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Classical Studies Tracks

Classical Studies majors at Bard choose to pursue one of two tracks, Classical Languages and Classical Civilizations. Students often combine Classical Studies with work in Written Arts, Literature, Medieval Studies, History, Middle Eastern Studies, Philosophy, and other fields.  

Classical Languages Track

Students in the Classical Languages Track choose to focus on working with the ancient languages and their literatures (primarily Greek and Latin, which are offered regularly, but also Sanskrit and Hebrew, which are offered sporadically). At the same time, they also gain a foundational understanding of ancient Mediterranean history and culture. Students should choose this track if they love language (the traditional term for ancient language study, “philology,” means “love of language”) and want to read ancient authors and approach ancient evidence in the original languages. Students are encouraged to pursue this track whether they have experience of one of the ancient languages (e.g. Latin) in high school, or whether they wish to immerse themselves in language study at Bard ab initio (“from the beginning”). Some students in this track may choose to specialize primarily in one language and culture (e.g. Greece or Rome), tracing it from its earliest origins to its influence on postclassical culture from Late Antiquity to the present day; others may take a more holistic or comparative approach, for example by pursuing both Greek and Latin languages and literature during their time at Bard. Any student considering graduate work in Classics is strongly encouraged to take the Classical Languages track at Bard, since most graduate programs require a background in Greek and/or Latin. 

Requirements: 

  • Before Moderation: Students begin exploring the ancient world by taking four courses in Classical Studies, Latin, Greek, or related fields. These should include one year-long sequence (i.e. two courses) in Greek or Latin. 
  • Before Graduation: Students both broaden and deepen their work in Classics by taking six additional courses in Classical Studies, Latin, Greek, or related fields (plus two semesters of Senior Project). These six courses should include:
    • At least two further semesters of Greek or Latin 
    • An introductory course on Greek or Roman history and culture (either CLAS 122: The Roman World, An Introduction or CLAS 115: The Greek World, An Introduction)
    • At least one seminar in Greek, Latin, or Classical Studies at the 300-level. It is recommended that students take this course before their senior year, since upper-level seminars are designed to help students prepare for their senior project by introducing them to research methods in Classical Studies and asking them to develop a long research paper

Classical Civilizations Track

Students in the Classical Civilizations Track choose to focus on the history, cultures, and literatures of the ancient Mediterranean world. While their work is primarily conducted in English, they are encouraged but not required also to take Latin or Greek at some point during their time at Bard. Students are encouraged to choose this track if they want to focus on the texts and material culture mainly through the methodologies of history, art history, philosophy, and literary studies in English. Some students may further choose to connect the ancient Mediterranean world to a broader context of ancient civilizations (e.g. the Middle East, India, and China), or to postclassical literatures and cultures from Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages to the contemporary world. 

Requirements: 

  • Before Moderation: Students begin exploring the ancient world by taking four courses in Classical Studies, Latin, Greek, or related fields. These should include an introductory course in Greek or Roman history and culture (either CLAS 122: The Roman World, An Introduction or CLAS 115: The Greek World, An Introduction). 
  • Before Graduation: Students both broaden and deepen their work in Classics by taking six additional courses in Classical Studies, Latin, Greek, or related fields (plus two semesters of Senior Project). These six courses should include:
    • One further introductory course in Greek or Roman history and culture (either CLAS 122: The Roman World, An Introduction orCLAS 115: The Greek World, An Introduction, whichever the student has not yet taken)
    • At least one seminar in Classical Studies, Latin, or Greek at the 300-level. It is recommended that students take this course before their senior year, since upper-level seminars are designed to help students prepare for their senior project by introducing them to research methods in Classical Studies and asking them to develop a long research paper

Current Courses in Classical Studies

  • Current Courses
    View the Classical Studies course list for the current semester. You may also browse a list below of courses that are offered periodically, but not necessarily this semester.
    Current Courses
Sample Courses in Classical Studies
James Romm, James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics. Photo by Scott Barrow

Sample Courses in Classical Studies

CLAS 122: The Roman World: an Introduction 
CLAS 115: The Greek World: an Introduction 
CLAS 111: Introduction to Greek Tragedy 
CLAS 211: Gender and Sexuality in the Ancient World 
CLAS / HIST 236: The Fall of the Roman Empire 
CLAS 242: Classical Mythology 
CLAS / HIST 201: Alexander the Great 
CLAS 322: The Invention of Difference 
PHIL 109: Ancient Philosophy 
PHIL 343: Plato’s Republic 
LIT 204: Ancient Quarrels 
LAT 101: Beginning Latin 
LAT 201: Intermediate Latin: Vergil’s Aeneid 
LAT 302: Advanced Latin: Ovid’s Metamorphoses 
GRE 101: Beginning Greek 
GRE 202: Intermediate Greek: Women on the Athenian Stage 
GRE 315: Advanced Greek: Comedy and the City: Aristophanes’ Frogs 

Sample Four-Year Plan

Please note that there are many different paths through the Classical Studies major; please talk to your academic advisor to discuss your own situation and goals!

Sample Four-Year Plan

  Classical Languages (focus on Greek; student begins the language at Bard) Classical Languages (focus on Latin and Greek; student has taken high-school Latin)  
Classical Civilizations
 
 
Classical Civilizations 
 
Year 1 (Fall)
 
 
Latin 201
   
Latin 101
Year 1 (Spring) Classics elective Latin 202; classics elective  CLAS 115; classics elective  Latin 102 
         
Year 2 (Fall)
 
Greek 101; Classics elective Greek 101; CLAS 122 Classics elective CLAS 122
Year 2 (Spring)   
Greek 102; CLAS 115
 
Greek 102; Latin 202
CLAS 122;Classics elective CLAS 115; Classics elective 
         
Year 3 (Fall)
 
Greek 201; Classics elective Greek 201; Latin 301 Classics elective; Classics elective Classics elective; Classics elective 
Year (Spring)
 
Greek 202; 300-level Classics elective  Latin 302 300-level Classics elective; Classics elective 300-level Classics elective 
         
Year 4 (Fall)
 
Senior Project; Greek 301 Senior Project Senior Project, Classics elective Senior Project, Classics elective 
Year 4 (Spring)  
Senior Project
 
Senior Project
 
Senior Project
Senior Project, Classics elective 

 

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