Graduate Student Handbook

This handbook has been adopted by the Field of Classics for the use of students in the MA and PhD programs. Faculty, staff, and students have contributed to its conception and composition; their efforts are gratefully acknowledged.

The Graduate Handbook is only available online on the Department website.

When necessary, the Graduate Handbook is to be revised annually, at the spring meeting of the Field. Please send comments, queries, and requests to the Graduate Field Assistant, who will compile for annual review.

The Field of Classics is administered by the Graduate School of Cornell University and governed by the Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty. The Graduate Handbook is not meant to duplicate the Code of Legislation so that most administrative rules, such as rules governing leaves, are not included. When relevant, references to the Code are included. References to the Code have the following format: Code Book (Roman numeral) Chapter (Capital letter) Section (Arab numeral) Subsection (lowercase letter), e.g., Code VI.F.1.a.

The student is responsible for all Graduate School requirements whether listed here or not. Field requirements may be more stringent than Graduate School requirements in some instances. Please review the Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty for a thorough overview of policies regarding graduate studies at Cornell.

The Field of Classics awards two degrees: a PhD and an MA.

The PhD program fully promotes an interdisciplinary approach to the ancient world. Starting in Fall 2023, all admitted students are guaranteed funding (fellowship or TAship) for six academic years subject to satisfactory progress (see timeline below). We offer all students an opportunity to develop a comprehensive course of study within one of our six concentrations: ancient history, ancient philosophy, classical archaeology and art, classical literature and philology, Greek and Latin languages and linguistics, and interdisciplinary Classics.

Ancient history at Cornell University can be studied either in the Field of History or in the Field of Classics. The two Fields cooperate in teaching and supervising graduate students and strongly encourage those in one Field to strengthen their preparation by relevant work in the other. In the Field of Classics, the concentration in Ancient History aims at training scholars who will be ready both to engage in cutting-edge research in history and to teach about the Greek and Roman world, including the literature and the languages.

The study of ancient philosophy at Cornell University is administered jointly by the Fields of Classics and Philosophy, and members of the two Fields cooperate in teaching and supervising graduate students. The program aims at training productive scholars and effective teachers of ancient philosophy who will also be well-rounded classicists and philosophers. The concentration is designed differently for students in the two Fields, but it strongly encourages those in one Field to strengthen their preparation by relevant work in the other.

The concentration in classical archaeology and art promotes cutting-edge archaeological and/or art-historical research and teaching about the Greek and Roman worlds (including Cyprus and the wider Mediterranean area) in any period from prehistory through to Late Antiquity. Candidates are trained to be qualified for academic positions with an archaeological or art historical focus in Departments of Classics, History of Art, or Anthropology, as well as in interdisciplinary Archaeology Programs concerned with the ancient world and complex societies. The Cornell program offers a strong institutional setting, combining a long pedigree in outstanding Classical scholarship, cognate departments and courses in History of Art, Near Eastern Studies, and Anthropology, and world-leading science departments for those seeking to develop inter-disciplinary projects.

The concentration in classical philology and literature, focusing on Greek and Latin languages and literature, provides students with the opportunity to follow a traditional training in philology and textual criticism, to explore Classical literature in the light of modern literary critical methodology, or to do both.

Graduate applicants to the Field of Classics whose primary interest is in the Greek and Latin languages per se may choose to pursue the concentration in Greek and Latin languages and linguistics. The aim of this concentration is to acquire a broad background in general linguistics; Greek, Latin, and Indo-European linguistics; and Greek and Latin philology.

Interdisciplinary Classics is a concentration that promotes an interdisciplinary approach to the ancient world by training students in three different disciplines of Classics through course work and reading lists. It encourages students to make new connections between areas that have been traditionally distinct, bringing together, e.g., epigraphy, science, art history, history, philosophy, literature, and classical reception.

The field of Classics assists graduate students to

make an original and substantial contribution to the field;

• think originally and independently
• identify new research opportunities

achieve breadth and diversity of knowledge in the field;

• proficiency in the relevant languages, ancient and modern
• thorough command of theoretical and empirical knowledge across the field
• in-depth knowledge of one major area

communicate research findings effectively;

• produce publishable scholarship
• achieve excellence in spoken presentations

and, demonstrate effective skills in undergraduate teaching:

• evaluate and design classroom activities and assessments appropriate to a range of courses
• manage teaching preparation and grading time efficiently.

