Comparative Literature with Classics?

[Omeros]

Are there any current comparative lit doctoral students whose focus is Classics (Latin & Greek)? Anyone who feels strongly about a program or wants to recommend one above all others? I want the philological rigor of a Classics program, but don't like the bloodless grammarian qualities of pure Classicism, so I'm considering Comp. Lit. programs. 

 

[poliscar]

Not a Classics person, but Princeton would definitely be a place to look at. Brooke Holmes is affiliated with Comp Lit, and does super interesting work.

[Omeros]

My reservations with Princeton are that its a program geared more toward modern languages. I think that it requires 4 languages, only one of which can be ancient (for purposes of requirements and counting). 

[Glasperlenspieler]

1 hour ago, Omeros said:

My reservations with Princeton are that its a program geared more toward modern languages. I think that it requires 4 languages, only one of which can be ancient (for purposes of requirements and counting). 

Their website seems to say otherwise: "Comparative Literature “classics” majors are expected to study Latin and Greek and one modern language in lieu of the two modern / one classical requirement." (http://complit.princeton.edu/graduate-program/program-requirements)

[Dr. Old Bill]

I don't know about the relative strength of UMD's department (probably farther down the list), but I will say that our CompLit program includes a young Chinese woman who is focusing on ancient Greek literature...and the new program director is an early modernist with a strong interest in the classics as well (I took a "Renaissance" course with him that included the Timaeus and De Rerum Natura among others).

So file that in the "FWIW" drawer.

[unræd]

Also, Berkeley has a number of comp lit profs with joint appointments in Classics, and comp lit students who work on Ancient Greek and Latin -- although they also work on them in conjunction with modern literatures.

[Omeros]

13 hours ago, Glasperlenspieler said:

Their website seems to say otherwise: "Comparative Literature “classics” majors are expected to study Latin and Greek and one modern language in lieu of the two modern / one classical requirement." (http://complit.princeton.edu/graduate-program/program-requirements)

I appreciate you pointing this out. I didn't look past the initial program description after I saw the first modern/ancient requirement. I would never have seen this.  

[pro Augustis]

I am posting this with some hesitancy, as I don't want to appear to be disparaging other disciplines. I would think carefully about the job market though. When I was applying, I debated between Classics and History graduate programs. My advisor told me to go for the former because while a History department might hire a Classics graduate, a Classics department would almost certainly assume that such a graduate lacked the proper philological training. Comp Lit may be different, but it's something to keep in mind—if you want to end up in a Classics department for teaching, it won't be easy if you haven't begun there. 

[Omeros]

On 11/5/2016 at 0:35 PM, pro Augustis said:

I am posting this with some hesitancy, as I don't want to appear to be disparaging other disciplines. I would think carefully about the job market though. When I was applying, I debated between Classics and History graduate programs. My advisor told me to go for the former because while a History department might hire a Classics graduate, a Classics department would almost certainly assume that such a graduate lacked the proper philological training. Comp Lit may be different, but it's something to keep in mind—if you want to end up in a Classics department for teaching, it won't be easy if you haven't begun there. 

I appreciate the comment and feedback. I am in the same situation and have received similar advice. Classics itself is too conservative for my research interests, so I'm at a cross-roads. Frankly, I'm not sure what I should do.