Undergraduate Program

Brauron

Classical Studies

Director of Undergraduate Studies: Michèle Lowrie, WB 125, mlowrie@uchicago.edu
Administrative Assistant: Kathleen M. Fox, Cl 22B, 702-8514, kfox@uchicago.edu

Programs of Study

The B.A. degree in Classical Studies allows students to explore Greek and Roman antiquity in a variety of ways and provides excellent preparation for careers that require strong skills in interpretation and writing, such as teaching, scholarly research, law, and publishing, and in the humanities in general. Students may choose from the following three variants based on their preparation, interests, and goals: (1) The Language and Literature Variant combines the study of Greek and Latin texts with coverage of diverse areas, including art and archaeology, history, philosophy, religion, and science. (2) The Language Intensive Variant focuses on languages with the aim of reading a larger selection of texts in the original languages; it is designed especially for those who wish to pursue graduate studies in classics. (3) The Greek and Roman Cultures Variant emphasizes courses in art and archaeology, history, material culture, and texts in translation.

Students in other fields of study may also complete a minor in Classical Studies. Information follows the description of the major.

Degree Program in Classical Studies: Language and Literature Variant

Students who take the Language and Literature Variant may focus exclusively on Greek or exclusively on Latin, or they may study both languages with an emphasis on one or the other. The program assumes that, in addition to the requirements for the major, students have completed, or have credit for, a year of language study in either Greek or Latin. No course that is used to meet one of the following requirements may be used simultaneously to meet a requirement under any other category.

  1. Six courses in Greek or Latin in the major that must include the 20100-20300 sequence or higher in at least one language (e.g., LATN 20100-20200-20300-21100-21200-21300; or LATN 20100-20200-20300 and GREK 10100-10200-10300). These six courses must be taken in addition to a year of study or credit in Greek or Latin that Classical Studies majors are expected to use to meet the College language competency requirement.
  2. Six courses in Greek or Roman art, history, philosophy, religion, science, material culture, or classical literature in translation, with courses divided between at least two fields, and with approval of the director of undergraduate studies. Any course that carries a Classical Civilization listing or a Classics listing between 30100 and 39000 meets this requirement. Other eligible courses are offered in disciplines such as Art History, Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, Philosophy, and Political Science. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies.
  3. By the end of the Spring Quarter of their third year, students are required to submit to the director of undergraduate studies a hard copy of a research skills paper of around 10-12 pages. The paper, which will normally substitute for a final paper in a Greek (above 20300), Latin (above 20300), Classical Civilization or Classics course, is designed to prepare students for the B.A. Paper. Students will be expected to develop a reasoned argument on a particular topic, based not only on primary materials (ancient literary texts; material culture; etc.) but also on research of relevant secondary bibliography. Students should declare at the start of the quarter if they wish to take a certain course in conjunction with the research skills paper and should work closely with the Faculty instructor throughout the quarter.
  4. The B.A. Paper Seminar (CLCV 29800), a one-quarter course spread over two quarters, as described below.

Summary of Requirements

  • 6 courses in Greek or Latin (must include 20100-20200-20300)
  • 6 courses in Greek or Roman history, philosophy, science, religion, art, or classical literature in translation
  • 1 B.A. Paper Seminar (CLCV 29800)
  • 13 total

Degree Program in Classical Studies: Language Intensive Variant

The Language Intensive Variant is designed for students who expect to continue Classical Studies at the graduate level. It aims to provide the level of linguistic proficiency in both Greek and Latin that is commonly expected of applicants to rigorous graduate programs. The program assumes that, in addition to the requirements for the major, students have completed, or have credit for, a year of language study in either Greek or Latin. Students must also use some of their general electives to meet the language requirements of this program variant.

No course that is used to meet one of the following requirements may be used simultaneously to meet a requirement under any other category.

