Classical Studies
Program Description
Classical Studies provides the opportunity to explore the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome—the roots of Western history, literature, philosophy, and culture.
As an interdisciplinary field, Classical Studies encourages students to develop multiple intellectual skills and to think about the world around them from different perspectives. Current course offerings include Greco-Roman literature, mythology, history, archaeology, philosophy, political science, rhetoric, and of course, Latin and Greek. There is a significant amount of flexibility in the classical studies minor in terms of the courses one takes, but the study of ancient languages is the core of the program, and all minors must take one year of either Latin or Greek.
Classical studies complements other areas of study because a student can emphasize those aspects of classical civilization that relate to his or her primary field of study (e.g. literature, history, language, etc). In a more general sense, the skills and perspectives one acquires are well suited for those considering graduate school or any kind of post-graduate educational program such as law school or medical school. As a result of being interdisciplinary, the classical studies minor encourages students to employ a variety of methodologies in various disciplines while still developing a cohesive body of knowledge relevant to many fields and professions. The linguistic component ensures that one has a deeper understanding of language and can write, speak, and think more clearly. Furthermore, the fact that a great deal of specialized legal and medical terminology is based on Latin and Greek means that a minor in classical studies is great training for someone considering any kind of legal or medical profession. Above all, Classical Studies enriches our lives by helping us understand the source of some of our most important and relevant values, ideas, beliefs, and social structures.
Contact Information
Department of Languages, Literature and Mass Communication
Escalante Hall 237
970.248.1687
–or–
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Lowell Heiny Hall 413
970.248.1696