Contact Information
(541) 346-4069
(541) 346-4118 fax
http://www.uoregon.edu/~classics
Undergraduate degrees: B.A.
Undergraduate minors: Greek, Latin
Learning from Ancient Thought
The study of classics is a highly interdisciplinary field that embraces all aspects of Greek and Roman culture from the prehistoric to the medieval periods. But the legacy of classical thought did not disappear with the fall of the Greek and Roman empires. Many contemporary Western ideas about sociology and science are rooted in developments from the classics era.
The department “… introduces students to the foundational concepts of Western culture and literature through the study of key classical texts of antiquity in Greek and Latin and in translation. These foundational concepts of Western culture are ones that obviously still shape our thinking in society,” says department head Lowell Bowditch.
The classics program at the UO allows you to study ancient history, philosophy, and mythology in the ancient languages of Greek and Latin. By exploring these languages, you gain a better understanding of the cultural ideals of the classical world and their influences on Western civilization.
Bowditch explains that students have the flexibility to choose one of four classics majors that fits their interests and skills, from a focus on the languages of Greek and Latin to a focus on the history and culture of the classical time period. “I think it’s important for students to know,” she says, “that they can approach these ideas and texts in four different ways.”
The primary mission of the classics department is to delve into the classical world via language. Students who major in classics begin the study of one or both of the classical languages, Greek and Latin, as early as possible in their undergraduate careers. The language classes are small—generally between six and thirty students—allowing students to get to know their professors in a small-college atmosphere within the larger university.
“I think classics students get very enthusiastic about the idea of studying early cultures that they see a reflection of themselves in,” says Bowditch. She says that in everything from love to law, we can see the influences of ancient cultures on modern Western concepts.
Points of Interest
- The classics department offers the Bachelor of Arts degree in four majors: Greek; Latin; classics, (a combination of Greek and Latin language and literature); and classical civilization, which uses secondary sources and translated texts.
- Besides the study of Greek and Latin, you will take classes in ancient history, philosophy, art history, mythology, and rhetoric.
- You can study abroad in Italy and Greece, and increase your exposure to classical history and art.
- Courses in the classics department are taught by four core faculty members, as well as by professors from departments such as history, art history, and English.
- You can prepare for graduate studies and a career in Greek or Roman archeology through interdisciplinary coursework in classics, art history, and history.