  1. Six courses in one classical language (Greek or Latin) at the 20000 level or above and six courses or the equivalent in the other (three of which may be at the introductory level).
  2. Four courses in Greek or Roman art, history, philosophy, religion, science, material culture, or classical literature in translation, with courses divided between at least two fields, and with approval of the director of undergraduate studies. Any course that carries a Classical Civilization listing or a Classics listing between 30100 and 39000 meets this requirement. Other eligible courses are offered in disciplines such as Art History, Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, Philosophy, and Political Science. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies.
  3. By the end of the Spring Quarter of their third year, students are required to submit to the director of undergraduate studies a hard copy of a research skills paper of around 10-12 pages. The paper, which will normally substitute for a final paper in a Greek (above 20300), Latin (above 20300), Classical Civilization or Classics course, is designed to prepare students for the B.A. Paper. Students will be expected to develop a reasoned argument on a particular topic, based not only on primary materials (ancient literary texts; material culture; etc.) but also on research of relevant secondary bibliography. Students should declare at the start of the quarter if they wish to take a certain course in conjunction with the research skills paper and should work closely with the Faculty instructor throughout the quarter.
  4. The B.A. Paper Seminar (CLCV 29800), a one-quarter course spread over two quarters, as described below.

Summary of Requirements: Language Intensive Variant

  • 6 courses in Greek*
  • 6 courses in Latin*
  • 4 courses in Greek or Roman art, history, philosophy, science, religion, or classical literature in translation
  • 1 B.A. Paper Seminar (CLCV 29800)
  • 17 total

* Six courses in one classical language (Greek or Latin) at the 20000 level or above and six courses or the equivalent in the other (three of which may be at the introductory level).

Degree Program in Classical Studies: Greek and Roman Cultures Variant

This variant is designed for students who are interested in ancient Greece and Rome but wish to focus more on history (political, intellectual, religious, social) and material culture than on language and literature. Because the program allows many courses taught in other departments to count toward the major, it is especially suited to students who declare their major late or who wish to complete two majors. The program assumes that, in addition to requirements for the major, students have met the general education requirement in civilization studies by taking the Ancient Mediterranean World sequence (CLCV 20700-20800), the Athens Program, or the Rome Program. Students who have met the general education requirement in civilization studies with a different sequence should complete one of these three sequences, which may then count as three of the nine courses in classical civilization required for the major.

No course that is used to meet one of the following requirements may be used simultaneously to meet a requirement under any other category.

  1. Three courses in Greek or Latin beyond the level of any credit earned by examination. Students who have not received credit by placement tests or Advanced Placement examinations may register for first-year Greek or Latin courses.
  2. Nine courses in Greek or Roman art, history, philosophy, religion, science, material culture, or classical literature in translation, with courses divided between at least four fields, and with approval of the director of undergraduate studies. Any course that carries a Classical Civilization listing or a Classics listing between 30100 and 39000 meets this requirement. Other eligible courses are offered in disciplines such as Art History, Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, Philosophy, and Political Science. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies.
  3. By the end of the Spring Quarter of their third year, students are required to submit to the director of undergraduate studies a hard copy of a research skills paper of around 10-12 pages. The paper, which will normally substitute for a final paper in a Greek (above 20300), Latin (above 20300), Classical Civilization or Classics course, is designed to prepare students for the B.A. Paper. Students will be expected to develop a reasoned argument on a particular topic, based not only on primary materials (ancient literary texts; material culture; etc.) but also on research of relevant secondary bibliography. Students should declare at the start of the quarter if they wish to take a certain course in conjunction with the research skills paper and should work closely with the Faculty instructor throughout the quarter.
  4. The B.A. Paper Seminar (CLCV 29800), a one-quarter course spread over two quarters, as described below.

Summary of Requirements: Greek and Roman Cultures Variant

  • 3 courses in Greek or Latin*
  • 9 courses in Greek or Roman art, history, philosophy, religion, science, or classical literature in translation
  • 1 B.A. Paper Seminar (CLCV 29800)
  • 13 total

* Credit may not be granted by examination.

