Classical Civilization
Ancient Greece and Rome are the two areas of interest in Classical Civilizations: the Greek love affair with life - the quest for ideals of beauty, truth and justice; and the Roman sense of destiny and imperial greatness - the unceasing struggle against the forces of barbarism. In the first year, students will typically enroll in courses in Greek or Latin. The program encompasses the art, literature, history and culture of the ancient world. No previous knowledge of Greek or Latin is necessary to enter the program. Exciting four-year Combined Honours Degrees are possible with Modern Languages, French, History, Philosophy and many other areas.
Programing profile
The Classical Studies program of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures / Département de langues, littératures et cultures involves the examination of all aspects of Greco-Roman antiquity: language, literature, history, archaeology, philosophy, myth and religion. It is, then, inherently interdisciplinary, allowing and demanding the development of a wide variety of skills and types of knowledge and understanding.
The periods within Greco-Roman antiquity with which Classical Studies particularly concerns itself are the foundational periods for the ancient Greeks and Romans. Within these cultures we see explicit and self-conscious concern with self-definition: what is a citizen, a family, a god? What is art? What is law? What is freedom? What is nature? How can human beings express themselves? All of these issues are still of profound importance for us in North America today. Classical Studies allows us to develop an understanding of how these questions can be answered through the examination of what is not our world, our lives. Through this understanding we can better live our lives in our world.
Available Classical Civilization Programs
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General Classical Studies - A three-year program with concentration on Greco-Roman civilization and culture
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Honours Classical Studies- A four-year program with concentration on Greco-Roman civilization and culture and ancient Greek and Latin language
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Combined Honours Classical Studies - A four-year program with concentration on Greco-Roman civilization and culture combined with any other Major offered by the university
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Minor in Classical Studies- a set of six courses in Greco-Roman civilization and culture taken in conjunction with any other university Major program
A General degree in Classical Civilization focuses on Greco-Roman civilization and culture, while an Honours degree requires that students also study ancient Greek or Latin languages. Learning these languages is necessary for advanced study within the field because the emphasis in Classical Civilization is on the examination of primary source materials (the artifacts of ancient
For students interested in pursuing a combined Major or Minor, Classical Civilization provides a complement to a Major in History, Political Science, Philosophy, English, French and the other Modern Languages, Visual Art or Communication Studies. Classical Civilization also provides a good balance for students who are pursuing degrees in any of the sciences.
Although the Classical Civilization program is small, it is thorough. All major aspects of the discipline are addressed by our course offerings, but some focus on particular areas of interest, such as material culture or literature, is also possible. Senior students, through our senior seminar or through directed studies courses, can pursue detailed study of precise topics under the careful guidance of a faculty member.
Core courses
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11-161 and 162. Introduction to Greek and Roman Civilization
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11-211 and 212. Greek Prose and Poetry
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11-221 and 222. Latin Prose and Poetry
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11-265 and 266. Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology
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12-262 and 263. Greek History
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12-271 and 272. Roman History
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13-100, 101, 200, and 201. Ancient Greek Language
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14-100, 101, 200, and 201. Latin Language
The Classical Civilization program also offers a course that is almost unique in Canada, Course 11-450 Practicum in Classical Archaeology. This course works through a balance of classroom activity, research, and hands-on digging at archaeological sites to provide students with an understanding of archaeology, how it works and how we study and interpret material culture. This course is normally offered in Greece during Summer Session.
Classical Studies is a small program with three full-time faculty members and approximately seventy majors. As a result, students will get to know their instructors and their fellow Classics students well. Classical Studies is proud of the high quality of its teaching faculty. Members of our faculty have won or been nominated for teaching awards at the University and within
Career paths
For students interested in study after the Bachelor’s degree, a number of fields lie open. Graduate degrees in Classical Studies generally lead to university teaching and research. Museum Studies and Information Science, leading to work in curatorship, community education, and a wide variety of positions in government and the private sector, are good choices for Classicists. Classical Studies also leads directly to many different careers. Any career that demands intellectual flexibility, self-education, communication skills, critical and analytical skills, research skills, big picture thinking, or small detail thinking is one to which a degree in Classical Studies can lead. For example, journalism, marketing, travel and tourism, publishing (sales or editing) and the civil service are common paths. Classical Studies is also good preparation for Law school, because of its focus on careful analysis, independent thinking, and research.
Course Offerings for Classical Studies
Contact information
Classical Studies
Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
University of Windsor
Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P8
Telephone: 519-253-3000 ext. 2062/2888
Fax: 519-971-3648
E-mail: llc@uwindsor.ca
University of Windsor
401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4
(519) 253-3000
