Program: Classics - Davidson College

Foreign Language Requirement

Any course in Greek (GRE) or Latin (LAT) numbered above 200 satisfies the foreign language requirement.

Major Requirements (A.B. Degree)

The department offers two majors, one in classical languages and literature and the other in classical studies. The first focuses on ancient Greek and Latin; the second takes a broad, interdisciplinary approach to Greek and Roman studies.

Please note:

Students interested in either major should take CLA 111 as early as possible.
The department encourages all majors to study abroad in one of the lands of classical antiquity.
Students interested in graduate study in any area of classics will need to take more courses than either major requires. Graduate programs in classical languages and literature prefer an emphasis on the languages, while valuing non-language courses. Programs in classical archaeology and ancient history will expect both experience in those areas and relevant language courses beyond the 201 level. Students might also wish to begin the study of French, German, or Italian.

Major in Classical Languages and Literature

A major in classical languages and literature requires ten (10) courses, including:

CLA 111 (The Ancient World);
six courses in Greek and Latin at the 200-level or above, including at least one in each language*;
one survey of Greek or Roman literature (CLA 121 or CLA 122 );
one elective chosen from: other courses in CLA, other courses in Greek or Latin at the 200-level or above, and other designated courses in philosophy, political science and religion**;
CLA 480 (Senior Research Seminar).

*LIT 432 may be counted toward this requirement if the practicing is done with Greek or Latin texts. Be sure to discuss your intention with the instructor in advance.

** DIG 120 or CSC 120 may be counted toward this requirement if the student’s major project involves Greek or Latin texts. Be sure to discuss your intention with the instructor in advance.

Major in Classical Studies

A major in classical studies requires eleven (11) courses, including:

CLA 111 (The Ancient World);
one course in Latin (LAT) or Greek (GRE) at the 200 level or above;
one course in the other language (LAT or GRE*) at any level;
one survey of Greek or Roman literature (CLA 121 or CLA 122 );
one survey course of Greek or Roman art and archeology (CLA 141 or CLA 142 );
five additional courses from among those listed in the College Catalog under Classical Studies (including designated courses in philosophy, political science and religion), Greek (201 and higher), Latin (201 and higher), including at least two CLA, GRE, or LAT courses numbered at the 200-level or above
CLA 480 (Senior Research Seminar).

*To satisfy this requirement, students who have not had Greek before must take GRE 103 , which counts for two credits.

Greek Minor

A minor in Greek requires 6 courses:

5 courses in Greek numbered above GRE 103
CLA 121 (Greek Literature in Translation)

With departmental approval, students may count courses taken abroad toward the minor. Davidson courses counted toward the minor may not be taken Pass/Fail. No more than one course counted toward the minor in Greek may also be counted toward either major in classics.

Latin Minor

A minor in Latin requires 6 courses:

5 courses in Latin numbered above LAT 201
CLA 122 (Roman Literature in Translation)

With departmental approval, students may count courses taken abroad toward the minor. Davidson courses counted toward the minor may not be taken Pass/Fail. No more than one course counted toward the minor in Latin may also be counted toward either major in classics.

Placement

Greek

To continue your study of ancient Greek, contact the Greek coordinator, Prof. Keyne Chehsire at kecheshire@davidson.edu.

Students who have received a 6 or 7 on the higher-level International Baccalaureate Greek exam receive credit for Greek 199. If you do not wish to continue your study of Greek, you may schedule an interview with Prof. Cheshire to see if you can receive credit for Greek 201.

Students may enroll for one advanced Greek course at the 200-level if they have not taken a course above 201 in Greek before.

Latin

Students who have studied Latin previously must take a placement test before enrolling in Latin at Davidson. Students who have received a score of 4 or 5 on either or both of the Advanced Placement Latin tests, or 6 or 7 on the higher level International Baccalaureate Latin exam, receive credit for Latin 199. If your placement test score places you above Latin 201, and you do not wish to continue your study of Latin, you may schedule an interview with the Latin coordinator, Prof. Jeanne Neumann, at jeneumann@davidson.edu to see if you can receive credit for Latin 201.

For further information, see: http://www.davidson.edu/academics/classics/latin-placement

Students may enroll for one advanced Latin course at the 200-level if they have not taken a course above 201 in Latin before.

Honors Requirements

Candidates for departmental honors may be admitted to the honors program provided they have attained an overall grade point average of at least 3.2, an average of 3.5 or higher in the major, and the unanimous endorsement of the department’s faculty. In addition to the regular course requirements for the major, candidates for honors must complete and successfully defend a senior thesis. A student who receives an A- or better on the thesis and maintains the above grade point averages throughout the senior year will receive the department’s recommendation for graduation with honors. At the department’s discretion, in the case of an exceptional academic record, together with a thesis of the highest quality incorporating original work, the department confers high honors.

Classical Studies Courses

All the courses prefixed CLA are taught in English. Those numbered between 100 and 398 are open to all students; no prior experience or expertise in Classics is required. As a rule, CLA 100-level courses are surveys in history, art, archaeology, or literature, while 200- and 300-level courses focus on particular topics within Classics. The numeration of CLA courses (100 vs. 200 or 300) reflects a difference in focus, not in degree of difficulty. CLA 400-level courses are seminars limited to 12 students, with the permission of the instructor required. Recent examples have included Alexander the Great, Cicero and His World, the Parthenon, and Hellenistic Alexandria.

Greek Courses

We offer at least one course in advanced Greek each semester. In recent years, we have offered courses in Homer, Euripides, Thucydides, Plato, Aristophanes, and the New Testament. Students may enroll in advanced Greek courses at the 200-level for their first semester of Greek beyond GRE 201. Individual instructors determine how the course requirements will differ for 200- and 300-level students.

Latin Courses

We offer at least one course in advanced Latin each semester. In recent years, we have offered courses in the Civil Wars, Philosophical Writing, Ovid, Petronius, Senecan Tragedy, and Tacitus. Students may enroll in advanced Latin courses at the 200-level for their first semester of Latin beyond LAT 201. Individual instructors determine how the course requirements will differ for the 200- and 300-level students.