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Classics (Structured PhD)

Structured PhD (Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences) (Classics)

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Course Overview

The discipline of Classics is eager to provide supervision in any area of studies relevant to the specialist interests of a member of staff; these research specialities are listed below. Admission to a Structured PhD degree is at the discretion of the potential supervisor and the Head of discipline and is based on a proposal from the applicant following discussion with a suitable member of staff. As part of the Structured PhD programme the discipline may recommend attendance at Greek or Latin language classes. Candidates should have obtained an honours degree in an appropriate subject (Second Class Honours, Grade 1 minimum) and would usually hold a Master’s degree.

As part of the doctoral training available on the Structured PhD programme, students avail themselves of a range of interdisciplinary taught modules.  The wide menu of available options include modules that:

  • are discipline-specific in that they augment the student's existing knowledge in their specialist area, e.g., Reflective Practice in Teaching Classics and Late Antiquity
  • are dissertation-specific in that they supply core skills which are essential to completion of the research project, e.g., additional language skills
  • acknowledge a student’s professional development, e.g., presentation of a paper at an International Conference enhance a students employability through generic training, e.g., Careers Workshops, computer literacy.

Each student will be assigned a primary Supervisor(s) and a Graduate Research Committee made up of experienced researchers to plan their programme of study and to provide on-going support to their research.

Programmes Available

Structured PhD (Classics)—full-time
Structured PhD (Classics)—part-time
Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System. 

Associated

Learning Outcomes

Entry Requirements

Admission to a research degree is at the discretion of the Research Committee and is based on a proposal from the applicant, ideally following an informal approach to an appropriate prospective supervisor. We will normally recommend attendance at language classes and/or reading seminars in Latin, Greek and/or medieval languages as appropriate. Candidates should have obtained an honours degree in an appropriate subject (Second Class Honours, Grade 1 minimum [or equivalent international qualification]) and for the PhD will typically hold a Master’s degree.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Current research projects

  • Columbanus' Life and Legacy (PRTLI 4 project co-directed by Dr Mark Stansbury)
  • The Glosses to the St Gall Priscian Manuscript (project by Dr P. Moran)
  • Bilingualism in Medieval Ireland (Dr Jacopo Bisagni)
  • Edition and Commentary on Togail Troi III, the late medieval Irish version of the Troy legend (Prof. Michael Clarke)

Current funded research opportunity

Work Placement

Related Student Organisations

Career Opportunities

Find a Supervisor / PhD Project

If you are still looking for a potential supervisor or PhD project or would like to identify the key research interests of our academic staff and researchers, you can use our online portal to help in that search

Research Areas

  • Historical Linguistics 
  • Material culture from Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages 
  • Manuscript culture 
  • Iron Age and Classical south Italy 
  • Roman and Late-Antique history 
  • Comparative mythology 
  • Bilingualism

Researcher Profiles

Dr. Jacopo Bisagni
Latin/Old Irish bilingualism in Medieval Ireland; Latin and Indo-European linguistics

Professor Michael Clarke 
The Classical inheritance in medieval Ireland; historical semantics and cognitive linguistics; Greek epic. 

Dr. Edward Herring
The archaeology and history of early Italy; South Italian pottery; ethnicity.

Dr. Mark Stansbury
Manuscript studies; Medieval Latin; Insular Christian culture; transmission of classical text.

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€5,750 p.a. (€5,890 including levy) 2024/25

Fees: Non EU

€14,500 p.a. (€14,640 including levy) 2024/25

Extra Information


EU Part time: Year 1 €4,250 p.a. (€4,390 including levy) 2024/25

All students, irrespective of funding, must pay the student levy of €140.

Contact Us

Professor Michael Clarke
Classics
T +353 91495 230
E michael.clarke@universityofgalway.ie

What Our Students Say

Sarah

Sarah Corrigan |   Current Student

The structured PhD programme is beneficial because it encourages a more holistic approach to student development. By rewarding activities other than research alone, such as teaching and conference-paper presentations, it encourages graduate students to acquire and improve valuable skills. I have found it particularly useful as I work with texts in Middle Irish, Old English and Latin and the structured PhD programme has afforded me the time to take modules that raise my competency in these languages to the required level.

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