The general requirements for receipt of the PhD are:

• at least three years of residence;
• satisfactory performance on the “Q” Examination, by the end of the fourth semester (i.e., by the end of May);
• satisfactory completion of coursework as required by the individual concentration by the time of the A-Exam unless an extension for coursework completion has been granted by the DGS;
• completion of two research papers (i.e., original contributions that could be presented to conferences or eventually submitted for publication) by the time of the “A” Examination;
• satisfactory completion of the “A” Examination, before the end of the sixth semester (i.e., by the end of May);
• a written draft dissertation prospectus (ca. 5-10+ pages) submitted to the special committee and DGS, and a formal meeting to discuss this dissertation prospectus, within the first three weeks of their seventh semester, and an approved written dissertation prospectus to then be filed with the special committee and DGS by the end of October of the 7th semester;
• oral presentation of the dissertation project by the end of the eighth semester;
• oral presentation on dissertation progress ("fifth-year colloquium") during the tenth semester;
• satisfactory performance on two Modern Language Examinations (one of these must have been taken by the end of the sixth semester, and the other by the end of the eighth semester);
• final examination for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree  (“B” Examination); and,
• submission of the approved doctoral thesis to the Graduate School within 60 days of the final examination.

Exemplary timeline:

Some aspects of this timeline, especially those pertaining to the dissertation, have some flexibility. Not every dissertation has exactly four chapters, while some students (notably those working in archaeological science) may produce a STEM-style dissertation with a great deal of data interpretation and relatively little writing. Students should consult with the committee to devise a dissertation plan that is timed to allow completion of the specific dissertation project by the end of the 12th semester. A draft of this plan should be completed by the end of the 8th semester and revised each semester thereafter to reflect progress and evolution of the project. Note that the Fall semester of the 6th year is likely to be especially busy as you will be on the job market (which takes an enormous amount of time and effort) and possibly teaching, so writing plans should take that into account. 

Research and writing do not always go according to plan. If you find yourself falling behind this schedule at any point, reach out as soon as possible to your committee chair and DGS, who will work with you and identify resources to help you get back on track. If you remain behind schedule for more than one semester, you may be subject to loss of good academic standing. Significant obstacles to progress (e.g. serious health or family issues) may require a leave of absence or health leave of absence so you can focus on those matters until you are able to return to full-time work. Please contact your chair and DGS about leaves of absence as soon as you think you might need to take one. 

All students are assigned the DGS as temporary chair upon matriculation and are advised by the First-Year Committee. The First-Year Committee, whose members also serve on the Exam Committee, comprises the DGS, the Chair of the Department, and up to three faculty.

Students in the PhD should form a Special Committee (a Chair and two Minor Members) no later than the end of the third semester (Code VI.B.6). The chair of the Committee should be in the Graduate Field of Classics; one or more of the minor members should be in the Graduate Field of Classics. Additional requirements are set by the individual concentrations (see above under the “A” examination).

Special Committee selection must be submitted online in Student Center.

Cornell’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy stipulates that students in research degrees must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.25 to be in good academic standing or to be eligible for federal loans. If a student receives an Incomplete, the Graduate School does not allow the grade to be changed after one year; individual instructors may set earlier deadlines for conversion of an Incomplete to a grade. Incompletes and audited classes do not count toward required coursework.

Faculty in the Field of Classics usually choose to assign the full range of available letter grades. A mark of B+ or lower signals that performance did not meet expectations of a graduate student; please discuss with your adviser. An A- signals that performance was acceptable but that substantial room for improvement remains. An A signals performance fully commensurate with expectations of a graduate student. An A+ is to be awarded only in extraordinary cases (e.g., if coursework resulted in original research of publishable quality).

Distribution requirements for the PhD vary by concentration. First-year students will be guided in coursework selection by the First-Year Committee until the Special Committee is formed (see above). Generally, to meet coursework requirements, students are expected to take 4 courses in addition to any modern language courses each semester in their first year, and 3 courses in addition to any modern language courses each semester thereafter until coursework requirements have been met. Coursework should generally be completed no later than the end of the third year; extensions must be approved by the DGS.

