Getting Started (Majors Guide)

College: HFA

 (Revised Spring 2018)  

How to Explore / Get Started in the Major

Suggested General Education Courses

Under the new guidelines students are still required to take two courses, one in U.S. Diversity and one in Global Diversity. Students entering in Fall 2018 are expected to take one of these diversity courses, either U.S. or Global, in their first year on campus.  For Fall 2018 Registration, look for courses with DU (formerly U) and DG (formerly G) to help students stay on track.  Any course labled DU will satisfy the requirement for a U.S. diversity course and any course labeled DG will satisfy the the requirement for Global diversity course. Course planning guidelines, including guidelines for students, are available at www.umass.edu/gened.

Suggested Major and Pre-requisite Courses 

Students should take the first two years of Latin and/or Greek as follows:
LATIN 110, 120, 230 and 240 or LATIN 126 & 246 (Intensive Latin) and/or GREEK 126 & 246 (only Intensive Greek is offered)

NOTE: For the Languages Concentration Major (see below), both language sequences are required as prerequisites. Students who have taken extensive Greek or Latin before college and are interested in taking a placement exam to avoid taking the 100- and 200-level language courses should get a form available at South College E207 and take it to the Classics Undergraduate Program Director.

How to Declare the Major

Students interested in declaring a Classics major should contact the Classics Undergraduate Program Director. Students are encouraged to apply any time in their undergraduate career, but this requires planning to accommodate the required language courses.

Summary of Requirements for the Major

There are three Classics major concentrations:

  • Classical Civilization Concentration:  Total # of credits required: minimum 42*
    Students in this concentration must take at least 12 credits of Latin or Greek language through the 240- or 246-level; at least one additional course in Latin or Greek at the 300-level or higher; a minimum of 24 credits of classical culture courses in translation; a junior year writing course.
  • Greek and Latin Languages Concentration:  Total # of credits required: minimum 51*
    Students in this concentration must take both 12 credits of Latin AND 12 credits of Greek language through the 240- or 246-level; 24 credits of Latin and Greek literature courses at the 300-level or higher; and a junior year writing course. (Students interested in attending graduate school in Classics are encouraged to take the Greek and Latin Languages concentration.)
  • Classical Archaeology Concentration:  Total # of credits required: minimum 48*
    Students in this concentration must take at least 12 credits of Latin or Greek language through the 240- or 246-level; two additional courses in Latin or Greek at the 300-level or higher; a minimum of 24 credits of classical archaeology/civilization courses; a methodology or fieldwork course, and a junior year writing course. Students interested in attending grad school in Classical Archaeology are encouraged to complete the Classical Archaeology concentration.

* In each concentration students who have prior knowledge of Latin or Greek can test out of some or all of the 12–24 credits of basic language proficiency courses.

Is there a minor? If so what are the requirements?
There are three Classics minors:

  • The minor in Greek Language and Literature requires five semesters of ancient Greek (Intensive GREEK 126 and 246, which are each 6-credit courses and, together, are the equivalent of four semesters), and 310 or 320, plus CLASSICS 100 or 200 (minimum 18 credits)
  • The minor in Latin Languages and Literatures requires four semesters of LATIN (110, 120, 230 and 240, or the Intensive LATIN 126-246), LATIN 310 or 320, plus CLASSICS 102 or 202 (minimum 18 credits)
  • The minor in Classical Civilization requires 6 courses in any combination of Classics, Greek, or Latin classes, but must include at least one of the following: CLASSICS 100, 102, 200, or 202 (minimum 18 credits).

For further information, contact:

Undergraduate Program Director for 2018-19:
Melissa Mueller
Associate Professor, Department of Classics
539 Herter Hall
mmueller@classics.umass.edu

Lisa Marie Smith
Administrative Assistant, Department of Classics
524 Herter Hall
lisa@classics.umass.edu