Degree: B.A., Classics
Department of Classics, Philosophy, and Religion
Classics focuses on the study of the languages, literatures, and civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. Since many of the ideas and principles which emerged in the classical world are basic to Western culture, courses in Classics apply to the study of almost all the liberal arts and sciences.
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics may choose among four concentrations: Latin (see Latin); an interdisciplinary concentration in Classical Civilization; an interdisciplinary concentration in Classical Archaeology; or an interdisciplinary concentration in Classics: Ancient Mediterranean Studies. Students develop their major programs in consultation with a faculty advisor.
The concentration in Classical Archaeology offers special preparation to those students who wish to pursue museum or field work in archaeology. A concentration in Classical Archaeology joined with a related major such as anthropology, art history, historic preservation, history, or religious studies will enable a student to add depth of knowledge about the ancient world to their study of those disciplines.
Opportunities for study and excavation abroad are readily available to the Classics major. Mary Washington is a member of the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, the American Academy in Rome, and the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. Students are welcome to consult with the Classics faculty about programs at these and other institutions. Qualified students are invited to join Eta Sigma Phi, the national honor society for Classics, and to try for departmental honors in their senior year.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Students will demonstrate general knowledge of the outlines of Greek and Roman history, culture, and literature.
2. Students will engage with the culture, literature, research, methods, and scholarship of the discipline.
3. Students will develop competencies in reading Latin and ancient Greek.
4. Students will demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.
5. Students will present, analyze, interpret, and synthesize evidence and scholarship on a topic relevant to classical or ancient Mediterranean civilization.
6. Students will create an original argument or creative work supported by individual research on a topic pertaining to classical or ancient Mediterranean civilization.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CLAS 103 | Ideas and Culture: Greek Civilization | 3 |
| CLAS 105 | Ideas and Culture: Roman Civilization | 3 |
| CLAS 285 | Greek and Latin Languages and Literatures | 3 |
| Select one of the following: GREK 201 or GREK 202 and LATN 201 or LATN 202, or any GREK or LATN course at 300 level or above | 3-6 | |
| Intermediate Latin | ||
or LATN 202 | Vergil | |
| Intermediate Greek | ||
or GREK 202 | Homer | |
3 credits in a Latin course at the level of 300 or above (or, with approval, 3 credits in a Greek course at the level of 300 or above) | ||
| Select 6 credits of the following: | 6 | |
| Egyptian and Near Eastern Art and Archaeology | ||
| Greek Art | ||
| Roman Art | ||
| Select 15 credits in approved archaeology courses, out of which at least 6 credits must be in Classics | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 33-36 | |
Approved Archaeology Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH/CLAS 305 | Egyptian and Near Eastern Art and Archaeology 1 | 3 |
| CLAS 351 | Special Studies in Classical Civilization 2 | 1-3 |
| CLAS 352 | Special Studies in Classical Civilization 2 | 3 |
| CLAS 380 | Archaeology of the Greek and Roman World | 3 |
| CLAS 385 | The Ancient Mediterranean | 3 |
| CLAS 390 | The Ancient City | 3 |
| CLAS 485 | Guided Research | 3 |
| CLAS 491 | Individual Study 2 | 1-4 |
| CLAS 492 | Individual Study 2 | 1-4 |
| CLAS 499 | Internship 2 | 1-4 |
| ARTH 315A | Art Museum Studies | 3 |
| or HISP 200 | Introduction to Museum Studies | |
| HISP 208 | Introduction to Conservation | 3 |
| GISC 250 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Cartography | 4 |
| or GISC 200 | Introduction to GIS | |
| HISP 462A | Laboratory Methods in Archaeology | 3 |
| HISP 467 | Field Methods in Archaeology | 3 |
| HIST 331A | History of Ancient Greece | 3 |
| HIST 332 | History of Ancient Rome | 3 |
- 1
If not already counted as fulfilling the requirement listed above.
- 2
With permission.
General Education Requirements
The general education requirements for Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degrees apply to all students who are seeking to earn an undergraduate B.A., B.S. or B.S.Ed. degree.
Students seeking a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree have a separate set of BLS general education requirements.
Electives
Elective courses are those that are not needed to fulfill a general education requirement or major program requirement but are chosen by the student to complete the 120 credits required for graduation with a B.A./B.S./B.S.Ed. degree or the BLS degree. These courses may be taken graded or pass/fail (or S/U in the case of physical education and 100-level dance). No student in a regular B.A./B.S./B.S.Ed. program may count more than 60 credits in a single discipline toward the 120 credits required for graduation.
Total Credits Required for the Degree: 120 credits
Plan of Study
This suggested plan of study should serve as a guide to assist students when planning their course selections. It is not a substitute for a student's Degree Evaluation or the Program Requirements listed for this major in the catalog. Academic planning is the student's responsibility, and course selections should be finalized only after speaking with an advisor. Students should familiarize themselves with the catalog in effect at the time they matriculated at the University of Mary Washington. Students should also familiarize themselves with general education requirements which can be fulfilled through general electives as well as major/minor course requirements. Course requirements and sequencing may vary with AP, IB, CLEP, Cambridge or previous coursework, transfer courses, or other conditions. To be considered full-time, an undergraduate student must be enrolled in 12 or more credits for the semester.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ARTH 114A | History of Western Art I 1 | 3 |
| FSEM 100 | First-Year Seminar | 3 |
| GREK 101 or LATN 101 |
Elementary Greek or Elementary Latin |
3 |
| General Education Courses | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CLAS 103 or CLAS 105 |
Ideas and Culture: Greek Civilization or Ideas and Culture: Roman Civilization |
3 |
| GREK 102 or LATN 102 |
Elementary Greek or Elementary Latin |
3 |
| General Education Courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| GREK 201 or LATN 201 |
Intermediate Greek or Intermediate Latin |
3 |
| Elective in Major | 3 | |
| General Education Courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CLAS 105 or CLAS 103 |
Ideas and Culture: Roman Civilization or Ideas and Culture: Greek Civilization |
3 |
| CLAS 285 | Greek and Latin Languages and Literatures | 3 |
| GREK 202 or LATN 202 |
Homer or Vergil |
3 |
| Elective in Major | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Advanced Greek or Latin Course (or GREK 101 or LATN 101) | 3 | |
| Approved Archaelogy Course 2 | 3 | |
| General Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Advanced Greek or Latin Course (or GREK 102 or LATN 102) | 3 | |
| Approved Archaelogy Courses 2 | 6 | |
| General Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Advanced Greek or Latin Course (or GREK 201 or LATN 201) | 3 | |
| Advanced Archaeology Course 2 | 3 | |
| General Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CLAS 485 | Guided Research (fulfills Writing Intensive Requirement of the major and serves as an approved archaeology course) 1 | 3 |
| General Electives | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 1
Recommended.
- 2
List of approved archaeology courses can be found on the Classical Archaeology Requirements page.
Classics, Philosophy, and Religion Department
Jason P. Matzke, Career and Pre-Law Advisor (Philosophy)
Mary Beth Mathews, Career Advisor (Religion)
Faculty
(The person’s subject field is indicated in parentheses.)
Professors
Mary Beth Mathews (Religion)
Jason P. Matzke (Philosophy)
Angela L. Pitts (Classics)
Associate Professor
Jennifer A. Barry (Religion)
Assistant Professor
Kalpesh Bhatt (Religion)
Senior Lecturer
Michael J. Reno (Philosophy)