For the concentration in ancient history, minimum course work will be distributed as follows:

• four 6000- or 7000-level courses in ancient history;
• two 6000- or 7000-level courses in ancient historiography;
• four 6000- or 7000-level courses in classical literature and philology (of which one may be in ancient philosophy or linguistics);
• three 6000- or 7000-level courses in archaeology, epigraphy and numismatics, of which two must be in either archaeology or epigraphy; and,
• two 6000- or 7000-level courses in areas of history other than Ancient Greece and Rome.

For the concentration in ancient philosophy, minimum course work will be distributed as follows:

• nine 6000- or 7000-level Classics courses;
• LATIN 6216 (Advanced Latin Prose Composition) or GREEK 6116 (Advanced Greek Composition); and,
• an additional four 6000-7000 level courses chosen in consultation with the student’s Special Committee.

Students will be expected to have some knowledge of an area of philosophy other than Ancient Philosophy. Such knowledge may be demonstrated by the completion of at least one course in Philosophy approved by the student’s Special Committee.

For the concentration in classical archaeology and art, minimum coursework will be distributed as follows:

• CLASS 7700 (CIAMS Core Seminar in Archaeological Theory and Method) or approved equivalent;
• four 6000- or 7000-level courses in classical archaeology and art;
• four 6000- or 7000-level courses in archaeology or art of other areas or periods, or in a related discipline; and,
• four 6000- or 7000-level courses in classical literature and philology or in ancient history.

Note: A documented eight-week minimum of fieldwork must be completed before the “B” Examination. The nature of the fieldwork is determined by the student and their Special Committee.

Note that students may become members of the Cornell Institute of Archaeology and Materials Studies (CIAMS) by taking ARKEO 6100, “The Craft of Archaeology,” which is a 1 credit professionalization seminar. Benefits of membership include eligibility to apply for CIAMS summer funding and research funding, and eligibility to apply for the CIAMS Assistant Directorship, a full graduate assistantship typically reserved for senior archaeology PhD students.

For the concentration in classical literature and philology, the minimum number of required courses is fourteen, with the following distribution:

• twelve 6000- or 7000-level Classics courses, in any combination;
• LATIN 6216 (Advanced Latin Prose Composition) or GREEK 6116 (Advanced Greek Composition); and,
• one historical or comparative grammar course.

For the concentration in Greek and Latin language and linguistics, minimum coursework will be distributed as follows:

• five 6000- or 7000- level non-linguistic Classics courses, of which at least four should be in Greek and/or Latin literature;
• LATIN 6216 (Advanced Latin Prose Composition) or GREEK 6116 (Advanced Greek Composition);
• three courses chosen from the following (or committee-approved alternatives): Greek Comparative Grammar (GREEK 7411/LING 6451), Latin Comparative Grammar (LATIN 7452/LING 6452), Greek Dialects (GREEK 7455/LING 6455), Archaic Latin (LATIN 7456/LING 6456), Homeric Philology (GREEK 7457/LING 6457);
• Introduction to IE Linguistics (LING 6261) and Indo-European Workshop (LING 6635); and,
• one semester of introductory phonological theory (LING 6401) and one of syntactic theory (LING 6403).

Note: Students need to have basic competencies in Sanskrit (an equivalent to two semesters).

For the concentration in interdisciplinary Classics, minimum coursework will be distributed as follows:

• a total of nine 6000- or 7000-level courses in three different disciplines of Classics (history, archaeology, philosophy, art history, Greek and Latin lit., linguistics), with six courses in the first discipline, three courses in the second discipline, and three courses in the third discipline; and,
• three 6000- or 7000-level courses NOT in (or cross-listed with) Classics, carefully chosen in discussion with the student’s committee.

For the field examinations (“Q,” “Modern Language,” and Classical Language”), the writing of the exams and the determination of the result rests with the members of the Exam Committee. The Exam Committee, whose members also serve on the First-Year Committee, comprises the DGS, the Chair of the Department, and up to three faculty.

For the other examinations (“A” and “B”), the determination of the result rests with the members of the Special Committee.

4.1 Master's Degree

The Final Examination: the Graduate Faculty requires research master’s students writing a thesis to take a final examination upon completion of all degree requirements, no earlier than one month before completion of the minimum registration requirement of two semesters (Code VI.F.1.a.). The final examination must be scheduled so that the thesis may be submitted on time for an August conferral. This oral exam covers the topic of the master’s thesis.

