What is Classics?

The Department of Greek, Latin, & Classical Studies focuses upon the study of the cultures of Greece and Rome within the ancient Mediterranean world. The languages of ancient Greek and Latin provide the primary tools to explore these cultures, but the study of Classics goes beyond literature to the history, philosophy, religion, science, art, and material culture of the ancient civilizations. It also includes the long tradition of reception that these works of literature, myth, art, philosophy, etc., have had in later societies, up to the present day. The term “Classics” refers to the fact that these are works to which later cultures have returned again and again to grapple with the perennial problems of humanity, sometimes in a spirit of admiration and sometimes in a spirit of critique, but always finding rich resources to explore.

Why Study Classics?

By studying the cultures of Greco-Roman antiquity, we engage in this ongoing conversation about these perennial issues of human flourishing. The encounter with places and times outside of our own provides us with crucial perspective on our own lives, as we grapple with making familiar the often quite alien assumptions of other cultures, as well as making strange again elements of the Classical tradition that seem familiar. We practice critical analysis of ancient societies, developing the skills of close reading of texts and other cultural products to gain a better understanding of the world. The study of Classics, whether as a major or just in a few classes, can thus enrich the analysis of other cultures and strengthen work in other disciplines.

Our student majors go on to pursue a plethora of different paths after graduation; many choose to continue their education in law school, medical or veterinary school, or other professional schools, but others find their ways into a wide variety of careers, from social service to secondary school teaching and more. For those who wish to pursue a career in academia, Bryn Mawr’s Classics program provides a superb foundation for graduate school in Classics, especially since students can begin taking graduate seminars while still undergraduates here. Some students take advantage of the AB/MA pathway to earn a Master’s Degree in Classics in a four or five year course of study.

Major and Minor Tracks in Classics

There are two different tracks for undergraduates who wish to major within our department: Classical Culture and Society (CCAS) and Classical Language (CLAN). Each track has a different set of requirements, but each involves a combination of courses in the ancient languages and courses in translation. Courses in Greek (GREK) and Latin (LATN) involve the study of the ancient language and reading texts in that language. Courses for which a knowledge of Greek or Latin is not required are listed under Classical Studies (CSTS); courses in CSTS at the 100- and 200-level generally do not require any prerequisites or background in the study of the ancient world.  Students may take a 200-level CSTS course at an enhanced 300-level with special permission from the instructor (as CSTS 307). 

The Bryn Mawr Department of Greek, Latin, & Classical Studies collaborates very closely with our counterpart Haverford Department of Classics, and our curriculum each year is planned in coordination to maximize the availability of Greek and Latin courses at every level from elementary to graduate level, as well as to offer the broadest range of Classical Studies courses.  The Senior Seminar rotates each year between the campuses, and seniors may work with faculty advisors from either campus on their senior capstone projects.

Senior Capstone

In addition to the sequence of courses specified for each major, all majors are expected to have read through the Classics Reading List before they participate in the Senior Seminar, a required full-year course. In the first term, students refine their ability to read, discuss, and critique Classical texts through engagement with scholarship from various fields of Classics, while laying the groundwork for their senior thesis research. In the second term, they conduct independent research, culminating in a substantial thesis paper or other capstone project and a presentation to the department.

College Foreign Language Requirement

The College's foreign language requirement may be satisfied by completing two semesters of Greek or Latin with grades of 2.0 or better.

Writing in the Major

In addition to completing the course requirements for the major (Classical Culture & Society or Classical Languages), every student must fulfill the requisite training in writing within the discipline by taking as part of her major plan two courses that are designated as Writing Attentive or a single course designated as Writing Intensive. The student may count a Writing Attentive or Intensive course that is taught outside the department if it is included in the major plan.

Study Abroad

Students, according to their major and concentrations, are encouraged to consider a term of study abroad during junior year. The department has a long relationship with the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, and students have attended that program nearly every year. Students have also enjoyed studying in the College Year in Athens program, as well as other JYA programs (e.g. Edinburgh, Dublin, London, etc.). Courses in relevant subjects can often be counted toward the major, and students should consult with their Major Advisor to determine how their course of study abroad will fit within their major plans.

Departmental Honors

Graduating majors who have demonstrated exceptional ability in coursework within the major and in the senior capstone will be considered for departmental honors.

The Classics Colloquium and other Departmental Events

The Department runs a weekly Classics Colloquium, every Friday afternoon, in which scholars from other institutions are invited to present papers on a wide range of topics. In addition to these distinguished visitors, Bryn Mawr faculty and senior graduate students also speak on occasion. The Classics Colloquium is always preceded by a Tea, to which all are welcome: it provides a regular meeting-place for everyone associated with the Department.

Each year the graduate students in Classics invite a distinguished scholar to give the Agnes Michels Lecture in the Classics Colloquium and to lead a weekend seminar for the graduate students. The scholar’s visit is funded by the endowment in honor of a former faculty member, Agnes Michels, who taught in the department from 1934-1975. The undergraduate majors from both Haverford and Bryn Mawr also invite a Senior Majors’ Speaker each year.

