Philology, Literature and History of Antiquity
In-person programme
Philology, Literature and History of Antiquity
Course sheet
A.Y. 2026/2027
Master programme
LM-15 - Ancient philology, literature and history
The aim of the master programme in Philology, Literature and History of Antiquity is to provide students with in-depth training in the field of study traditionally defined as 'Altertumswissenschaft'. It is therefore meant to provide: secure knowledge of classical languages and literature, underpinned by a sound command of historical and theoretical linguistics as well as of philological tools; full mastering of methods and techniques for a critical approach to ancient sources (literary, linguistic, documentary, epigraphical, numismatic, archaeological, papyrological, etc.); clear awareness of the impact of ancient civilisation and classical heritage on the development of modern culture.
The master programme in Classics provides broad-spectrum professional skills to be used for career opportunities requiring advanced knowledge in the area of Humanities, the ability to produce and interpret texts as well as the ability to critically manage information. The employment opportunities open to graduates possessing a Masters degree in Philology, Literature and History of the Antiquity include work in areas such as those of publishing, editing, communication, public relations, information management, management of the cultural heritage, management of research centres in the field of the Humanities (libraries, archives, museums, boards for the management of cultural heritage, etc.), text production and human resources. The programme is also aimed at offering students the possibility to obtain credits (ECTS) in the appropriate disciplines necessary to qualify for training as a secondary-school teacher. Graduates with a Master?s degree in Classics also qualify for access to PhD and second level Master?s programmes within their area of specialization.
Employment statistics (Almalaurea)
Employment statistics (Almalaurea)
The course supports students' international mobility, through:
- Erasmus+ 'call for study': thanks to agreements signed by the Department with some UE Universities (Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Czech republic, Spain, Hungary, to which Swiss confederation and United Kingdom must be added), students can apply for about 40 fellowships. Funding allows students for study-abroad experiences (courses and exams) that will be recognized by Unimi, if they comply with the 'learning agreement' that must be signed before departure and approved by the Course's Erasmus committee.
- Erasmus+ 'Traineeship': funding allows students to do traineeships based at UE academic or research institutions (Swiss confederation included). Applicants to the Summer call should identify a host institution autonomously, whereas the Fall call offers traineeships based on the agreements signed by Unimi, among which some are offered by the course.
- 'Thesis abroad' programme: funding allows students of Master degree to can carry out their thesis work at academic and research institutions abroad, with no geographical restriction.
- Erasmus+ 'call for study': thanks to agreements signed by the Department with some UE Universities (Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Czech republic, Spain, Hungary, to which Swiss confederation and United Kingdom must be added), students can apply for about 40 fellowships. Funding allows students for study-abroad experiences (courses and exams) that will be recognized by Unimi, if they comply with the 'learning agreement' that must be signed before departure and approved by the Course's Erasmus committee.
- Erasmus+ 'Traineeship': funding allows students to do traineeships based at UE academic or research institutions (Swiss confederation included). Applicants to the Summer call should identify a host institution autonomously, whereas the Fall call offers traineeships based on the agreements signed by Unimi, among which some are offered by the course.
- 'Thesis abroad' programme: funding allows students of Master degree to can carry out their thesis work at academic and research institutions abroad, with no geographical restriction.
Attending courses is strongly recommended. However, each course offers an ad-hoc syllabus for non-attending students. Workshop attendance is mandatory.
Enrolment
Admission to the Master's degree in Philology, Literature and History of Antiquity is open to graduates who have obtained a minimum number of credits (ETCS) in specific academic fields, as follows:
At least 54 total ETCS in: L‐ANT; L‐ART; L-FIL-LET; M‐FIL; M‐STO; L‐LIN/01; L‐LIN/02; M‐GGR/01
Including at least 24 ETCS as follows:
6 ETCS in L‐FIL‐LET/02 (Greek Language and Literature)
6 ETCS in L‐FIL‐LET/04 Latin Language and Literature)
6 ETCS in L‐FIL‐LET/02 (Greek Language and Literature) and/or L‐FIL‐LET/04 (Latin Language and Literature)
6 ETCS in L‐ANT/02 (Greek History) and/or L‐ANT/03 (Roman History)
Proficiency in English at level B1 or higher according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is required for admission.
