Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies MA

Soon after the founding of the University of Wisconsin in 1848, the department was created as one of the first academic units at the university. The Department of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies (CANES) has enjoyed a long tradition of excellence in philological scholarship, literary criticism, archaeology, and ancient history. At the graduate level, the department offers the master of arts and doctor of philosophy in classical and ancient near eastern studies. Students may follow one of two courses of study, classical languages and literatures, or Hebrew bible.

The primary goal of the program is to familiarize students with the core linguistic, historical, and philological aspects of classical and ancient near eastern studies. Students also learn to conduct original research in such varied areas as gender studies, literary theory, translation studies, and classical reception under the guidance of established scholars in these areas.

In addition to specified coursework, students participate in directed readings with individual faculty members in their areas of specialization and gain valuable professional experience teaching in courses on the languages, literature, and culture of the ancient world. Additional work may be done in allied fields such as archaeology, art history, linguistics, comparative literature, history, philosophy, and political science. Affiliated faculty in many of these fields regularly offer courses, supervise theses and dissertations, and participate in department activities.

A wide range of professional networks provides graduate students with enhanced opportunities for education and career development. In addition to faculty connections to scholars and institutions in their fields of study, the department has formal affiliations with the Society for Classical Studies, the Classical Association of the Middle West and South, the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, the Society of Biblical Literature, and the American Schools of Oriental Research.

The Pillinger Library and Mansoor Reading Room, both located within the department, provide convenient access to a large number of texts, while the larger Greek and Latin Reading Room in the Memorial Library contains an extensive, noncirculating research collection of texts and commentaries. The Memorial Library maintains an excellent research collection of books and periodicals in classics and Hebrew bible, with many of its resources available online.

1. Articulates, critiques, and applies the philological and theoretical approaches established in the field of Classics or Hebrew Bible.
2. Identifies appropriate sources and assembles evidence relevant to questions and challenges in Classics or Hebrew Bible.
3. Demonstrates understanding of Classical or Hebrew Bible literature in a historical and social context.
4. Selects and utilizes the most appropriate methodologies and practices.
5. Evaluates and synthesizes information pertaining to questions and challenges.
6. Communicates complex ideas in a clear and understandable manner.
7. Recognizes and applied principles of ethical and professional conduct.

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution is required. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree. You must have completed your undergraduate degree, or similar, before starting graduate school.

A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required. Applicants from an international institution must demonstrate strong academic achievement comparable to a 3.00 for an undergraduate or master’s degree. The Graduate School will use your institution’s grading scale. Do not convert your grades to a 4.00 scale.

Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. TOEFL scores must be submitted electronically via ETS. IELTS scores can be submitted electronically or by paper.  Our office address is: UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions, 232 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706.  Your score will not be accepted if it is more than two years old from the start of your admission term. Country of citizenship does not exempt applicants from this requirement. Language of instruction at the college or university level and how recent the language instruction was taken are the determining factors in meeting this requirement.

Applicants are exempt if: