The bachelor’s degree in classics is tailored to the student’s interests in the field. Major programs can be arranged with a concentration in Latin and/or Greek Language and Literature, or in Classical Studies more broadly, while the minor is exceptionally flexible. Classics students are encouraged to talk with the faculty for guidance on what classics courses to take in order to support their interests best. Prospective majors and minors should consult with the undergraduate advisor.
The undergraduate degree in classics emphasizes knowledge and awareness of:
- The literature, culture and thought of the ancient Mediterranean world.
- The social, cultural, religious and political history of ancient Greece and Rome.
- The art and archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean world, including Greece, Rome, Egypt, the eastern Mediterranean seaboard and Mesopotamia.
In addition, students completing the degree in classics are expected to acquire the ability and skills to:
- Read, understand and interpret written documents and works of literature in translation and/or in the original Greek and Latin.
- Communicate in spoken and written form clearly and effectively.
- Read and think critically.
Interested students are encouraged to consult the department's undergraduate webpage for more information.
Requirements
Program Requirements
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed in the Program Tracks section. Students must complete the major requirements in one of the listed tracks, including: a minimum of 36 credit hours, all with a grade of a C- or better, in the major; a minimum 2.000 GPA for courses in the major; a minimum of 18 upper-division credit hours in the major, and a minimum of 12 upper-division credit hours in the major taken on the CU Boulder campus.
Graduating in Four Years
Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here refers only to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress towards graduation in Classics within four years, students should consult frequently with a major advisor to determine adequate progress toward completion of the major.
Program Tracks
For more information about program tracks available, please visit the department website.
Greek and/or Latin Language and Literature Track
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Greek and/or Latin language 1 | 24 | |
| CLAS electives (Literature, Culture, Thought; Ancient History; Art & Archaeology; Honors Thesis) 2 | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
| 1 | Students should designate either Greek or Latin as the primary field of language study. Only courses above the introductory sequence (GREK 1013-GREK 1023 and LATN 1014-LATN 1024) of the primary language count towards the major. If a student also takes the second language, all credit hours taken in that language as well as any other Greek and Latin credit hours above the 1000-level count toward the major. If a student has learned the equivalent of the introductory sequence in the primary language before beginning language study at CU and begins language instruction in the department at the 2000-level or above, all credit hours in both languages immediately count toward the major. |
| 2 | With the approval of the undergraduate faculty advisor, additional Greek or Latin courses may be substituted in place of classical literature, culture and thought or ancient history, art and archaeology courses. |
Approved Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All GREK courses (Greek) | ||
| All LATN courses (Latin) | ||
| All CLAS courses (Literature, Culture, Thought; Ancient History; Art & Archaeology; Honors Thesis) | ||
| All classes a student takes in another department that are cross-listed with CLAS | ||
| Special Topics in Art History (when taught in conjunction with ARTH 4939 as part of an Art Museums Internships course) | ||
| Art Museum Internship | ||
| History of Ancient Philosophy | ||
Students taking a course in another department that they think might pertain to your Classics major and wish to have that course count toward the major in place of one of the approved courses listed above, are encouraged to bring that course to the attention of the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies in Classics. Substitutions may be possible.
Classical Studies Track
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Greek and/or Latin language | 3 | |
| Literature, Culture, and Thought | 3 | |
| Ancient History | 3 | |
| Art & Archaeology | 3 | |
| Electives in GREK, LATN, or CLAS (including Honors Thesis) | 24 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
Approved Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All GREK courses (Greek) | ||
| All LATN courses (Latin) | ||
| All CLAS courses (Literature, Culture, Thought; Ancient History; Art & Archaeology; Honors Thesis) | ||
| All classes a student takes in another department that are cross-listed with CLAS | ||
| Special Topics in Art History (when taught in conjunction with ARTH 4939 as part of an Art Museums Internships course) | ||
| Art Museum Internship | ||
| History of Ancient Philosophy | ||
If you are taking a course in another department that you think might pertain to your classics major and wish to have that course count toward the major in place of one of the approved courses listed above, please bring that course to the attention of the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies in Classics. Substitutions may be possible.
Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study
Through the required coursework for the major, students will fulfill all 12 credits of the Arts & Humanities area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement. Students could also fill the Global Perspective category of the Gen Ed Diversity Requirement by choosing specific CLAS courses. The below plan is for the Greek and/or Latin Language and Literature track of the major. For other plans, please see the department.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours | |
| LATN/GREK Beginning Latin or Greek I (If needed, does not count toward 30 credit language requirement) | 4 | |
| CLAS Elective Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: QRMS) | 3-5 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Lower-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13-15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| LATN/GREK Beginning Latin or Greek II (If needed, does not count toward 30 credit language requirement) or CLAS Elective Course | 3-4 | |
| CLAS Elective Course | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences with Lab) | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 0-3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16-14 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| LATN/GREK Intermediate/Accelerated Latin or Greek I or CLAS Elective Course | 3-4 | |
| CLAS/GREK/LATN Elective | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course or elective course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course or elective course (example: Natural Sciences) | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16-17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| LATN/GREK Intermediate/Accelerated Latin or Greek II or CLAS Elective Course | 3-4 | |
| CLAS/GREK/LATN Elective | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/US Perspective) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15-16 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CLAS/GREK/LATN Upper-division Course | 3 | |
| CLAS/GREK/LATN Upper-division Course | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Upper-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CLAS/GREK/LATN Upper-division Course | 3 | |
| CLAS/GREK/LATN Upper-division Course | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CLAS/GREK/LATN Upper-division Course | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Natural Sciences/Global Perspective) | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CLAS/GREK/LATN Upper-division Course | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120-122 | |
Learning Outcomes
By studying the literary, material and intellectual culture of the ancient world, students learn to think critically, argue effectively and communicate clearly in both speech and writing. More broadly, a rigorous and methodical engagement with the literature, history, thought and material culture of antiquity fosters thoughtful and creative reflection on contemporary society and the world at large. Students will thus engage with the complex intellectual, moral and historical questions presented by ancient cultures that are simultaneously familiar and strange. Students will gain exposure to Greek and/or Latin as an avenue to understanding a foreign culture. Classics is an inherently interdisciplinary field, with many threads of inquiry; students may focus on one track rather than another (e.g., literary and textual studies, history, or material and visual culture).
- Students will learn about the cultures and languages of the ancient world around the Mediterranean Sea.
- Students will evaluate and utilize the research methods of the discipline.
- Students will recognize the various impacts of the ancient world on the modern.
- Students will combine different categories of evidence—literary, historical, philosophical, religious, and/or archaeological—to understand the ancient world.
- Students will read and interpret, with attention to literary and historical context, a variety of primary texts.
- Students will articulate persuasive arguments based on analysis of primary sources in light of modern interpretive frameworks.
- Students in any track in the major requiring it will demonstrate proficiency in Greek and/or Latin at the appropriate level.
Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)
The bachelor's–accelerated master's (BAM) degree program options offer currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to receive a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time. Students receive the bachelor's degree first but begin taking graduate coursework as undergraduates (typically in their senior year).
Because some courses are allowed to double count for both the bachelor's and the master's degrees, students receive a master's degree in less time and at a lower cost than if they were to enroll in a stand-alone master's degree program after completion of their baccalaureate degree. In addition, staying at CU Boulder to pursue a bachelor's–accelerated master's program enables students to continue working with their established faculty mentors.
BA and MA in Classics
The five-year BAM degree program in classics is designed for students who enter the University of Colorado ready to take courses in Latin or Greek at the 3000-level or above by the first semester of their sophomore year. The five-year degree combines the BA in Greek and/or Latin Language and Literature with the MA in Classics with a concentration in Greek or Latin. Students with strong research interests may be able to complete the BA with honors or the MA with a concentration in Greek or Latin.
Admissions Requirements
In order to gain admission by application in the second semester of the sophomore year to the BAM program named above, a student must meet the following criteria:
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework.
- If a transfer student, have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours at CU Boulder.
The Department of Classics requires additional materials to evaluate the applicant's suitability for the program, including having earned a grade of B or higher in Latin and/or Greek courses at the 3000-level or above, transcript(s) and a list of three Classics professors who can attest to the applicant's abilities, as well as meetings with the Associate Chairs of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies.
Program Requirements
Students may take up to and including 12 hours of graduate credit while in the undergraduate program which can later be used toward the master's degree. However, only 6 credits may be double counted toward the bachelor's degree and the master's degree; those 6 credits must be at the graduate level (5000-level or above) and may not be used to diminish the language class requirement for either degree. Students must apply to graduate with the bachelor's degree, and apply to continue with the master's degree, early in the semester in which the undergraduate requirements will be completed.
If you are interested in the BAM degree program, please contact the Classics graduate program for more information.