Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization
Daniel Jacobson, Director
T: 303-492-0406
daniel.jacobson@colorado.edu
Our undergraduate certificate program is for students interested in a rigorous grounding in Western culture, reflecting on its traditions and values, and the certificate itself is the equivalent of an inter-disciplinary minor. The program allows students to study Western culture, science and government in their ancient, medieval and modern forms. The curriculum embraces over 30 courses taught by faculty in departments that include art history, classics, English, German, history, humanities, Italian, philosophy, political science and religious studies.
For more information on the program, requirements and current course offerings, visit the Benson Center's Certificate in Western Civilization webpage or contact the Director.
Requirements
The interdisciplinary curriculum of over 30 courses is taught by faculty in departments that include: classics, English, history, philosophy, religious studies, and Germanic languages and literatures.
The certificate requires the completion with a grade of C- or better of eight courses (24 credit hours), of which 12 credit hours must be at the upper-division level. Up to three courses (or 9 credit hours) may come from the student's major.
In addition, students must fulfill the requirements for a BA in a major in a school or college at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Required Courses and Credits
The required courses are offered each year. Students will enroll in one course from each cluster (9 hours total): literature, history and science.
The elective courses are offered regularly, but not each semester. Students are advised to check with the offering department regarding availability. Some courses may have prerequisites. Additional courses may be petitioned for inclusion in meeting certificate requirements through the center director.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| History | 3 | |
| Select one course from the following: | ||
| Introduction to Humanities: Literature 2 | ||
| Greeks, Romans, Kings & Crusaders: European History to 1600 | ||
| Empire, Revolution and Global War: European History Since 1600 | ||
| The World of the Ancient Greeks | ||
| The Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome | ||
| The Western Tradition | ||
| Science | 3 | |
| Select one course from the following: | ||
| Philosophy and the Sciences | ||
| History of Science: Ancients to Newton | ||
| History of Science: Newton to Einstein | ||
| Science in the Ancient World | ||
| Literature | 3 | |
| Select one course from the following: | ||
| Introduction to Humanities: Literature 1 | ||
| Medieval and Renaissance | ||
| Shakespeare for Nonmajors | ||
| Shakespeare in Dialogue | ||
| Shakespeare in Performance | ||
| Greek and Roman Mythology | ||
| Power and Passion in Ancient Rome | ||
| Electives | 15 | |
| Art | ||
| Pompeii and the Cities of Vesuvius | ||
| Medieval Art Survey | ||
| Literature | ||
| Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Spain Up to 1700 | ||
| Cervantes | ||
| Main Currents of Italian Culture and Literature 1 | ||
| The Bible as Literature | ||
| The Enlightenment: Tolerance and Emancipation | ||
| Tragedy | ||
| The Question of Romanticism | ||
| Greek and Roman Epic | ||
| Greek and Roman Tragedy | ||
| Greek and Roman Comedy | ||
| What the Hell?: Dante’s Divine Comedy and the Meaning of Life | ||
| Boccaccio's Decameron: Tales of Sex and Death in the Middle Ages | ||
| Literature in the Age of Goethe | ||
| Main Currents of French Literature 1 | ||
| French Enlightenment | ||
| Chaucer and the Invention of English Literature | ||
| Milton’s Worlds | ||
| Medieval Worlds | ||
| History | ||
| Athens and Greek Democracy | ||
| Alexander the Great and the Rise of Macedonia | ||
| Twilight of Antiquity | ||
| The Roman Republic | ||
| The Roman Empire | ||
| Europe During the Renaissance | ||
| The Age of Religious Wars: Reformation Europe,1500-1648 | ||
| From Revolt to Revolution: Europe in an Age of Global Enlightenment, 1648-1789 | ||
| The History of the Mediterranean, 600 CE-1600 CE | ||
| Jewish Thought in Modern History | ||
| Worlds Transformed: Late Antiquity & the Early Middle Ages in Europe & the Mediterranean | ||
| Europe in the High Middle Ages (1000-1400 A.D.) | ||
| Ideas | ||
| Christian Traditions | ||
| Judaism | ||
| History of Ancient Philosophy | ||
| History of Modern Philosophy | ||
| Medieval Philosophy | ||
| The Enlightenment: Tolerance and Emancipation | ||
| Nietzsche: Literature and Values | ||
| Foundations of Western Civilization | ||
| Politics | ||
| Survey of Western Political Thought | ||
| Classical Greek Political Thought | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 24 | |