Classics, B.A.

Requirements for the Major:

At least 12 courses in the department following one of these patterns:

Pattern One

Eight courses in Latin; four courses in Classics, including

CLS 126 - The Rise of the Roman Republic or
CLS 129 - History of the Roman Empire
(students are strongly advised to take both)
CLS 139 - City of Rome or
CLS 134 - Classical Art and Architecture or
AAH 200 - Classical Art and Architecture
(a number of courses in Art History that will also satisfy this requirement are listed here)
courses in Greek may be substituted for two of the courses in Latin and courses in Classics

Pattern Two

Nine courses in Greek and three courses in classics, including

CLS 121 - The History of Greece to the Death of Alexander the Great
and
CLS 134 - Classical Art and Architecture or
AAH 200 - Classical Art and Architecture
(a number of courses in Art History that will also satisfy this requirement are listed here)
two courses in Latin may be substituted for two of the Greek courses

Pattern Three

At least four courses in the ancient languages and eight courses in classics, including

CLS 121 - The History of Greece to the Death of Alexander the Great
CLS 126 - The Rise of the Roman Republic or
CLS 129 - History of the Roman Empire
(students are strongly encouraged to take both)
CLS 134 - Classical Art and Architecture or
CLS 139 - City of Rome or
AAH 200 - Classical Art and Architecture
(a number of courses in Art History that will also satisfy this requirement are listed here)

Tracks

All tracks include either a senior thesis (two terms) and an oral examination based on the thesis; or a senior project on a major author or special topic (one term) and a comprehensive field examination. Students are strongly advised to take PHL 150 - Ancient Philosophy for options 2 and 3. Students may substitute the following courses in Art History for CLS 134 - Classical Art and Architecture (also AAH 200 - Classical Art and Architecture ); AAH-100 Introduction to Art and Visual Culture; AAH 101 - Introduction to Art History, Part 1 (Prehistory to Romanesque); AAH 206 - Introduction to History of Architecture: The Renaissance Tradition, 15th-18th Centuries ; AAH 223 - The Nude ; and AAH 309 - The History of Gardens and Landscape Architecture . Those students who intend to do graduate work in Classics should consult the department chair for additional requirements.

Requirements for Honors:

To be eligible for departmental honors, the student must fulfill the following requirements:

A minimum index of 3.35 in departmental courses; completion of one language course at the 230-level or higher with a grade of “B plus” or better.
The student must achieve a grade of at least “A minus” on the senior thesis and present a distinctive performance in an oral examination based on the senior thesis. In addition, the student must satisfy College requirements for departmental honors.

Course Selection Guidelines

Course Numbering: Courses in ancient history, classical literature in translation, and ancient civilization have the prefix “CLS.” These courses, including all reading assignments, are conducted entirely in English, and have no pre-requisites. These courses serve as excellent options for students interested in exploring the ancient world, satisfying Common Curriculum (CC) requirements (HUL, LCC, WAC), or building clusters, minors, and majors.

Language Placement: Language courses have their own prefixes: Greek: GRK; and Latin: LAT. Because secondary programs vary, the department is happy to assist students find the proper course level. The department grants AP Latin credit if the student has scored a “4” or better. This credit may be counted toward the major or minor. We also consider IB and other transfer credits on a case-by-case basis.