 5417. The Roman Republic (3). Study of the history of Rome from its foundation (traditionally 753 B.C.) to the fall of the Roman Republic (31 B.C., the Battle of Actium).

EUH 5418. The Roman Empire (3). The Roman Empire from Augustus to Constantine. Emphasis on the evolution from the duarchy of the early empire to the monarchy of the late empire.

FLE 5810. Teaching Classics (3). This course prepares graduate students in classics for their role as teachers of undergraduates in lower-level courses in etymology, classical civilization, myth and Latin.

GRW 5215r. Studies in the Greek Prose Writers (3). Translation, commentary, and interpretation of readings from Greek prose writers. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

GRW 5305r. Studies in Greek Drama (3). Detailed study through readings in the original texts of selected Greek plays. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

GRW 5345r. Greek Poetry (3). Detailed study through the original texts of selected Greek poets. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

GRW 5505r. Greek Philosophical Writings (3). Detailed study through readings in the original texts of selected philosophical works. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

GRW 5908r. Directed Individual Study (1–4). (S/U grade only.) May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

GRW 5909r. Tutorial in Greek (1–3). Prerequisite: Instructors consent. Intensive work by a small number of postgraduates devoted to a specific topic or research problem in Greek studies. May be repeated when topics vary to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

GRW 5971r. Thesis (3–6). (S/U grade only.) A minimum of six (6) semester hours credit is required.

GRW 6106. Survey of Greek Literature (3). Prerequisite: One 5000-level course in Greek or permission of instructor. This course assists the student in working through the PhD/MA reading lists, outlines the basic genres of Greek literature in chronological order, and explores the style of its most renowned practitioners. Class sections are normally divided between lectures on Greek literary history and authorial style and the translation of select passages from the assignment. A minimum of two years of college Greek is required, but students who have only had two years should consult with the instructor before registering for the course, as it is reading intensive.

GRW 6930r. Seminar in Greek (3). Prerequisite: CLA 5934. Doctoral-level seminar devoted to a specific text or issue in Greek studies. May be repeated when topics vary to a maximum of twenty-four (24) semester hours.

GRW 8966r. Master's Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)

GRW 8976r. Master's Thesis Defense (0). (P/F grade only.)

LNW 5316r. Studies in Roman Drama (3). Translation, commentary, and interpretation of selected plays from Plautus, Terence, or Seneca. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LNW 5325r. Roman Lyric, Elegiac, and Pastoral Poetry (3). Translation, commentary, and interpretation of selected works from the Roman lyric, elegiac, and pastoral poets. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LNW 5345r. Studies in Roman Epic (3). Translation, commentary, and interpretation of selected works from Vergil or the other Roman hexameter poets. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LNW 5365r. Studies in Roman Satire (3). Translation, commentary, and interpretation of selected works from the Roman poetic satirists and satirical prose authors. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LNW 5385r. The Roman Historians and Cicero (3). Careful study of historical texts in Latin from the historians or Cicero. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LNW 5908r. Directed Individual Study (1–4). (S/U grade only.) May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

LNW 5932r. Tutorial in Latin (1–3). Prerequisite: Instructors consent. Intensive study by a small number of postgraduates centering upon a specific topic or research problem in Latin studies. May be repeated when topics vary to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

LNW 5971r. Thesis (3–6). (S/U grade only.) A minimum of six (6) semester hours of credit is required.

LNW 6106. Survey of Latin Literature (3). Prerequisite: One 5000-level course in Latin or permission of instructor. This course assists the student in working through the PhD/MA reading lists, outlines the basic genres of Latin poetry in chronological order, and explores the style of its most renowned practitioners. Class session are normally divided between lectures on Latin literary history and authorial style and the translation of select passages from the assignment. A minimum of two years of college Latin is required, but students who have only had two years should consult with the instructor before registering for the course, as it is reading intensive.

LNW 6930r. Seminar in Latin (3). Prerequisite: CLA 5936. Doctoral-level seminar devoted to a specific text or issue in Latin studies. May be repeated when topics vary to a maximum of twenty-four (24) semester hours.

LNW 8966r. Master's Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)

LNW 8976r. Master's Thesis Defense (0). (P/F grade only.)