Classical Languages and Literature
College of Arts and Humanities
1210 Marie Mount Hall
Phone: 301-405-2013 or 301-405-2014
eadler@umd.edu (Chair) or jbravo@umd.edu (Undergraduate Advisor)
http://classics.umd.edu
The department offers three different undergraduate major tracks and four minors. Classics is a strong pre-professional major for a wide range of careers. Many of our courses can also be used to fulfill General Education and/or CORE requirements.
We offer instruction under three different headings: CLAS, GREK, and LATN. CLAS courses focus on various aspects of the ancient world using English language texts and works of Greek and Latin literature in English translation. CLAS courses do not provide instruction in the ancient languages nor will they satisfy the Global Engagement requirement in the College of Arts and Humanities. GREK and LATN courses use English language texts as well as material in Greek or Latin. They are designed to help students to master the Latin or Greek language and can be used to satisfy the college's Global Engagement requirement.
Students who plan to do graduate work in Classics, ancient history, ancient philosophy, or ancient Mediterranean art history and archaeology should choose the Latin and Greek track, with either Latin or Greek as the primary language. Those planning to teach Latin at the secondary level should choose the Latin or Latin and Greek track. Students who have other plans after graduation and who major in Classics for the strong liberal arts background it offers may choose any of the major tracks.
Chair: E. Adler
Professors: E. Adler, L. Doherty
Associate Professors: F. Barrenechea, J. Bravo, K. Wasdin
Assistant Professor: C. Graf
Principal Lecturer: G. Bucher
Affiliate Professor: J. Burton
Affiliate Associate Professor: J. Scholten
Professors Emeriti: H. Lee, J. Hallett (Distinguished Scholar-Teacher), S. Rutledge (Assoc Prof Emeritus), E. Stehle, G. Staley
Visiting Faculty: P. Parara (Visit Asst Prof)
Departmental advising is mandatory for all majors every semester and is recommended for those seeking minors. Advising is provided by tenured and tenure-track faculty in the department. Advisor assignments for majors are posted on the ELMS page "Department of Classics Undergraduate Advising;" minors should contact Professor Jorge Bravo (jbravo@umd.edu) to be matched with an advisor.
To review the academic plan for this major, go to http://arhu.umd.edu/undergraduate/advising/academicplans/.
Undergraduate Research Experiences
The major culminates in a Capstone Course, in which students develop and present research which has grown out of their work in the field. Majors are encouraged to participate in undergraduate research conferences locally and nationally. The department enables students to become involved in summer research opportunities and encourages all majors to seek internships.
Fieldwork Opportunities
Classics students have the opportunity to participate in the study of archaeological sites, including fieldwork, through our department and others in the university. Students may also pursue an interdisciplinary minor in archaeology. Contact Prof. Jorge J. Bravo (jbravo@umd.edu) for further information.
Internships
All Classics majors are encouraged to seek internships and there are many opportunities to do so in the Washington area. Classics students have interned at the National Archives, Smithsonian, Library of Congress, and Center for Hellenic Studies, among others.
Student Societies and Professional Organizations
Eta Sigma Phi is the national undergraduate Honor Society in Classics founded in 1914 at the University of Chicago. The University of Maryland's chapter, Zeta Nu, was established in 1994. Students are invited to join in the spring semester. To qualify, a student must have completed or be registered in a 3xx- or 4xx-level Greek or Latin course, must have at least a "B+" average in all language courses, and an overall GPA of "B" or better.
Students can submit abstracts for papers to be presented at regional and national Classics conferences. They can also join the Society for Classical Studies and the American Classical League, which are the national classics professional organizations, as well as the Classical Association of the Atlantic States, which is our regional classical organization.
Scholarships and Financial Assistance
The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) administers all types of federal, state, and institutional financial assistance programs, and, in cooperation with other university offices, participates in the awarding of scholarships to deserving students. For information, visit: http://financialaid.umd.edu.
The Classics Department awards a number of special scholarships and awards, some reserved for Classics majors and others awarded to them in preference.
For Classics majors only: The Avery Prize is awarded annually to a Latin student of special merit and the Hubbe Prize to a Greek student of special merit. The Mildred Steyer Undergraduate Scholarship is awarded to one or more outstanding majors in Classics. The Odyssey scholarships support students who study abroad and other student needs. To honor the memory of Sylvia Gerber, who taught Latin for many years in the Washington, DC public schools, her son Louis has provided the department with funding to support the training of Latin teachers and Latin pedagogical studies, including an undergraduate award for an aspiring Latin teacher.
Thanks to a generous grant from the National Italian American Foundation, the department now offers a number of full or partial scholarships for its winter term study abroad program in Italy. These scholarships are awarded by preference to students majoring in Classics and related fields.
Awards and Recognition
Outstanding students in Greek and Latin are invited to join Eta Sigma Phi, the national undergraduate Honor Society in Classics (see Student Societies and Professional Organizations above).
The department also annually awards the Avery Prize for excellence in Latin, the Hubbe Prize for excellence in Greek, and the Steyer and Gerber Scholarships (see Scholarships and Financial Assistance above).