Classical Archaeology at The
University of Michigan:
A Mission Statement
The University of Michigan offers an Interdepartmental
Ph.D. Program in Classical Art and Archaeology [IPCAA]
which derives special strength from an innovative and
inclusive approach to the study of antiquity. Broadly
speaking, archaeology is the study of past societies
and cultures by means of a synthetic analysis of disparate
types of data, available via systematic fieldwork, or
through the study of extant documents and monuments.
Depending upon the area and period under scrutiny, and
upon the kinds of issues being addressed, these data
may include textual sources (inscriptions, papyri, historical
narratives, etc.), as well as the evidence of material
culture, which itself can range from coins to tombs,
seals, elite art and architecture, folk art, domestic
architecture, utilitarian objects (such as lamps), settlement
patterns, religious structures, and much more besides.
Training in classical archaeology at the University
of Michigan encompasses, temporally and geographically,
the prehistoric, ancient and medieval Christian cultures
of the Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds. Often
the societies we study are highly complex and the types
of data potentially available as evidence include a
rich textual documentation which adds a special dimension
to our interpretation of art and other material remains.
The classical archaeologist at Michigan is, therefore,
presented with unique options which carry with them
particular responsibilities. The field is too vast,
and the secondary literature too massive, to be controlled
by any one scholar in all its methodological aspects.
But it is possible for us to set a tone of intellectual
awareness of, and respect for, the proper full spectrum
of inquiry. A wide variety of theoretical approaches
and practical methodologies are thus explored within
IPCAA, from excavation- and survey-based techniques
of archaeological recovery, to art historical, historical,
numismatic, and epigraphic inquiries.
 The
scholarly tradition at Michigan acknowledges the importance
of studying not only canonical subjects in the discipline
of classical archaeology, but also the myriad encounters
of divergent prehistoric, ancient and medieval cultures
in the Mediterranean world, and the extraordinary reciprocal
impacts engendered by such interactions. Hence the value,
for instance, of familiarity with the Near East in the
first millennium BC if we are to work with the Orientalizing
Period in Greece or Italy; or the importance of a grounding
in the Dynastic culture of Egypt if we are to appreciate
the complex syncretisms of the Graeco-Roman Period.
As well as a solid training in the 'core' subjects of
classical archaeology, therefore, the Interdepartmental
Program at Michigan allows students to investigate the
cultures and complexities of alternative areas —
in the classroom, in the library, in the museum, and
in the field.
The purpose of the Interdepartmental Program is therefore
to train graduate students in the numerous and varied
aspects of the discipline of classical archaeology,
defined in its widest sense as outlined above. In order
for it to be possible for students to complete the Ph.D.
by the end of their sixth year, we admit only a few
highly qualified applicants with a B.A. or M.A. degree
in a relevant field (normally in Classics, Classical
Archaeology, Ancient History, or Ancient Art History),
with significant preparation in one or both of the ancient
and modern languages required by the Program —
and above all with a high level of motivation. By limiting
our annual intake to just 4 or 5 candidates for admission,
we are at present able to provide adequate financial
support for everyone throughout their half dozen years
within IPCAA.
Students are encouraged both to build a broad and solid
foundation of knowledge within the field, and to widen
their intellectual horizons by taking advantage of the
exceptionally varied range of course offerings and of
faculty expertise in the half dozen or more academic
units at the University of Michigan whose interests
overlap with IPCAA’s. Professional enhancement
is afforded via opportunities to teach (as a Graduate
Student Instructor), to assist in archaeological research
and the preparation of museum exhibitions and catalogues
(as a Graduate Student Research Assistant), and to participate
in archaeological fieldwork sponsored by the University
of Michigan or other institutions (for which financial
assistance is available). We pay considerable attention
to assisting our graduates in finding employment —
for instance, by compiling lists of available positions,
maintaining placement dossiers for job seekers, and
holding “mock” job interviews. IPCAA is
now over 30 years old: its graduates, consequently,
hold positions in academic university departments and
in museums widely throughout North America and beyond.
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