Hopkins studied at Yale (A.B., 1917), Oxford (Rhodes Scholar, 1919-1921; A.B., 1921 and A.M., 1926) and the University of Wisconsin (Ph.D., 1924).

In the summer of 1928 both Susan and Clark Hopkins attended the summer schools of the American Academy in Rome and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, and afterwards joined an excavation at Olynthus.

[3] Clark Hopkins is best known for his work at Doura Europos, where he was excavation director in 1932-1933 when the Franco-American mission made the extraordinary discovery of the synagogue.

In the endless space of the clear blue sky and the empty gray desert, a miracle occurred, an oasis of paintings arose from the monotonous earth.

Clark Hopkins also led the last excavation campaign in Seleucia, Iraq on behalf of the University of Michigan.