Program in Classics: Greek and Roman Civilization

Faculty

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 Mediterranean Archaeology and Art 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 Classics Program and the Department of 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 or philology are strongly urged to pursue the study of Latin and/or ancient Greek.

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 110 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 220 Literatures of the World
A CLC 105 Myths of the Greek World
A CLC 125 Latin and Greek Elements in English
A CLC 223 Masterpieces of Greek Tragedy and Comedy
A CLC 225 Greek Literature in Translation
A CLC 321 Fifth Century Athens
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 131 Ancient Peoples of the World
A ANT 243 Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East
A ANT 331 Early Civilizations of the Old World
A HIS 130 History of European Civilization I
A JST 243 Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East

3. 18 credits from one of the concentrations:
 
Mediterranean Archaeology and Art Concentration:
A CLA 207Z Egyptian Archaeology
A CLA 208Z Greek Archaeology
A CLA 209 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 301 Aegean Prehistory
A CLA 302 Villanovans, Etruscans, and Early Rome
A CLA 303/303Z Early Christian Art and Architecture
A CLA/ANT 305 Archaeological Graphic Documentation
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 490 Internship in Archaeological Conservation and
   Documentation (3-15 crs)
A CLA 497 Independent Study (2-4 crs)
A ANT 104 Archaeology
A ANT 311 Human Osteology
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 430 Archaeological Theory
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 170 Survey of Art in the Western World I
A ARH 303 Early Christian Art and Architecture
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
 
Classical Literature and Culture Concentration: 
(Students are strongly encouraged to take approved courses in languages
  of the Mediterranean.)
A CLG 101 Elementary Greek I
A CLG 102 Elementary Greek II
A CLG 497 Independent Study (2-4 crs)
A CLL 101 Elementary Latin I
A CLL 102 Elementary Latin II
A CLL 201 Introduction to Latin Literature I
A CLL 202 Introduction to Latin Literature II
A CLL 410 Latin Prose Authors
A CLL 411 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 310/310Z Women in Antiquity
A CLC 311 Law in Antiquity
A JST 252 Jews, Hellenism, and Early Christianity
A PHI 523 Ancient Ethical Theory
A PHI 550 Plato
A PHI 552 Aristotle
A PHI 553 Medieval Philosophy
A THR 221 History of Theatre and Drama from the Antiquity to the Renaissance
A WSS 311/311Z Women in Antiquity

4. 3 credits from A CLA or A CLC 400-level course.

The Honors Program in the Classics Program 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  3 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 2 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.

The combined B.A./M.A. program in Greek and Roman Civilization 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.