Within three business days of the exam, the student must initiate the submission of the exam results online via the Results for Final Defense of Master's Degree form.

4.2 PhD

Q Exams

The “Q” Examination must be taken by the end of the fourth semester (i.e., by the end of May). The exact date of the “Q” Examination is set up by the DGS and communicated at least a month in advance. This examination is administered by the Field and is designed to demonstrate the level of proficiency in the ancient language(s) and/or test progress on the reading list as required by the individual concentration.

Q exams are set by faculty members in the relevant concentration, and assessed by multiple faculty from the relevant concentration and the Exam Committee. The final determination of the results rests with the members of the Exam Committee. Students will be notified of exam results by email within one week of taking the exam, provided the exam is taken no less than one week before the last day of the semester.

Students who pass the examination are in good academic standing and continue their doctoral studies. For students who pass the examination conditionally, re-examination is allowed only once and must take place within the three months following the first exam. Students who fail a “Q” Examination are determined to no longer be in good academic standing and future funding is withdrawn: they cannot continue their doctoral studies. See Code of Legislation VI.J.

Reading lists, detailed guidelines on the format of the “Q” examination for each concentration, and suggestions for the best way to prepare are found on each concentrations' individual Q exam pages linked below.

In ancient history, ancient philosophy, and classical literature and philology, the “Q” Examination is designed to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in Greek and Latin. This written examination is based on the Classics Reading List. A successful Q exam in these concentrations will consist of precise and accurate translations of all passages; though an occasional vocabulary or syntax error may be present, these should be few and not detract from the translation’s sense and style. 

In classical archaeology and art, the “Q” Examination is designed to demonstrate a good level of competence in the discipline. This written examination is based on the Classical Archaeology and Art Reading List. A successful Q exam in this concentration will present a coherent scholarly argument in response to each chosen question, thoroughly grounded in scholarship from the reading list and appropriately selected case studies from classical antiquity (as well as meeting any other criteria a question requires). 

In Greek and Latin languages and linguistics, the “Q” Examination is designed to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in Greek and Latin and a good level of competence in the discipline. This written examination is based on the Greek and Latin Linguistics Reading List. 

In interdisciplinary Classics, the “Q” Examination is designed to demonstrate a high level of competence in several disciplines. This a written examination based on a reading list combining the capsule lists from three concentrations. A successful Q exam in this concentration will present a coherent scholarly argument in response to each chosen question, thoroughly grounded in scholarship from the relevant reading list and appropriately selected case studies from classical antiquity (as well as meeting any other criteria a question requires). 

A Exams

The “A” Examination must be taken before the end of the sixth semester (i.e., by the end of May). This deadline is different from the Graduate School deadline. The student must formally notify the Graduate School seven calendar days in advance via the Schedule of Exam form.

This examination is administered by the student’s Special Committee. The “A” Examination is a comprehensive general examination covering the authors, fields, and subjects chosen by students and their Special Committees. These usually comprise three areas distributed between major and minor areas as required by the individual concentration:

In ancient history, the two major areas for purposes of the “A” Examination are Greek History and Roman History. The third, or minor, area will be chosen in consultation with the Special Committee; the Field recommends a combined minor area in Greek and Latin literature.

In ancient philosophy, for purposes of the “A” Examination, Ancient Philosophy will be the major area of study, and Greek Literature and Latin Literature the minor areas. The readings for the major and minor areas will be defined by the student and the Special Committee and will reflect the student’s interests and needs.

In classical archaeology and art, the “A” Examination will comprise one major area, which must be a topic in Classical Archaeology or Ancient Art History, and two minor areas, one of which must be in either Greek or Latin philology and literature. The field suggests that the requirement of a minor in either Greek or Latin philology and literature can be fulfilled by taking a 7000-level literature seminar, with the final paper being accepted as the paper for the minor.

In classical literature and philology, for purposes of the “A” Examination, the two major areas must be Greek Literature and Latin Literature. The third, or minor, area will be chosen in consultation with the Special Committee.