The Department has several other annual events, such as the In the Dark of Night reading of spooky stories from the Classics around Halloween and the May Day Greek Play, in which students rewrite a Greek tragedy to transform it into a musical comedy, with tunes borrowed from Broadway or pop songs. Each year the Oral Recitation of Ancient Literature Tea (ORALiTea) takes place either at Bryn Mawr or Haverford, and there is an annual Classics Marathon Reading at Haverford; both events provide an opportunity for reading aloud from works in the original languages or in translation.

Funding for Summer Learning Opportunities

The Department encourages students to continue their pursuit of Classics beyond the classroom and the semester, and students interested in summer learning opportunities are strongly encouraged to be in touch with Department faculty early in the spring semester. Majors in our Department frequently take advantage of opportunities provided by the college, such as the Hanna Holborn Gray Fellowship, Digital Humanities Grants, the Mellon-Mays Fellowship, or the special pilot program for support of research in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The Department also has a special fund, the Paul Shorey Fellowship for Classical Philology, to support learning opportunities for our students during the summer, whether taking additional language courses to move ahead in Greek or Latin or enriching their knowledge of the ancient world through some other program.

Paul Shorey was the first Professor of Greek at Bryn Mawr College, where he taught from 1885 to 1892. He is best known for his work on Plato (including The Unity of Plato’s Thought, What Plato Said, and his monumental translation of Plato’s Republic), but he also worked on Sophocles, Homer, Herodotus, Horace, and Lucretius. His vast and wide-ranging scholarship is notable for its clear and incisive thinking, and he provides a model not only for intellectual curiosity of the best kind but also for excellence and rigor in his work.

Students may apply for funding as a Shorey Scholar to support their endeavors in the summer (or, in special cases, during the academic year). This fellowship award is designated for undergraduate students who wish to engage in special projects involving classical philology, including the study of languages, philosophy, myths or other aspects of ancient Greek and Roman cultures. The fellowships are awarded on the basis of an application to the department that includes a proposal for the project, a recommendation from a faculty member, and a budget. Completed applications are due no later than the Friday before spring break and earlier submissions may be given advance consideration, especially for projects that take place before the summer. The Shorey Scholars who receive the departmental fellowship will present a brief report upon the outcome of their activities in the fall after the project is begun, as well as a brief written report to be made available in the departmental archives. Any questions about the fellowship should be addressed to Prof. Radcliffe Edmonds (redmonds@brynmawr.edu).

Classical Languages

The Classical Languages track offers students the opportunity to gain a deeper proficiency in Greek and/or Latin and to explore Classical texts and the literary, historical, and philosophical contexts in which they emerged.

Major Requirements

• Six courses beyond the introductory level in Greek or Latin, of which at least four must be at the 200 level or above.
• Three elective courses. Such courses could include:
  • Any Classical Studies, Greek, or Latin course (including cross-listed and tagged courses offered by faculty in other departments)
  • With advisor approval, courses outside the department that engage with the ancient Mediterranean world or its afterlife; for example:
    • other historical languages
    • Archaeology, Art History, History, Religion, or Anthropology courses on Mediterranean, North African, and Near Eastern cultures
    • courses on the reception of ancient Mediterranean culture, such as Medieval Studies, Comparative Literature, Museum Studies, or courses focused on the classical tradition
• At least one of the above Greek, Latin, or Classical Studies courses must be at the 300 level or above
• Senior Seminar and Thesis (CSTS B398 Senior Seminar and CSTS B399 Senior Seminar)

Minor Requirements

• Six courses in Greek or Latin, including at least two at the 200 level or above.
  • The department may reduce the number of required courses for those who are already beyond the elementary language when they begin the minor.

Classical Culture and Society

The track in Classical Culture offers students the opportunity to explore life in Classical antiquity in all of its dimensions—from language, to literature, to history, philosophy, archaeology, and more—as well as its impact on later cultural traditions. It is designed to allow students to use a foundation in Greek or Latin as the springboard to chart their own paths through the College's rich offerings in archaeology and art history, history, politics, philosophy and religion, and classical literature and its reception.

Major Requirements

• Two semesters in either Latin or Greek at any level.
• Seven elective courses, including at least two at the 200 level or above, and one at the 300 level or above. Such courses could include:
  • Any Classical Studies, Greek, or Latin course (including cross-listed and tagged courses offered by faculty in other departments)
  • With advisor approval, courses outside the department that engage with the ancient Mediterranean world or its afterlife; for example:
    • other historical languages
    • Archaeology, Art History, History, Religion, or Anthropology courses on Mediterranean, North African, and Near Eastern cultures
    • courses on the reception of ancient Mediterranean culture, such as Medieval Studies, Comparative Literature, Museum Studies, or courses focused on the classical tradition
• Senior Seminar and Thesis (CSTS B398 Senior Seminar and CSTS B399 Senior Seminar)

Minor Requirements

• Six courses drawn from the range of courses counted towards the Classical Culture Major, including:
  • At least two Classical Studies (CSTS) courses at the 200 level or above
  • At least two Greek (GREK) or Latin (LATN) courses at any level