Faculty
Distinguished Service Professor
Paul W. Wallace, Ph.D.
Indiana University
Professors Emeritae/i
Hans A. Pohlsander, Ph.D.
University of Michigan
Professors
John C. Overbeck, Ph.D.
University of Cincinnati
Associate Professors
Sylvia Barnard, Ph.D.
Yale University
Michael R. Werner, Ph.D.
Stanford University
Visiting Associate Professor
Stuart Swiny, Ph.D.
University of London
Adjuncts
Richard Gascoyne, M.A.
Columbia University
Adjunct Associate Professor
Gregory I Stevens, Ph.D.
University of Michigan
The Department of Classics offers courses in Mediterranean archaeology and art, Greek and Roman civilization, and the classical Latin and Greek languages. A major in Greek and Roman civilization (in English) is available through the general program with two concentrations: Mediterranean Archaeology and Art or Classical Literature and Culture. The department also offers a minor in Greek and Roman Civilization.
Careers
The major concentrations in the department would be suitable preparation for teaching and for master's-level studies in classics or for professional programs in law, library science, theology, business administration or public administration. The department itself offers a master's degree with concentrations in Latin and classical archaeology. In the case of classical archaeology, several graduate programs would follow from this concentration, including conservation and preservation, museology, and Old World or classical archaeology.
Special Programs or Opportunities
There is a combined bachelor's/master's program which makes it possible to earn both degrees in a total of only five years. The department assists students who seek placement in summer or academic-year programs in Greece or Italy (of which many are available) or who wish to participate in an archaeological excavation in Europe or the Mediterranean.
All students in the Classical Art and Archaeology concentration are strongly urged to include archaeological fieldwork in their course of studies. Such a program is offered regularly during the summer session by both the Departments of Classics and Anthropology.
Internships in archaeological documentation and conservation are also available at state agencies in the Albany area.
Students who expect to enter a graduate program in classical archaeology are urged to pursue the study of Latin or ancient Greek.
Degree Requirements for the Major in Greek and Roman Civilization
General Program B.A.: A minimum of 36 credits at least 18 of which must be at the 300 level or above, to be distributed as follows:
1. 9 credits from the following core courses:
A Clc 110L Classical Roots: Great Ideas of Greece and Rome
A Clc 133 History of Ancient Greece
A Clc 134 History of Ancient Rome
2. 6 credits from the following breadth courses:
A Cas 220L Literatures of the World
A Cla 131M Ancient Peoples of the World
A Clc 105E/L Myths of the Greek World
A Clc 125 Latin and Greek Elements in English
A Clc 220Z Roman Poets & Playwrights
A Clc 223E/L Masterpieces of Greek Tragedy and Comedy
A Clc 225 Greek Literature in Translation
A Clc 321 Fifth Century Athens
A Clc 322 Alexander and the
Hellenistic Age
A Clc 330 Rome: From Republic to Empire
A Clc 331 The Age of Trajan and Hadrian
A Clc 402 Greek and Roman Religion
A Clc 403 Roman Civilization and Christianity
A Clc 497 Independent Study (2-4 crs)
A Clc 498 Topics in Classical Studies (1-4 crs)
A Ant 131M Ancient Peoples of
the World
A Ant 243 Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East
