Jayne Knight
Job Title
Lecturer in Classics
Employer
University of Tasmania
Canadian Immigration Updates
Review details about the recently announced changes to study and work permits that apply to master’s and doctoral degree students. Read more
Overview
Classicists study the languages, literature, material culture, and history of Ancient Greece and Rome. The Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies offers a PhD Classics with the option of three streams: Classics (language-based program), Ancient History, or Classical Archaeology. Classics students develop competence to the highest level in Greek and Latin; Ancient History students master as least one of Greek or Latin and undertake additional coursework outside of the Department to develop marketable expertise in a second field; Classical Archaeology students become experts in archaeological practice and theory. Students in all streams attain advanced reading skills in Latin, Greek, and relevant modern languages.
Students develop range and breadth through coursework and comprehensive examinations in Years 1 and 2 of the program; after that, students will be encouraged and enabled to narrow their focus so that they become world experts in their chosen dissertation topic.
What makes the program unique?
The PhD in Classics is the only program in Canada to offer students the opportunity to expand their perspective beyond Greece and Rome to the broader cultural, material, and religious contexts of interconnected ancient Mediterranean and Near East through multi-disciplinary coursework and research. We have ten full-time faculty specializing in Greek literature and philosophy, Latin literature and translation, Greek and Roman history, Roman law, Greek and Roman theatre, Greek mythology, Bronze Age archaeology, Greek material culture, Roman provincial archaeology. Our other faculty in Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies are interdisciplinary researchers whose work regularly engages with classical literature, art, and culture.
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program
Contact the program
Admission Information & Requirements
1) Check Eligibility
Minimum Academic Requirements
The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:
Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.
English Language Test
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.
Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based
Overall score requirement: 100
Reading
22
Writing
21
Speaking
21
Listening
22
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
Overall score requirement: 7.0
Reading
6.5
Writing
6.5
Speaking
6.5
Listening
6.5
Other Test Scores
Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:
The GRE is not required.
Prior degree, course and other requirements
Course Requirements
Applicants to the Classical Archaeology stream must have completed the equivalent of at least two years' of study (intermediate level) in Ancient Greek or Latin prior to beginning the program. Training in both languages at an intermediate to advanced level is recommend. The Classics and Ancient History streams require graduate-level coursework in both Greek and Latin.
2) Meet Deadlines
September 2025 Intake
Application Open Date
02 September 2024Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 03 January 2025
Transcript Deadline: 17 January 2025
Referee Deadline: 18 January 2025
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 03 January 2025
Transcript Deadline: 17 January 2025
Referee Deadline: 18 January 2025
3) Prepare Application
Transcripts
All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.
Letters of Reference
A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.
Statement of Interest
Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.
Supervision
Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.
Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Classics (PhD)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.
Citizenship Verification
Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.
4) Apply Online
All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.
Research Information
Research Focus
Our strengths in Classics include ancient Greek and Roman material culture, drama and performance, philosophy, reception studies, social history, and translation. Our faculty employ a range of perspectives to the interpretation of ancient texts, including gender, performance, and reception.
Program Components
PhD students complete coursework and a dissertation. In addition, PhD Classics-steam and Ancient History-stream students complete a sight translation exam in Greek and Latin and comprehensive translation exams from set reading lists in Greek and Latin. Classics students write both Greek and Latin; Ancient History students write one of Greek or Latin and complete additional coursework in a second field (e.g. Canadian History, Asian Studies, etc.) in lieu of a second exam. Students in the Classical Archaeology stream write two essay-based comprehensive exams from a choice of four set reading lists. All doctoral students must demonstrate reading knowledge of two of French, German, Italian, or Spanish, usually through a translation exam or additional coursework.
Research Facilities
Our students have access to work space in the Graduate Reading Room with exclusive access to a library of ancient texts and seminal scholarship relating to Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies and a computer lab for research and teaching equipped with eight powerful desktop PC computers with dual monitors and a variety of software packages (including ArcGIS, Adobe Creative Suite and Agisoft Photoscan) as well as a 3D printer.
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $116.25 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $1,838.57 | $3,230.06 |
| Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $5,515.71 | $9,690.18 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $1,116.60 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living | Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies. | |
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
Financial Support
Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.
Program Funding Packages
All of our PhD students are funded beyond UBC's minimum funding guarantee of $24,000 per year for four years. Well qualified PhD applicants receive a minimum funding package of about $25,000 per year over four years (including scholarships, teaching assistantships and research assistantships). Students who are successful in major external scholarship competitions may receive upwards of $40,000 per year. Continued funding into a fifth year is usually offered to students maintaining good progress. In addition, the Department provides support for student travel and research abroad.
