Classics
Chairman and Professor: CARL YOUNG III
Professors: JOSEPH GARNJOBST, GAVIN WEAIRE
Associate Professor: ERIC HUTCHINSON
Assistant Professors: PATRICIA CRAIG, JOSHUA FINCHER, MARK MCCLAY
The study of the languages and civilization of Greece and Rome gives the student a unique insight into the Western heritage. Basic knowledge of classical antiquity is virtually indispensable for any indepth study in politics, religion, philosophy, or literature. The analytical training of classics, moreover, gives the student excellent and widely recognized preparation for a broad variety of professions.
Proficiency in Latin or Greek, as demonstrated by successful completion of Classics 101, 102, and 201 (Latin) or Classics 103, 104, and 202 (Greek) will satisfy the foreign language requirement for the bachelor of arts degree. Students may satisfy the language requirement in part by demonstrating the necessary level of proficiency on the placement exam given by the Classics Department at the beginning of the fall semester.
The Classics Department offers three majors. All three majors consist of a component of classes in one or both of the original languages of Latin and Greek and a component of Classical Civilization classes in which the sources are taught in English translation.
Courses offered by other departments that are centered on the Greco-Roman tradition and that are appropriate for one of the majors may be counted toward that major with approval of the Chairman of Classics. Students may double-major with the Latin major and Greek major, but may not double-major with the Classics major and one of the other majors.
Students who major in any one of the three majors offered by Classics will have to pass a comprehensive examination in the last semester of the senior year. Departmental honors will be awarded to graduating Greek, Latin, and Classics majors based on three joint criteria: a departmental GPA of at least 3.6, a high pass on comprehensive exams, and submission of an honors thesis. The thesis should be a significant research paper (3,000-6,000 words) on a classical topic or text. In addition to relevant primary sources, the paper should also demonstrate a command of the relevant secondary literature on the topic while developing an original argument. The paper may be developed and written during a student’s senior year (under supervision of a Classics faculty member and with approval of a second reader within the department), or it may be revised from a previously submitted Classics research paper or CSP thesis (in which case it must have approval from a second reader within the department other than the faculty member for whom it was originally written). The deadline to submit the thesis is March 1 for seniors graduating in the spring.
Degrees
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Classics, Major -
Classics, Minor -
Greek, Minor -
Greek, Major -
Latin, Major -
Latin, Minor
Courses of Instruction
CLS 101: Beginning Latin I
Credits 4CLS 102: Beginning Latin II
Credits 4CLS 103: Beginning Greek I
Credits 4CLS 104: Beginning Greek II
Credits 4CLS 200: Greco-Roman Literature and Culture
Credits 3A study of Greek and Roman literature and culture and its influences on the Western tradition
CLS 201: Beginning Latin III
Credits 4CLS 301: Greek Civilization
Credits 3CLS 302: Roman Civilization
Credits 3CLS 310: Greek Mythology
Credits 3CLS 311: Rhetoric and Persuasion in the Ancient World
Credits 3CLS 313: The Ancient Epic
Credits 3CLS 314: Readings in Patristic Greek
Credits 1 Max Credits 2A study of the syntax, style, and content of Christian texts of the second through the sixth centuries (e.g., works by Athanasius, Basil of Caesarea, John Chrysostom). This course may be repeated for credit if the reading is different. Prerequisite: CLS 214 or CLS 220.
CLS 315: Justice and the Law in the Greco-Roman World
Credits 3A study of the evolution of the concepts of justice and of the legal systems of the Greeks and Romans and their legacy to the Western tradition.
CLS 316: Pagans and Christians in the Greco-Roman World
Credits 3A study of the various interrelationships of the non-Christian and Christian in the ancient world, with readings from primary sources.
CLS 320: Introduction to Latin Literature
Credits 3CLS 321: Literature of the Roman Republic
Credits 3CLS 322: Literature of the Roman Empire
Credits 3CLS 351: Greek Literature of the Athenian Golden Age
Credits 3CLS 352: Introduction to Homeric Greek
Credits 3CLS 380: The Antiquities of Rome
Credits 3CLS 400: Latin Language Instruction
Credits 1 Max Credits 2CLS 401: Greek Literature in Translation
Credits 2CLS 402: Roman Literature in Translation
Credits 2CLS 403: Topics in Advanced Latin Reading I
Credits 3CLS 407: Medieval Latin
Credits 1 Max Credits 2CLS 411: Latin Prose Composition I
Credits 1 Max Credits 2CLS 412: Latin Prose Composition II
Credits 1 Max Credits 2CLS 423: Topics in Advanced Greek Reading I
Credits 3CLS 450: Latin Teacher Program
Credits 1 Max Credits 2This course is meant to provide hands on experience in the classroom for students interested in improving their pedagogical skills in general and their Latin teaching in particular. Students are assigned a 1st-8th Latin classroom at Hillsdale Preparatory Academy. They commit to that classroom for one semester, during which time they provide Latin instruction on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:10-11:45. Outside of the classroom, students are expected to grade assignments, create and submit lesson plans, coordinate with their teaching partner (if applicable), conduct teacher observations, communicate with their classroom lead teacher, and attend teacher development seminars. This course is for 1-2 credits. All students, with the exception of the student administrator, must commit to the Latin instruction portion of the course. Enrollment is by instructor permission only; interested students must complete the application and interview process. Students repeat CLS 450 for up to 6 credit hours; such hours count towards the overall maximum allowable internship and practicum credit (6).