Overview

The Department of Classical Studies is small and congenial, with a faculty that enjoys teaching while at the same time being active in research and publication. It has the feel of a small college department in the midst of a major university. There are five regular faculty members, plus two adjuncts; another dozen faculty in other departments have teaching and research interests in the ancient world. The department supports a Classics major and an interdisciplinary Minor in Ancient Civilization at the undergraduate level, and a small Master of Arts program at the graduate level. 

Courses

The range of courses offered includes elementary and intermediate languages (Latin, Greek, and Modern Greek), upper level reading courses in ancient authors and genres in their original languages (these are the basis of the major), and broad gauge courses in ancient culture in which the reading is in English (the basis of the minor).  Some of these latter courses carry credit for the Core Curriculum requirement in Literature. Elementary and intermediate language courses satisfy the university's language requirement.

Course sizes vary widely.  At the one end is Classical Mythology, a lecture and discussion course enrolling 60-70 students, sometimes more.  At the other end are advanced reading courses in Greek, which may have as few as five to seven students enrolled.  Advanced Latin courses tend to be in the range of twelve to fifteen.  Courses in the area of ancient civilization, whose reading is entirely in English, range from twenty to forty.  On the whole classes are small enough to allow for a good deal of individual attention.

Facilities & Opportunities

In addition to the facilities of the O'Neill and Bapst Libraries, the department possesses its own Classics library and seminar room and provides access to valuable Boston institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts. Students have the opportunity to study abroad in Greece or in Italy (through several programs, especially the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome and the College Year in Athens program). In recent years students have had opportunities to take part in archeological digs in the summer.

Over the course of the academic year the department sponsors various lectures and discussion groups, bringing in scholars from other universities and supporting talks by our own faculty and graduate students. Classes sometimes attend dramatic and other cultural events in the Boston area.  Each year the Max Wainer Prize is awarded to the graduating senior with the best record in Classics.

Classics majors have typically gone on to careers in law, medicine, publishing, business, and teaching.