The Department of Classical Studies offers students a number of opportunities to study abroad, whether on faculty fieldwork projects or in academic programs in the Mediterranean. Students’ involvement can range from a few weeks to a semester or even a full year. Undergraduate students majoring or minoring in Classical Studies, Greek, or Latin and all Classical Studies graduate students are eligible to participate. Interested students should contact the departmental undergraduate and graduate advisors.
Field Projects
Faculty members in the department are engaged in archaeological fieldwork in Greece, Italy, and Israel. Fieldwork typically takes place during the summer. Selected undergraduate and graduate students can join faculty members on their summer projects, where they can learn the basics of archaeological practice, from excavation to material culture analysis.
Here is a list of the active departmental projects in the Mediterranean:
Knossos Legacies and Sustainable Archeological Project (KLASP) with Professor Emilia Oddo
The Pompeii I.14 Project in Pompeii, Italy with Professor Allison Emmerson
Ashkelon (Israel) with Professor Ryan Boehm
All students wishing to be considered for these projects are welcome to contact the undergraduate advisor or the faculty members above directly. Some funding is available on a competitive basis (see below).
Aside from the departmental field projects above, undergraduate and graduate students can apply to other archaeological field schools or excavations. Interested students are encouraged to look at the online version of the Archaeological Fieldwork Opportunities Bulletin published by the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). For specific advice on excavations in the Mediterranean region, and prior to preparing your application, contact Professors Ryan Boehm and Emilia Oddo (Greece, Israel), Allison Emmerson and Susann Lusnia (Italy).
Study Abroad Opportunities (Undergraduate)
If you are interested in studying abroad during the semester or the summer, please contact Prof. Oddo or Boehm (for programs in Greece) or Prof. Emmerson or Lusnia (for programs in Italy). The following are Tulane-approved programs especially geared to undergraduates. Interested students must contact the undergraduate advisor to discuss their plan prior to applying.
Athens (Greece):
College Year in Athens (Greece) – The College Year in Athens (CYA) offers several programs to choose from, all academically challenging and all set in Greece. You can apply for: a semester or a year-long program (typically, during the Fall and Winter); a three-weeks session (Winter); a four-week session (Summer); excavation opportunities; and even a Gap Year program. Course credits can be transferred (provided that they meet Tulane’s criteria). Scholarships and awards are available.
Tulane Classics major, Grace Olwell (class of 2022), describes her summer experience participating in the summer program "Excavating the Aegean: The Despotiko Field School" through the College Year in Athens (CYA).
Summer Session at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens – Two six-week sessions that take students all around Greece, providing an intensive introduction to its archaeological sites from antiquity through the modern period.
Summer Seminars at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens – Eighteen-day sessions designed for those who wish to study specific topics in Greece and visit major monuments with exceptional scholars as study leaders, and to improve their understanding of the country’s landscape, history, literature, and culture.
Rome (Italy):
Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies (Rome, Italy) – The ICCS (“The Centro”) program offers a semester-long curriculum focused on travel and on-site study in Rome and across Italy. ICCS groups are close-knit, with no more than 36 students who live and study together each semester, joined by a new cohort of faculty members each year. With the unofficial motto “The Centro will change your life,” ICCS is the premier program for undergraduates who are passionate about ancient Rome and long to experience it up close and in depth.
Classical Summer School at the American Academy in Rome – The CSS is a six-week program designed to provide qualified graduate students, mature undergraduates, and middle school, high school, and two-year college teachers with a well-founded understanding of the growth and development of the city of Rome. Ranging far beyond the standard monuments, CSS students will explore the archaeological sites of Rome and Italy. As part of the vibrant community of the American Academy in Rome, they also will have the opportunity to interact with Rome Prize fellows, and to use the resources of the Academy, including its library and artefact study collection.
The programs above all offer funding opportunities on a competitive basis. Students interested in studying abroad are advised to speak to the relevant faculty member and to visit the Tulane Office of Study Abroad in the Center for International Studies for guidance and application information. You must apply for and receive approval from Tulane before studying abroad. The Study Abroad advisors can assist you with this process.
Study Abroad Opportunities (Graduate)
If you are interested in studying abroad during the summer, please contact Prof. Oddo or Boehm (for programs in Greece) or Prof. Emmerson or Lusnia (for programs in Italy) early in the fall semester. The following programs provide Classical Studies Graduate Students with stimulating opportunities for studying overseas. Interested students should contact the graduate advisor to discuss their plans prior to applying.
American School of Classical Studies in Athens
The American School in Athens (ASCSA) offers both a year-long academic program, known as the Regular Member program, as well as Summer Sessions. The School provides funding for both programs on a competitive basis
The Regular Member program runs the full academic year, from early September to late May. It is geared to advanced graduate students interested in an intensive survey of the art, archaeology, history, and topography of Greece, from antiquity to the present. There are no grades and no university credit offered, but participation in the Regular Program is a widely recognized part of graduate training in Classics and related fields.
American Academy in Rome
The Classical Summer School of the American Academy in Rome (see description above) provides an excellent opportunity for graduate students to engage in-depth with the material remains of the city and with archaeological sites across Italy. The Academy also offers occasional academic programs that might be of interest to graduate students, focusing on topics such as Latin epigraphy, paleography, pottery studies, or digital documentation. For upcoming seminars, please consult the website of the American Academy in Rome.
Freie Universität in Berlin Exchange Scholarship
Students in our M.A. program may apply to spend a year studying at the Freie Universität in Berlin as a part of Tulane’s exchange program. Up to two students are selected by application to the School of Liberal Arts. The students are selected by application to the School of Liberal Arts. For more information contact the department's Graduate Advisor.
OTHER SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES
Intensive Language Programs
M.A. students might opt to spend the summer between their first and second years in an intensive language program, such as the Middlebury Language Immersion Program (for relevant modern languages), the CUNY Greek or Latin Institute, or the Berkeley Greek or Latin Summer Workshops. Interested students should contact the department’s graduate advisor.
Agora Excavation, Athens
The ASCSA ongoing excavation at the Agora offers the opportunity to learn the ropes of archaeological fieldwork in the heart of ancient Athens. Field seasons run for eight weeks. Interested students can refer to the excavation webpage for further information.
FUNDING
Upon consultation with the undergraduate and graduate advisors, interested students can apply to the Department of Classical Studies to receive partial funding for their study abroad projects. Applications are usually made available early in the Spring semester.
Tulane offers various grants for undergraduate research abroad. Students may consider in particular the Newcomb-Tulane College and the CELT webpages to discover their grant programs.
Finally, Classics undergraduate and graduate students are strongly encouraged to become members of the Society for Classical Studies (SCS), Archaeological Institute of America (AIA), and the Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS), as these professional organizations provide many opportunities for funding travel and research. Discounted membership rates are available to students.