In Greek and Latin languages and linguistics, the Special Committee should include at least one member of the Field of Classics who is also a member of the Field of Linguistics and two additional members of the Field of Classics. The “A” Examination will have two parts: (a) a written examination in three areas, one of which must be Greek and Latin linguistics. The Field recommends that the other two be either Greek literature and Latin literature or Indo-European linguistics and Greek or Latin literature; (b) an oral examination that will follow up on the questions asked in the written portion.

In interdisciplinary Classics, the “A” Examination will comprise one major area and two minor areas representing three different disciplines.

The format of the “A” Examination is determined by the student and their Special Committee; the field does not have any recommendation on the matter.

The determination of the result rests with the members of the Special Committee. The rules regarding examination results are described in the Code of Legislation (VI.F.7).

Within three business days of the exam, the student must initiate the submission of the exam results online via the Results for Admission to Candidacy form.

Students who successfully complete the "A" Examination are awarded a Non-Thesis Master's degree. Students who fail the “A” Examination but perform at a level considered equivalent to a passed Final Examination for a Master’s Degree and withdraw from the PhD program may be nominated by their Special Committee for a Non-Thesis Master's degree. See Code VI.F.2

Modern Language Exams

The Modern Language Examinations are administered by the Field. They take the form of a translation of a c. 1,000 word-long text. No dictionaries are allowed. All students must demonstrate reading knowledge of (a) German and (b) French or Italian, unless another language has been approved by the Special Committee and the DGS. One of these modern language examinations must be taken by the end of the student’s third year, and the second by the end of the fourth year. Modern language exams may be taken as often as once per semester and re-taken as required. The Modern Language Examinations must be passed by the end of the fifth year. The determination of results rests with the Exam Committee. Students who pass the examination are in good academic standing and continue their doctoral studies. Students who fail one or both examinations are determined to no longer be in good academic standing and future funding is withdrawn: they cannot continue their doctoral studies. See Code of Legislation VI.J.

The Classical Language Examination must be taken by the end of the sixth semester (i.e. by the end of May), by concentrators in classical art and archaeology and interdisciplinary Classics. The exact date of the Classical Language Examination is set up by the DGS and communicated at least a month in advance.

In classical art and archaeology, the classical language examination is a three-hour sight translation exam of four passages in one language drawn from the Reading List for the Concentration in Classical Archaeology and Art (available here).

In Interdisciplinary Classics, the Classical Language Examination is a three-hour sight translation exam of six passages in one language drawn from the Classics Reading List (available here).

The determination of the results rests with the members of the Exam Committee. Students will be notified of exam results by email within one week of taking the exam, provided the exam is taken no less than one week before the last day of the semester.

Students who pass the examination are in good academic standing and continue their doctoral studies. For the students who pass the examination conditionally, re-examination is allowed once per year and as often as required, but must be passed by the end of the fifth year. Students who fail the Classical Language Examination are determined to no longer be in good academic standing and future funding is withdrawn: they cannot continue their doctoral studies. See Code of Legislation VI.J.

B Exam

All doctoral students take a Final Examination (the “B” Exam, which is the oral defense of the dissertation) upon completion of all requirements for the degree, no earlier than one month before completion of the minimum registration requirement of six semesters (Code VI.F.1.d.). The student must formally notify the Graduate School seven calendar days in advance via the Schedule of Exam form.

The determination of the result rests with the members of the Special Committee. The rules regarding examination results are described in the Code of Legislation (VI.F.7).

Within three business days of the exam, the student must initiate the submission of the exam results online via the Results for Final Defense of Ph.D Degree form.

Dissertation prospectus

For the PhD, upon completion of the “A” Examination, the student’s Special Committee will select the format of the dissertation prospectus and determine its adequacy. It will usually take the form of a preliminary description of the proposed dissertation that delineates in 5-10 pages what topic and area the dissertation will explore, what approach will be taken to the topic, and why this topic and area merit such exploration. This prospectus should be completed by the third week of the semester, and must be approved by the committee and filed with the DGS by the end of October.

During the second semester of the fourth year, students will present their dissertation project to the Field. Each student should submit a case study or chapter to the committee by March 1, and present its key points in a 30-minute talk to the field shortly thereafter, as scheduling permits (please contact the GFA early in the term to schedule the presentation). 

Fifth-year colloquium

During the second semester of the fifth year, students will present a colloquium detailing progress on the dissertation and plans for its completion in the following year (“fifth-year colloquium”). Please consult your special committee and DGS for more information on what to include in your fifth-year colloquium.

