Classics, classical civilization, Greek, and Latin are all majors within the Department of Classics.
Undergraduate degrees: B.A.
Undergraduate minors: Greek, Latin
Learning From Ancient Thought
The study of classics embraces all aspects of Greek and Roman culture from the prehistoric to the medieval periods, and encompasses the study of the languages relevant to these societies. But the influence of classical thought did not disappear with the fall of the Greek and Roman empires. Many contemporary Western ideas, from atomic theory to democracy, are rooted in the developments of the era.
The UO Department of Classics 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 Associate Professor Lowell Bowditch.
The primary mission of the classics department is to delve into the classical world via language. The language classes are small—generally between six and thirty students—allowing students to get to know their professors in an atmosphere reminscent of a small college, within the larger university.
Bowditch explains that you have the flexibility to choose one of four classics majors that fits your interests and skills. You might focus on Latin language and literature with a Latin major, Greek language and literature through a Greek major, or a combination of Greek and Latin in a classics major. The classical civilization major allows you to study the literature and culture of the ancient civilizations through courses that use secondary sources and translated texts.
The precision, concentration, and discipline involved in mastering these languages will train you to think on new and deeper levels. Whether you pursue a career in medicine, law, or computer science, the study of classics will transform the way you look at the world. Peel back the layers of time, and learn about yourself in the process. In everything from love to law, you will see the influences of ancient cultures on modern Western concepts. “Classics students get very enthusiastic about the idea of studying early cultures in which they see a reflection of themselves,” Bowditch says.
Points of Interest
- The classics program aims for all undergraduate students in the department to learn Greek, Latin, or both well enough to read the canon of ancient authors in their original languages
- The field of classics embraces all aspects of Greek and Roman culture from the prehistoric to the medieval periods
- 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 utilizes secondary sources and translated texts
- The department sponsors symposia, including one on culture and consumption in the ancient world
- You can prepare for graduate studies and a career in Greek or Roman archaeology through interdisciplinary course work in classics, art history, and history
Sample Courses
- Roman Life and Culture examines Roman civilization from the founding of Rome in the eighth century B.C. to the victory of Constantine and his religion early in the fourth century A.D.
- Greek and Roman Epic analyzes the heroic tradition and epic themes in the Homeric poems, the works of Hesiod, and the Aeneid, with emphasis on literary criticism and intellectual history
- Gender and Sexuality in Antiquity presents an introduction to construction of the categories of norms of Western sexuality through study of Greek and Roman attitudes toward gender roles, homo- and heterosexuality, the family, and privacy
- Classical Myths explores the major mythological cycles of the ancient world: Troy, Thebes, and heroes with literary and mythographic sources
Practical Learning
Many students take advantage of study abroad opportunities to enhance their in-class learning. Visit the Acropolis of Athens, the Roman Coliseum, and other centers of civilization in person to get a sense of the past. The UO Study Abroad Program can help you organize a trip that suits your interests, whether it’s helping on an archaeological dig or visiting out-of-the-way temples on the Greek islands. Travel to the places where Western civilization put down its roots and flourished.
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
The study of classics is one of the original interdisciplinary majors. You’ll delve into history, language, literature, and art. The varied subjects give you a comprehensive understanding of the ancient civilizations that have shaped our world. Examine the architecture of ancient Greece with an archaeology class. Explore social structures in a class on gender and sexuality. Plumb the secrets of the ancient Mediterranean world by studying agricultural production and patterns. Everything from the Metamorphoses of Lucius Apuleius to the study of food and wine is fair game.
Student Work
Carmela Hill-Burke is a double major studying classics and philosophy. She is in the McNair Scholars Program, which prepares juniors and seniors for graduate work. Her research will focus on how to teach the classics to prisoners and on prison reform. Hill-Burke’s future plans include enrolling in a Ph.D. program with the aim of eventually teaching prisoners and incarcerated populations. Hill-Burke says she believes the study of philosophy and the classics can transform the way people look at the world. “I want to teach philosophy because I think it helps people take control of their lives,” she says.
Eric Leighton Archambault has set his sights on becoming a classics teacher. In addition to learning Greek and Latin, he plans to tackle French while traveling abroad and add German to his list of languages. Archambault is a member of the Classics Club, and says his immersion in the languages has been life altering. “Reading Herodotus and Thucydides has given me a window on Greek life and culture—and on my own life.”
Selected Faculty Work
Professor Mary Jaeger chose an academic career in classics because she loves Latin. Her teaching and research interests fall into three categories: Greek and Latin literature, especially the ancient historians; the use of the classical tradition by later writers; and Greek and Roman food and cookery. Archimedes and the Roman Imagination, her book about the Greek mathematician, was published by the University of Michigan Press.
Professor Jeffrey Hurwit has published major books on Greek art, architecture, and archaeology. He is one of the leading scholars of the archaic and classical periods in Greek art and has appeared in major documentary films, including Nova, the PBS television series. Hurwit is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship. He has taught at the UO since 1980.
Associate Professor Lowell Bowditch teaches a range of language courses as well as courses on classical tragedy, gender, and sexuality in antiquity, and Augustan literature. Her research focuses on Late Republican and Augustan lyric and elegy as it intersects with the social discourses of patronage, empire, and sexuality.
Career Opportunities
With strong liberal arts training in classics, you can go on to study law, finance, education, or a variety of other professions. High school Latin teachers are in high demand, and many prestigious professional schools look for students with the kind of broad-based liberal arts training offered by the UO classics department. A bachelor’s degree in classics is excellent training for work in museums, galleries, auction houses, and other storehouses of antiquity.
Contact Information
(541) 346-4069
(541) 346-4118 fax
