The Tricampus Graduate Program - Core Mission
The MA and PhD programs in Classics at the University of Toronto are distinguished by their exceptional diversity and interdisciplinary breadth, rooted in a capacious and pluralistic understanding of what classics is. We train students in all aspects of and approaches to Greco-Roman antiquity: its literature, history, philosophy, and material culture, from prehistory to the medieval period. Students in our programs enrol in one of three fields or “streams”: Greek and Latin, Ancient History/Material Culture, or the Collaborative Specialization in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy. While each stream emphasizes different methodologies and skills, the three streams are united by common requirements and by the faculty’s shared commitment to the following elements that we take to be indispensable to advanced training as a classicist and that together constitute the core mission of our graduate programs.
- Direct engagement with evidence. Graduates of our programs will be able to engage critically with and interpret the wide range of evidence, textual and non-textual, from Greco-Roman antiquity.
- Original research. Our programs train students to produce work of original research that contributes to debates on the topic.
- Advanced language skills. All our students obtain extensive training in either Ancient Greek or Ancient Latin, and most in both. Graduates of our PhD programs will be able to teach at least one classical language at the advanced level.
- Breadth and broad-mindedness. Our programs foster intellectual curiosity both within and beyond the field. Students are encouraged to explore the full geographical and chronological scope of Greco-Roman antiquity and to engage with a range of methodologies.
- Interdisciplinarity. Our students are encouraged to pursue research that crosses disciplinary boundaries within and beyond the field.
- Diverse transferrable skills. Our programs teach students skills of analysis, communication, and critical thinking that can serve them in a variety of future career paths. Graduates of our PhD program obtain a wealth of experience in teaching on a broad array of topics.