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- If I don't know Latin or Greek, can I take Classics courses?
- Is there a sequence to Classics courses? What course should I take first?
Our courses in Latin and Greek follow a regular sequence from introductory (001/002), intermediate (100-level), advanced (200-level) to seminar (300-level).
There is more flexibility in our Classical Studies courses, since few of our 100- and 200-level courses have prerequisites. If you are looking for a general introduction to Greco-Roman literature and culture, we recommend
Culture & Crisis in the Golden Age of Athens (CSTS119),
The Roman Revolution (CSTS121), or
Classical Mythology (CSTS209). Similar courses taught at Bryn Mawr include
Daily Life in Ancient Greece and Rome (CSTS160) and
The World of the Greek Heroes: Icon and Narrative (CSTS191).
- I've taken Latin or Greek in high school. What language class is right for me?
We do not require a placement exam; rather we encourage students to
contact a faculty member to discuss placement options. Most students who have had several years of Latin or Greek begin with our 100-level literature courses:
LATN101: The Language of Love and Hate in the Roman Republic;
LATN102: Roman Comedy or
GREK101: Herodotus & Lyric Poetry.
- I'm a first-year student who took Latin in high school but I didn't take Latin in the fall. Can I start in the spring or do I need to wait?
Depending on your background, you may well be able to take LATN102: Roman Comedy in the spring semester, even if you have not taken LATN101 (although we encourage you to take both). You should contact the instructor of LATN102 as soon as possible to discuss your situation.
- Do Latin and Greek satisfy Haverford's language requirement?
Absolutely. Taking two semesters of Latin or Greek at any level will satisfy Haverford's language requirement.
- Do you give credit for AP courses?
If you received a 4 or a 5 on the Latin Advanced Placement exam, the College will give you credit towards graduation. In accordance with Haverford policy, this credit cannot be applied towards
major requirements. Students with advanced training in Latin or Greek prior to matriculation may qualify for a
Latin or Greek minor with five instead of six courses.
- Can I major in Archaeology?
Haverford students routinely major in Archaeology through Bryn Mawr's
Department of Classical & Near Eastern Archaeology. Our department maintains a close relationship with that department, and its faculty routinely advise the theses of Haverford students.
- Do Classics courses at Bryn Mawr count towards the major?
Certainly. In fact, our department’s close collaborative relationship with
Bryn Mawr’s Department of Greek, Latin, and Classical Studies means that students who choose any of our four major programs will regularly include Bryn Mawr courses. And students who major in Classical Culture and Society can also count courses from several other departments at Bryn Mawr and Haverford towards the major.
- I'm a sophomore or junior, is it too late to start a Classics major or minor?
Probably not! Because one of our majors, the
Classical Culture and Society Major, requires three courses in an area of concentration that can be outside Classics, it can easily accommodate students with coursework in any Humanities department (English, Religion, Philosophy, other languages) and many Social Science departments (History, Archaeology, Anthropology; one recent major had her area of concentration in Sociology). Many of our majors have started Latin or Greek in their sophomore or even junior years.
- What are the options and requirements for majoring or minoring in Classics?
We offer 4 majors (Classical Culture and Society, Classical Languages, Greek, and Latin), and 3 minors (Classical Culture and Society, Greek, and Latin). For additional information, please see our pages on
majoring and
minoring.
- Are there opportunities for students to work with faculty outside of courses?
There are several avenues through which students can work with faculty on research and pedagogy. In recent years, a student helped with Professor Roberts on her research on the translation of obscenity. Students have assisted Professor Mulligan with a long-term project on the meter of late antique poetry, researched material for several articles,
co-published a review, and helped develop and revise several courses.
- What is the Senior Experience like in Classics?
The senior experience in the Department of Classics builds towards your production an article-length work of original research (i.e. 30-to-40-pages), which is grounded in current knowledge about antiquity and engages the methods and standards of the discipline of Classics. Senior Seminar, which is collaboratively taught by faculty at Haverford and Bryn Mawr during the Fall Semester, provides a forum in which to develop your ability to read and critique scholarship, as well as an opportunity to craft an interesting and appropriate question that you will explore in the thesis you write during the Spring Semester. For additional information, please see
"Senior Experience".
- What activities does the Classics department sponsor on campus?
Beyond our rich curriculum, the Classics Department stages an annual slate of extracurricular activities, including
- Classics Marathon: a public, one-day reading of an ancient work (in the past, Odyssey, Symposium, Aeneid). Next year we perform a reading of a Greek tragedy.
- Classics Colloquium: a lecture series at Bryn Mawr and Haverford that features talks by visiting scholars on new research in Classics.
- Orali-Tea: an annual recitation and performance of Latin and Greek (with tasty desert)
- Stilus: a new, informal Latin composition group (usually held at a faculty member’s house).
- Roman Play: in the culmination of LATN102, students perform an original translation of a play they have read in Latin.
- Other occasional activities, including performances, trips to plays and museums, a Roman dinner and a classical trivia contest.
- Can I talk to members of the Classics Department ?
Absolutely! E-mail any of us and we will be more than happy to make an appointment to talk with you.
- Where is the Classics Department (and classes) located on campus?
The offices of the Classics faculty are located in Hall Building (near Magill Library). Many of our courses take place in this building, especially in the L.A. Post Classics Seminar Room (Hall 112).
