This information is part of the Colgate University catalog, 2024-25.
Faculty |
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Professors R. Ammerman |
The Department of the Classics fosters a multifaceted approach to the ancient Greek and Roman world, with courses not only in language and literature but also history, art, archaeology, religion, politics, philosophy, and anthropology. Students may pursue a major in Latin, Greek, the Classics, or Classical Studies. Majors in Latin, Greek, or the Classics make language and literature their main focus; majors in Classical Studies give less emphasis to the languages but acquire a broad understanding of different aspects of ancient civilization. Recent graduates from the Department of the Classics are pursuing diverse careers in fields such as law, medicine, advertising, computer science, and education. Many, too, have gone on to do graduate work in classics or related disciplines.
Courses listed as CLAS tyoically require no knowledge of Greek or Latin language. These courses are open to all students, but are subject to limitations in enrollment set by the instructor.
Major Programs in the Classics
There are four possible majors in the department: Greek, Latin, the Classics, and Classical Studies. All majors require a minimum of eight courses but vary in the amount and level of language study required. In addition, all majors require the senior seminar (CLAS 401), taken in the fall of senior year.
Awards
The Newton Lloyd Andrews Prize — established in memory of Newton Lloyd Andrews, a member of the class of 1862, to support the study of the art and monuments of ancient Greece and Italy, Gothic architecture, or Renaissance painting.
The J. Curtiss Austin Latin Prize — established as a memorial to Dr. J. Curtiss Austin in honor of his 40 years on the Colgate faculty, and awarded by the Department of the Classics to the student whose performance in Latin has been the most outstanding.
The Award for Excellence — awarded annually to that first-year or sophomore student who shows the best promise in a course in Latin or Greek and who achieves the best record among his/her peers in Latin or Greek.
The Baldwin Greek Prize — established for the sophomore class for the examination in writing upon some author, or work of an author, read by the class. No student may compete unless his/her standing in all departments averages at least B (3.00). The award is made by a committee not associated with the university.
Advanced Placement and Transfer Credit
To evaluate a student's qualifications for advanced placement, the department requires the submission of an Advanced Placement Examination in Latin. Students who submit a grade of 4 or 5 and complete LATN 201 or a higher-level course in Latin will receive one credit for LATN 122 for the AP examination that may count toward a major in the department.
Transfer credit for a major is granted for courses comparable to those required for the classics major at Colgate on an individual basis. Evidence of course content may be required.
Honors and High Honors
The minimum departmental GPA required for honors in the classics, classical studies, Greek, or Latin is 3.50; for high honors 3.80. In addition, successful completion of an honors thesis and an oral examination is required. Honors candidates usually take CLAS 490, GREK 490 or LATN 490 in the fall of their senior year while writing their theses. Proposals for theses should be prepared in the spring of the junior year in consultation with the thesis adviser. Theses are then revised during the first half of the spring semester of the senior year and defended in April.
Extended Studies
Greece
The department offers students who are enrolled in GREK 121 or who have completed GREK 122 (or higher), an opportunity to explore the material culture of Greece through a course that culminates in a three-week trip to Greece in May. For further information, see the course descriptions for CLAS 251 and consult with a faculty member in the department.
Rome and Pompeii
The department offers students who are enrolled in LATN 122 or have completed LATN 122 (or higher), an opportunity to explore the material culture of Rome and Pompeii through a course that culminates in a three-week trip to Italy in May. For further information, consult with a faculty member in the department.
Sicily and Southern Italy
The department offers students who are enrolled in, or have completed, GREK 121 or LATN 122 (or higher), an opportunity to explore the material culture of Sicily and Southern Italy through a course that culminates in a three-week trip to Italy in which students participate in excavations at the Graeco-Roman site of Paestum in May. For further information, see the course descriptions of CLAS 253 and CLAS 253E and consult with a faculty member in the department.
The Venice Study Group
The Venice Study Group offers majors who have had one or more years of Latin or Greek at Colgate the opportunity to explore sites and monuments of the classical world. The archaeology of Italy forms a major component of this interdisciplinary study group. For further information, see Off-Campus Study.
Classical Studies in Rome
The department is a member institution of the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, which offers a full schedule of classics- and archaeology-related courses each fall and spring. For further information, consult with a member of the department.
Majors and Minors
Major
Minor
Courses
- CLAS 191 - Independent Study
- CLAS 221 - Greek and Roman Epic
- CLAS 222 - Greek Tragedy and Comedy
- CLAS 223 - Sports and Spectacles in Ancient Greece and Rome
- CLAS 230 - Classical Mythology
- CLAS 231 - Greek Religion
- CLAS 232 - Sexuality and Gender in Ancient Greece and Rome
- CLAS 233 - Greek Art
- CLAS 234 - Archaeology of Greece
- CLAS 235 - Archaeology of Italy
- CLAS 236 - Greek History I: From the Bronze Age to the Death of Socrates
- CLAS 237 - Roman History I: The Roman Republic
- CLAS 253E - Excavating Ancient Greeks and Romans in Southern Italy (Extended Study)
- CLAS 253 - Excavating Ancient Greeks and Romans in Southern Italy
- CLAS 291 - Independent Study
- CLAS 301 - The Age of Augustus
- CLAS 310 - Topics in the Study of the Ancient Mediterranean World
- CLAS 326 - From Cyrus the Great to Alexander the Great: The Persian Empire and the Greeks
- CLAS 365E - Freedom, Tyranny, and Philosophy in the Ancient Mediterranean (Extended Study)
- CLAS 391 - Independent Study
- CLAS 401 - Senior Seminar in the Classics
- CLAS 490 - Honors
- CLAS 491 - Independent Study
- GREK 121 - Elementary Classical Greek I
- GREK 122 - Elementary Classical Greek II
- GREK 195 - Elementary-Level Greek Language Abroad
- GREK 201 - Intermediate Classical Greek
- GREK 291 - Independent Study
- GREK 295 - Intermediate-Level Greek Language Abroad
- GREK 300 - Introduction to Greek Literature
- GREK 301 - Greek Tragedy
- GREK 302 - Aristophanes
- GREK 310 - Homer
- GREK 320 - Greek Historians
- GREK 321 - Thucydides
- GREK 350 - Plato
- GREK 391 - Independent Study
- GREK 395 - Advanced-Level Greek Language Abroad
- GREK 490 - Honors
- GREK 491 - Independent Study
- LATN 121 - Elementary Latin I
- LATN 122 - Elementary Latin II
- LATN 123 - Intensive Elementary Latin
- LATN 195 - Elementary-Level Latin Language Abroad
- LATN 201 - Intermediate Latin I
- LATN 202 - Intermediate Latin II
- LATN 291 - Independent Study
- LATN 295 - Intermediate-Level Latin Language Abroad
- LATN 340 - Roman Oratory
- LATN 350 - Roman Comedy
- LATN 360 - Roman Love Poetry
- LATN 370 - Ovid
- LATN 380 - The Roman Novel
- LATN 391 - Independent Study
- LATN 395 - Advanced-Level Latin Language Abroad
- LATN 430 - Horace
- LATN 450 - Cicero and the Roman Republic
- LATN 490 - Honors
- LATN 491 - Independent Study