Tracks + Requirements

Classical Languages (Major) 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 (Major) 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

Requirements for a Second Focus (Minor) in Classical Studies

• 6 courses in Classical Studies
• Of these, four must be courses in the Greek or Latin language sequence (courses designated GRE or LAT)
• At least one course designated CLAS in order to broaden the student’s knowledge of ancient history and culture (we recommend the introductory history courses CLAS 115 and CLAS 122)
• One course that is a 300-level seminar (either GRE, LAT, or CLAS), which we recommend taking in the junior or senior year