Classics (research) Leiden University

Overview

Why study Classics (research) at Leiden University?

Classics at Leiden University ranks among the best programs in the world. The seminars are taught by enthusiastic teachers, who invite you to be involved in innovative research on Greek and Latin literature, ancient history and philosophy. Leiden University, with a Classics tradition that goes back to 1575, has a great library and excellent research facilities.

Learn from internationally acclaimed scholars

The programme is taught by academic staff internationally renowned for their research. External lecturers are regularly invited to teach on specialized topics. And, every semester, a number of national and international speakers - both well-known experts and promising young researchers – are invited to speak in the lecture series Forum Antiquum. You will also benefit from the collaboration of classicists from different Universities in the National Research School in Classics (OIKOS).

Develop your skills and knowledge

You will develop your skills and knowledge across the full range of traditional Classics topics, including Greek and Latin Literature, Linguistics, Rhetoric, Aesthetics, Ancient Philosophy, Ancient History, and Renaissance Latin; but the programme also introduces you to more innovative approaches to classical texts, including Cognitive Theory and Digital Classics.

What you will learn

Your future employers will not only be interested in your knowledge of Classics and Ancient Civilisations, but also in the skills that you have developed during your studies. Therefore, it is important that you are aware of the skills that you are training in your MA programme.
In the MA programme you learn how to analyse a problem, how to formulate a research question, how to select and assess your sources, how to assess secondary literature, how to give a clear and well-argued oral presentation either for specialists or for a wider audience, and how to write a clear and well-argued paper. You will be training the following transferrable skills:

• critical thinking (formulating questions, checking assumptions, assessing sources and scholarship)
• analytical skills (selecting, ordering, sorting out, and solving a problem)
• oral presentation skills (speaking, listening, discussing, receiving feedback)
• writing skills (reporting, summarizing, presenting an argument, with structure and style)
• independence (self-discipline, initiative, motivation)
• project management (planning, demarcation of a topic, discipline, meeting deadlines)
• flexibility (adapting to changes)
• creativity (curiosity, developing new ideas and innovative topics)
• academic integrity (acting with honesty, fairness, and responsibility)
• collaboration (working together with other students on a joint project)

Career prospects

As a graduate of a Classics and Ancient Civilizations (Research) programme at Leiden University you are qualified to work as a junior academic researcher in an academic environment or carry out further research work on a PhD programme. It is also possible to find employment within the fields of publishing or teaching, at policy-making departments of governmental bodies, within the education sector, or within cultural tourism.

Leiden University Master's graduates are sought-after employees at (inter)national organisations. Our graduates are known for their combination of robust academic training, in-depth and relevant knowledge, and critical, multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving. Our graduates end up working in a diverse range of positions, examples include

• PhD candidate at Dutch and international universities
• Project assistant at a Dutch city council
• Research assistant at a university
• Curator at a museum
• Policy officer at a ministry
• Communications officer
• Programme manager
• Teacher of classical languages at a secondary school

Accreditation

Accredited by NVAO, the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders.