Online [American] Classics/Classical Studies Master's Degree?

[Rin]

Hello,

I am hunting around for a Master of Arts program in Classics / Classical Studies / Ancient History (preferably Classical Studies so I am getting both the language and culture courses in my MA), but my issue is that I would need to pursue the program online. I would prefer the school be based in the United States (non-profit, no for-profit schools) as I would need to get financial aid to attend, and there are little to no scholarships that I have found that would apply to a distance program learner, especially one that is for an American student attending a British school at a distance (if you know of one or more and want to share, it would be much appreciated).

So far, the only school I have found that is a non-profit school in America that allows a Classical Studies Master's degree to be taken completely online is Villanova University in Pennsylvania. The downside of this is that the school is synchronous, and I currently live in Las Vegas, so arranging the time to be able to go to class would be doable but challenging. 

My second option is a distance program through a school in the United Kingdom, but those are my final option due to the lack of being able to do it right out of pocket. 

I also know of the Harvard Extension School, but as that requires residency and beginning the courses by paying out of your own pocket, I would not be able to pursue that path, either.

 

The reason I want a Master of Arts in Classical Studies as an online program is because the local University doesn't have an option for Classical languages or archaeology or ancient history, but I cannot yet afford to move to a place that would offer such a program. The local university is also notorious for delaying graduation for their students by not offering the courses they need to graduate, so I wanted to avoid that as well. If anyone knows of any other non-profit schools, please let me know. I would need it to be without a residency requirement (the maximum I could be gone would be 2 weeks and I doubt I would be able to afford that, regardless) but would consider schools with short residences. I will be fine if Villanova is my only option, but I wanted to see if there were more schools I may have missed? I would prefer asynchronous coursework, but synchronous would be doable.

Thank you all in advance!    

[Talmid]

Rin -

I wish I had found your posting much sooner than 3 months later. Unfortunately this forum isn't as active with postings as it should be, but I'll gladly engage your message.

Bottom line up front: I don't have any news to share other than what you've already discovered about online MA programs. I've been trying to find a suitable MA in Classics by an American school for probably a decade, but our options are very, VERY miniscule. Here's a few bullets of what I know:

- Villanova is the closest to what you're looking for.

- University of Florida does a Latin-based MA and PhD, mainly for Latin teachers however.

- University of Georgia has an online Post-Bac in Classical Languages, but this is not your interest.

- American Military University has an online Graduate Certificate, and maybe an MA, in Ancient Mediterranean history, but it's FOR PROFIT.

- University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, does distance in Classics, but it's in Great Britain. Other British schools include Birmingham, London, Open University, and perhaps a couple more.

- Texas Tech at one time advertised a distance MA and then the Dean immediately rescinded the program, probably because of a failure to have it accredited properly.

- There are a few Great Books based programs offered online more and more nowadays, but this isn't quite your interest either. See Harrison Middleton University, Knox Theological Seminary, Faulkner University.

- New Saint Andrews in Moscow, Idaho, offers a distance M.St., I think, in classical languages, or you can create a classical languages based program if you pick all the right courses for electives. 

- I once found a distance MA or PhD from a university in South Africa and maybe even New Zealand. 

I think that's all I can remember through the past dozen years I've been looking. Good luck.

[ClassicsCandidate]

On 11/6/2017 at 12:06 PM, Talmid said:

Rin -

I wish I had found your posting much sooner than 3 months later. Unfortunately this forum isn't as active with postings as it should be, but I'll gladly engage your message.

Bottom line up front: I don't have any news to share other than what you've already discovered about online MA programs. I've been trying to find a suitable MA in Classics by an American school for probably a decade, but our options are very, VERY miniscule. Here's a few bullets of what I know:

- Villanova is the closest to what you're looking for.

- University of Florida does a Latin-based MA and PhD, mainly for Latin teachers however.

- University of Georgia has an online Post-Bac in Classical Languages, but this is not your interest.

- American Military University has an online Graduate Certificate, and maybe an MA, in Ancient Mediterranean history, but it's FOR PROFIT.

- University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, does distance in Classics, but it's in Great Britain. Other British schools include Birmingham, London, Open University, and perhaps a couple more.

- Texas Tech at one time advertised a distance MA and then the Dean immediately rescinded the program, probably because of a failure to have it accredited properly.

- There are a few Great Books based programs offered online more and more nowadays, but this isn't quite your interest either. See Harrison Middleton University, Knox Theological Seminary, Faulkner University.

- New Saint Andrews in Moscow, Idaho, offers a distance M.St., I think, in classical languages, or you can create a classical languages based program if you pick all the right courses for electives. 

- I once found a distance MA or PhD from a university in South Africa and maybe even New Zealand. 

I think that's all I can remember through the past dozen years I've been looking. Good luck.

I've found all of the above to be true; Villanova is the only place I found that has an online program. 

And I found a couple of distance programs abroad, mostly in the UK and Australia, when I looked. Good luck!

[Salvete]

Several years on is probably too late for the original poster, but for later readers:

The University of South Africa (UNISA) also has an online Classics program, from undergraduate through PhD. They are very affordable by world standard. The student body is huge, and the Uni is accredited in South Africa. The Classics program seems well structured. However, be warned that their administration department can be a challenge to work with and doesn't always respond.

UNISA MA in Classical Studies

The University of New England (in Australia) also has an online program for Classics. But, you would be an international student, which comes at a higher cost.

Edited November 22, 2020 by Salvete
Added link to UNISA