The Doctoral School in Sciences of Antiquity and Archaeology – Project Pegaso (Scienze dell’Antichità e Archeologia – Progetto Pegaso) is a consortium of the three Universities of Florence, Pisa and Siena. The administrative centre is located at the University of Pisa.
The academic board is comprised of professors and researchers from Italian and foreign universities. The Doctoral School offers scholarships to eligible candidates in the disciplines of ancient sciences and archaeology through a competitive process. These scholarships are awarded for a three-year period and include a comprehensive and multifaceted didactic programme that emphasises interdisciplinary collaboration and receptivity to novel methodological approaches. The regulations governing the programme are in accordance with those established for the doctoral programme at the University of Pisa. It is required that students undertake a period of training at an overseas academic institution for a minimum of six months, which may be divided into multiple periods.
The programme is designed to foster awareness of the substantial unity of research objectives in the study of the ancient world. It does so by integrating previous doctoral programmes offered by the Universities of Florence, Pisa and Siena, which were based on the same methodologies and research perspectives. Doctoral students will be equipped with the ability to address original themes through the utilisation of appropriate and innovative theoretical and practical tools for the study of the past, memory and the enhancement of cultural heritage.
The regional PhD programme aspires to build upon and enhance the level of internationalisation achieved by those that have preceded it. The academic board of the institution includes professors and researchers from foreign universities. Foreign students are welcome to apply. Doctoral students are required to have research stays abroad. Lectures and seminars are held in not only Italian, but also English, French, Spanish and German. The programme also offers strong support for cotutelle agreements with foreign universities, including the possibility of being awarded the title of Doctor Europaeus.
The programme is structured around two distinct curricula:
- Archaeology
- Classical Philology
Until the 38th cycle, the PhD included also an Anthropology curriculum.
Occupational outlets
The objective is the creation, through teaching and research, of professional figures with technical expertise, ready for employment opportunities in research on the ancient world, in teaching at universities and schools, in museums and in government departments responsible for monuments, in heritage conservation structures, in libraries, in publishing and communication or in the cultural industry, between journalism and digital humanities, in the creation of events or exhibitions of public importance as well as in the self-entrepreneurial field.
It is widely acknowledged that research into the ancient world is an exercise in combinatory skills. This is due to the difficulties in reconstructing on the basis of texts, documents and findings that are often incomplete or fragmentary. As a result, students’ training is flexible and fruitful, and in a fruitful relationship with the more complex demands of the economic and social reality of our time.
What they say about us…
«The years spent studying for my PhD in Ancient Sciences and Archaeology in Pisa were a unique experience that allowed me to mature both intellectually and personally.» (Silvio Nastasi, alumnus of the 37th PhD cycle, philological curriculum, who graduated in 2025).
«I can say with conviction that the PhD in Ancient Sciences and Archaeology is not just high-quality academic training: it is a space for intellectual and human growth that generously rewards the hard work of research and the uncertainties of this profession.» (Giulia Colli, alumna of the 36th cycle, philological curriculum, who graduated in 2024).
«The PhD programme in Ancient Sciences and Archaeology at the University of Pisa was an extremely enriching educational experience from both a scientific and human perspective.» (Marius Del Core, alumnus of the 36th cycle, philologyical curriculum, who graduated in 2024).
«The University of Pisa offered me a lively cultural and intellectual environment, worthy of its prestige». (Laura Marchisio, alumna of the 36th Doctoral Cycle, philologyical curriculum, who graduated in 2024).
«The PhD programme was […] an exceptional educational experience that broadened my professional and personal horizons.» (Antonio Monticolo, alumnus of the 36th cycle, archaeological curriculum, who graduated in 2024).
«The PhD in Ancient Sciences and Archaeology was not only a research experience in the strict sense, but a journey that allowed me to develop fundamental cross-disciplinary, organisational, interpersonal and communication skills, which I now consider a valuable asset for my academic and professional career.» (Elisa Migliore, alumna of the 35th PhD cycle, philologyical curriculum, who graduated in 2023).
To read the full text of this and other testimonials, please refer to the relevant section on the Alumni page.