More info
Objectives
Structure
Specializations
Research School membership
Master’s thesis
Requirements for graduation
Contact
Objectives
The objectives of the Research Master’s program in Classics and Ancient Civilizations are:
The broadening and deepening of knowledge, insight, skills and use of methodology in the field of Classics and Ancient Civilizations studies;
The furtherance of academic and professional training; to solve scholarly problems in an independent way, critically and creatively; and to report research results with clarity both orally and in writing;
Preparation for an academic career in universities, and/ or post-graduate education and for functions outside of academe in the public or private sector in which advanced research skills and substantial practical research experience are among qualifications required.
As a graduate of a two-year Research Master’s degree you are qualified to work as a junior academic researcher in an academic environment or carry out further research work on a PhD program.
Structure
The Research Master’s program in Classics and Ancient Civilizations (2 year, study load: 120 EC) provides intensive and comprehensive training covering the entire range of present-day research on the civilizations of Greece and Rome and the Ancient Near East. The program introduces a wide variety of research methods: traditional philology with its intimate knowledge of languages and texts, while still indispensable, is enriched by social history and economic theory, comparative literature, the study of religion in an anthropological perspective and, of course, archaeology and material culture.
The study load runs up to 120 EC and is divided over four semesters. Apart from the obligatory core courses, a student of the Research Master’s program follows a number of tracks electives within the program. Though these track electives are shared with the 1-year Master program Classics and Ancient Civilizations, students in the Research Master follow these courses at a more advanced level:
Common core courses (20 EC)
Track electives (55 EC)
Research School Elective(s) (10 EC)
Tutorial in preparation for the thesis (5 EC)
Thesis presentation and research proposal (5 EC)
Thesis (25 EC)
Please visit our website (and click on your specialization in the Research Master’s program) to find more details about the structure of the program.
Specializations
The Research Master has four specializations, all of which focus on reading ancient texts in their original languages and discussing the interpretations these texts give rise to. Ranging from the sources of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece and the Roman Empire to the medieval texts in Neo-Latin, Coptic and Hebrew:
The specialization Assyriology includes the multi-disciplinary study of the various civilizations employing the cuneiform script for different languages. A total of six special track electives, the subject of which changes yearly, are to be chosen. A strong emphasis on society and administration makes a valuable contribution to the methodological framework of the Research Master’s programme as such.
The specialization Classics refers to the multidisciplinary study of the Greek and Roman world and provides students with a comprehensive view of the classical world, while defining the significance it still has for modern society. This program includes Greek and Latin literature and/or linguistics, and –if desired– courses from the cultural-historical disciplines (Ancient History, Classical Archeology, or Ancient Philosophy). A total of six special track electives, the subject of which changes yearly, are to be chosen. The academic staff responsible for this specialization is internationally renowned for their research work.
The focus of the specialization Egyptology covers Ancient Egypt from its beginnings and its role as a major player during the Bronze Age until the Christian period. Textual and material data are studied together.
The courses on offer cover most of the linguistic and cultural history of Pharaonic, Graeco-Roman and Coptic Egypt. Part of your program will take place in Egypt, where you will gain essential knowledge and experience in field and research projects.
The specialization Hebrew and Aramaic Studies is taken in its broadest sense and refers to the literature and culture of Ancient Israel within its wider context (i.e., the world of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible) from its emergence around 1200 B.C.E. until its disappearance as a political entity in 135 C.E. The underlying approach is strongly based on languages, chiefly Hebrew and Aramaic, but also Phoenician, Ugaritic and other small corpus languages. Nonetheless, history and material culture are also taken into account. It is not so much geared towards Theology or Old Testament Studies, but rather focuses on the languages and civilizations of ancient Syria-Palestine. Several courses, the subject of which changes yearly, are to be chosen.
Research School membership
All Research Master students are required to enrol in one of the National Research Schools. They have to take courses offered by Research Schools up to 5 EC per academic year (10 EC in the entire study program). More information
Master’s thesis
The thesis for the Research Master’s program Classics and Ancient Civilizations is worth 25 EC, and contains a maximum of 25,000 words including notes, bibliography and appendices. Students who (have) start(ed) writing their thesis, should attend the seminar: Thesis presentation and research proposal.
The thesis must be representative of the student’s ability to acquire knowledge on any topic covered by the degree program and to process this knowledge in an academically sound manner, as well as presenting it in writing in accordance with generally accepted academic practices. The aforementioned topic generally implies working with primary sources in the original languages. Research MA students write their thesis in English.
Students in the Classics specialization write their thesis under supervision of one of the staff members of the Department of Classics. All theses are based on a substantial amount of primary texts in Greek or Latin relevant to the line of investigation, which is either of a linguistic or literary nature, or of a cultural-historical nature.
In the case of the latter, there are two supervisors, one from one of the language sections and one from the cultural-historical disciplines. In that case, the thesis plan must be approved by both the first and the second supervisor/reader before the start of the writing process.
Requirements for graduation
To complete the specialization for which you they been accepted, students will have to conclude the two common courses (20 EC). They have to accumulate 55 EC of track electives in the field of their specialization, of which a number can be replaced by a stay abroad. Further, students have to have taken 10 EC of Research School courses. Lastly, they should have finished a thesis in their field of specialization (35 EC, including a thesis tutorial and thesis presentation seminar).
