/Institutions/Catholic-University-of-America/json/2023-2024/Undergraduate-Announcements-local.json

/Institutions/Catholic-University-of-America/json/2023-2024/Undergraduate-Announcements.json

Undergraduate Announcements > School of Arts and Sciences > Departments and Programs in the School of Arts and Sciences > Department of Greek and Latin

Department of Greek and Latin

Professors	William E. Klingshirn, Director of the Center for the Study of Early Christianity; John F. Petruccione
Professor Emeritus	Frank A. C. Mantello
Associate Professors	Sarah Brown Ferrario, Chair; William J. McCarthy, Director of Graduate Studies
Assistant Professor	Fabio Pagani, Director of Undergraduate Studies
Adjunct Assistant Professor	Sr. Maria Kiely, O.S.B.

Department of Greek and Latin Website

The Department of Greek and Latin explores ancient Greece and Rome within the context of the ancient Mediterranean. It offers courses in Greek and Latin language and literature and in Greek and Roman culture. Students are encouraged to pursue an interdisciplinary approach. In their effort to understand the ancient Greeks and Romans and their societies, specialists will wish to read and study what they wrote as they wrote it. But students who are interested in the broader reception of the ancient world are encouraged to take the many departmental courses that do not require any knowledge of either Greek or Latin. These non-language courses, listed under "Classics" (CLAS), use translations of writings and documents to study literature, mythology, history, arts, and culture.

The highly flexible major in Classical Studies (used by all students entering in Fall 2022 and later) provides excellent preparation for professional careers in many fields, but with appropriate choices of content it can also furnish very strong background for graduate work in this discipline. Students of the Department of Greek and Latin value the habits of firm, critical judgment; precise and articulate expression; and intelligent, responsible reflection that derive from careful and dedicated study of the ancient sources and of their reception in the modern world. 

All majors in the Department of Greek and Latin are required to maintain a 2.5 GPA in all departmental courses and a 2.0 GPA in all other courses. Courses completed with a grade of D, F*, or F do not count towards the major and must be repeated.

Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies

The requirements for the major can be found at Classical Studies - Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

For all students entering in Fall 2022 and continuing students who opt for it, this major replaces the programs in Classics, Classical Humanities, and Classical Civilization described below. It allows students broad flexibility to investigate the ancient world, with the option for focused language study.

Bachelor of Arts in Classics - Greek and Latin (open to current majors in classes of ‘23, ‘24, and ‘25 only)

The requirements for the major can be found at Classics - Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

This major emphasizes competence in both ancient languages. It consists of six or seven courses in Greek, six or seven in Latin, and four in ancient history and art history. In the senior year it requires a senior project. 

Bachelor of Arts in Classical Civilization (open to current majors in classes of ‘23, ‘24, and ‘25 only)

The requirements for the major can be found at Classical Civilization - Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

This major makes the systematic study of the Greek and Roman civilizations accessible to students who do not wish to major in the Greek and/or Latin languages. It is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the history, thought, and culture of the ancient Mediterranean world from the Bronze Age to the rise of Islam. The program requires students to examine the ancient Mediterranean from a variety of perspectives: literary, historical, and material.

Minor Programs

As of Fall 2022, for all new students, these minors replace previous similar programs.

Minor in Ancient Greek Language and Culture

The requirements for the minor can be found at Ancient Greek Language and Culture - Minor

Minor in Latin Language and Roman Culture

The requirements for the minor can be found at Latin Language and Roman Culture - Minor

Minor in Classical Studies

The requirements for the minor can be found at Classical Studies - Minor

The following minors are only open to current minors in classes of '23, '24, '25 only

Minor in Greek (open to current minors in classes of ‘23, ‘24, and ‘25 only)

GR 103, GR 104; four other courses in Greek beyond the 104 level.

Minor in Latin (open to current minors in classes of ‘23, ‘24, and ‘25 only)

LAT 103, LAT 104; four other courses in Latin beyond the 104 level.

Minor in Classical Civilization (open to current minors in classes of ‘23, ‘24, and ‘25 only)

Any six approved courses chosen from among the CLAS courses of the department; up to four Greek and/or Latin courses beyond the 102 level may be substituted for up to four of the CLAS courses.

Language Certificate Programs

Classical Studies majors seeking a more intensive language focus are eligible to earn an additional credential through the department’s Certificate program. A Certificate contains five advanced-level language courses, and may be earned in Greek, in Latin, or in Greek and Latin. Because only two courses can be double-counted between a Certificate and the undergraduate major, this option requires at least three additional courses beyond the 12-course minimum for the undergraduate degree.

Language Requirement Fulfillment

The language requirement for degrees in the School of Arts and Sciences may be fulfilled by satisfactorily completing the intermediate level (103-104) in Greek or Latin. Depending on placement, elementary-level language courses may be required to reach the intermediate level.

Elementary language courses for undergraduate students are numbered 101 and 102 and count as free electives only. An Arts and Sciences prerequisite for advancement to the 102, 103, and 104 language courses is a minimum grade of C- (C minus) in the previous courses in the sequence.