The B1-level requirement will be ascertained by the University Language Centre (SLAM) upon admission as follows:
- Valid language certificate at B1 level or higher, issued no more than three years before the application date. The list of language certificates recognized by the University is available at https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39322 .The certificate must be uploaded when submitting the online application;
- English level achieved during a University of Milan degree programme and certified by the University Language Centre (SLAM) no more than four years before the application date, including levels based on language certificates submitted by the applicant during their Bachelor's degree at the University of Milan. Verification will be carried out automatically, no documents need to be uploaded.
- Entry test administrated by the University Language Centre (SLAM) according to the calendar published on the website: (https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39267/ )
Applicants who fail to submit a valid certificate or do not meet the required proficiency level will be instructed during the admission procedure to take the Entry test.
Applicants who do not take or pass the Entry test will be required to obtain a language proficiency certificate recognized by the University (see https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39322) and submit it to SLAM via the InformaStudenti service by the deadline set by the master's degree programme (https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39267/).
Applicants who fail to meet the requirement by said deadline will not be admitted to the master's degree programme and may not sit any further tests.
In order to be admitted to academic year 2026-2027, candidates must meet all admission requirements (degree, any single exams, English language proficiency) by December 31, 2026.
The application for admission to the Master's degree programme must be submitted no later than October 30, 2026.
Admitted students and those who graduate by December 31, 2025 must enrol by January 15, 2027.
At the time of submitting the application for admission, students who have not yet graduated and intend to enrol on this programme must have earned at least 130 credits in their Bachelor's degree programme.
Admission assessment
Candidates must meet curricular requirements and have achieved a degree mark higher than 95, as well as holding the above-mentioned English language certificate. Candidates with a degree mark lower than 96 will go through an orientation interview with an admission board. In any case, the board may require the candidate to sit for an interview at its discretion.
At least 54 total ETCS in: L‐ANT; L‐ART; L-FIL-LET; M‐FIL; M‐STO; L‐LIN/01; L‐LIN/02; M‐GGR/01
Including at least 24 ETCS as follows:
6 ETCS in L‐FIL‐LET/02 (Greek Language and Literature)
6 ETCS in L‐FIL‐LET/04 Latin Language and Literature)
6 ETCS in L‐FIL‐LET/02 (Greek Language and Literature) and/or L‐FIL‐LET/04 (Latin Language and Literature)
6 ETCS in L‐ANT/02 (Greek History) and/or L‐ANT/03 (Roman History)
Proficiency in English at level B1 or higher according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is required for admission.
The B1-level requirement will be ascertained by the University Language Centre (SLAM) upon admission as follows:
- Valid language certificate at B1 level or higher, issued no more than three years before the application date. The list of language certificates recognized by the University is available at https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39322 .The certificate must be uploaded when submitting the online application;
- English level achieved during a University of Milan degree programme and certified by the University Language Centre (SLAM) no more than four years before the application date, including levels based on language certificates submitted by the applicant during their Bachelor's degree at the University of Milan. Verification will be carried out automatically, no documents need to be uploaded.
- Entry test administrated by the University Language Centre (SLAM) according to the calendar published on the website: (https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39267/ )
Applicants who fail to submit a valid certificate or do not meet the required proficiency level will be instructed during the admission procedure to take the Entry test.
Applicants who do not take or pass the Entry test will be required to obtain a language proficiency certificate recognized by the University (see https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39322) and submit it to SLAM via the InformaStudenti service by the deadline set by the master's degree programme (https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39267/).
Applicants who fail to meet the requirement by said deadline will not be admitted to the master's degree programme and may not sit any further tests.
In order to be admitted to academic year 2026-2027, candidates must meet all admission requirements (degree, any single exams, English language proficiency) by December 31, 2026.
The application for admission to the Master's degree programme must be submitted no later than October 30, 2026.
Admitted students and those who graduate by December 31, 2025 must enrol by January 15, 2027.
