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THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM IN CLASSICS
Department of Classics College of Arts and Sciences Cornell University Students and faculty in Classics are deeply interested in the continuing humanistic values explored in the literature of ancient Greece and Rome and in those ancient cultures and their imprint upon subsequent ages. The interdisciplinary study of Greek and Roman antiquity includes: Greek and Latin language, literature, and linguistics; ancient philosophy; history; archaeology and art history; papyrology; epigraphy; and numismatics. The Department of Classics at Cornell has a long tradition of distinguished teaching and scholarship. The department is among the largest in the country. With 20 faculty members; and with professors of related subjects in archaeology, comparative literature, history, history of art, linguistics, medieval studies, Near Eastern studies, philosophy, and religious studies -- the range of instruction is large. Included are the traditional study of language, literature, and ancient history and newer approaches, such as comparative study of Mediterranean civilizations and modern literary theory. Because of the large number of faculty and small size of most classes, students of classics are ensured opportunities to work closely with individual professors. Cornell Studies in Classical Philology (est. 1887) is the oldest continuously published American monograph series in the field. Some students in Classics go on to further study in the field or related fields and to careers in teaching and scholarship; others find their studies excellent preparation for virtually any professional training (including medical school) and careers. Studying the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome is indeed fine liberal education and background for living in an age of technology and specialization, and Cornell Classics majors have distinguished themselves in the fields of medicine, law, business, education, diplomacy, management, engineering, and government. Language Study and Literature in Greek and Latin For many students, studying Classics begins in college. Introductory courses in Greek and Latin encourage rapid development of reading skills. By the end of their first year, students are ready to read Plato and Homer in Greek, and Cicero, Catullus, and Vergil in Latin. Students who enter Cornell with prior training are placed in the appropriate level by departmental examination. In intermediate level courses, students review grammar and vocabulary and are introduced to various aspects of interpretation. Advanced courses vary in content from year to year to cover the major authors, epochs, and genres of Greek and Latin literature and through literary and historical interpretation to develop appreciation of their special characteristics. The most recent offerings in Greek have included Homer, the Lyric poets, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Herodotus, Thucydides, Demosthenes, Plato, and Aristotle; in Latin, Lucretius, Horace, Ovid, Propertius, Tacitus, Tibullus, the Neronian and Flavian epic poets, and medieval writers. Classics majors are encouraged to enhance their knowledge of the languages with courses in Greek and Latin prose composition. The Department also offers courses in Greek and Latin historical linguistics and cross-lists courses in Sanskrit, the related Indo-European language of ancient India, and modern Greek.Placement in Latin and Ancient Greek Students with background in Latin or ancient Greek who continue their study at Cornell are placed in appropriate courses by an examination given by the Department of Classics during orientation week or by arrangement with the director of undergraduate studies. Classics in Translation Classical Archaeology Courses in Classical archaeology, a significant part of the program, range from classroom surveys to field training in Greece and Italy. Archaeology is a multi-disciplinary subject, and offerings by faculty in Classics are coordinated with and supplemented by courses in art history, Near Eastern Studies and the interdepartmental Program in Archaeology. Students generally begin with “Introduction to Classical Archaeology”. Courses such as "Archaeology in Action" and "Practical Archaeology" make use of the extensive Cornell collections of antiquities, whether originals or casts and reproductions. Other courses cover specific themes and areas, such as Minoan-Mycenaean archaeology, Greek sculpture, ceramics, and numismatics. The Department of Classics is the base for one or more field archaeology projects and usually there are opporunities for undergraduate and graduate student participation. For example, in 2007 several Cornell students were part of the Elaborating Early Neolithic Cyprus Project, conducting excavation and survey in central Cyprus. The program also includes the Neolithic and Classical site of Halai in East Lokris and participates and provides a home base for the Aegean Dendrochronology Project. First-Year Writing Seminars The department offers first-year writing seminars on a variety of topics. Consult John S. Knight Writing Seminar Program brochures for times, instructors, and descriptions. Majors The major in Classics offers four tracks, which are Greek, Latin, Classics, and Classical Civilization. Only classis passed with a C- or better may be applied to the major. Classics The Classics track requires: (1) six courses in Greek and Latin numbered 201 or above; and (2) three courses in related subjects selected in consultation with the student's departmental advisor (see below). Classics majors are required to take a minimum of two 300-level courses in one language and one 300-level course in the other. Students who are considering graduate study in Classics are strongly advised to complete the Classics major.
