Getting Started

College: HFA

Information below is meant to guide first year students in getting started with this major and choosing appropriate courses. More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with proposed foundation/pre-requisite courses. Please refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn about the full major requirements.

How to Explore the Major

Suggested General Education Courses

All Undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education Requirements. Guidelines for students are available at https://www.umass.edu/gened. Students should choose a wide variety of Gen Ed courses, providing breadth of experience.

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.

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 E202 and take it to the Classics Undergraduate Program Director.

How to Declare the Major

For current & admitted students: This major is unrestricted, which means any student may declare the major. Unrestricted majors may still have an entry process such as meeting with an advisor or attending an informational meeting.

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 four 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 and 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 complete this 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 graduate school in Classical Archaeology are encouraged to complete this concentration.)
Classics and Philosophy: Total # of credits required: minimum 46*
Students in this concentration must take at least 12 credits of Latin or Greek language through the 240- or 246-level and another 12 credits at the 300-level or higher; a minimum of 7 credits of classical civilization/archaeology courses; a minimum of 12 credits of philosophy courses; a junior year writing course.

*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. Also, double majors may take Junior Year Writing in their primary major, in which case, subtract 3 credits from the total minimum.

Is there a minor? If so what are the requirements?
A minor is available! There are three Classics minors. Refer to the Minors page located in the left menu bar to learn more.

For further information, contact:

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