At the time of submitting the application for admission, students who have not yet graduated and intend to enrol on this programme must have earned at least 130 credits in their Bachelor's degree programme.
Admission assessment
Candidates must meet curricular requirements and have achieved a degree mark higher than 95, as well as holding the above-mentioned English language certificate. Candidates with a degree mark lower than 96 will go through an orientation interview with an admission board. In any case, the board may require the candidate to sit for an interview at its discretion.
Admission
Application for admission: from 22/01/2026 to 30/10/2026
Application for matriculation: from 05/05/2026 to 15/01/2027
Attachments and documents
Admissions A.Y. 2026/2027
Admission applications for Academic Year 2026/2027 are now open. Non-EU students visa applicants are required to apply for admission no later than 30 April 2026.
Online services
Learn more:
Programme description and courses list
Optional programme year
Compulsory activity
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Proficiency B2 (3 ECTS) | 3 | 0 | English | Open sessions | NN |
| Latin Literature Ma | 9 | 60 | Italian | First semester | LATI-01/A |
| Greek History Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | STAN-01/A |
| Greek Literature Ma | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | HELL-01/B |
| Roman History Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | STAN-01/B |
1 - 6 ECTS IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Greek Language Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | HELL-01/B |
| Latin Language Ma | 9 | 60 | Italian | First semester | LATI-01/A |
2 - 12 ECTS (6 + 6) IN TWO OF THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Numismatics Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | ARCH-01/B |
| History of Classical Tradition | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | FICP-01/A |
| Greek and Latin Philology | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | FICP-01/A |
| Historical Linguistics | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | GLOT-01/A |
| Papyrology Ma | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | FICP-01/C |
3 - 24 ECTS IN THREE OR FOUR OF THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS OTHERS THAN THOSE ALREADY CHOSEN FROM A PREVIOUS GROUP
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Didactic Methodologies and Technologies | 9 | 60 | Italian | PAED-02/A | |
| Ancient Greek Language Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | HELL-01/B |
| Ancient Numismatics Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | ARCH-01/B |
| Archaeology of the Roman Provinces | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | ARCH-01/D |
| Classical Mythology | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | HIST-04/A |
| Egyptian Archaelogy | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | STAA-01/B |
| German Philology | 9 | 60 | Italian | First semester | GERM-01/A |
| History of Classical Tradition | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | FICP-01/A |
| History of Contemporary World | 9 | 60 | Italian | First semester | HIST-03/A |
| History of Early Modern Europe | 9 | 60 | Italian | First semester | HIST-02/A |
| Indian Religions and Civilization | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | ASIA-01/C |
| Latin Language Ma | 9 | 60 | Italian | First semester | LATI-01/A |
| Medieval History Ma | 9 | 60 | Italian | First semester | HIST-01/A |
| Medieval Philosophy | 9 | 60 | Italian | First semester | PHIL-05/C |
| Phoenician and Punic Archaeology | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | STAA-01/F |
| Roman Archaeology Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | ARCH-01/D |
| Romance Linguistics | 6 | 40 | Italian | First semester | FLMR-01/B |
| Social and Environmental Psychology | 9 | 60 | Italian | First semester | PSIC-03/A |
| 19th and 20th Century Italian Literature | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | LICO-01/A |
| Archaelogy and History of the Ancient Western Asia | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | STAA-01/E |
| Archaeology in Pre-Roman Italy | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | ARCH-01/C |
| Archaeology of Magna Grecia | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | ARCH-01/D |
| Comparative Romance Languages and Literatures | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | FLMR-01/B |
| Data Natural Language and Technologies | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | INFO-01/A |
| Egyptian Language | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | STAA-01/B |
| Environmental Anthropology | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | SDEA-01/A |
| Etruscology | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | ARCH-01/C |
| Geography of Languages and Literatures | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | GEOG-01/A |
| Greek and Latin Philology | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | FICP-01/A |
