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Overview

Faculty

Anna Accettola
Anne Feltovich (on leave 2024-25)

Amy Koenig (on leave 2024-25)

Ian Mills

Martin Shedd

Jesse Weiner, chair

Serena Witzke

Department/Program Goals

The goal of the Classics Department is to offer students an inclusive view of the ancient world and its relation to contemporary society through a focus on classical languages or classical studies.

Department/Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students Will Learn to:

  • Analyze sources, whether textual or material, in their social and historical contexts
  • Demonstrate comprehension of texts written in the target language (Ancient Greek or Latin)
  • Compose original scholarly arguments using appropriate research methods and types of evidence
  • Critically engage with the discipline's history
  • Productively juxtapose the classical past with modernity

Concentration/Minor Description and Requirements

Classics is the study of Ancient Greek and Roman societies and cultures, related cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, and the relationship between these cultures and the modern world. The field is interdisciplinary, encompassing the study of languages, literature, history, philosophy, material culture, art, and reception. The Department of Classics offers courses in Ancient Greek language (catalog label GREEK), Latin language (LATIN), and Classical Studies (CLASC). No knowledge of Ancient Greek or Latin is required for the courses labeled CLASC. 

A concentration in Classics requires a minimum of ten full-credit courses, including courses in CLASC and at least one of the two languages (GREEK or LATIN). Specifically, the concentration requires:

  • At least one of the following: CLASC-115, CLASC-120, or CLASC-240

  • Three semesters of GREEK and/or LATIN, with at least one language course at the 300-level

  • Two additional 300-level courses in GREEK, LATIN, and/or CLASC

  • The senior seminar, CLASC-550

  • Three additional courses at any level from GREEK, LATIN, and/or CLASC. Petitions to consider classes from outside the department should be submitted to the Chair. To ensure a successful petition, students must select courses that contain a significant component related to the history, culture, or influences and receptions of classical antiquity.

 

To satisfy the Social, Structural, and Institutional Hierarchies requirement (SSIH), concentrators must complete two courses with the SSIH designation. One of these courses will be the required CLASC-550 Senior Seminar. The second course will likely be from the department (e.g., CLASC-120, CLASC-205, CLASC-208, CLASC-280, CLASC-325, or CLASC-335). Petitions to consider an SSIH course from outside the department should be submitted to the Chair.

The concentration is designed with flexibility, to allow students to pursue one or more of the three areas (GREEK, LATIN, CLASC) to the highest level. Students intending to apply to graduate programs in Classics (language and literature, history, or archaeology) should be advised that most require at least 2-3 years of study in both Latin and Ancient Greek. There are some bridge programs and masters programs designed to help students strengthen their language skills before applying to PhD programs, but funding for these is competitive.

Junior and Senior concentrators in Classics may NOT elect the credit/no credit option for Classics, Greek or Latin courses. Courses taken in the department as credit/no credit BEFORE the declaration of concentration may count toward the concentration requirements ONLY with the permission of the department Chair.

Students who have earned an A- (3.67) average or higher in the concentration may receive honors by earning a grade of A- or higher in the Senior Seminar. A description of the program may be obtained from any member of the classics faculty.

Concentrators and other students trained in Latin or Greek are encouraged to spend one or two semesters of their junior year studying  in Greece, Italy, or at another suitable location. Hamilton is a member of the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome (the Centro), which runs a study abroad program for undergraduates in both Fall and Spring, and of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, which runs a study abroad program for undergraduates in the summer only. Interested students should note that admission to the Intercollegiate Center and the American School is competitive and that preparation in Latin or Greek, and sometimes both, is an important factor in determining admission. Many students have also attended other programs in Rome and Athens, including College Year in Athens, where students can enroll for the Fall, Spring, and/or Summer terms.

A minor in Classics consists of five courses in the department, including coursework in CLASC and at least one of the two languages (GREEK or LATIN). Specifically, the minor requires: 

  • At least one of the following: CLASC-115, CLASC-120, or CLASC-240

  • One semester of GREEK or LATIN

  • One 300-level course in either GREEK, LATIN, or CLASC  

  • Two additional courses at any level from GREEK, LATIN, and/or CLASC

Hamilton’s distinguished tradition in classics ensures that funds are available from numerous awards earmarked for classics students, especially for students who continue with Greek or Latin, or who choose to do graduate work in Greek.