Department life for PhD students

When you choose to study with us, you'll join a friendly, inclusive community who are as passionate about the study of classics as you are. Our academics will support you to make the most out of your time with us, and you'll have many opportunities to socialise and collaborate with your peers.

We foster an environment where our students and academics can learn from one another, building on each other’s experiences and knowledge to dig deeper into the ancient world together.

You can join our community before you even arrive in Reading. You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and by joining our Facebook group you can talk to current students and academics before you begin your studies, and gain an insight into life at Reading and in our Department.

As a PhD student at Reading, you'll have access to the Doctoral and Researcher College, which brings together the University's large doctoral community.

At the heart of this is Old Whiteknights House, a dedicated facility that provides space for you to work and network with other PhD students across a variety of disciplines.

The Doctoral and Researcher College coordinates a range of activities, including the annual Doctoral Research Conference, an event that showcases the variety and excellence of postgraduate research taking place at Reading.

Another event that celebrates academic excellence is the Doctoral and Researcher College's annual public lecture – the Fairbrother Lecture – which is delivered by a current or recent PhD student. 

As a PhD student in the Department of Classics you'll have a range of resources and facilities available to you, including the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology.

This museum is housed within the Department and has a collection ranging from Egyptian materials, through to comprehensive coverage of ancient Greek ceramics and important archival material relating to early twentieth-century excavations. It also provides online resources including a state-of-the-art database.

You'll also be able to use the departmental Postgraduate Room in which you can work, socialise or hold events.

Our proximity to London and Oxford means you have easy access to institutions such as the British Museum, the British Library and the Ashmolean Museum, all of which are important resources for research in the ancient world.

Our PhD students regularly organise fascinating events such as work-in-progress seminars and talks. 

The Department also runs several conferences a year, attracting scholars from around the world, as well as our weekly research seminar programme with visiting speakers. We have an annual Doctoral Research Colloquium, at which all PhD students present their research.

We also hold joint seminars with other departments of the University such as Archaeology, Art and Philosophy.

Learn more about recent research events in the Department of Classics

You may have opportunities to teach undergraduates in the Department during your time at Reading, allowing you to gain teaching experience that will prepare you for a career in academia.