ClemSnide

Another UBC applicant; got an email recently that I got in. No word on funding yet, but almost certainly not going to accept unless they are able to top U of Toronto's funding offer. I also liked the fact that the DGS at U of Toronto called me and chatted to me for a bit, as well as communication over email. Seems like an awesome department for an MA.

I applied to UBC for a Classics MA. Canadian like you, and decide to stay in Canada for an MA. Also applied to University of Alberta and University of Toronto for the MA program. I talked to Hector Williams at UBC and he said that they were going through the PhD applications first and would start going through the MA ones soon enough. I guess I should be hearing back in early February. I don't think I have much of a chance of getting accepted there though since my research interests are not really covered by anyone on the faculty if Bablitz decides against me. Applied there just because I was told that after U of T they have the second-strongest language program in Canada. Do you know anything about the MA application decisions?

Wow, CNS, thanks very much for all the information and the detail. Sorry I wasn't able to respond sooner; final exams and term papers have been keeping my busy. It sucks that Thomas didn't write a reference and didn't respond to your emails; the not responding part is just beyond rude, doesn't he realize that people actually spend a lot of money to do this kind of stuff?! When I emailed Albert Henrichs about the Greek course he's teaching next summer, he didn't respond to my email. I think your experience and Henrich's attitude make my decision about where to go next summer a lot easier. The 5-7 page paper, the fact that most of the attendees are not undergrads, the not exactly exacting reading pace makes it sound like the money could be better spent elsewhere... But I shall try to get some perspective from my professors too, although I doubt they'll think it's still worth it based on what you've told me. Thanks again!

Thanks Corydon_non_sum. Yeah, it is really expensive, especially since I will be coming from Canada and will have a bunch of other fees to pay... Questions for you, if you don't mind: How many people were in the class? Were you able to get a reference from Thomas (or did he write references for any people)? How many lines of poetry did you end up reading in the class? And was there a research paper? How substantial was it? Was the class comparable to other regular upper-level Latin classes you've taken? Sorry for so many questions, but I want to make completely sure the course would be worth it before I put down that much money (for both a Greek AND a Latin course! Yikes).

People! Rally! Help me out here.

Great! I'll try to find out. Any other American programs?

Thanks. Do you know if these are equivalent to their regular upper-level Latin and Greek courses? I mean in terms of being as rigorous etc.

I did the intensive Greek workshop at Berkeley this summer and it was an amazing experience. I was sent off into the advanced level of Greek this semester, and I'm already doing upper level Latin courses. Next summer I'm looking to return to the States to do some more Greek and Latin. The problem is that practically all the programs out there are for the intro or intermediate level. CUNY has an advanced-level one but they won't be offering it for Greek next year. Dumbarton Oaks has one, but again, not being offered next summer. Anyone know of others? I've sent off a letter to Reggie Foster in Milwaukee, but I'd prefer a place where I could do Latin and Greek at the same time. Suggestions?

I came here to post a thread on this topic and saw the one about teaching Greek in high school. Anyway, as a Canadian I'm wondering what sort of degree one needs to teach Latin in private schools in the States and the UK. I imagine the stipulations differ from those in Canada. Would a Masters in Teaching Latin be enough for the very elite private schools? I went to a few masters programme websites but they don't have much information on placement unfortunately, so I'm not sure where their graduates end up.

If you do end up going to U of A, Chris Mackay would be a good guy to talk to due to his interest and work in medieval theology and medieval, scholastic Latin.

John: Are you applying to U of Toronto for fall 2010 admission? I'm applying there next year. And who are you planning to work under at U of Alberta? Just curious; I know several people who did their MAs there. If you need any information about their program, I'd be glad to give you the dirt! I know way too much about the gossip and program there.

Sarah Ruden is an example of someone who has a PhD from an Ivy but is not in academia. She, among other things, writes translations of classical works (her translation of Satyricon is pretty good). My Plan B is: 1) Working for a university press 2) Becoming a librarian (I wouldn't do a second degree though; I heard something about a presentation at the APA meeting on successfully going into the library field with "just" a Classics PhD). 3) Going into journalism, writing for something like the New York Review of Books. 4) Becoming an elementary school teacher. Yay kids! 5) Teaching Latin, Greek, French at a posh private school like Boston Latin (if they'll have me). 6) Editing (i.e. grammar glosses etc) intermediate Latin and Greek texts - because all the ones I've used suck.