A Ant 331 Ancient Civilizations of the Old World
A Eng 222E/L Masterpieces of Literature
A Eng 295E/L Classics of Western Literature I: Ancient Epic to Modern Drama
A Eng 296E/L Classics of Western Literature II: Homer, Vergil, Dante, Cervantes and Joyce
A His 130 History of European Civilization I
A His 263E Art, Music and History: A Multimedia Approach I
A Jst 243 Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East
A Phi 110L Introduction to Philosophical Problems
A Phi 114L Morals and Society
A Phi 116L World Views
A Phi 212L Introduction to Ethical Theory
A Phi 310 Ancient Philosophy
A Phi 311 History of Medieval Philosophy
A Rel 100E/L Introduction to the Study of Religion
3. 18 credits from one of the concentrations:
Mediterranean Archaeology and Art concentration:
A Cla 207E/L Egyptian Archaeology
A Cla 208E/L Greek Archaeology
A Cla 209L Roman Archaeology
A Cla 240 Archaeology and Ancient Israel I: Archaeology and the
Bible (2 crs)
A Cla 241 Archaeology and Ancient Israel II: Greco-Roman Period (2 crs)
A Cla 290 Archaeological Graphic Documentation I
A Cla 291 Archaeological Graphic Documentation II
A Cla 301 Aegean Prehistory
A Cla 302 Villanovans, Etruscans, and Early Rome
A Cla 303/Z Early Christian Art and Architecture
A Cla 307 The Pyramid Age
A Cla 310 Art and Archaeology of Cyprus I
A Cla 311 Art and Archaeology of Cyprus II
A Cla 329 Archaeological Field Research (2-4 crs)
A Cla 401 Greek Sculpture
A Cla 402 Roman Sculpture
A Cla 403 Greek Painting
A Cla 405 Greek Architecture
A Cla 406 Roman Architecture and Town Planning
A Cla 407 The Egyptian Empire
A Cla 490 Internship in Archaeological Conservation and Documentation
(3-15 crs)
A Cla 492 Internship in Archaeological Field Methodology (3 crs only)
A Cla 497 Independent Study (2-4 crs)
A Ant 104 Archaeology
A Ant 330 Topics in Archaeology
A Ant 332 Ethnoarchaeology
A Ant 335 Introduction to Archaeological Field Techniques
A Ant 338 Archaeological Field Research (6 crs)
A Ant 339 Archaeological Lab Techniques
A Ant 413 Functional Anatomy of the Human Skeleton
A Ant 430 Archaeological Theory
A Ant 431 Seminar in Social Archaeology
A Ant 435 Archaeological Surveys
A Ant 438 Museum Research and Curation
A Ant 490 Internship in Archaeological Conservation and Documentation
(3-15 crs)
A Ant 504 Proseminar in Archaeology
A Ant 539 Topics in Archaeology
A Arh 170L Survey of Art in the Western World I
A Arh 303 Early Christian Art and Architecture
A Bio 208N Marine Biology
A Bio 322 Plant Morphology
A Bio 324 Invertebrate Zoology
A Bio 325 Comparative Anatomy of Chordates
A Bio 415Z Vertebrate Biology
A Bio 428 Mass Extinctions: Catastrophes in Ancient Environments
A Csi 422 Introduction to Computer Graphics
A Geo 210 Mineralogy
A Geo 222 Igneous and Metamorphic Geology
A Geo 230 Introduction to Field Methods and Stratigraphy
A Gog 120 World Cities
A Gog 220M Introductory Urban Geography
A Gog 290 Introduction to Cartography
A Gog 390 Intermediate Cartography
A Gog 396 Introductory Statistical Methods for Geography
A Gog 414 Computer Mapping
A Jst 240 Archaeology and Ancient Israel I: Archaeology and the
Bible (2 crs)
A Jst 241 Archaeology and Ancient Israel II: Greco-Roman Period (2 crs)
A Phy 462 Physics of Materials
A Phy 519 Experimental Techniques in Physics
A Pln 220M Introductory Urban Planning
Classical Literature and Culture Concentration:
(Students are strongly encouraged to take approved courses in languages of the Mediterranean.)