The Graduate Faculty requires all research degree students, both master’s and doctoral, to complete training in responsible conduct of research, including authorship, peer review and avoidance and consequences of research misconduct. This training is administered through the Cornell Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA) and must be completed before the end of the second semester (Code VI.E.2.a.).

All students planning to teach Latin should take Latin 7201 (Latin for Teachers of Latin). Focusing on the language itself, this course is a systematic treatment of the phonological, morphological and syntactic structure of Classical Latin intended to give prospective teachers of the language additional tools for explaining its forms and constructions to students in the elementary course. It has three parts: (1) Why certain apparent irregularities of individual forms and paradigms are really regular; (2) Hints on how to present various paradigms and constructions to beginners; and, (3) Practice in teaching parts of Latin morphology and syntax to a class of beginners.

All graduate student instructors of Latin and of first-year writing seminars are required to enroll in CLASS 7345 (the Graduate TA Training Course), which supplies pedagogical instruction and course coordination.

All funding is contingent upon passing all required Examinations and satisfactory performance in any teaching or research assignments, as defined by the Field of Classics.

Starting in Fall 2023, all students admitted to the PhD are guaranteed six academic years of support, including tuition, stipend, and student health plan.

Two years of this support (ordinarily the first and the fifth) take the form of fellowships provided by the Graduate School (for example, Sage Fellowships and Deans Excellence Fellowships). The dissertation-year fellowship (ordinarily taken in the fifth year) will be available only to students who have passed the “A” Examination. 

All students in their fifth year submit an application for sixth-year funding. The application consists of two parts, a fifth-year colloquium (see above, under “milestones”) and a written dossier that includes: (a) all work completed on the dissertation thus far, (b) a letter from the applicant detailing the work to be done over the course of the sixth year, and (c) a letter from the Chair of the Special Committee in support of the application. Please contact the DGS for more information on what should be included. The purpose of the application is not to compete for a scarce resource – starting in Fall 2019, all admitted students have six years of guaranteed funding – but to ensure continued progress and good academic standing.

In exceptional circumstances, students who need additional time to complete their degree may apply for one or two additional funded semesters. Students in their sixth year should discuss their individual situations and develop a plan with their Special Committee and the DGS. The DGS will then determine the material required for the application. The Graduate School time-to-degree limit for the PhD program is seven years (Code VI.I.2).

All students should discuss any plan affecting the nature of their funding or their availability for assistantship with their Special Committee and get it approved by the DGS.

The funding commitment is not linked to any single field or department. If a student finds a TA appointment in a different department it does not extend the 6-year commitment.

Applying for external funding

Students are encouraged to apply for external fellowships. An external fellowship does not extend the overall funding duration (though there are a few exceptions) but can be used in place of an assistantship. 

Students seeking the fifth-year fellowship must have written and submitted an application for a significant external fellowship or grant before the dissertation-year fellowship is awarded, to encourage all students to pursue external funding. Please contact your committee and DGS by September of your fourth year to identify appropriate funding opportunities. See New Student Fellowships for the Sage requirements.

In recent years, graduate students in Classics and related Fields have received research support from many external entities, including but not limited to:

• The American Academy in Rome
• The American School of Classical Studies in Athens
• The Chateaubriand Fellowship Program
• DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst)
• Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection
• The Lemmermann Foundation
• The National Science Foundation      

The other four years of support are derived from teaching assistantships and from fellowships administered by the Department. Teaching assistantships are assigned after consultation between DGS and Chair; they depend primarily upon course enrollment and departmental need. Students are encouraged to reflect upon their past teaching and express interest in future assignments via the relevant question on the Student Progress Review (see below), with the understanding that assignments are ultimately constrained by the undergraduate curriculum.

Conference and travel funding

The department has limited funding available for conferences and travel. Students are encouraged to exhaust other sources of funding first (from the Graduate School, the Einaudi Center, and the Society for the Humanities), before applying to the department. Check with the DGS for current guidelines about maximum number and amounts of awards.

Classics offers limited support for summer projects (language courses, field work, workshops of all sorts). The DGS issues a call for proposals in the Spring, at which point students may submit a rationale, a budget, and approval of the Chair of their Special Committee.

