So you like the classics? No, we aren’t talking about the Beatles, think more Latin. One could argue that Classics is one of the oldest college majors. When you envision the study of classics, you might think of old brick libraries with creeping ivy, tomes housed in luxurious rooms, fine lecture halls with intricate woodwork, and at a lot of schools, you wouldn’t be wrong. Many classics departments look like they are being pulled right off of a dark academia-inspired Tumblr page. However, they don’t have to be. Classics programs come in all shapes and sizes and at many top schools. Our list could be as long as the Iliad, but we decided to keep it to our top ten choices.
Harvard
We promise that these won’t be all Ivy League schools, but many Ivy Leagues have great classics programs. It kind of fits their whole vibe. Harvard has a lot of approaches to classics. They have two concentrations in classics: Classical Languages and Literatures and Classical Civilizations. These are their standard classics routes. However, they offer joint concentrations as well. These students study classics in tandem with a related subject such as Ancient History (Greek and Roman) or another related field chosen by the students. They also offer a minor and opportunities for those pursuing languages to also study classics. The Department of Classics offers really interesting summer and spring break trips as well as a wide range of classes.
Yale
Yale’s classics curriculum is very flexible. They want their classics students to be well-rounded and approach the study from different angles. Classes in Philosophy, Religious Studies, Literature, History, History of Art, Humanities, and even some Near East Studies classes can count towards the Yale Department of Classic’s majors. They offer three majors in this department: Classics (Latin and Greek, Latin only, and Greek only), Classical Civilization, and Ancient and Modern Greek. Yale also houses the Classics Library which has some really interesting texts. Plus, they have many research opportunities for interested classics students.
U Chicago
U Chicago’s Classics Department allows students to take classes in Art History, the Committee on Social Thought, Comparative Literature, the Divinity School, English, Germanic Studies, History, the Law School, Linguistics, the Oriental Institute, Philosophy, Political Science, Romance Languages, and Theater and Performance Studies as they pursue a degree in classics. Their program takes pride in being pluralistic and they approach classics in many different and unique ways. They have three tracks in their classics major: the Greek and Roman Cultures Variant, the Language Intensive Variant, and the Language and Literature Variant. There is also an honors program and thesis route for interested students.
Brown
Most Classics Departments are Greek and Latin only, however, Brown also has courses in Sanskrit. Their department has a lot more options for those interested in classical India and the East than other schools. They have several concentration tracks including Greek and Latin, Classics, South Asian Classics, Sanskrit and Greek, and others. They have honors, study abroad programs, research and funding opportunities, student lead clubs and departmental boards, and the Brown Classical Journal as well.
Stanford
Stanford’s classics department offers a classics major with 5 separate tracks; Classical Studies, Ancient History, Greek, Latin, and Greek & Latin. Their minor also comes with several tracks including Classical Studies, Ancient History, Classical Languages, and Philosophy & Literature. They also have honors and a matriculation route into their master's program. Their students have a lot of travel and study abroad options. Students can also apply for grants to fund their research projects and travel. One of their classes will even take you to Rome for spring break… so definitely take CLASSICS 150 in the Spring Quarter.
Princeton
Princeton has two tracks when it comes to undergrad classics: the Classical Studies Program and the Ancient History Program. While the Classical Studies Program focuses mainly on Rome and Greece, the Ancient History Program also examines the classics through the lens of world history and Greece and Rome’s interactions with the Near East, Europe, and Africa. Princeton also has a Classics Club and prizes for those interested in classics outside of the classroom as well.
Tufts
Tufts offers four classics programs. They offer BAs in Classical Studies, Archeology, Greek and Latin, and they also have a 5 year Master's Program aka the Combined Degree in Classical Studies (BA/MA). Their department hosts events like the Classics Film Series, an annual reading marathon, and various guest speakers. They also house the Perseus Digital Library, which is the world’s largest online collection of Latin and Greek texts. Many of their students double major or do a combined program often in law, medicine, theology, or philosophy.
Columbia
While Columbia’s classics program mainly focuses on the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome (c. 900 BCE to 500 CE), they also offer classes in ancient Egypt, as well as classes in Medieval Latin and Modern Greek. Their students have the option to concentrate in Classics, Classical Studies, or Ancient Studies, or to concentrate/minor in Classics. They have opportunities for internships, study abroad programs in Athens, and its own archeological summer program at Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli. These programs are also offered to Barnard students if they want to study classics at Columbia but are looking for an all-female college experience.
Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt’s The Department of Classical and Mediterranean Studies has a strong historical bend to the study of classics. They offer three tracks Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Mediterranean Archaeology, and Mediterranean Studies. Their courses bring in much more Hebrew and Islamic texts to the study of classics than other programs, especially in the Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures track. Students who want flexibility should look into Mediterranean Studies which has a lot of elective options. Vanderbilt offers an honors thesis program and both majors and minors are heavily encouraged to study aboard in the region. The department has relationships with the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies, the American Academy in Rome, and the American School of Classical Studies in Athens specifically. They also house a branch of Eta Sigma Phi, the National Classics Honor Society.
Amherst
Many liberal arts schools have classics majors which are perfect for those looking for a small school. Amherst’s classics department takes a look at the Mediterranean through literature, history, archaeology, mythology, religious and social practices, and Greek and Latin. The department offers four majors Greek, Latin, Classics, and Classical Civilization. For a small school, they have an impressive number of resources including a classics library, museum, a wide range of classics organizations, publishing, and aboard options.
Whether you want a classic approach to classics or a school that looks at the region more broadly, these schools are all great choices. When looking into the study of classics, remember that there are a lot of tracks and niches available to you. The classics can sometimes be seen as stuffy or boring, but we assure you, they can be exciting at a top school and you can leave these schools with a valuable degree and classical knowledge base.
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