| Greek Archaeology Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | ARCH-01/D |
| Greek Institutions and Epigraphy | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | STAN-01/A |
| Hebrew Language and Literature | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | STAA-01/H |
| Historical Linguistics | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | GLOT-01/A |
| History of Italian Language Ma | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | LIFI-01/A |
| History of Medieval Art Ma | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | ARTE-01/A |
| Medieval Latin Literature Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | FLMR-01/A |
| Medieval Latin Philology | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | FLMR-01/A |
| Medieval, Humanistic and Renaissance Italian Literature | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | ITAL-01/A |
| Modern Italian Literature | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | ITAL-01/A |
| New Testament | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | FICP-01/B |
| Papyrology Ma | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | FICP-01/C |
| Provencal Literature | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | FLMR-01/B |
| Roman Institutions and Epigraphy | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | STAN-01/B |
| Social Anthropology | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | SDEA-01/A |
| Teaching Italian Literature | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | ITAL-01/A |
| Teaching Latin Language and Literature | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | LATI-01/A |
| Textual Transmission of Greek Literature | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | HELL-01/B |
| Theatrical Literature of Ancient Greek | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | HELL-01/B |
| Theoretical Linguistics Ma | 6 | 40 | Italian | Second semester | GLOT-01/A |
| Theory of Literature | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | COMP-01/A |
| Topics and Problems in Ancient Philosophy | 9 | 60 | Italian | Second semester | PHIL-05/B |
4 - The student also has 12 ECTS available for electives. These credits can be allocated to in-depth study of subjects already included in the study plan, within the maximum number of credits awarded by these courses, or they can be allocated to a course other than those included in the study plan.
5 - Moreover, the student must earn 6 ECTS (3 + 3 ECTS) in other training activities, which are assessed with a pass or fail score. These credits can be earned through:
- the workshops proposed or approved by the degree programme
- internships
- further language assessment in addition to English Language
(https://www.unimi.it/it/studiare/competenzelinguistiche/altre-lingue-test-e-corsi/studi-umanistici-accertamento-della-conoscenza-di-lingua-francese-spagnola-e-tedesca3-cfu)
- soft skills courses (https://www.unimi.it/en/study/bachelor-and-master-study/following-your-programme-study/soft-skills)
- the workshops proposed or approved by the degree programme
- internships
- further language assessment in addition to English Language
(https://www.unimi.it/it/studiare/competenzelinguistiche/altre-lingue-test-e-corsi/studi-umanistici-accertamento-della-conoscenza-di-lingua-francese-spagnola-e-tedesca3-cfu)
- soft skills courses (https://www.unimi.it/en/study/bachelor-and-master-study/following-your-programme-study/soft-skills)
Final activities
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Exam | 27 | 0 | Italian | Open sessions | NN |
Learn more
Guidance:
Admission, ranking and enrolment
Milan
Erasmus and international mobility tutor
Study plan tutor
Internship tutor
Master's degree admission tutor
Quality Assurance Delegate
Reference structures
Contacts
- Academic services
Dipartimento di Studi letterari, filologici e linguistici, via Festa del Perdono 7 - 20122 Milano (MI) Italia
https://flsa.cdl.unimi.it/it
[email protected]
Ricevimento: Martedì, ore: 10-12 - Department of Literary Studies, Philology and Linguistics
Via Festa del Perdono 7 - 20122 Milano (MI) Italia
https://studilefili.unimi.it/ - Tutor for students with disabilities
Prof. Gabriele Baldassari - Student registrar
Via Santa Sofia 9/1 - 20122 Milano (MI) Italia
https://www.unimi.it/it/studiare/servizi-gli-studenti/segreterie-informastudenti - Degree Programme Tutor
Prof.ssa Cinzia Pieruccini
For students enrolled in Bachelor's, Master's and single-cycle degree programmes, tuition fees are to be paid in two instalments:
- the amount of the first instalment is the same for all students and is due upon enrolment
- the amount of the second instalment varies according to each student's ISEE University value and the degree programme in which they are enrolled
- for international students with income and assets abroad, the second instalment varies according to their country of origin.
Education incentive programmes and other benefits
The University offers scholarships, cafeterias, subsidised accommodation and other forms of financial support to students meeting specific economic and merit requirements.
More information
Official documents