Joshua D. Sosin the program
Notice	Grad students: It can be difficult to keep the departmental requirements for the PhD in your head. It is a good idea to read the entire grad manual closely. This page contains one possible way to distribute requirements more or less evenly across your years in the program. In the table below articulation of departmental/grad. school policy looks like this; my recommendations look like this. My recommendations are not departmental policy, but merely one possible way to meet the departmental requirements with minimal (or at least maximally distributed) pain. I have inserted links to the grad manual where they seemed useful.
Exhortation	In my opinion the most important thing you can do to help ensure that you are on the right track is to speak openly and often with faculty members. Chat with each of your professors at the end of each semester. Seek as much advice from as many of us as you can. How are you doing? How might you broaden your interests or draw connections between different interests? How might you develop strategies for improving your skills and broadening your knowledge? Ask us to read papers you are working on. Engage the faculty in discussion. Actively seek input. Note: If you want to avoid studying for and taking more than one (rdg. list / qual.) exam in a single semester, you should start ticking these off in your first year.
5 Years Start to Finish	Yr Fall Winter Spring Summer 1 Courses Latin Greek Classics Other Exams Before you enroll you'll take 2 ungraded diagnostic translation exams. Read rdg list of Lat or Gr authors, whichever is your stronger suit [grad. man. on rdg lists] Courses Latin Greek Classics Other At start of sem. take Lat or Gr Rdg List exam Take summer school German or French for rdg comprehension (subventions available) Start rdg list of Lat or Gr authors, whichever is your weaker suit [grad. man. on rdg lists] Summer programs are fun, but real progress starts in the library, at a desk, with books. I'd wait a couple years before going away. 2 Courses Latin Greek Classics Other At start of sem. take Qual. exam in German or French [grad. man. on exams] If you have not passed 1 of your rdg list exams by this point I urge strongly against giving papers at conferences or any other extra-curricular. Finish rdg list of Lat or Gr authors, whichever is your weaker suit [grad. man. on rdg lists] Courses Latin Greek Classics Other At start of sem. take Lat or Gr Rdg List exam By 15 May you must have passed both rdg list exams Take summer school Ger. or Fr. for rdg. Start thinking about (1) which Major Generals you will take and (2) what your special author and field will be. Still too soon to go away for the summer, IMO. 3 Courses Latin Greek Classics Other Exams By 1 Sept you must have passed both Qualifying Exams (Germ. and Fr.). At start of sem. take Qual. exam in German or French Decide on a special author and field, in consultation with the faculty member(s) whom you have chosen as guide(s). Read for all 5 Prelims. No Courses Read for Prelims Exams By 1 May you must have passed all 5 Prelims: 2 Major Generals (Gr. and Rom. Lit. or Gr. and Rom. Hist. / Arch.) 1 Minor General (Anc. Lit. or Anc. Hist. / Arch.) 2 Specials (author and field) At start of sem. begin exploring broad area within which to write a dissertation. This is the time to really jump-start your Diss.! By now a summer program might be fun and in order. Teach if you think you must and if your diss topic is shaping up well. But remember, when you leave you will have 2 years of solo teaching under your belts. A couple of summer courses will not--in my view--buy you much. It is better to spend your time--I think--trying to publish articles and writing a good diss. 4 Teach Language or civ Dissertation At the beginning of the semester (Sept/Oct) you must submit and discuss written prospectus with committee Diss., diss., diss.   Teach Language or civ Dissertation Diss., diss., diss. Diss., diss., diss. Still better in my opinion to work on your diss and write an article than to teach. Be aware of the large number of excellent funding opportunities offered by the grad school for summer and dissertation research. 5 Teach Language or civ (if lang. last yr then civ this yr, and vice versa) Dissertation Diss., diss., diss. Apply for jobs. Aim to have your diss. nearly done so that you can show it (or big pieces) to interested employers. Plan to defend very early in the Spring sem. Employers want to know that you will finish in time.   Diss., diss., diss. Interviews (let's hope) at APA / AIA or AHA Teach Language or civ (if lang. last yr then civ this yr, and vice versa) Defend dissertation   Diss., diss., diss. This summer is crucial. I would urge against teaching; you want to apply for jobs in the fall.

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