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. The concentration in Ancient Mediterranean Studies focuses on the ancient world of the Greeks, the Romans, and the peoples and places with which they were in contact, even those who lived beyond the Mediterranean, from the Bronze Age through Late Antiquity. Because the focus is on the ancient world, courses that deal primarily with the classical tradition and classical reception are not included. Students develop their major programs in consultation with a faculty advisor.
While some Classics majors who choose a concentration in Ancient Mediterranean Studies include teacher licensure in their schedule, others take a second major in a related field, such as history, philosophy, religious studies, English, business, or modern languages. With such a background, graduates have a wide range of opportunities after college, including museum work, archaeology, graduate study, teaching, and translating.
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 |
| Twenty-four (24) credits of Classics (CLAS) and approved courses. Approved courses relating to Ancient Mediterranean Studies include any Classics (CLAS) course; any Greek (GREK) course at the level of 202 or above; any Latin (LATN) course at the level of 202 or above; and the following list of approved courses. At least 9 of the 24 credits must be in CLAS; Greek (GREK) at the level of 202 or above; Latin (LATN) at the level of 202 or above. At least 6 of the 24 credits must be at the level of 300 or above. | 24 | |
| Greek and Roman Mythology in Art and Literature | ||
| Ancient Tragedy | ||
| Epic Traditions | ||
| Greek and Roman Religion | ||
| Democracy and Revolution in Ancient Athens | ||
| Egyptian and Near Eastern Art and Archaeology | ||
| Women in Antiquity | ||
| Myth in Theory, Film, and Culture | ||
| Ancient Slavery and Its Legacy | ||
| Special Studies in Classical Civilization | ||
| Special Studies in Classical Civilization | ||
| Archaeology of the Greek and Roman World | ||
| The Ancient Mediterranean | ||
| The Ancient City | ||
| Guided Research | ||
| Individual Study | ||
| Individual Study | ||
| Internship | ||
| Total Credits | 33 | |
Approved courses relating to Ancient Mediterranean Studies include any Classics (CLAS) course; any Greek (GREK) course at the level of 202 or above; any Latin (LATN) course at the level of 202 or above; and the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH 114A | History of Western Art I | 3 |
| ARTH 305 | Egyptian and Near Eastern Art and Archaeology | 3 |
| ARTH 310 | Greek Art | 3 |
| ARTH 311 | Roman Art | 3 |
| CPRD 100 | Topics in Classics, Philosophy, and Religion 1 | 1-3 |
| CPRD 301 | Studies in Ancient Languages 1 | 3 |
| CPRD 302 | Studies in Ancient Languages 1 | 3 |
| CPRD 331 | Cross-disciplinary Topics in Classics, Philosophy, and Religion 1 | 3 |
| HIST 331A | History of Ancient Greece | 3 |
| HIST 332 | History of Ancient Rome | 3 |
| HIST 341 | Europe in the Middle Ages I | 3 |
| LING 205 | Writing Systems of the World | 3 |
| MATH 207 | History of Mathematics | 3 |
| PHIL 201 | Ancient Greek Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 310 | Plato | 3 |
| RELG 205 | Ancient Jewish Literature | 3 |
| RELG 206A | Christian Beginnings | 3 |
| RELG 208 | Christianity After the New Testament | 3 |
| RELG 211 | Greek and Roman Religion | 3 |
| RELG 231 | Special Studies in Religion 1 | 1-3 |
| RELG 302 | Virgins, Monks, and Hermits | 3 |
| RELG 309 | Death and Dying in Early Christianity | 3 |
| RELG 331 | Special Studies in Religion 1 | 3 |
| RELG 341 | Major Religious Thinkers 1 | 3 |
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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 | |
| CLAS 110 or ARTH 114A |
Greek and Roman Mythology in Art and Literature 1 or History of Western Art I |
3 |
| FSEM 100 | First-Year Seminar | 3 |
| Modern Language of Student's Choice (i.e. Spanish, French, etc.) 101 | 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 |
| Modern Language 102 | 3 | |
| General Education Courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| ARTH 114A or CLAS 110 |
History of Western Art I 1 or Greek and Roman Mythology in Art and Literature |
3 |
| Modern Language 201 | 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 |
| Elective in Major | 3 | |
| General Education Courses or Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Electives in Major 2 | 6 | |
| General Education Courses or Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Electives in Major | 6 | |
| General Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective in Major | 3 | |
| General Electives | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CLAS 485 | Guided Research (required for departmental honors, recommended for all majors, counts towards major elective) | 3 |
| Electives in Major | 3 | |
| General Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
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)