Applications: Number of Applicants, Criteria, and Selection Procedure

The maximum number of admissions per year is set at 30 postgraduate students, distributed as follows: ten (10) students in Prehistoric Archaeology, ten (10) in Classical Archaeology, and ten (10) in Byzantine Archaeology, with a minimum of twelve (12) students required overall, ensuring at least four (4) students per specialization. If this minimum number is not met, the specialization in question will not operate.

The official announcement regarding the application procedure is made by the Department Assembly in May of each year and is posted on the School’s website. This announcement includes information on admission requirements, categories of graduates eligible to apply, number of admissions available, admission procedures, selection criteria, number and content of courses per specialization within the MA programme, deadlines for submitting applications, required supporting documents, examination dates, and grading procedures.

As a prerequisite for further selection procedures, candidates must possess certified proficiency in at least one foreign language at level C1, in addition to holding a degree. Proficiency in a foreign language can be demonstrated in several ways:

1. a) Obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Language and Literature, or a Degree in Foreign Languages Translation and Interpretation, from a recognized national or foreign institution.
2. b) Earning a Bachelor’s, undergraduate, or postgraduate diploma, or a doctoral degree from any recognized higher education institution abroad.
3. c) Holding a diploma equivalent to that of Greek secondary schools, earned after at least six years of regular study abroad.

Note that possessing a foreign language teaching license does not suffice to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language (Decree 347/2003). Candidates holding such licenses must provide certified copies, along with exact translations of the diplomas on which the foreign language teaching qualification is based.

Foreign candidates seeking admission to a Master’s degree programme must submit either a certificate of proficiency in Greek or a certificate demonstrating at least B2 level proficiency.

Applications and accompanying qualification files must be submitted to the Department’s Secretariat between September 1st and 15th of each year, in paper form. The application should specify the specialization for which the candidate wishes to be examined. In addition to the curriculum vitae, the qualification dossier should include a detailed grade report, certification of proficiency in at least one foreign language at C1 level (such as English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish), as well as certification of any other foreign language proficiency, evidence of attendance at scientific conferences, research experience, and publications that the candidate can present and justify to the Committee.

The selection criteria for candidates are as follows:

The selection criteria for candidates are outlined as follows:

To be eligible for admission to the MA Programme leading to a Diploma of Postgraduate Studies (D.M.S.), candidates must pass a written Introductory Examination in two (2) courses within their chosen Specialization. These courses are announced annually through the official announcement of MA Admission.

The examination subjects are selected on the day of the examination by the Coordination Committee. Candidates’ papers are assessed by two members of the Department’s teaching staff, appointed by the Department’s Assembly along with their alternates and re-graders. Faculty members on leave may also serve as examiners. Examiners must be from the same discipline or, in exceptional cases, from related disciplines, and must be faculty members of the Department. Whenever possible, a faculty member should only assess one of the two courses within the specialization, and a rotation of examiners should be implemented.

The criteria for candidate selection are as follows:

1. Successful performance in the written entrance examination (40% weighting). A candidate is considered to have passed the written examination when the average marks from the two examiners in each of the two subjects within the specialization are at least six (6) on a scale of zero to ten (0-10). If there is a discrepancy of more than three points, the written examination is regraded. Due to the examination procedure followed, candidates will not have the opportunity to review their papers.
2. Degree/Diploma grade, adjusted based on the candidate’s ranking as a graduate, as indicated in an official document from the Secretariat (40% weighting).

III. Oral interview performance (20% weighting). The oral interview will consider information provided in the candidate’s file, including the number and grades of undergraduate courses within the specialization, relevant activity in the field, the candidate’s certified proficiency in foreign languages, and their general personal qualities.

Selection Procedure:

The selection process for candidates, determined by the School’s Assembly, is supervised by the Coordinating Committee of the MA.

The Committee compiles a comprehensive list of all candidates and, after a thorough review, excludes those who do not meet the minimum formal criteria established by the School. Subsequently, it invites qualified candidates who have met the prerequisites to participate in either a written examination and/or an interview and oral examination, depending on the specialization. In the case of an oral examination, an individual record sheet is maintained to document the candidate’s performance.

Upon completion of the process, the final list of successful candidates is generated. In the event of a tie or a difference of less than or equal to half a point (0.5) from the score of the last successful candidate, it is possible to exceed the number of successful candidates per specialization, provided that the total admissions to the programme do not exceed the maximum number specified in the founding act of the MA (30). The announcement of results complies with the provisions regarding the protection of personal data.

Within two (2) working days of the provisional results’ announcement, candidates retain the right to file an appeal against the list of successful candidates. The Steering Committee will review the appeal and communicate its decision within two (2) working days at the latest.

The final list of successful candidates and any runners-up, confirmed by the Assembly of the School, is posted on the Secretariat’s Notice Board and on the MA’s website. Failure to register within the specified deadline is considered a refusal to accept the position, and it is then filled by the next successful candidate.

Graduates of the MA are eligible  to research centres and institutes in Greece and abroad. They can also continue their studies by writing a doctoral thesis. Several graduates of the MA in Archaeology, Art, and Culture have already been accepted – some of them with scholarships – in major educational institutions in the USA, Europe and Greece in order to pursue their doctoral thesis.

The MA programme leading to the Diploma of Postgraduate Studies spans four (4) semesters, which includes the time required for the preparation and evaluation of the MA thesis.

Postgraduate students have the option to request a one-time suspension of studies, not exceeding two (2) consecutive semesters, upon application. During the suspension period, the graduate student loses their student status, but this time is not counted towards the maximum period of regular study. The suspension can be requested for reasons of health, force majeure, or military service following the expiration of deferment, supported by the necessary documents.

There is no provision for part-time study.

Each semester course lasts for thirteen (13) weeks. The start and end dates of courses, as well as the duration of examination periods, are determined by the academic calendar or the decision of the School’s Assembly, and are communicated through the MA website.

There are no tuition fees for the MA programme.

Subject to the availability of resources, the MA programme offers scholarships or awards for excellence to postgraduate students. This determination is made by a decision of the School’s Assembly, taking into account academic criteria such as the order of admission, and aligning with the allocation of resources within the regulatory framework. The conditions for granting, obligations, and rights of scholarship recipients are specified in a decision made by the School Assembly. Additionally, if resources are available, the MA programme may cover travel and accommodation costs for students on research trips or the printing costs of their dissertations.