B.A. Paper Seminar and B.A. Paper

Candidates for the B.A. degree in all variants of the Classical Studies major are required to write a substantial B.A. paper. The purpose of the B.A. paper is to enable students to improve their research and writing skills and to give them an opportunity to focus their knowledge of the field upon an issue of their own choosing.

In their third year, by Monday of eighth week of Spring Quarter, students must submit to the director of undergraduate studies a short statement proposing an area of research, and the statement must be approved by a member of the Classics faculty who agrees to be the director of the B.A. paper. At the same time, students should meet with the preceptor of the B.A. Paper Seminar to plan a program of research.

Students may register for the B.A. Paper Seminar (CLCV 29800) in either Autumn Quarter or Winter Quarter of their fourth year, but they are expected to participate in seminar meetings throughout both quarters. The focus of the seminar is to discuss research problems and compose preliminary drafts of their B.A. papers. Participants in the regular seminar meetings are expected to exchange criticism and ideas with each other and with the preceptor, as well as to take account of comments from their faculty readers. The grade for the B.A. Paper Seminar is identical to the grade for the B.A. paper and, therefore, is not reported until the paper has been submitted in Spring Quarter. The grade for the B.A. paper depends on participation in the seminar as well as on the quality of the paper. A provisional grade will be assigned by the preceptor at the end of the Autumn Quarter and communicated to the student via the director of undergraduate studies. The final grade will be determined jointly by the preceptor and faculty director once the B.A. paper has been submitted.

The deadline for submitting the B.A. paper in final form is Friday of third week of Spring Quarter. This deadline represents the formal submission, which is final; students should expect to submit and defend substantial drafts much earlier. Hard copies are to be submitted to the faculty director, seminar preceptor, and director of undergraduate studies. Students who fail to meet the deadline may not be able to graduate in that quarter and will not be eligible for honors consideration.

Students who undertake a double major may meet the requirement for a B.A. paper in Classical Studies by making it part of a single B.A. paper that is designed to meet the requirements of both majors. This combined paper must have a substantial focus on texts or issues of the classical period, and must have a Classics faculty member as a reader. The use of a single essay to meet the requirement for a B.A. paper in two majors requires approval from directors of undergraduate studies in both majors. A consent form, to be signed by the director of undergraduate studies, is available from the College advisers. It must be completed and returned to the College adviser by the end of Autumn Quarter of the student’s year of graduation.

Grading. The first-year sequences in Greek and Latin (GREK 10100-10200-10300, GREK 11100-11200-11300, LATN 10100-10200-10300, LATN 11100-11200-11300) and the courses in Greek and Latin composition are open for P/F grading for students not using these courses to meet language requirements for the major. All courses taken to meet requirements in the major must be taken for quality grades.

Honors

To be recommended for honors, a student must maintain an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in the major, and must also demonstrate superior ability in the B.A. paper to interpret Greek or Latin source material and to develop a coherent argument. For a student to be recommended for honors, the B.A. paper must be judged worthy of honors by the faculty director, preceptor, and an additional faculty reader. Initial recommendations for honors will be made, before the end of the fifth week of the Winter Quarter, by the preceptor to the director of undergraduate studies, who will consult with the faculty director. If the recommendation is approved, the student will select a second faculty reader in consultation with the faculty director.

Prizes

The Arthur Adkins Summer Research Fellowship (up to $5,000) is targeted to third-year undergraduates who are bound for graduate school, and it provides means and opportunity for the writing of a superior research paper on any aspect of the ancient world from the Bronze Age through Late Antiquity. It may be used for travel to classical sites and collections or to other research centers, and/or for living expenses during a summer devoted to research between the third and fourth year. Applicants must submit (in the first week of Spring Quarter) a transcript, a statement (2-3 pages) outlining their project and its relationship to existing knowledge in the field, a plan of research together with a provisional budget for the summer, and a letter from a faculty supervisor.

The Classics Prize is a cash award of $300 made annually to the student who graduates with the best record of achievement in the Classical Studies major.