If students want to meet the nationally determined requirements for admission to the Teachers Training programme Classics (in Dutch), they are required to take at least 45 EC (including a Master’s thesis of 25 EC) in Greek and Latin literature or linguistics, and they are required to take at least one course (seminars/tutorials) of 10 EC for each language. The academically more advanced cultural-historical element in the Master’s programme, and the requirements of the Greek/Latin language component provide an adequate basis for the Teachers Training programme Classics required for a qualification for teaching Greek and Latin in secondary school.
Contact
Co-ordinator of Studies: Mrs. J.K. (Joëlle) Koning MA
Phone: +31 (0)71 527 2665
Career Preparation
Career preparation
The programme of the Research MA Classics and Ancient Civilizations provides comprehensive training in the languages, literatures and cultures of the ancient Mediterranean region and the Near East. How will you be able to use your knowledge of the ancient world and your academic skills on the job market? What skills do you already have, and what further skills do you still want to learn? How do you translate the courses that you choose into something that you would like to do after graduation? How can you best prepare yourself for the future? We discuss these questions at several moments during the Research MA program. You may already have spoken about them with your study coordinator, your track leader, the Humanities Career Service or other students, or perhaps you have made use of the Leiden University Career Zone. There are several other opportunities for you to receive more information, to help you reflect on your own wishes and options, and to give you the chance to explore the job market. We organize job market events and meetings with alumni, and we can help you to find internships.
Common courses:
Several courses of the study programme help you to prepare for the job market. Within the Research Master, this topic is addressed explicitly in the Common Courses. Students from all four tracks take two compulsory Common Courses in the course of their programme. During the course, students learn to present their research in accessible form to an audience of non-specialists. Furthermore, students develop a number of skills transferable to a career as junior researcher in an academic environment, or to a career outside of academia: research skills, critical assessment of secondary literature, oral presentation and written presentation.
Thesis presentation and research proposal
In their second year, all students take the compulsory Thesis Presentation and Research Proposal Seminar. This seminar concentrates on academic research skills. You will learn to write a conference abstract, compose a professional CV, write a research proposal and present the topic of your thesis. Academic integrity and planning a research career are also topics that will be addressed. During this seminar you are introduced to both academic and non-academic careers, as alumni are invited to talk about their experiences on the job market.
Internships
Internships are very useful for students who wish to familiarize themselves with the job market. We have established firm connections with several institutions and companies that have agreed to offer annual internships for students of Classics and Ancient Civilizations: Brill Publishers, Uitgeverij LAMBO, NINO and RMO (the National Museum of Antiquities). Other internships are also possible. The Board of Examiners must approve your internship plan, which can be either part of your study program (10 EC) or extracurricular. For more information, contact the internship coordinator and visit the website Finding and arranging an internship.
Leiden Antiquity Network Meetings
The programme annually organizes Leiden Antiquity Network Meetings: at these events students can meet alumni with different jobs. Apart from presentations by alumni about their careers, the Leiden Antiquity Network Meeting may include ‘speed-dating’ sessions for students and alumni.
Humanities Career Service
The Faculty of Humanities Career Service provides Humanities students with professional advice and guidance concerning (international) internships and jobs, courses in career planning and job application, and job application readers. The internship coordinator and the career advisor assist you in exploring your individual interests and abilities, and guide you towards the most appropriate internships and job.
Please consult the Humanities Career Service webpage for more information.
Humanities Career Event
This career day is organized by the Faculty of Humanities. It is meant for students who are preparing themselves for a future career in The Netherlands. There are various things to do during this event. There are inspiring keynote speakers; organisations and companies give workshops about work experience from employees and the career opportunities for Leiden University alumni; and there are also workshops about for example Linkedin, networking, and applying for jobs.
The date of the next Humanities Career Event will be announced on the university website and by e-mail.
Forum Antiquum and Ancient World Network (Lunch Talks)
For students who wish to pursue an academic career, there are two lecture series where you can meet scholars and learn about new approaches to the ancient world. Forum Antiquum is the lecture series that focuses on research in Classics. Lectures are organized every other week during the semester on Thursdays. Every semester, a number of national and international speakers are invited, both well-known experts and promising young researchers.
The Ancient World Lunch Talks provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and latest research in an informal atmosphere with an audience of MA and PhD students, Postdocs and Faculty and all interested students. There is free pizza and everyone is welcome to bring lunch!
If you are not in the mailing list and you would like to receive e-mails about the lunch talks, please contact the study adviser.
Transferrable Skills
Your future employers will not only be interested in your knowledge of Classics and Ancient Civilisations, but also in the skills that you have developed during your studies. Therefore, it is important that you are aware of the skills that you are training in your Research MA programme. The course descriptions in the e-Prospectus tell you which skills you will acquire.
In the research MA programme you learn how to analyze a problem, how to formulate a research question, how to select and assess your sources, how to assess secondary literature, how to give a clear and well-argued oral presentation either for specialists or for a wider audience, and how to write a clear and well-argued paper. You will be training the following transferrable skills:
critical thinking (formulating questions, checking assumptions, assessing sources and scholarship)
analytical skills (selecting, ordering, sorting out, and solving a problem)
oral presentation skills (speaking, listening, discussing, receiving feedback)
writing skills (reporting, summarizing, presenting an argument, with structure and style)
independence (self-discipline, initiative, motivation)
project management (planning, demarcation of a topic, discipline, meeting deadlines)
flexibility (adapting to changes)
creativity (curiosity, developing new ideas and innovative topics)
academic integrity (acting with honesty, fairness, and responsibility)
collaboration (working together with other students on a joint project)
Meetings with the Study Adviser
Students who have questions about their orientation on career prospects can contact the study adviser of the research MA programme Classics and Ancient Civilizations.
