UF’s distance Ph.D. in Classics
I’ve been looking into the University of Florida’s distance Ph.D. programs in Classics, particularly the Latin and Roman Studies and Classical Civilization tracks, and I’d love to hear from anyone who has completed the program, is currently enrolled, or has firsthand knowledge of it.
For context, I’m a full-time Latin teacher with 10+ years of experience and currently teach through AP Latin. I also have a J.D. and teach as an adjunct in a separate field. I’m not primarily looking at a Ph.D. as a route to the tenure-track job market (I know how perilous that path is lol); I’d like to continue teaching while developing as a scholar, with particular interests in Latin literature, translation/reception, and potentially digital humanities/bibliographic work.
For those familiar with the program: What was your experience like? How manageable is it alongside full-time teaching? How rigorous is the language and research training, how involved are distance students with faculty and the department, and how much flexibility is there in developing research/dissertation interests?
I’m also curious about typical time to completion, the Summer Latin Institute, and anything you wish you’d known before starting.
Basically, would you recommend it, and to whom?
Thank you so much in advance!