Classics

Full Time Faculty: Nanette Goldman, Antoine Mefleh, J. Andrew Overman, Jeffrey Pearson, 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).

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.

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

CLAS 194 , CLAS 294 , CLAS 394 , CLAS 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)

Independent Study

The department offers independent study options in the form of tutorials, independent projects, internships, preceptorships and Honors independent projects. For more information contact the department and review the Curriculum section of the catalog.