Basic Structure of the Department
- The Classics department offers courses in the languages, literature, history, and material culture (archaeology) of ancient Greece and Rome.
- The department offers majors and minors in four areas: Classical Languages and Literature, Ancient History, Classical Archaeology, and Classical Studies. These areas can also form the core of a modified major.
- Classical Languages and Literature studies the languages (Greek and Latin) and literature of ancient Greece and Rome, from their beginnings in the 8th century BCE down to the end of the Roman Empire and the rise of the vernacular languages and literature of Europe.
- Ancient History focuses on the historical analysis of ancient Greece and Rome, incorporating the study of language, literature, and material culture. This major requires study of at least one ancient language (either Greek or Latin).
- Classical Archaeology focuses on the material culture, art, and architecture of the ancient Mediterranean world. This major requires study of at least one ancient language (either Greek or Latin) and participation in at least one of the department’s two Foreign Study Programs.
- Classical Studies draws on all three of the preceding subject areas, but does not require the study of an ancient language. It is ideal for those students interested in area studies or those for whom another unrelated major precludes fulfilling the required advanced work in Greek and Latin.
- Concentration in one of the majors of the department can be an ideal undergraduate liberal arts program and, for those students who are interested in the professional study of Classical Antiquity, it will prepare them for graduate work in their chosen field.
- Rubrics for Classics courses are Classical Studies (CLST), Greek (GRK) and Latin (LA). Courses with these rubrics can contribute toward all four areas of study. Classical Studies rubrics indicate courses for which no language preparation is required.
- The Classics department sponsors two Foreign Study Programs, one in Greece and one in Italy (principally in Rome). The Greek FSP operates every other year in the spring (2009, 2011), the Roman FSP every other year in the fall (2009, 2011). Foreign study is a formal requirement of the Classical Archaeology major.
Information for Students Who Want to Explore or Pursue Classical Studies
- Students are advised to begin with their study of ancient language as early as possible. A student may begin the study of Greek or Latin (GRK 1 or LAT 1) in either fall or winter, but not in spring or summer: GRK 1 and LAT 1 (Introductory level) are offered in fall and winter terms, and GRK 3 and LAT 3 (Intermediate) are offered in winter and spring terms. There are no GRK 2 or LAT 2 courses.
- CLST 1: Antiquity Today, is a prerequisite selection for the Classical Studies major or minor. Offered winter term.
- CLST 14-18: Greek and Roman History courses, and CLST 20-29: Greek and Roman Archaeology courses, count towards requirements for all standard (not modified) Classics major or minor programs.
Ancient Languages: Placement Tests and Other Considerations
- The department offers a placement test in Latin during Orientation week for matriculating freshmen only. Students who do not take the Latin placement test during Orientation will be directed to a particular course on the basis of how many years, and when, they studied Latin in high school.
- Students who have been pre-placed by the Registrar into LAT 3 without having taken the SAT II Achievement Test are strongly urged to take the placement test during Orientation as their appropriate placement may be LAT 10.
- The department does not offer a placement exam for Greek. Any student who has had instruction in Ancient Greek and wishes to be placed in the appropriate level course should make an appointment with Professor Margaret Williamson (margaret.williamson@Dartmouth.edu) or Professor Margaret Graver (margaret.graver@dartmouth.edu).
- Both Greek and Latin courses are numbered 1-3-10 in a three-term introductory and intermediate sequence. A student can fulfill the College’s Language Requirement in two terms by taking the 1-3 sequence in either language. The 10 course satisfies the Literature Distributive.
Current Enrollments, Class Size, and Distributives
The ORC
The Classics Homepage
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