Classical Languages and Literatures

Every course addresses a wider set of critical concerns, such as cultural awareness and literary sensibility, and maintains a steady focus on sharpening our students’ analytical thinking and writing skills. Classical education invites students to share in the appreciation and the scrutiny of the legacies of the ancient world. 

The study of the Latin language is one of the primary means of access to the vanished culture of the ancient Romans, not only their rich and varied literature but also their politics, legal system, philosophical thought, daily life, and burial customs. In addition, even a modest achievement in Latin can make one a much more effective and knowledgeable user of the English language and many other modern languages.

Studying of Greek provides a wide range of Greek poetry and prose – epic, lyric poetry, history, drama, philosophy, and New Testament Greek, by authors such as Homer, Sappho, Herodotus, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Plato, and Paul.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR IN CLASSICAL LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

1. Any six language courses in Greek and/or Latin numbered 10 or higher (GRK 10 Readings in Greek Prose and Poetry, GRK 20 Homer, GRK 22 The Lyric Age of Greece, GRK 24 Theatre, GRK 26 Intellectual Enquiry in Classical Athens, GRK 28 Philosophy, GRK 29 New Testament, GRK 30.03 Studies in Greek and Latin Literature, GRK 85 Independent Reading and Research, GRK 87 Thesis. LAT 10 Readings in Latin Prose and Poetry, LAT 20 Vergil, LAT 22 Literature of the Republic, LAT 24 The Augustan Age, LAT 26 Literature of the Early Empire, LAT 28 Literature of the Later Empire and the Middle Ages, LAT 30.02 Studies in Greek and Latin Literature, LAT 85 Independent Reading and Research, LAT 87 Thesis).
2. Two courses distributed as follows:
   • One course selected from Classical Studies 2-5 (CLST 2 The Tragedy and Comedy of Greece and Rome, CLST 3 Reason and the Good Life: Socrates to Epictetus, CLST 4 Classical Mythology, CLST 5 The Heroic Vision: Epics of Greece and Rome).
   • One course selected from Classical Studies 14-26 (CLST 14 Greek History: Archaic and Classical Greece, CLST 15 Alexander the Great and the Macedonean Kings, CLST 17 Roman History: The Republic, CLST 18 History of the Roman Empire: Roman Principate to Christian Empire, CLST 19 Methods and Theory in Ancient History, CLST 20 Greek Prehistoric Archaeology: The Emergence of Civilization in the Aegean, CLST 21 From Disaster to Triumph: Greek Archaeology from the Destruction of Mycenae to the Persian Wars, CLST 22 Greek Classical Archaeology: City-States and Panhellenic Sanctuaries, CLST 24 Etruscan and Early Roman Archaeology: The Rise of Rome, CLST 25 Early Roman Imperial Archaeology: The First Emperors, CLST 26 Later Roman Imperial Archaeology: The Golden Age and Beyond).
3. Two additional courses selected from:
   • Any Classical Studies course numbered 2 or higher.
   • Any course in Greek or Latin numbered 10 or higher (excluding Greek 11).
   • Art History 21 (Art in Ancient Greece: Temples, Gods, Heroes), 22 (Art in the Hellenistic era: from Alexander to Cleopatra), 25 (Roman Art), Comparative Literature 10 (COLT 10.11 Male Friendship from Aristotle to Almodovar, COLT 10.12 Race in the Middle Ages, COLT 10.13 Debate and Dialog in Emerging Europe, COLT 10.14 The Literary Fairy Tale, COLT 10.02 Robbers, Pirates, Terrorists: Forms of Individual Resistance in Literature and Film), Philosophy 11 (Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy).
4. Completion of Culminating Experience Requirement.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MODIFIED MAJOR IN CLASSICAL LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

1. Any five courses in Greek and/or Latin numbered 10 or higher (excluding Greek 11).
2. Completion of Culminating Experience Requirement.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR IN CLASSICAL LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

1. Any four courses in Greek and/or Latin numbered 10 or higher (excluding Greek 11).
2. One course selected from:
   • Classical Studies 2-5, 29-31.
   • Any course in Greek or Latin numbered 10 or higher (excluding Greek 11)
   • Comparative Literature 10 (only if on a Classics topic), Philosophy 11.
3. One course in ancient history or archaeology selected from Classical Studies 14-26.

1.       SAT Reasoning or ACT (with Writing);

2.       2 SAT Subject Test Scores;

3.       The common application essay;

4.       Within the Common Application, Dartmouth’s writing supplement requires that applicants write a brief response to one of the following supplemental essay prompts. Candidates choose one topic and respond;

5.       A counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations. In addition, a peer recommendation is strongly encouraged;

6.       Resume;

7.       Brief abstract of an independent research project;

8.       IELTS or TOEFL (no minimum scores).

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