Homo svm; hvmani nil a me alienvm puto (Terence)

Terence's line, taken out of its comic context, sums up the very basis of humanistic studies: I am a human being; I consider nothing human unconnected to me. In its essence, the study of Classics connects you directly to human expressions valued and preserved for millennia.

NOTA BENE

Cursus Studiorum

  • "To read the Latin and Greek authors in their original is a sublime luxury...I thank on my knees him who directed my early education for having in my possession this rich source of delight." - Thomas Jefferson
    Read more about a major in Classics »

  • "For me archaeology is not a source of illustrations for written texts, but an independent source of historical information, with no less value and importance, sometimes more importance, than the written sources." - Michael Rostovtzeff

    Read more about a major in Archaeology »

  • "A good classical education will produce a mind that is capable of stretching itself. A less rigorous education will produce a less elastic mind."   - Jasper Griffin

    Read more about a minor in Latin, Greek or Archaeology »

Opportunities Abroad

SEMESTER IN ITALY Classics majors and minors have the option to spend a semester in Orvieto. The program, housed in the medieval historic center of Orvieto, will also include weekly field trips (Rome, Florence, Pompeii, Assisi et alia) with particular emphasis on ancient, medieval and renaissance Italy. This is a great opportunity to study the ancient Etruscan and Roman civilizations first hand and to experience the continuity of Italian art, history and culture from antiquity to the present.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL The Department of Classics runs a number of archaeological excavations in and around Orvieto. Currently we are excavating a 6th century BCE pyramidal structure deep underneath the city of Orvieto, as well as an Etrusco-Roman sanctuary in the nearby city of Castel Viscardo. This summer (2015) will be our tenth season. Students have the opportunity to participate in the field school and can earn up to 8 course credits. Our excavations can be followed at digumbria.com.

Majors and Minors are encouraged to participate in both of these programs to further enrich their engagement with and understanding of the ancient world. Additional study abroad venues may be found through the Study Abroad office.