Guidelines:

• Amount of the award is determined by the nature of the project, i.e., there is no fixed amount and amount may vary.
• Food and phone expenses are not covered.
• For flight and ground transportation, students should apply to the Graduate School Summer Foreign Language Grant or the Einaudi Center Research Travel Grants (these may not be used for conference travel). The Department may complement these grants upon presentation of receipts.
• Applications should list all other grant applications relevant to the same project and indicate the amount requested and the date of award (when known).

All students beyond their first year who are not on leave are required to complete the Student Progress Review (SPR). The Graduate School deadline for completion of the SPR is April 1. Each field, however, sets its own timing and annual due dates. The DGS will inform the graduate students of Classics timing annually six weeks before the due date. The SPR may be viewed and discussed by all personnel with what FERPA defines as a “legitimate academic interest,” including but not limited to field faculty and personnel and Grad School personnel. The SPR supports regular communication including written feedback between students and their advisors, requiring research degree students and their Special Committee to have at least one formal conversation each year about academic progress, accomplishments, and plans. Students complete a form describing milestones completed, accomplishments, challenges and plans, additionally supplying other materials as requested by the committee or DGS. The Special Committee chair responds in writing and indicates whether the student’s progress is excellent, satisfactory, needs improvement, or is unsatisfactory.

Staff

Department Manager: Allison Barrett (aeb238) (607) 255-8301
Graduate Field Assistant/Accounts Coordinator: Michael Pinnisi (mp694) (607) 255-7471
Undergraduate Coordinator: Ryan Belle (rtb95) (607) 255-3354

Faculty

For contact information, research profiles, courses offered, etc., see the department website.

Annetta Alexandridis (classical archaeology and art, interdisciplinary Classics)
Benjamin Anderson (classical archaeology and art, interdisciplinary Classics)
Caitlín Barrett (classical archaeology and art)
Tad Brennan (ancient philosophy, interdisciplinary Classics)
Charles Brittain (ancient philosophy, classical philology and literature, interdisciplinary Classics)
Michael Fontaine (classical philology and literature)
Jill Frank (ancient philosophy)
Nicole Giannella (ancient history, classical philology and literature, interdisciplinary Classics)
Kathryn L. Gleason (classical archaeology and art)
Andrew Hicks (classical philology and literature)
Rachana Kamtekar (ancient philosophy)
Lori Khatchadourian (classical archaeology and art)
Athena Kirk (classical philology and literature, interdisciplinary Classics)
Scott MacDonald (ancient philosophy)
Sturt W. Manning (classical archaeology and art)
Larry McCrea (Greek and Latin languages and linguistics)
Alan J. Nussbaum (classical philology and literature, Greek and Latin languages and linguistics)
Hayden Pelliccia (classical philology and literature)
Verity Platt (classical archaeological and art, classical philology and literature, interdisciplinary Classics)
Éric Rebillard (ancient history, classical archaeology and art, classical philology and literature, interdisciplinary Classics)
Courtney Roby (classical philology and literature, interdisciplinary Classics)
Michael Weiss (Greek and Latin languages and linguistics)

Facilities

Classics Lounge (Goldwin Smith 119):

The lounge is an ID card activated room reserved for Classics graduate students and faculty. In the lounge are the graduate student mailboxes, tea and coffee supplies, sink, fridge and a microwave. The lounge is also the location of a small Classics library, as well as two computers and a printer available for free faculty and graduate student use. Copies of books in the cabinets, such as the Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae (LIMC), can be consulted upon request; access will be provided by staff in the Classics office.

TA Office (Goldwin Smith 354):

Graduate students have access to the shared office during semesters when they teach for working and holding office hours.

Classics Reading Rooms (Olin Library 604 and 605):

Two password protected rooms reserved for graduate and faculty use. These two rooms house the Classics reference and non-circulating collection, as well as a number of library carrels allotted to Classics graduate students based on availability.

Photocopies/Scanning:

Graduate students have access to a free printer in the Classics Lounge in Goldwin Smith Hall to use for school and teaching related purposes. The Classics Department office, also in Goldwin Smith, has a printer and scanner available for use as well.

Keys:

Keys to the Classics TA office are distributed each semester based on TA needs. The Classics Lounge is accessible to graduate students via their university ID cards. The Classics Reading Rooms are accessible by a key code punch pad; the code will be shared with graduate students by department staff.

