Overview
The classical languages major gives students the opportunity to master both ancient Greek and Latin by reading authors such as Homer, Virgil, and Ovid in their original languages. The major also consists of classics courses in English about the history and culture of the Greek and Roman worlds.
Fast Facts
- The department has two research labs for students where they work closely with department faculty: the Early Book and Manuscript Lab and the Roman World Lab.
- Student-led HOMER Society participates in digital humanities work for the national Homer Multitext Project.
- Trinity partners with the Southwest Texas Archaeological Society to sponsor lectures by visiting experts.
- The department has a partnership with the San Antonio Museum of Art, which has a strong classical art collection.
What You'll Study
Ancient Mediterranean language and culture, from Achilles to Zeus
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Program Curriculum
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Refer to the Courses of Study Bulletin for full program requirements.
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Search for Classes
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Use Search for Sections in TigerPAWS for the most current class offering information.
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Courses of Study Bulletin
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Candidates for a baccalaureate degree must fulfill the requirements for a major as listed in the courses of study bulletin. The courses of study bulletin is the official source of information regarding degree requirements, academic policies, and academic majors and minors at Trinity University.
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Pathways Curriculum
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Students must complete the Pathways Curriculum in order to receive a baccalaureate degree. The Pathways Curriculum has six curricular requirements, and three optional elements that provide the foundation in the liberal arts and sciences for all the bachelor’s degrees awarded by Trinity University. Through these requirements, students acquire the necessary skills and disciplinary perspectives to navigate complex questions at Trinity and in their post-graduate lives.
Latin courses
Read Virgil, Ovid, Horace, and other authors in the original.
Ancient Greek courses
Read Homer, Herodotus, Euripides, and other authors in the original.
Honors Thesis
Students have frequently called the experience of writing an honors thesis, and the 1:1 faculty mentorship that accompanies it, one of the best experiences of their collegiate career.
Classical Mythology
From Zeus to Medusa, explore the major myths of the classical world by examining ancient literature and art.
Daily Life in Ancient Greece and Rome
These two courses reveal how life was lived in ancient Rome and Athens.
Antiquity and Modernity
See how the ancient Mediterranean world is constructed through the lens of modern art, literature, and scholarship.
View all courses
For more information and a description of each class please visit the COSB website.
Art History (B.A.)
Art History (Minor)
Religion (B.A.)
Religion (Minor)
History (Minor)
History (B.A.)
English (B.A.)
English (Minor)
Communication (B.A.)
Communication (Minor)
Anthropology (B.A.)
Anthropology (Minor)
Political Science (Minor)
Political Science (B.A.)
Philosophy (B.A.)
Philosophy (Minor)
Faculty
Epic research, mentorship, and hands-on learning
Students enjoy personal interaction with faculty in all classical studies courses, especially the upper-division seminars and language classes. Classics faculty are known for close mentorship, fostered through small class sizes, undergraduate research, and field trips.
Student Opportunities
A mosaic of opportunities
Several organizations offer various grants, fellowships, scholarships, or awards to students.
Trinity offers an honors program in classics.
Student majors have presented papers at undergraduate research symposia across the country.
Many students study abroad, especially in Italy and Greece.
Students can explore the strong classical collection at San Antonio museums, with work that focuses on conservation and original research.
Our Classics seminar room has a library of reference materials and is open to students during the day.
Each year, the classical studies department honors the achievements of some of its excellent students during Trinity’s Honor Awards ceremony.
Throughout the academic year, the department sponsors and hosts play readings, colloquia, visiting lecturers, movies, and more.
When You Graduate
The heroic quest continues
The future is bright for ancient Mediterranean studies alumni—they leave Trinity equipped with the ability to think incisively about written documents and material records, synthesize evidence across disciplines, and express themselves effectively both orally and in writing.
Careers
Many classics majors go on to pursue graduate degrees in classics, archaeology, history, philosophy, and other related fields or in the professional fields, such as law, medicine, public health, museum studies, and library science. Some majors now teach Latin at the secondary level, while others have pursued careers in business as consultants or professional writers.
Graduate Schools or Programs:
- Princeton University
- Rutgers University
- University of California, Berkeley
- UNC - Chapel Hill
- UCLA
- University of Chicago
Career Areas:
- Archaeology
- Business
- Drama
- Education
- Law
- Medicine
- Museum work
- Politics
- Publishing
- Science
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