Duke Classics: Undergraduates

Undergraduate Courses and Programs

The Department of Classical Studies at Duke studies the languages, literatures, material culture, and histories of the Greek, Roman, and late antique pasts. Students develop broad knowledge of these classical pasts while cultivating cross-cultural fluency and the intellectual skills and methodological strategies of critical inquiry central to this inherently inter-disciplinary field. Classical Studies encourages serious engagement with the complexity of the past and evaluation of its place in the present. The requirements of the two majors convey the disciplinary coherence of the field, yet are flexible enough to allow students to develop their own interests as they progress through their course of study.

Classical Studies offers two majors, Classical Languages, and Classical Civilization; and four minors, Greek, Latin, Classical Archaeology, and Classical Civilization. We encourage students to study abroad--the department has close relations with a variety of programs, for example, the Intercollegiate Center in Rome and College Year in Athens. More information about these programs and others may be found here. We also encourage majors to write an Honors Thesis during their senior year. This project can lead to Graduation with Distinction in Classical Studies.

Why Take Classics?

Classical Studies is an interdisciplinary department, offering students the chance to study Latin and Greek, literature in translation, history, archaeology, religion, law, mythology, philosophy, sexuality and gender, political science, economics, art and architecture--the list could on. The scope of the field and our course offerings invite students to delve into nearly any aspect of classical antiquity.

Because of its wide-ranging nature Classical Studies is an ideal candidate for a first or second major, yielding interesting connections with such other fields as Economics, English, History, Anthropology, Pre-Med, Political Science, Pre-Law, Art History, Religion or Philosophy. The intellectual skills developed by students of Classical studies--close analysis of literature, documents, and material culture, and the ability to discern connections between disparate types of evidence--are essential qualities in today's world.

But what am I going to do with a major in Classical Studies? Classical Studies teaches students to consider issues that face all societies, from a wide variety of viewpoints. The field's multidimensional approach to problem-solving, its requirement of careful analysis, and sensitive reading makes it excellent preparation for whatever you choose to do in life. Classics majors at Duke and elsewhere have gone on to distinguished careers in law, medicine, the arts, business, primary, secondary, and college education, computer science, and many other professional fields. Classical Studies is the ideal liberal arts major, and it will immerse you in a culture whose influence endures and continues to this day.

What level of Greek or Latin should I take? Click here for more info.

CLST majors are designed to

(a) cultivate cross-cultural fluency by study of the languages, literatures, material culture, and history of Greco-Roman antiquity, from the Bronze Age through the Middle Ages, seeking to understand them in their Mediterranean, European, and Near Eastern contexts;
(b) engage students in close reading and detailed, contextual analysis of the texts and the material and visual culture of classical antiquity, skills that are not only essential to the field, but prepare students for a wide range of vocations (law, medicine, finance, and others), including graduate study and careers in academic research and teaching;
(c) foster serious engagement with the complexity of the classical pasts and, by extension, of other times and places, by familiarizing students with the history, methodologies, theory, and practice of the discipline. By studying the legacy of ancient ideas, ethics, and ideologies, the CLST majors promote an appreciation of their impact on contemporary society and stimulate critical reflection on the present.

Goals for Undergraduate Classical Studies Education

The Department of Classical Studies offers two majors: Classical Languages, which stresses the languages and literatures of Greece and Rome, and Classical Civilization, which focuses on their history and material culture. Both are designed to develop and hone the skills necessary for reading the remains and evaluating the legacy of Greco-Roman antiquity and for thinking and writing about it with clarity and independence of mind. The learning objectives for the department’s majors are consonant with the general philosophy of Trinity College, with the departmental goals outlined above, and with the more specific Statement of Purpose on Education in Classics set forth by the American Philological Association.

Goal 1: CLST majors develop a comprehensive knowledge of disciplinary fundamentals through study of

CLLA: Greek and Latin through the fourth semester and at least one course on Greek and/or Roman history / archaeology / culture
CLCIV: required courses in both Greek and Roman history, and at least 1 course in three of the four following categories (total of 3 courses): literature (in translation or in the original at the 100 level or above), art and archaeology, history, philosophy.

Goal 2: Majors will develop advanced-level proficiency in at least one ancient language, Latin or Greek (CLLA), or in at least one domain of classical civilization, Greek or Roman history, archaeology, etc. (CLCIV) through

(CLLA) advanced and concentrated study of one of the two ancient languages, taking (a) at least one graduate-level course and (b) at least three reading courses at or above the 100 level in their chosen language of focus (Latin or Greek), toward which the graduate-level course may count.
(CLCIV): advanced and concentrated study in one particular domain of Classical Studies, taking (a) at least one graduate-level course and (b) at least three CLST courses at or above the 100 level in their chosen area of focus (e.g. Literature, History, Archaeology, Philosophy), toward which the graduate-level course may count.

Goal 3: All majors in both CLLA and CLCIV will gain proficiency in writing in the discipline of Classical Studies.

Students will have opportunities in both CLLA and CLCIV courses to write research papers and shorter analytical pieces.
All majors wil take the Capstone course, which is coded W.

Goal 4: Students will conduct research through required and encouraged course opportunities

Capstone (mandatory): All majors will take the Capstone, CLST 196, which offers the opportunity to gain a general, synoptic view of Classical Studies and its continuing influence.
A second R course: All majors will take either (a) a second R(esearch) course or else (b) a graduate course whose assignments include a research paper.
The Senior thesis is encouraged for all majors, and R Independent Studies are especially appropriate when a student is writing a Senior thesis.

Goal 5: Majors will be encouraged to pursue learning experiences beyond the traditional classroom ('Outside Experience')

Study abroad: Majors will be encouraged to participate in semester-long study-abroad programs, such as those offered by the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, ICCS in Sicily, the College Year in Athens, or a similar Duke-approved program, where they will encounter and study the remains of the Classical world first-hand in intensive settings.
Excavation experience: Majors will be encouraged to work on archaeological excavations during summers, a process facilitated by Duke's participation in the Consortium for Classical and Mediterranean Archaeology and the Teasley Fund.
Summer abroad: Majors who cannot spend a regular semester away from Duke, or who cannot attend an archaeological excavation, should participate in one of Duke's shorter summer programs, such as Duke in Rome and Duke in Greece, or else take specialized summer courses away from Duke in a subject related to their major (Latin, Greek, archaeology, digital humanities, etc.).
Hands-on work: Majors will be encouraged to make use of the University's considerable collections of special ancient materials , e.g. from the Nasher or the RBMSCL.
Majors will be encouraged to pursue other experiential learning opportunities, e.g. Museum Internships, Research Assistantships, or Peer Tutoring in ancient languages.

Click here for Assessment guidelines and SACS Documentation.

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Please feel free to visit the department, in 233 Allen Building, across from Perkins Library. Upcoming courses are posted online, and individual faculty are available for consultation. To learn more, please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Josh Sosin.