Classical Studies Major
Classical Studies Major at a Glance
Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Duration
Full Time
Number of Credits
32
Format
On Campus
Why Study Classical Studies?
The Classical Studies major is for students who want to explore big ideas across time. In this program, you’ll read Greek tragedies and Roman love poetry, analyze ancient art and inscriptions, and investigate how language and culture evolved in response to empire, democracy, and belief.
This isn’t a static study of the past; it’s an active, imaginative conversation across centuries. Whether decoding a papyrus fragment, examining law and power in Athenian courts, or comparing myths to modern media, Classical Studies helps you see the world through many lenses.
Students choose from three concentrations, Literature and Performance, History, Politics, and Social Justice, or Archaeology and Archaeological Science, each connecting the ancient world to urgent questions of today.
Classical Studies Major Concentrations
Explore storytelling, theater, and poetry from antiquity to today. Examine how performance shaped civic life, identity, and emotion in the ancient world—and continues to inspire creative expression.
Trace the origins of law, democracy, and resistance. Study how ancient societies structured power and how their ideas echo in modern political and social thought.
Reconstruct the material worlds of antiquity. Work hands-on with artifacts, architecture, and digital modeling through Wesleyan’s Research opportunities and the Birney Lab.
Sample Pathways Through the Major
Explore three example pathways through the Classical Studies major. Each pathway highlights how you can progress through the major with or without prior classical language background.
Classical Studies Major, Religion Minor (no language background)
A sample pathway for students interested in literature, translation, and performance. Designed for those with no prior language background, this path shows how you can build Greek proficiency and explore the expressive power of ancient texts.
First Year
Fall
- FYS: Identities, Politics, Truthmaking in Classics
- CLST 244: Pyramids & Funeral Pyres: Death and Afterlife in Egypt & Greece
Spring
- CLST 205: Intro to Myth
- CLST 250: Comedy in Translation
Summer
- Summer Intensive Greek at NYU (funded by the department)
Second Year
Fall
- GRK 200: Plato’s Symposium
- CLST 363: Dangerous Acts: Theater & Transgression, Ancient & Modern
Spring
- GRK 252: Gender, Violence, Justice in the Hecuba
- CLST 275: Horror in Ancient Greece, Rome, and Modern Movies
Summer
- Internship: Live from Mt. Olympus podcast (PRX, Onassis Center, NYC)
Third Year
Fall
- GRK 350: Death and Afterlife Texts in Ancient Greece & Early Christianity
- COL 336: Theories of Translation**
Spring
- Semester Abroad in Athens
Summer
- Ancient Theater Program in Delphi, Greece (funded by the department)
Fourth Year
Fall
- GRK 225: Translating Women in Euripides
- CLST 363: Body Politics: Desire, Sexuality, and Gender
Spring
- CLST 215: Religion and Politics in Early Christianity
Capstone
- Community translation project and performance of Euripides’ Trojan Women
Classical Studies and Government Double Major, Pre-Law (some high school Latin)
A pathway blending Classical Studies with Government, ideal for students drawn to law, political theory, or social justice. This example includes a student who arrived with some high school Latin and used it to deepen their historical and political analysis.
First Year
Fall
- CLST 231: Greek History
- LAT 201: Catullus & Cicero
Spring
- CLST 255: Democracy and Its Discontents
- LAT 351: Age of Nero
Second Year
Fall
- LAT 325: Petronius: Pseudointellectuals and Millionaires
- CLST 221: Law, Personhood, and Democracy in the Ancient World
- CLST 232: Roman History
Spring
- Phil 201: Ancient Western Philosophy**
- GRK 101
Third Year
Fall
- GRK 102
- CLST 324: Utopias: Tales of Hope or Delusion
Spring
- GRK 205: Athenian Courtroom Dramas & Oratory
- SLST 214: Greek Archaeology
Summer
- Internship: Ohio Election Board (partially funded by the department)
Fourth Year
Fall
- Semester Abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland
Spring
- GRK 290: Truths and Other Fictions: What Makes a Good Argument
Capstone
- Joint CLST/GOV Thesis: Strategies of Dis/enfranchisement in Ancient and Modern Democracies
Classical Studies and Earth and Environmental Studies Double Major (no language background)
A pathway for students interested in archaeology, environmental studies, or scientific approaches to the ancient world. Designed for students with no language background, this path highlights fieldwork, lab research, and interdisciplinary learning.