The David Grene Summer Fellowship (up to $5,000) is targeted to undergraduates whose intellectual interests in the classical world have led them to an area of knowledge which they are unable to pursue during the regular academic year, and it allows them an opportunity to explore that interest through independent study during the summer before graduation. The independent study may involve training in a new discipline such as paleography or numismatics, first-hand experience of ancient sites and artifacts, or ancillary language study. It may be carried out under the auspices of an organized program like the American School of Classical Studies at Athens or the American Academy in Rome, or it may be tailored entirely according to the student’s own plan. Applicants must submit (in the first week of Spring Quarter) a transcript, project statement, a provisional budget, and a faculty letter of recommendation.

The John G. Hawthorne Travel Prize (up to $4,000) is awarded annually to an outstanding undergraduate student of classical languages, literature, or civilization for travel to Greece or Italy or for study of classical materials in other countries. The award may be used to pursue a project of the student’s own design or to participate in appropriate programs conducted in Greece or Italy. Applicants must submit (in the first week of Spring Quarter) a transcript, project statement, provisional budget, and a faculty letter of recommendation.

The Nancy P. Helmbold Travel Award (up to $3,500) is awarded annually to an outstanding undergraduate student of Greek and/or Latin for travel to Greece or Italy. Applicants must submit (in the first week of Spring Quarter) a transcript, project statement, proposed budget, and a faculty letter of recommendation

The Paul Shorey Foreign Travel Grant ($300) is awarded annually to a student of Greek or Latin who has been accepted to participate in the Athens Program or the Rome Program of the College, and it is to be used to defray costs incurred in the program. The terms of the grant stipulate that it is to be awarded to a “needy and deserving” student. Students who have been accepted into one of the programs and who wish to be considered for the Shorey grant are invited to submit statements explaining their need in the first week of Spring Quarter.

The Pausanias Summer Research Fellowship (up to $5,000) is awarded annually to an undergraduate student who is majoring or minoring in Classical Studies and is conducting research abroad in a site of interest for classical studies. The award may be used to pursue a project of the student’s own design or to participate in an appropriate institutional program abroad. Applicants must submit (in the first week of Spring Quarter) a transcript, project statement, provisional budget, and faculty letter of recommendation.

Minor Program in Classical Studies

The minor in Classical Studies requires a total of seven courses in Greek, Latin, or classical civilization. Students may choose one of two variants: a language variant that includes three courses at the 20000 level or higher in one language or a classical civilization variant.

Students must meet with the director of undergraduate studies before the end of Spring Quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the minor. Students choose courses in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. The director’s approval for the minor program should be submitted to a student’s College adviser by the deadline above on a form obtained from the adviser.

Courses in the minor (1) may not be double counted with the student’s major(s) or with other minors and (2) may not be counted toward general education requirements. Courses in the minor must be taken for quality grades, and more than half of the requirements for the minor must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.

The following groups of courses would comprise a minor in the areas indicated. Other programs may be designed in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. Minor program requirements are subject to revision.

Greek (or Latin) Sample Variant
  • GREK (or LATN) 10100-10300. Beginning Greek (or Latin)
  • GREK (or LATN) 20100-20300. Intermediate Greek (or Latin)
  • CLCV 21200. History and Theory of Drama (or, for example, CLCV 21400 [Marginal Populations of the Roman Empire])
Greek (or Latin) Sample Variant
  • GREK (or LATN) 20100-20300. Intermediate Greek (or Latin)
  • CLCV 20700-20900. Ancient Mediterranean World
  • CLCV 21400. Marginal Populations of the Roman Empire (or, for example, CLCV 21200 [History and Theory of Drama])
Classical Civilization Sample Variant
  • CLCV 20700-20900. Ancient Mediterranean World (or, for example, Greek [or Latin] 10100-10300)
  • CLCV 23100. Ancient Philosophy
  • CLCV 22100. Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius
  • CLCV 24200. The Invention of the Love Poem
  • CLCV 27100. Ancient Studies Seminar

* Credit may not be granted by examination to meet the language requirement for the minor program.