Classics
Full Time Faculty: Corby
Kelly, Antoine Mefleh, J. Andrew Overman, Beth Severy-Hoven (Chair)
Part Time Faculty: Nanette
Goldman
Classics is the critical study of the languages,
literatures, visual and material culture of the ancient world. The
societies of ancient Greece and Rome, the Mediterranean world, and the
Middle East are the terrain of classics. Many of our traditions rest upon
the world of the Greeks, Romans and their contemporaries. Greek, Latin,
Hebrew and Arabic literature are studied in the classics department, as
well as art and other forms of material culture. Ancient cities and
settlements are reconstructed through archaeological and architectural
analysis; the crises, failures, and successes of the classical world are
examined. This is done with a view toward what the diverse and politically
volatile setting of the ancient world can teach us about our modern
context. By combining skills, theories and even courses found in the
humanities, fine arts, social and natural sciences, classics is an
outstanding and interdisciplinary liberal arts major.
Students in classics work closely with their advisors
to develop a major plan that suits their interests and long-term goals. By
selecting the appropriate courses, students can prepare for graduate work
in classics, classical or Near Eastern archaeology, Middle Eastern Studies,
religion, history, English, and other disciplines. Graduates have enjoyed
success in applying to professional programs in law and medicine, and
pursue a wide variety of careers. Above all, classics provides a place for
the critical analysis of ancient and foreign cultures, and helps students
learn how to enter and engage sympathetically a worldview or setting quite
different from their own. Classics focuses on writing, critical reading,
language acquisition, and argumentation.
Students are encouraged—and majors are required—to take advantage of opportunities for study abroad. The classics
department leads programs overseas, including a summer archaeological
project in northern Israel excavating a Roman temple, and January courses
in Rome and Turkey. The department also sends students on affiliated
programs of College Year in Athens and the Intercollegiate Center for
Classical Studies in Rome, among others.
General Distribution Requirement
All regular courses offered by the department count
toward the humanities distribution requirement except for 160 (which counts
toward the fine arts requirement) and 261 (which may count for either the
humanities or fine arts requirement depending on the subject matter).
General Education Requirements
Courses that meet the general education requirements in
writing, quantitative thinking, internationalism and multiculturalism will
be posted on the Registrar’s web page in advance of registration for
each semester.
Additional information regarding the general
distribution requirement and the general education requirements can be
found in the graduation requirements section of this catalog.
Major Requirements
Students earn a major in classics by choosing among
three tracks: Classical Civilization, Classical Archaeology or Classical
Languages. Students should work carefully with their selected advisor to
choose a track and a list of courses that match their interests and goals,
but suggestions and guidelines can be found on the curriculum page of the
department website.
Classical Civilization
A major in classics with an emphasis in classical
civilization consists of nine courses, a study away experience and a
capstone. Courses must include: a) two courses which provide a
comprehensive introduction to the ancient Mediterranean world (121 Greek
World, 122 Roman World, 127 Women, Gender & Sexuality, 129 Greek Myths,
or 145 Pagans, Christians & Jews); b) study in a classical language to
include at least one course at the intermediate level (Greek, Latin, Hebrew
or Arabic); c) two courses providing more intensive study of civilization
at the intermediate level (272 Studies in Classical Civilization, 271
Studies in Archaeology, and intermediate language courses excluding that
used to meet requirement b); d) electives chosen from the offerings of the
department. Select courses from other departments may be substituted when
approved in advance by the classics department. See more on the capstone
requirement below.
