Study Areas

Study Areas - Classics and Classical Traditions

Study areas of graduate training at Northwestern in classics and classical traditions (including reception) are variously organized. Some are formal pathways of study leading toward the doctorate in a related field, some are informal reading groups in Greek and Latin, some are topic-specific workshops that bring graduate students and faculty in various fields together and some are short-term intensive study sessions in the summer.

Pathways of study leading toward the doctorate

Ancient Philosophy: Students may pursue ancient philosophy as their area of specialization in the department of philosophy. Classics and CTI sponsor Greek and Latin reading groups that stress philosophical texts. The department of philosophy is affiliated with the Chicago-Area Consortium in Greek and Roman Philosophy. Doctoral candidates in philosophy may elect to improve their interdisciplinary training by serving as teaching assistants for undergraduate courses in classics as well as in philosophy.
Core faculty: Richard Kraut, John Wynne

Comparative Literary Studies: Students pursuing the doctorate in CLS may identify classics as their home department.
Core faculty with research interests in classical studies include Marianne Hopman (Classics), Helmut Muller-Sievers (German), Martin Mueller (Classics & English), Barbara Newman (Classics & English), Dan Garrison (Classics), Sam Weber (German), William West (English). Faculty contact: Marianne Hopman

Political Theory: The subfield of political theory in the department of political science has strength in ancient political thought and politics. Students interested in this pathway are encouraged to undertake interdisciplinary work with the affiliated faculty in various fields.
Core faculty: Sara Monoson (Political Science & Classics), Richard Kraut (Philosophy & Classics), Robert Harriman (Communication Studies), Sam Weber (German and Comparative Literary Studies), Michael Loriaux (Political Science), Kathryn Bosher (Classics), Robert Wallace (Classics). Faculty contact: Sara Monoson

Theatre and Drama: Students interested in antiquity may seek to pursue the doctorate through the interdisciplinary program in theatre and drama.
Core faculty who work on antiquity: Kathryn Bosher (Classics) and Susan Manning (English & Theatre). Additional faculty in other fields who work on ancient drama: Marianne Hopman (Classics and Comparative Literary Studies), Martin Mueller (English and Classics), Reg Gibbons (Classics and English), William West (English). See the Theatre & Drama site for full list of Theatre & Drama faculty. Faculty contact: Kathryn Bosher

Medieval Christianity: An area of specialization in the Department of Religion that is flexible and takes advantage of faculty strength within the department as well as ancillary fields of the humanities and social sciences. Faculty contact: Barbara Newman (English, Classics & Religion)

English: Students interested in Medieval Latin literature can pursue the doctorate in English. Core faculty include Barbara Newman, Suzie Phillips, Katy Breen and Kasey Evans. Students interested in the classical themes in later literature, including reception studies, may also wish to consider doctoral study in English.
Core faculty in this area include Reginald Gibbons, Susan Manning, Martin Mueller, and William West

Greek and Latin Reading Groups:

Greek Reading Group Faculty Contact: TBD
Greek Reading Group Graduate Student Contact: TBD

Medieval Latin Reading Group: Barbara Newman

Classical Latin Poetry Reading Group: Jenny Lee

More information:

Director of Latin Instruction, Francesca Tataranni
Director of Greek Instruction, William Tortorelli

Intensive summer language study in either Greek or Latin is available to graduate students through enrollment in the University of Chicago's Summer Language Institute at no charge (such study is covered by the consortium for graduate education of which both NU and the U of C are members). Enrollment must be processed through the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) Traveling Scholar Program.

Classical Traditions Lectures and Workshops

CTI and Classics jointly sponsor a variety of special events and visiting speakers through out the academic year. We are pleased to be the recipient of generous funding from the Mellon Foundation (through the Kaplan Institute Workshop Series) and the Teagle Foundation, as well as various Northwestern programs and offices (notably, Weinberg Office of the Dean, Office of the Provost, and the Kaplan Institute for the Humanities).

We have annual co-sponsored events with the following units at NU:

Theatre, Roberta Buffett Center for International and Comparative Studies, Art History, Political Theory, Ancient Philosophy, Comparative Literary Studies, Center for the Writing Arts, Rhetoric

In addition, we have a series of workshops on a single theme related to classical traditions. The individual annual events may at times overlap with the series.

Intensive Short Workshops

To watch for in 2007-08: a new program--CTI-sponsored short intensive workshops on major texts in ancient rhetoric. These workshops will likely take place during the early summer or early fall (June or September), outside the dates of the regular term. Faculty contact: Robert Hariman, Department of Communication Studies