Department of Classics and Humanities

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College of Arts & Letters
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego CA 92182-6064

Phone 619-594-5186
Fax 619-594-1004

Arts & Letters 662

Classics

Classics embraces all of ancient Greek and Roman civilization but especially Greek and Latin literature. This includes not only poets like Homer and Vergil but also historians, philosophers, and statesmen. Their works and those of classical artists and architects inspired the Mediterranean world for a thousand years and are the basis of Western civilization.

Classical studies are built upon learning a classical language—Greek or Latin or preferably both. In addition to reading classical literature in the original, you explore a menu of intellectual and artistic studies through classical works in English translation.

Classics provides a sound and stimulating basis for the rest of your intellectual, cultural, and professional life. Some graduates enter careers in the arts or publishing or travel or education. Others use their liberal arts experience to work into management or administration. Still others find Classics incomparable preparation for law or, with some course work in sciences, medicine.

Major

The major in Classics combines language, literature, and culture. Preparation for the major includes 14–26 lower division units of Greek or Latin or both and two survey courses from among Classics, Humanities, Comparative Literature, and History.

There are two emphases in the major: Classical Humanities and Classical Language. Both emphases include language and nonlanguage courses.* The major requires 30 upper division units. Majors emphasizing Classical Language can complete their lower and upper division program within three years, which is how long it takes to complete a six-course language sequence in Greek or Latin. The Classical Humanities emphasis requires four semesters in either language and can be completed in two years. See MAPs (Major Academic Plans) to plan the eight semesters of your major.

*The secondary teaching credential in Latin has been discontinued. SDSU Classics graduates must apply to other institutions for the credential.

Classics majors are required to take the Senior Seminar and to submit a senior portfolio. A minor is not required with this major.

Minor

The minor in Classics requires about a third as many courses as the major and a third as many upper division courses. You may choose language or nonlanguage options. The language track requires 16–17 units and is usually completed in two years. The 18-unit nonlanguage track can be completed in as little as one year.

Courses in Classics & Related Disciplines for the Major & Minor

The following courses are acceptable for the Classics major, minor, and preparation for the major. Some titles have been revised for the 2007-08 Catalog. Courses taught usually in fall or spring will be marked F or S; courses taught only in Summer Extension are marked X; otherwise, courses are taught irregularly. Asterisked courses have prerequisites.

Classics
120. English Words from Latin and Greek
140. Heritage of Greece and Rome
296C. Experimental Topics in Classics
310. Greek and Roman Myth and Legend * FS
320. Epic and the Novel* F
330. Tragedy and Comedy* S
340. Ancient Greece and Rome*
350. Classics and Cinema*
496C. Topics in Classics
599C. Special Study in Classics*

(Greek)
101G. Ancient Greek I F
202G. Ancient Greek II* S
303G. Reading Greek Prose* F
304G. Reading Greek Poetry* S
496G. Topics in Greek*
599G. Special Study in Greek* FS

(Latin)
101L. Latin I F
202L. Latin II* S
250L. Accelerated Latin X
303L. Reading Latin Prose* F
304L. Reading Latin Poetry* S
496L. Topics in Latin*
599L. Special Study in Latin* FS

Art
568. Art of Crete, Mycenae, Greece, Rome*
Comparative Literature
270A. World Literature (to 1500) FS

History
105. Western Civilization (to 1700) FS
501. Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations
502. Ancient Greece F
503. Ancient Rome S

Humanities
140. Mythology FS
402. Renaissance* S
490. Senior Seminar in Classics and Humanities* S

Philosophy
411. Ancient Western Philosophy* F