A brief description of the department:
Classics at the University of Colorado at Boulder offers students personalized attention and individual instruction in all aspects of classical antiquity. Three full-time and one part-time Latinists, three full-time Hellenists, two historians, and three art historians and archaeologists cover literature, art, and culture from the Bronze Age through Late Antiquity.
Particular strengths or unique areas of interest for the department: Augustan Latin Literature; Classical Greek Literature; Social and Military Ancient History; Achaemenid, Greek, Roman and Byzantine Archaeology; Late Antiquity.
Application deadline: February 2
Unusual features of the application: None.
GRE scores required: Yes.
Writing sample required: We require a writing sample, preferably on a classical subject, the more interesting, substantial, and well-written the better.
For “best consideration for admission”, applicants should have (note that there are always special cases, and that meeting the stated numerical goals will not guarantee admission to any program):
Our criteria for admission are not as exacting as those for funding. We would ideally like to see GRE scores of 600 and above, a GPA of 3.5 or higher (especially in Classics-related courses), and several years of preparation in both Greek and Latin (preferably more in at least one of the two). We do occasionally admit and even fund people with lesser qualifications, especially if they have focused interests in one area and have significant language preparation in that area but not in the other--e.g., a Greek historian with excellent Greek language and Greek history but little knowledge as yet of Latin.
Average number of new graduate students per year: We have one or two new PhD students and eight to fifteen new MA students every year.
Approximate percentage of applicants this represents: This represents approximately one-quarter of applicants to our program.
Number of new students entering program this fall: This fall we have two new PhD students and eight new MA students.
Approximate percentage of incoming students given full funding: This year we are funding 100% of our incoming PhD students and 50% of our incoming MA students.
Number of guaranteed years of funding: PhD students are usually guaranteed full funding for four years. We generally guarantee funding to incoming MA students for two years, as part of their initial offer. Occasionally we are able to offer additional highly-qualified MA students funding for a second year, even if they were not funded for their first year of study. Once in a while we can provide funding for a fifth semester or third year in the MA program
Out of those years, number student will be expected or required to serve as TA, RA, or the like: Most of the funding we offer is through TA-ships. We also submit students' applications to the competitive pool for University fellowships and generally win one to four of those per year. Those fellowships tend to be for one year only for MA students and two years for PhD students, which we follow with guaranteed teaching positions. On top of the stipend students earn for teaching, we offer our funded students additional fellowship money, usually between $1000 and $5000 per year. We also have provided a semester fully funded through a dissertation-writing fellowship to advanced PhD students to assist them in finishing their theses.
International students eligibility for financial aid: Yes.
PhDs and MAs awarded since January 2005: We have produced 3 PhDs since January 2005 and over 40 MAs.
Major changes anticipated in the department over the next few years, if any: None.
Best contact person for questions: Prof. Beth Dusinberre, Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, ermd@colorado.edu.
2007 survey answers