About the course: The DPhil in Classical Archaeology provides you with the opportunity to pursue substantial independent research from within a wide range of periods and subjects, ranging from the prehistoric Aegean through the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods to Byzantium. The DPhil is a full-time degree that is examined only by thesis and there is no formal course of instruction. Instead, students develop their own topic under the guidance of their supervisors, who are experts in their field of research. There is also the possibility to develop projects which cross disciplinary boundaries, for example in ancient history or archaeological science as appropriate.Details of the department's research areas and themes, and recently completed DPhil projects are listed on the department's website. You will be encouraged to attend lectures and participate in research seminars, particularly the numerous and wide-ranging weekly seminar series organised within the cutting-edge Historical and Classical Research Group. These also often provide opportunities for research students to present their own work. The school strongly encourages fieldwork and there are often opportunities for joining fieldwork in relation to projects led by academic staff.
Which department am I in?
Archaeology
Study options
Full Time
(3 Years)
Tuition fees
£32,960.00 (US$ 42,566)
per year
This is a fixed fee
Start date
October 2026
Venue
University of Oxford
University Offices,
Wellington Square,
Oxford,
Oxfordshire,
OX1 2JD, Southern England, United Kingdom
Entry requirements
For international students
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications or their equivalent: a master's degree in classical archaeology or another subject closely related to the research; and a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in classical archaeology or closely related fields. However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree. For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.5 out of 4.0. However most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.7.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.