The field of classics encompasses the study of ancient Greek and Roman cultures and their political, social, artistic, and intellectual legacies. With its broadly conceived chronological (the Bronze age through late antiquity) and geographical (ancient Mediterranean and Near East) boundaries, the Classics program involves the study of cultural contact and hybridization, as well as the exploration of the dynamic relationships between past and present. With its wide range of courses in language, literature, religion, social and political history, as well as art and archaeology, the program enables students to investigate ancient cultures from different perspectives and become acquainted with the aims and methods of several disciplines. Four degree sub-plans (Greek; Latin; Greek and Latin; Classical Civilization) are designed to accommodate students' specific interests and needs. Greek is the Western language with the longest continuous history, from the poetry of Homer in the first millennium BCE to the present. The Greek sub-plan focuses on literature, philosophy, religion, archaeology, and art associated with the Greek language from its earliest appearance through the rise of the Greek city-state in the 5th century BCE and into the Roman Empire. The Latin sub-plan allows students to explore a large range of literature written over more than a millennium and a half. It is concerned with the language and literature of the Roman Republic and Empire and later Latin literature from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, as well as with Roman religion, history, archaeology, and art. Modern "Romance" languages (French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese) are derived from Latin. The Greek and Latin sub-plan offers the most comprehensive and comparative approach to Greco-Roman antiquity with its broad focus on the languages and literature of both ancient Greece and Rome. Students explore a wide range of ancient texts and gain a heightened awareness of inter-cultural appropriation and interpretation. Majors interested in graduate work in classics are encouraged to consider this sub-plan as it offers especially strong preparation for advanced academic training in the field. The Classical Civilization sub-plan offers students the opportunity to explore the art, literature, religion, and social and political history of ancient Greece and Rome from interdisciplinary perspectives with less required work in the ancient languages. This sub-plan is also an attractive option as a double major for students studying in fields engaged with the reception of the classical past, like English, Art History, French, Italian, German, History, and Philosophy.

Refer to your chosen sub-plan for more information on what preparatory courses you must complete.

All CLA BA degrees require 18 upper-division (3xxx-level or higher) credits outside the major designator. These credits must be taken in designators different from the major designator and cannot include courses that are cross-listed with the major designator. The major designator for the Classics BA is CNRC. No course may be used to fulfill more than one major requirement. At least 18 upper-division credits in the major must be taken at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Students earning a BA in Classics may not earn minors in Greek, Latin, or Classical Civilization. All incoming CLA first-year (freshmen) must complete the First-Year Experience course sequence. All incoming CLA first-year (freshmen) students earning a BA, BS, or BIS degree must complete the second-year career management course CLA 3002. All students must complete a capstone in at least one CLA major. The requirements for double majors completing the capstone in a different CLA major will be clearly stated. Students must also complete all major requirements in both majors to allow the additional capstone to be waived. Student completing an addition degree must complete the capstone in each degree area.