Master of Arts in Greek and Roman Studies (Thesis)

McMaster University

The objective of the program is to provide students with a deeper knowledge of Greek and Roman civilization than they have obtained in their undergraduate degrees, to improve their ability in Greek and Latin as well as in the major modern languages of classical scholarship, and to develop their skills in research, critical thinking, and written expression. This training furnishes students with valuable skills that can be applied to employment in contexts beyond the university, such as museum work, and beyond Classics, such as law, librarianship, teaching at the secondary level, and the business world. This objective is achieved through course work, major research papers, and a thesis (2-year degree) or project (1-year degree), teaching and research assistantships, and excavation and museum fieldwork for archaeologists and others.Timeline for the MA degree with thesis:Year 1: Six half-courses (one-term courses) offered by the Department, of which at least two must be graduate or undergraduate Latin or Greek (permission of the Graduate Advisor is required to take a course at the undergraduate level). A thesis proposal of approximately 5-6 pages (including bibliography), approved by the supervisory committee in June thesis writing commences thereafter and is ongoing.Modern language exam in French or German or Italian.Year 2:Four half-courses (one-term courses) offered by the Department, of which at least two must be graduate or undergraduate Latin or Greek (permission of the Graduate Advisor is required to take a course at the undergraduate level). Ongoing thesis research and writing to produce a thesis of approximately 80 pages.An oral examination to defend the thesis.