First Year
Fall
- FYS: Single Combat in the Ancient World
- CLST 232: Roman History
- LAT 101
Spring
- ARCP 257: Environmental Archaeology**
- LAT 102
Summer
- Archaeological dig in Turkey; archaeobotany fieldwork experience
Second Year
Fall
- LAT 203: Roman Letters, Pliny
- CLST 267: Natural Disasters and Resilience in Antiquity
- QAC 231: Intro to GIS**
Spring
- LAT 300: Lucretius: The Nature of Things
- CLST 201: Bronze Age Mediterranean Archaeology
- CLST 426: Classics Lab: Deforestation in Ancient Italy
Summer
- Classics/QAC Internship: Mapping ancient Mediterranean deforestation datasets
Third Year
Fall
- CLST 223: Roman Archaeology
- Present research poster at a national conference (ancient deforestation)
Spring
- Semester Abroad in Rome
Summer
- Internship: The Nature Conservancy
Fourth Year
Fall
- CLST 383: Greek Vase as Art and Artifact
Spring
- CLST 338: Archaeology of Port Cities
Capstone
- Joint CLST/E&ES Thesis: Drought Strategies and Mediterranean Land Use, Ancient & Modern
Opportunities and Research
The Student Experience
Classical Studies majors are explorers—drawn to ancient mysteries but guided by modern curiosity. You might analyze inscriptions, map archaeological sites, or research how myth informs media today. Many participate in faculty-led research or independent projects through the Classics Lab.
Study Abroad
Immerse yourself in the landscapes that inspired ancient writers and thinkers. The department encourages summer and semester programs in the Mediterranean and supports travel through the Squire Fund.
Awards and Prizes
The department honors academic excellence and adventurous scholarship through prizes such as the Metis Prize, Egeria Prize, and Sherman Prize, as well as research grants for fieldwork and language study. See current honorees on the current students page.
Capstone and Honors
In the senior year, Classical Studies majors complete a capstone or honors project that synthesizes their coursework and research. Honors candidates undertake an original thesis or essay based on primary sources, working closely with a faculty advisor to contribute new insights to the field.
Languages at Wesleyan
Whether you’re new to Latin or Greek or have studied them before, our goal is simple: we want you to be able to read anything from antiquity that fascinates you—from epic poetry and drama to medical texts, myths, and inscriptions.
The first-year language sequence emphasizes a strong foundation in grammar and syntax, preparing students for advanced courses focused on individual authors and genres.
Advanced students may also join faculty research projects that use ancient texts in original scholarship.
Many students choose to take their introductory year of Latin or Greek through a summer intensive, which allows them to start intermediate-level courses when they return to campus in the fall.
Summer programs are offered nationwide at institutions such as the University of Texas at Austin, UC Berkeley, Harvard, UCLA, and the City University of New York, and often include online options.
What about language study in Greece or Rome? Calder Classics offers intensive beginner and intermediate Latin and Greek summer programs in Italy and Greece for students of all ages. Positions are also available for chaperones and assistant teachers. (For additional information, feel free to contact Beth Alexion '16 ealexion@wesleyan.edu.)
Through small grants from the Squire Fund, the department offsets tuition costs for students who complete an approved intensive program.
If you’ve taken Latin or Greek in high school, you can begin at the level that feels right for you—no placement exam is required, though a quick test is available for students who’d like guidance.
To take the test, complete the placement form and schedule a short in-person session once you arrive on campus.
For questions, contact the Department Chair, Dr. Kate Birney.
Life After Wesleyan
A Classical Studies education prepares you to think deeply and write persuasively—skills valued in every field. Alumni go on to careers in law, politics, education, media, cultural heritage, and technology. Others pursue graduate study in classics, archaeology, or related disciplines.
How to declare
Complete the Major Declaration Form and choose your concentration. If you’re new to Latin or Greek, start early. Latin begins each fall, Greek each spring, and your professors will help you find the right level.
Once you’ve declared, your advisor will work with you to shape a plan of study that reflects your interests and helps you make meaningful connections across Wesleyan’s curriculum.
