Students in the ANCH Graduate Group take 20 courses over three years of coursework. This coursework constitutes the essential building blocks for the development of the various skills that make up the ancient historian’s toolkit: grasp of not only the broad historical contours but also the pressing historiographical debates in the study of ancient societies; solid grounding in the philological and literary aspects of the relevant ancient languages; specialized competencies, for example in epigraphy, numismatics, legal frameworks or economic structures; experience engaging analytically and critically with elements of the art, architecture, and material culture of the ancient world; familiarity with the various methodological and theoretical approaches that are current in scholarly discourse.
While certain courses are considered mandatory, we are committed to enabling our students to develop their own scholarly profiles, and there is great flexibility in crafting an itinerary through the program. All course choices are made in consultation with the Graduate Group Chair.
The Graduate Group in Ancient History encourages students to pursue opportunities for study abroad, including those at the American School for Classical Studies in Athens and the American Academy in Rome. Characteristically, these opportunities are taken up following completion of all coursework and exams.