Average Funding
Based on the criteria outlined below, 4 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research, academic assistantships or internal or external awards averaging $42,335.
- 4 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 4 students was $10,987.
- 3 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 3 students was $1,751.
- 4 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 4 students was $19,214.
- 1 student received external awards valued at $35,000.
Study Period: Sep 2022 to Aug 2023 - average funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Averages might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology
Review methodology
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)
All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.
Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)
Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)
Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.
Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)
Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.
Financial aid (need-based funding)
Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.
All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.
Foreign government scholarships
Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.
Working while studying
The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.
International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.
A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.
Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals
Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.
Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.
Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.
Cost Estimator
Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.
Career Outcomes
9 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 7 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):
RI (Research-Intensive) Faculty: typically tenure-track faculty positions (equivalent of the North American Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions) in PhD-granting institutions
TI (Teaching-Intensive) Faculty: typically full-time faculty positions in colleges or in institutions not granting PhDs, and teaching faculty at PhD-granting institutions
Term Faculty: faculty in term appointments (e.g. sessional lecturers, visiting assistant professors, etc.)
Sample Employers in Higher Education
Grant MacEwan University (2)The University of Winnipeg
University of British Columbia
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Dalhousie University
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
Wetaskiwin & District Heritage MuseumSample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Executive Director & Chief CuratorPhD Career Outcome Survey
You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.Disclaimer
These data represent historical employment information and do not guarantee future employment prospects for graduates of this program. They are for informational purposes only. Data were collected through either alumni surveys or internet research.Alumni on Success
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Classics (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
ENROLMENT DATA
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 11 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 15 |
| Offers | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| New Registrations | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Enrolment | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 |
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year.
Research Supervisors
Supervision
Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.
Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Classics (PhD)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.
Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors
These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.
This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.
-
Bablitz, Leanne (Roman history, Roman law, Roman courtrooms, , Roman social history and law, Roman topography, Roman legal procedure)
-
Cooper, Elisabeth (Archaeology of greater Mesopotamia)
-
Daniels, Megan (Classical religion; Archaeology of Greece and the broader eastern Mediterranean; Late Bronze Age to Hellenistic Period; Ancient religion, sanctuaries, votive objects; Cross-cultural interaction; Ancient economies and trade; Divine kingship; Digital/data science approaches to the ancient world, particularly ancient religion; Migration and mobility across Eurasia; Phoenician culture; Ceramic analysis)
-
De Angelis, Franco (Ancient Greek world history, environment, urbanism, developmnet of societies, colonization, economics, ancient literature)
-
Fisher, Kevin (Prehistoric archaeology; Anthropology; Archaeological theory; Archaeometry; Archeological Data Analysis; Archeological Excavation Methods and Techniques; architecture; built environments; digital archaeology; Dynamics of Social Transformations; Mediterranean archaeology; Near Eastern archaeology; power; Social Life / Societal Life; social interaction; Urban Spaces and Urbanity; urbanism)
-
Gardner, Gregg (Judaism, Rabbinic Literature, Rabbinic Judaism, Mishnah, Talmud, Jewish Studies, Jewish Law, Jewish Ethics, Charity, Jewish Ethics, Archaeology of Israel, Archaeology and Hebrew Bible, Archaeology of Jerusalemn )
-
Griffin, Michael (Greek philosophy, Ancient philosophy, Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Proclus, Neoplatonism, Ancient logic )
-
Huemoeller, Katharine (Classical Greek and Ancient Rome history; Classical archaeology; Classical linguistics; Religion and religious studies; Ancient law (in theory and in practice); Documentary texts; gender and sexuality; Non-urban life in antiquity; Roman social history; Slavery (ancient and comparative))