Classical Archaeology
A major in classics with an emphasis in classical
archaeology consists of eleven courses, a study away experience and a field
experience. Courses are to include: a) two courses which provide a
comprehensive introduction to the ancient Mediterranean world (121 Greek
World, 122 Roman World, 127 Women, Gender & Sexuality, 129 Greek Myths,
or 145 Pagans, Christians & Jews); b) study in a classical language to
include at least one course at the intermediate level (Greek, Latin, Hebrew
or Arabic); c) four core courses: (123 Introduction to Archaeology, 160
Introduction to Ancient and Medieval Art, 271 Studies in Archaeology, and
488 Junior/Senior Seminar in Archaeology); d) electives from the following,
or a course otherwise approved in advance by the department: Classics 155
(January in Rome); Geography 225 (Introduction to Cartography & GIS);
Geology 155 (History and Evolution of Earth), 260 (Geomorphology), 265
(Sedimentology and Stratigraphy), 300 (Paleobiology); Anthropology 112
(Archaeology and Human Evolution); Anthropology 340 (Paleoanthropolgy); Art
238 (Ceramic Art); language courses from the department offerings beyond
those used to meet requirement b).
Archaeology majors must also gain some form of field
experience, such as participating in an excavation, interning in a museum,
or pursuing study away that involves archaeological learning in an
archival, laboratory or field context.
Classical Languages
A major in classics with an emphasis in classical
languages consists of nine courses, a study away experience and a capstone.
Courses must include: a) two courses which provide a comprehensive
introduction to the ancient Mediterranean world (121 Greek World, 122 Roman
World, 127 Women, Gender & Sexuality, 129 Greek Myths, or 145 Pagans,
Christians & Jews); b) seven courses involving classical languages and
literatures in the original language (Greek, Latin, Hebrew or Arabic).
Courses must also be taken in at least two different languages and involve
at least one class at the advanced level. See more on the capstone
requirement below.
Study Away
Majors in all three tracks are required to study away.
Students are encouraged to study in the Mediterranean region during this
experience, but may participate in any approved program. In addition to
semester abroad programs, all of the department’s international
offerings, including January in Rome, January in Turkey and summer
archaeological excavations, fulfill the study away requirement, as do other
January and summer programs approved in advance by the department.
Capstone Experience
Classics majors in all emphases must complete a
capstone. Archaeology majors do so through the required course 488
(Junior/Senior Seminar in Classical Archaeology). Civilization and
Languages majors usually complete an independent project during their
senior year, although a seminar is occasionally offered given sufficient
student demand. Students intending to do an independent capstone must
complete an intermediate level research seminar (271, 272 or equivalent) before beginning their
project.
Minor Requirements
A classics minor with an emphasis in classical
civilization consists of five courses to include: a) two comprehensive
surveys (121, Greek World; 122, Roman World; 127, Women, Gender &
Sexuality; 129, Greek Myths; or 145, Pagans, Christians & Jews) and b)
three other courses from the offerings of the department.
A classics minor with an emphasis in archaeology
consists of five courses to include: a) two comprehensive surveys (121,
Greek World; 122, Roman World; 127, Women, Gender & Sexuality; 129,
Greek Myths; or 145, Pagans, Christians & Jews); b) 123, Introduction
to Archaeology; and c) two other archaeology courses offered or approved by
the department.
A classics minor with an emphasis in classical
languages consists of six courses to include: a) one comprehensive survey
(121, Greek World; 122, Roman World; 127, Women, Gender & Sexuality;
129, Greek Myths; or 145, Pagans, Christians & Jews); b) four other
courses from the Greek, Latin, Hebrew and/or Arabic offerings of the
department, including at least one at the intermediate level; and c)one
other course from the offerings of the department.
Honors Program
The classics department participates in the honors
program. Eligibility requirements, application procedures and specific
project expectations for the classics department are available from the
department office, on the department website, or from the Director of
Academic Programs.
Policy on Arabic, Greek, Hebrew and Latin Language
Grades
In order to be accepted into the next higher language
course in the Arabic, Greek, Hebrew or Latin sequences, a student must have
received a grade of C– or
higher in the previous course. For additional information regarding the
language requirement, see the College requirements.
Topics Courses
194, 294, 394, 494
Occasional and often experimental courses focusing on
special topics of interest to faculty and students. Recent offerings have
included Ancient and Modern Comedy; Early Arabic Literature and History;
Ancient Rome in Popular Culture; Egyptian Art and Culture; and Polis and
People: Civic Space and Citizenship. To be announced at registration. (4
credits)
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