南伊利諾伊大學卡本代爾分校

Classics is the study of the ancient Mediterranean world, with a particular emphasis on ancient Greece and Rome. Greece and Rome have had a profound impact on our world, on areas ranging from art, drama, literature, and philosophy, to politics and sport. But in many ways Greece and Rome were also profoundly different from the contemporary world. Study in Classics thus both leaves students more knowledgeable about the origins of western culture and trains them to analyze very different cultures.

Classics is a strongly interdisciplinary field, and our flexible major specialization both gives students a broad foundation in the classical world and allows them to choose from a range of classes in art, language, literature, culture, politics, and history. Courses are taught not only by Classics faculty but by a range of cooperating faculty from other departments. The breadth and flexibility of our program enables many of our students to pursue another major in addition to Classics.

In addition to the major specialization in Classics, we offer minors in Classical Civilization and in Latin and Greek language. Study of Latin or Greek is not required for our major specialization, but is highly recommended, particularly for any students considering graduate work in Classics or a related field. Classes in Latin and Greek also satisfy the College of Liberal Arts foreign language requirement and the Core Curriculum humanities requirement. Many Classics students may also be interested in the department’s Mythology Minor or the interdisciplinary Ancient Practices Minor.

Employers and graduate schools view Classics as a rigorous major that trains students to analyze complex texts and works of art, and to communicate clearly in both oral and written form. The most common career paths for Classics graduates include teaching, law, and jobs in libraries and museums, but Classics graduates pursue a great variety of careers.