Student groups

The graduate students annually elect four representatives to serve one-year terms: one representative for the first-year students, one for second and third-year students, and two for post-A exam students. The graduate representatives act as liaisons between graduate students and the DGS, assist in the recruitment of prospective graduate students, and perform additional duties as specified in the bylaws (which may be found on the Classics graduate student Canvas site). Graduate representatives receive a grant for their service at the end of their term.

Reading groups

A crowd-sourced list of faculty- and student-run reading groups and organizations may be found here. 

The following Cornell resources have been suggested by faculty and graduate students as having particular relevance for graduate students in Classics.

Graduate School Resources

The Office of Academic and Student Affairs works with graduate faculty and graduate students on academic policy and programs, academic integrity and misconduct, responsible conduct of research, petitions requesting exceptions to graduate school policy as outlines in the Graduate Faculty’s Code of Legislation, and academic progress and student status. The office also offers academic, writing and professional development programs, including proposal/thesis/dissertation writing boot camp, the Productive Writer email (Sign Up), Graduate Write-Ins, Productive Writing workshops, Fellowship Application Writing Workshops and Fellowship Listserv Tips, Productive Fellowship Writer Mailing List, Writing and Publishing Workshop Series, Three Minute Thesis Competition, and the Advising Guide for Research Students.

The Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE) supports an inclusive and welcoming environment for all graduate and postdoctoral scholars, but especially for those from marginalized communities and/or backgrounds historically excluded from and underrepresented in the academy. OISE supports systemic change and promotes a climate of diversity, belonging, equity, engagement, and achievement, which are integral components of graduate and postdoctoral education. OISE supports scholar success through recruitment, diversity fellowships, mentoring, professional, leadership, and community development programming, and ongoing support.

Recognizing that health and academic performance are intimately linked, the Office of Graduate Student Life is a source of information, support, and advocacy that creates a more student-centered graduate student life experience. In addition to being a first-point of contact for students who are struggling or experiencing any form of distress, the Office of Graduate Student Life serves as a coordinating hub with campus-partners that focus on promoting a healthy and holistic student experience. More information on available support is available: https://gradschool.cornell.edu/student-experience/help-and-support/  

Accessibility and Accommodation

Cornell’s Student Disability Services is found here. Accessibility and Accommodation tools from Cornell’s Center for Teaching Innovation are found here. Information on accessible entrances, pathways, and transportation can be found at the map linked from this website.

Contact: Student Disability Services (607) 254-4545, sds_cu@cornell.edu; students may schedule meetings with counselors here. Incoming graduate students who know that they will require accommodations should look into contacting their SDS counselor and relevant doctors before the first semester begins or as soon as health insurance is available. This gives the greatest chance that accommodations are approved before the program and/or semester begins. Physicians at Cornell Health and SDS counselors are typically busy in late August, so we suggest making appointments either for before that time or well in advance, if possible.  

Students with Families

Cornell runs a website with resources for students who have families, including expectant students, students with partners, and students with children, which can be found here. The Students with Families website includes a resource directory, links to social networking for students with families, links to relevant university policies, and information on resources available for partners looking for jobs.

Other Facilities

Students must pay for a gym membership to have access to most athletic facilities on campus. A description of recreational facilities and gyms can be found here. Cornell maintains a list of universal (gender neutral) bathrooms, available here. Cornell also maintains a lactation and breastfeeding support system, including a number of breastfeeding and pumping rooms, listed here.

Federal Law

Two federal laws regulating higher education are particularly significant for graduate students and instructors. Title IX is anti-discrimination legislation; for more information, see Cornell’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX. FERPA protects the privacy of student records; for more information, see the University Registrar.

Preparing for the "Q": Ancient History, Ancient Philosophy, and Classical Philology and Literature Concentrations

The Classics Reading List

List of Recommended Commentaries

Preparing for the "Q": Classical Archaeology and Art Concentration

Preparing for the "Q": Greek and Latin Languages and Linguistics Concentration

The Greek and Latin Languages and Linguistics Reading List

"Q" Exam Readings: Greek and Latin Languages and Linguistics Concentration 

Classical Language Examination Reading List for the Classical Archaeology and Art Concentration