Thank you rockchalk. I kind of forgot about this forum, what with holiday revelry. Your background is very impressive. For me, I am not worried on the GPA front, but about the writing samples. I plan to submit my thesis as well, which I am working on these days. I really, really hope it will be good enough for them.

I know someone who got rejected every place she applied (but then she only applied to three programs I think). This was right after her BA. She was devastated but she enrolled for a terminal MA at her alma mater, did one year, applied again and is now at a really good school. In the past whenever I`ve needed a little bit of money I did freelance writing for local arts magazines. They`re always looking for people to do reviews, previews etc and because these tend to be small independent publications, they don`t care that you don`t have a journalism degree, as long as you can decently enough. The pay, of course, is crap, but that sort of work is always an option. But I`m sure you won`t have that problem LateAntique. Just thinking about not getting in is giving me terrible heartburn, and I`m applying for 2011 entry!

It's funny you say that Sparky; I was a Philosophy major before I switched to Classics. And guess why I switched? Because I found philosophy impossibly hard. At least Greek and Latin get easier with practice and dedication.

Speaking of music and studying, I have a Latin final exam tomorrow and I spent the entire day listening to music. And not studying. And now I have various ear worms while I try to work on Ab Urbe Condita. Great.

Greek was the source of significant anxiety this past semester - maybe I should try this. With something easier on the ears than RATM though.

Okay, something to keep in mind then for Oxford and Cambridge: apply early. And honestly I think it would be great to know where you're going as soon as possible - many of us have partners who are often moving with us and that requires some planning. Congratulations on the acceptance rockchalk! I assume you're going to accept the offer? If you feel comfortable doing so, could you share your 'stats' e.g. GPA etc? What did you submit as your writing sample?

Many schools ask for a list of Latin and Greek texts read, both in classes and on your own. What are your lists like? Both in terms of length and authors.

Thanks guys. I'm in Canada, and I will be applying to Canadian schools as well, not just British ones. My SO is from the States and would prefer not returning there, so there is a chance that I might not apply there (this is for next year's admission cycle by the way) and if I do, there is a good chance I would not accept an offer, even if funded, if I have also been accepted by a British or Canadian university. The British schools appeal to me because of the heavier research emphasis and the superior library resources. It's true that the Cambridge MPhil and the Oxford MSt wouldn't allow me to work on acquiring further language skills, but the literature option for the two year Oxford MPhil would. Latin won't be a problem for me, but I meet the bare minimum for Greek for the PhD programs I like, so a terminal MA seems like a better option rather than a post-bacc or an extra year in undergrad (neither of which would allow me to do much research compared to an MA). That I wouldn't be pressured to TA at the British schools means that even if there is no classroom instruction in the languages, I will have time on my own to get some extra reading done. How selective are Oxford and Cambridge? Are they as inundated with applications (for Classics) as American schools? Personal experiences with applying there or know anybody who has?

Salvete omnes. I'm interested in the Cambridge MPhil and the Oxford MSt (one year) and MPhil (two years) programs. Does anyone have any information about these, what they're like, what the admission rates generally are i.e. how selective they are, etc? I've looked at the programs' websites already. I'll be working in the area of imperial Roman historiography and other Latin prose literature.

I'm a Classics student, planning to work in the general area of Latin prose literature and history. And I have a terrible confession to make: I hate Greek. When I started studying Latin, I fell for it hard. I loved it (and still love it) so much that I studied it for hours on end everyday, yabbered on and on about it and in it to loved ones, and proclaimed it my 'mother tongue'. Yes I found it difficult at points but that didn't matter to me at all. In fact, my first experience with Latin was what sealed the deal for me when it came to my future: I finally decided at that point to go to grad school in Classics. Not so with Greek. I have done as well in it as Latin but I dread opening my Greek book. The language hasn't lost its strangeness for me. Every minute that I'm studying it for an exam, I have an inner monologue going about how much I dislike it and try to suppress that as much as I might, I can't get rid of it entirely. I don't know why I dislike it so much, maybe because I find it more difficult, maybe because I sometimes feel like I'm learning some alien language - it just feels extremely foreign and my mind rebels against it. Anyway, that sentiment isn't bad enough to stop me from continuing on further in Greek to the advanced level and I'm mentally prepared to deal with it for the rest of my life, but I can't help but wonder if other people out there have a similar marked preference for one of the languages over the other? Tell me I'm not alone, and that I'll soon come to like Greek.