-
Marshall, Toph (Cinema studies; Classical Greek and Ancient Rome history; Classical archaeology; Classical linguistics; Film, television and digital media; Religion and religious studies; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Performance and Theatrical Productions)
-
McCarty, Matthew (Archaeology; Roman archaeology; Roman history; Africa; Europe; postcolonialism; Marginalized peoples; Religion)
-
McElduff, Siobhan (Ancient and modern translation, history of the book)
-
Milstein, Sara (Classical Greek and Ancient Rome history; Classical archaeology; Classical linguistics; Religion and religious studies; biblical and cuneiform law; Hebrew Bible and Near Eastern Studies; History of Major Eras, Great Civilisations or Geographical Corpuses; literary history of the Bible; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Mesopotamian literature; Near Eastern scribal culture; Religious Contexts)
-
Philbrick, Rachel (Classical literatures; Latin poetry; Greek poetry; genre; Textual authority and credibility; Intertextuality)
-
Schneider, Thomas (Egyptian history and phonoly)
-
Soon, Isaac (Early Christianity and New Testament)
-
Yoo, Philip (Jewish studies; Religion and religious studies; Hebrew Bible; Second Temple Judaism)
-
Yoon, Florence (heralds and the representation of the absent; anonymity and naming, particularly in Greek Tragedy; props and silent characters in Greek drama)
Doctoral Citations
A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Dr. Minniti investigated the distribution and use of Egyptian and Egyptian-inspired objects, also known as Aegyptiaca, in Sicily during the Archaic Period (ca. 776-480 BCE). Her analysis provides a better understanding of how the objects were adopted into local customs, and the reasons why their owners chose to use them. |
| 2021 | Dr. Dwyer examined the lasting impact of the 3rd century BCE playwright Apollodorus of Carystus, whose work survives only in fragments and Latin adaptations. His dissertation reshapes our understanding of comic theatre from Hellenistic Greece and offers crucial insight into the afterlife of Apollodorus in Roman drama. |
| 2020 | Dr. Brothers investigated Roman spectacles as a medium for dynastic promotion in the Severan age. She discovered that during this tumultuous period, spectacles offered an opportunity for the emperor to demonstrate his benefaction, to create a positive public image for himself, and to associate himself with the great emperors of the past. |
| 2018 | Dr. Gardner examined the ancient history and archaeology of the Mani peninsula, a remote region in southern Greece. She studied the unique local identity of the inhabitants under the superpowers of Rome and Sparta, and presented a novel way to study marginal places in the ancient world. Hers is the most comprehensive work on ancient Mani to-date. |
| 2015 | Dr. Knight studied the pragmatics of anger in Roman society during the late Republic and early Empire. She illustrated the complex relationship between anger and Roman politics. By focusing on how anger was employed in the professional contexts of the orator and emperor, she enhanced our understanding of the role of emotions in Roman public life. |
| 2015 | Dr. McClellan's thesis examined the treatment of corpses in Latin epic poetry. He focused specifically on the motif of abuse in the post-Augustan epic. He shows that, encapsulated in the corpses and their treatment, the poems reveal an obsession with violence, horror and death that reflect the larger disturbed functioning of each poet's epic universe. |
| 2015 | Dr. Sukava explored the development of anatomical terminology in classical Greece, and its mixed reception by non-medical authors. He offers the most complete assessment of classical Greek body terms to date, and contributes to our understanding of the dissemination of specialized medical knowledge in antiquity, from Homer to the 4th century BCE. |
| 2014 | Dr. Solez contributed to the cultural history of ancient Greece. He demonstrated that banqueting or feasting was the ideal mode of cultural contact in the worldview of Greeks in the eighth and seventh centuries BCE. Multicultural banquets explain the continuities in Mediterranean banqueting-styles and other evidence of cultural exchange. |
| 2012 | Through studies of excavations and comparisons with Roman, Greek and Punic houses, Dr. Aberle demonstrated that Sicily did not just passively absorb ideas in the years 211-70 BC, but instead actively manipulated them. She challenged a prevailing opinion that Sicily has had little influence on Mediterranean culture and has contributed to our knowledge of Sicilian history. |
| 2010 | Dr. Varto researched ideas of kinship in the burials, housing, and genealogical writing of early Greece. She found that kinship involved ideas of biology, multi-generational households, and descent. This research illuminates kinship's role in social, political, and economic differentiation, power, and change in the developing Greek city-state. |
Pages
Sample Thesis Submissions
Further Information
Specialization
Classics offers a core program in Latin and Greek language and literature, and also less language-intensive options in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History.
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Program Identifier
VGDPHD-EG
September 2025 Intake
Application Open Date
02 September 2024 Canadian Applicant Deadline
03 January 2025 International Applicant Deadline
03 January 2025 Program Enquiries
Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program
Contact the program
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.
Curious about UBC for grad school?
Our community of scholars is one of the world’s finest, committed to discovering and sharing knowledge, and to tackling the challenges that face our world.