Classics is the study of the world of ancient Greece and Rome: the language and literature; ancient history and mythology; archaeology and philosophy of the classical world. Classics students are trained in the ancient languages of Greek and Latin, and they read the great works of classical literature in the original (without the need for translations): the epic poetry of Homer and Virgil; the histories of Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, and Tacitus; the rich tradition of lyric and elegiac poetry; tragedy and comedy; the vast output of Cicero and other great men of politics and government; and the philosophy of Plato and Lucretius.
With sound training and skills in critical reasoning and rigorous analysis, Classics majors are well prepared for a variety of career and lifetime pursuits. Many Classics students are admitted to graduate programs in various disciplines, as well as into pre-professional schools of law and medicine.
All students of Classics are strongly urged to study both Greek and Latin through the advanced level. Courses in English translation provide comprehensive study of ancient civilizations, literature, history, and archaeology, as well as more specialized study of suitable preparation for graduate work in Classics and many other disciplines.
Classics students are regularly afforded the opportunity to collaborate on scholarly projects with Classics faculty, and to assist in cooperative research. Our majors in Classics are encouraged to pursue research projects and summer research travel from the start.
You may choose to study abroad in Greece or Italy during a semester or a summer session. You might choose programs such as the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, the College Year in Athens, or the Institute for Roman Culture.
Elizabeth Simmons ’15 (left) and Marissa Popeck ’14 were awarded the Dorothy Herbst Prize, which funded their summer travels to France and Italy to visit many historic sites of classical interest.
OWU regularly hosts lectures and visits from prominent classicists. In recent years we have sponsored lectures by leading classicists Richard Thomas; Shadi Bartsch; Stephen Hinds; Laurel Fulkerson; Katharina Volk; Serena Connolly, and others.
High-achieving students in Classical Studies courses are eligible for membership in Eta Sigma Phi, the national collegiate Classics honor society.
This student club has met every week since 2005. Events include regular film screenings; marathon readings of classical texts; receptions to celebrate the anniversaries of major events in classical history; museum trips; and visits to events at the classics programs of our sister schools.
You are encouraged to submit papers to conferences and to take part in grant proposals. Recently, two OWU Classics students were co-authors with Classics faculty of scholarly articles published abroad on classical literature.
A double-major in Classics and Psychology, Sami is a behavioral intervention aide specializing in autism at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
