Classics and Philosophy Combined Ph.D. Program

The Philosophy Department will not accept applications to the Philosophy track of the Philosophy and Classics combined program in the fall of 2026. We resume accepting such applications in the fall of 2027 for matriculation in the fall of 2028.

The Classics Department is accepting applications across all its graduate programs for matriculation in fall 2027. This includes the Classics track of the combined Philosophy and Classics PhD program. Candidates suitable qualified for this Classics track of the combined program interested in matriculating in the fall of 2027 may apply through Classics and, if admitted, would be members of both departments. 

The Classics and Philosophy Program is a combined Ph.D. program, offered by the departments of Philosophy and of Classics at Yale, for students wishing to pursue graduate study in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy. The program is overseen by an interdepartmental committee consisting of professors Tim Clarke, Verity Harte, and Brad Inwood, as well as the Director of Graduate Studies for Classics and the Director of Graduate Studies for Philosophy. Suitably qualified students may apply for entry to the program either through the Philosophy Department for the Philosophy Track, details of which are given below, or through the Classics Department for the Classics Track. Applicants who are uncertain as to which of the two tracks best suits their qualifications and interests are advised to seek further advice from Professors Clarke, Harte, or Inwood.

Applicants for the Philosophy Track of the combined program must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the Philosophy graduate program, in addition to the requirements of the Philosophy track of the combined program. Applicants for the Classics Track of the combined program must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the Classics graduate program, in addition to the requirements of the Classics Track of the combined program. Applicants to the combined program are strongly encouraged to submit a writing sample on a topic in ancient philosophy. Applicants interested in the combined program should indicate this at the time of application; admission to the program cannot normally be considered after an offer of admission is made. 

Requirements of the Philosophy Track of the Classics and Philosophy Program

It is recommended that applicants to the program possess a basic knowledge of Greek, up to the level of being able comfortably to read Plato’s Socratic dialogues and/or comparable abilities in Latin. While this level of proficiency is recommended, the minimum requirement for entry to the Philosophy Track is intermediate proficiency in at least one of Greek and Latin (where such proficiency standards could be met by attendance at an intensive summer school, such as the CUNY course, in which the course covers the ground typically covered by both a beginners and an intermediate course, in the summer prior to entry). Students who satisfy only the minimal level requirement in Greek and Latin must, in addition, have demonstrable proficiency in one of the modern languages: French, German or Italian. Such students should make clear in their applications their current level of language attainment and their plans to meet the minimum language requirement. On completion of the program, graduates will have proficiency in Greek and Latin and a reading knowledge of German and either French or Italian. These qualifications will be established and assisted by practice tests as follows:

Proficiency Tests in Greek and Latin

Practice translation exams in Greek and Latin on texts assigned from the Classics and Philosophy PhD Program reading list for the Philosophy Track; these are taken in at least one of Greek or Latin before the beginning of the first term and in both languages before the 3rd term and are meant to help students prepare for the qualifying translation exams to be taken by the beginning of the 6th term in the program. Depending on the student’s progress, additional diagnostic testing may be required in consultation with the program committee.

Modern Languages

The program requires success in departmental reading examinations in French (or Italian) and German, or approved Yale courses or examinations that demonstrate reading proficiency in these languages (e.g., by achieving a grade of A in “French/German/Italian for Reading Knowledge,” or by passing proficiency exams administered by Yale’s modern language departments). The department will also accept certain certificates of proficiency in French, German, or Italian in lieu of these exams, as listed in the Classics Graduate Handbook. One modern language exam is to be passed by the end of the first year in residence and the second by the end of the second year in residence. Students with sufficient language proficiency are encouraged to take the tests in two languages in the first year.

Fourteen courses are required. Of these:

  • At least 4 should be in ancient philosophy, including at least two involving substantive work in the original language.
  • Of 10 remaining courses:
    • 5 must be in Philosophy, including the First Year Seminar in Philosophy, a class to satisfy the Formal Methods requirement, and at least one class in each of the Philosophy distribution areas outside of history of philosophy as follows: (a) metaphysics, theory of knowledge, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, philosophy of science, philosophy of logic, philosophy of mathematics and (b) ethics, aesthetics, philosophy of religion, political philosophy, philosophy of law, theory of value;
    • 4 must be in Classics, including at least one graduate level course in Greek and at least one graduate level course in Latin;
    • and 1 additional course in Philosophy or Classics.
  • It is expected that candidates will at least audit one course per year involving reading of a Greek or Latin philosophical text in the original language, irrespective of courses taken.
  • In recognition of previous graduate-level work done at Yale or elsewhere, the Program Committee may recommend waiving a maximum of three courses of the requirement, not more than two of which may be counted against Philosophy graduate courses and not more than one of which may be counted against Classics graduate courses at Yale. Credit for course work done elsewhere does not reduce the tuition or residency requirement of the Graduate School. Whether a waiver is granted is ultimately decided by the Graduate School.

  • Translation examinations in Greek and Latin, based on the Philosophy Track Reading List, by the beginning of the 6th term in residence.
  • An oral examination in Greek and Latin based on the Philosophy Track Reading List, by the end of the 6th term in residence.
  • Two qualifying papers, one of which must be in ancient philosophy and one of which must be on a philosophical topic other than ancient philosophy, one due for submission by the end of the 5th term in residence, the second by the end of the 6th term in residence.

A dissertation prospectus must be completed by the end of the 7th term in residence.  Philosophy Track students are required to register for a prospectus tutorial, in either their 5th or 6th term, with a view to working with one of the three ancient philosophy faculty members towards the preparation of their prospectus. The prospectus is due no later than the end of the 7th term in residence, though students are encouraged to complete it earlier if progress allows.

Timing
Candidates should expect to complete their dissertations within 6 years of entering the program.

Adviser
Registered doctoral candidates must have a principal adviser with an appointment on the Graduate School faculty. The Graduate School requires that each dissertation be read by at least three people but not more than five, at least two of whom hold faculty appointments in the Graduate School. All readers must hold the Ph.D. degree as well as a faculty position or be considered otherwise qualified to evaluate the dissertation

Length
It is recommended that the dissertation not exceed 75,000 words.

Joint work
Dissertations that rely on joint work must include in their Preface a detailed description of which parts of the thesis are the result of joint work and what the candidate’s contribution was to the joint work. The primary advisor must verify the description in a message sent to all readers of the dissertation. We leave it to the readers to factor this information into their judgment about the merit of the dissertation.

No dissertation should be submitted to the Graduate School until a PDF copy has been seen by the dissertation committee. (See Submission Procedures for Dissertation(opens in a new window/tab) available from the Graduate School Registrar’s Office. This document also includes format instructions for dissertations). An oral defense of the thesis is required.