Requirements + Courses

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

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

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!

	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

Requirements + Courses

Classical Studies Tracks

Classical Languages Track

Classical Civilizations Track

Current Courses in Classical Studies

Sample Courses in Classical Studies

Sample Four-Year Plan

Sample Four-Year Plan