A Clg 101L Elementary Greek I
A Clg 102L Elementary Greek II
A Clg 103L Introduction to New Testament Greek I
A Clg 104L Introduction to New Testament Greek II
A Clg 497 Independent Study (2-4 crs)
A Cll 101L Elementary Latin I
A Cll 102L Elementary Latin II
A Cll 201L Introduction to Latin Literature I
A Cll 202L Introduction to Latin Literature II
A Cll 410A Latin Prose Authors
A Cll 410B Latin Poetry
A Cll 497 Independent Study (2-4 crs)
A Clc 300 The Greeks and Their Neighbors
A Clc 301 Rome and the Mediterranean World
A Clc 310/Z Women in Antiquity
A Clc 311 Law in Antiquity
A Com 355 Introduction to Rhetorical Theory
A Eng 421 Literature of the Middle Ages
A Eng 522 The History of Rhetoric
A His 235 Early and Medieval Christianity
A His 336 History of the Early
Middle Ages
A His 337 History of the High
Middle Ages
A His 338 The Italian Renaissance
A His 339 Renaissance and Reformation in 16th C. Europe
A His 463 The Byzantine Empire
A Ita 315 Italian Civilization from the Etruscans to Galileo
A Jst 252 Jews, Hellenism, and Early Christianity
A Jst 342Z Issues in Hellenistic-Rabbinic Judaism
A Phi 523 Ancient Ethical Theory
A Phi 550 Plato
A Phi 552 Aristotle
A Phi 553 Medieval Philosophy
A Rel 103L Introduction to New Testament Greek I
A Rel 104L Introduction to New Testament Greek II
A Thr 221L Development of Theatre and Drama I
A Wss 311/Z Women in Antiquity
4. 3 credits from the senior seminar A Clc 499
Honors Program in Greek and Roman Civilization
The Honors Program in the Department of Classics consists of a structured sequence of at least 12 credits of course work designed to insure that the honors student receives a rigorous and thorough mastery of the discipline. These courses may be drawn from the department's regular offerings in "Mediterranean Archaeology and Art" or "Classical Literature and Culture," depending on the student's concentration in the major.
In addition, the student must complete a specifically designed three-credit junior- or senior-level independent study/research project under the close supervision of a member of the faculty.
Finally, the student must complete at least 6 credits (but no more than 12) of intensive work culminating in a major project (or series of projects). This "intensive work" may take place in an independent study, a group tutorial, a workshop, archaeological field experience, special work in a seminar, and/or undergraduate research.
The student must have written approval for the project from the honors adviser in the department at the outset of the project. The project will be formally evaluated at the end of the third quarter of the student's senior year and submitted in final form by the end of the fourth quarter.
To be eligible for admission to the honors program, the student must have declared the Greek and Roman Civilization major and selected either of the two concentrations. The student must also have completed at least 12 credits of course work within the major. In the "Classical Literature and Culture" concentration, this would normally include two courses in Latin or Greek. In addition, the student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.25, and 3.50 in the major, both of which must be maintained in order to graduate with honors.
Combined B.A./M.A. Program
The combined B.A./M.A. program in Greek, Greek and Roman Civilization, Classical Archaeology, or Latin provides an opportunity for students of recognized academic ability and educational maturity to fulfill integrated requirements of the undergraduate and master's degree programs from the beginning of their junior year. A carefully designed program can permit a student to earn the B.A. and M.A. degrees within nine semesters.
The combined program requires a minimum of 138 credits, of which at least 30 must be graduate credits. In qualifying for the B.A., students must meet all University and college requirements, including the requirements for the B.A. program described above, the minor requirement, the minimum 90-credit liberal arts and sciences requirements, general education requirements, and residency requirements. In qualifying for the M.A., students must meet all University and college requirements as outlined in the Graduate Bulletin, including completion of a minimum of 30 graduate credits and any other conditions such as a research seminar, thesis, comprehensive examination, or other professional experience where required, and residency requirements. Up to 12 graduate credits may be applied simultaneously to both the B.A. and M.A. programs.
Students will be considered as undergraduates until completion of 120 graduation credits and satisfactory completion of all B.A. requirements. Upon meeting B.A. requirements, students will automatically be considered as graduate students. Students may apply for admission to the combined degree program at the beginning of their junior year or after the successful completion of 56 credits, but no later than the accumulation of 100 credits. A cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher and three supportive letters of recommendation from faculty are required for consideration.
