Classics (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)
1 year full-time (EU and non-EU students), 2 years part-time (EU/UK/EEA students only)
15 Places
Overview
The M.Phil. in Classics is designed both for those who are already fully trained in the classical languages and for those who have completed non-language based degrees. The course provides students with an excellent grounding in postgraduate research skills in Classics. It also hones the sort of analytical, written, and verbal communication skills that are highly valued and effective in careers outside the university and education sectors. Since its establishment in 2008 the M.Phil. in Classics has attracted students from all over the world. Many have gone on to do doctoral studies in Trinity College and in other universities internationally.
The course has two compulsory elements. The weekly core module Research and Methods runs throughout the year and communicates core research skills and knowledge across the main strands of classical scholarship. All students also write a dissertation of 15,000 to 20,000 words on an agreed topic, individually supervised by a member of staff. The dissertation offers an opportunity to begin to specialise in a particular strand of scholarship, whether literary, philosophical, historical or archaeological. In addition, students choose four elective modules (or two if they take beginners’ Greek or Latin), which likewise allow them to build specific skills and to follow their individual interests. Recently taught electives include Greek Language; Latin Language; Classics and European Identity; Textual Criticism; Gender and Genre in Augustan Poetry; Greeks and Barbarians; Ancient Drama, Adaptation and Performance; Curiosity and Crisis in the Late Fifth Century: Receptions of the Sophists; The Eternal City: The Archaeology of the City of Rome; Lost in the Labyrinth? 'Reading' Aegean Bronze Age Art; Rulers and Image-making in the Hellenistic World. For students with intermediate and advanced Greek and Latin a range of author- and topic-based modules are available.
Career Opportunities
The MPhil helps prepare graduates for a wide variety of careers including in the museum and heritage sectors, libraries and archives, public policy and administration, archaeology, law, teaching, and media. It also provides invaluable training in research for those planning to pursue a doctorate and/or career in research.
Click Here for further information on modules/subject.
Study Classics (M.Phil.) at Trinity
Introduction to the MPhil and P.Grad.Dip programmes in Classics by Dr. Shane Wallace at Trinity College Dublin
Course Details
Number of Places
15 PlacesNext Intake
September 2023
Course Director
Dr. Shane Wallace
Closing Date
30th June 2023
Admission Requirements
Applicants should normally have at least an upper second class (2.1) honors Bachelor degree or equivalent (for example, GPA of 3.3) in a relevant area. Knowledge of Greek or Latin is not required, but students hoping later to pursue a research degree in fields where the written record provides our main sources will be strongly encouraged to acquire language skills in the course. Since places on the course are limited, applicants may be interviewed or asked to submit a writing sample for assessment.
Offers will be made on a rolling basis.
Course Fees
Click here for a full list of postgraduate fees.
Apply
To apply, click on the relevant Apply Link below
Get in Touch
Telephone Number
+353 1 896 1208Website
www.tcd.ie/Classics/postgraduate/mphil/Register Your Interest
Register your interest in postgraduate study at Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.
As Ireland’s leading university, we offer a wide range of postgraduate programmes at masters, diploma and certificate level.
Trinity is an international university steeped in history, with a reputation for excellence in education, research and innovation.
Testimonials
"Between the extensive library, word-class faculty, and engaging modules, I cannot think of a better place to study the classics than Trinity College, Dublin. The course is challenging in the best sense of the word--you will inevitably find your ability to research greatly improved at all steps of the process: thanks to this course, I am a better reader, writer, and thinker. To know your way around the ancient Mediterranean world through history, art, and literature is to enter into a millennia-old conversation about humanity, society, poetry, ethics, politics, love, and what makes a meaningful life. I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to join this very conversation at Trinity, which has one of the strongest classics departments in the world, and is located in the heart of Dublin, in the most historic and beautiful part of the city. I am so glad I did this program, and recommend it to anyone with an interest in the ancient world."
Aidan Gray
Graduate
"I moved to Ireland from the UK in 2016 to undertake the MPhil in Classics. Although three years had passed since I completed my undergraduate degree, any worries that I had about moving abroad and pursuing further study were quickly alleviated. The MPhil was not only intellectually stimulating, but the world-class lecturers and vibrant social environment of central Dublin made the experience of studying in Trinity College feel truly unique. The MPhil itself is designed to accommodate students from a diverse range of backgrounds and approaches. Compulsory modules like Research & Methods gave us the opportunity to get hands-on experience with diverse areas of the Classical discipline, such as papyrology and epigraphy, while the unique elective modules enabled us to comprehensively develop our knowledge in specialist areas: whether in languages, history, literature, philosophy, material culture or reception studies. Yet what made the MPhil truly distinctive in my experience was the emphasis placed on thinking critically about the discipline of Classics and its transforming role in the modern world. The insight of the lecturers as well as their comprehensive knowledge of theoretical apparatuses opened my eyes to a totally new perspective on my studies, and the experience developed me into a far more reflective and critical thinker. The staff themselves are exceedingly generous both with their knowledge and their time. It was clear that they genuinely cared for our progress and we were often encouraged to take the lead of discussions in seminars, as well as to undertake independent research. This level of trust did a great deal to build my confidence as a researcher. My overwhelmingly positive experience with the Classics MPhil not only encouraged me to pursue a PhD in Classics at Trinity, which I am currently undertaking, but was invaluable in informing how I engage with the world. Because of this I cannot recommend this degree enough.."