Greek The Greek track requires: (1) GREEK 104; (2) five courses in Greek numbered 201 or above; and (3) three courses in related subjects selected in consultation with the student's departmental advisor (see below). The courses in Greek must include at least three at the 300-level. Latin The Latin track requires: (1) LATIN 109 or 205; (2) five courses in Latin numbered 206 or above; and (3) three courses in related subjects selected in consultation with the student's departmental advisor (see below). The courses in Latin must include at least three at the 300-level. Classical Civilization
Related Subjects The full scope of Classics covers the ancient Mediterranean and neighboring lands as they were during the period extending from approximately 3000 B.C.E. to the 6th century C.E. In addition to the required courses in Greek and Latin language and literature, the major includes related courses intended to give breadth and exposure to the other disciplines within the field and to enrich the student's study of the original languages. Since the influence of the Greco-Roman world extended far beyond antiquity, a related course could well focus on some aspect of the classical tradition in a later period. Students select related courses in consultation with their advisors or the director of undergraduate study. Honors Candidates for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with honors in Classics, Greek, Latin, or Classical civilization must fulfill the requirements of the appropriate major study as given above and must also successfully complete the special 8-credit honors research course. Credit for the honors course may be included in the credits required for the major. Students who wish to become candidates for honors must have a cumulative average of 3.0 and 3.5 in the major. In consultation with the Standing Committee on Honors, the students should choose an honors adviser by the end of their sixth semester. By the second week of their seventh semester they should submit an outline of their proposed honors work to the Standing Committee and to the adviser(s). The thesis will be written under the supervision of the honors adviser(s) chosen by the student. Honors advisers will submit recommendations to the Standing Committee on Honors. The Committee will read all honors theses and will determine the level of departmental honors. A copy of each successful honors thesis will be filed with the department. Independent Study Independent study at the third-year level may be undertaken by undergraduates upon completion of one semester of work at that level. Second-year level independent study may be undertaken only in cases of extraordinary curricular necessity and upon application to the director of undergraduate study. Study Abroad Cornell participates in the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, which offers courses in Latin, Greek, ancient history, art, archaeology, and Italian. Another opportunity for a semester's study abroad is College Year in Athens. (Consult Cornell Abroad for details.) In addition, Cornell is a member institution of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, whose Summer Program is open to graduate students and qualified undergraduates. The American Academy in Rome, of which Cornell is also a member institution, offers full-year and summer programs for qualified graduate students. For graduate students, the Department of Classics offers a few travel grants each year from the Townsend Memorial Fund. Detailed information on these programs is available in the Department of Classics Office, 120 Goldwin Smith Hall. Summer Support for Language Study The Beatrice R. Kanders Memorial Scholarship is available to students enrolling in Intensive Latin or Greek in the Cornell summer session for the summer immediately following the freshman or sophomore year. These courses are designed to enable students to enter second-year Latin or Greek the following fall. Preference is given to Classics undergraduate majors, other students needing Latin or Greek for completion of their majors, and dyslexic students. Applications are due to the chair of the Department of Classics by March 28. Harry Caplan Travel Fellowships Harry Caplan was one of Cornell's most renowned and beloved professors
of Classics. Two summer travel fellowships are awarded annually to outstanding
juniors, not necessarily classics majors, to support travel or other projects
that enhance serious study of the classical cultures of the Near East, Greece,
Rome, and Latinate medieval Europe. Students apply by submitting a proposal
for the grant on the second Friday of November. For more information on Classics at Cornell, contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies:
Last revision 11/12/2007 |
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