Classics
Department Overview
The mission of the Classics Department is to help shape the future of our students through the study of the past. By using interdisciplinary methodologies, students examine and develop expertise in the languages, literatures, histories, religions, cultures, art, and artifacts of the peoples of the ancient Mediterranean.
Students apply multi- and cross-cultural perspectives to gender, ethnic, and social issues in order to gain insight into the cultures of the classical world. In reading Greek and Latin prose and poetry, both in the original languages and in translation, students contextualize works of literature in their larger cultural and historical settings and recognize their significance in the past and their relevance for the present and future. Students conduct research by traditional and digital methods in order to present oral and written arguments supported by primary sources, theoretical constructs, and established scholarship. In acquiring these critical and analytical skills, classics majors prepare themselves for life beyond college both on the personal and professional level. Professional opportunities can include careers in education, communication, arts, law and government, and library sciences.
Both a major and a minor are available in classics. Skidmore is a member of the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, which offers juniors the opportunity to study classical antiquity in Italy. Other semester and summer study programs in Italy, Greece, and other countries may be arranged with the help of the chair of Classics. Students may fulfill the Language Study requirement by successfully completing any course in Greek or Latin.
Chair of the Classics Department: Dan Curley (Fall 2025), Amy Oh (Spring 2026)
Professor: Dan Curley
Assistant Professor: Amy Oh
Assistant Teaching Professor: Janelle Sadarananda
Visiting Assistant Professors: Benjamin Abbott, A. Hana Aghababian
Associate Professor Emeritus: Michael Arnush
Lecturer Emerita: Leslie Mechem
Affiliated Faculty
Philosophy: Silvia Carli
Religious Studies: Gregory Spinner
Classics B.A.
31 credit hours, including a minimum of:
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Reading Proficiency of Greek or Latin at the 300-Level | ||
Complete one of the following sequences to demonstrate proficiency: 1 | 8 | |
Seminar in Latin Poetry and Seminar in Latin Prose Literature | ||
Seminar in Greek Poetry and Seminar in Greek Prose Literature | ||
Gateway Course | ||
CC 200 | The Classical World | 4 |
Literature, History, and Archaeology Clusters | ||
Select one course from each of the following clusters: | 9 | |
Literature Cluster | ||
Classical Mythology | ||
Greek Tragedy | ||
Society on the Stage: Greek and Roman Comedy | ||
The Hero(ine)'s Tale: Traditions of Greek and Roman Epic | ||
The Ancient Novel | ||
History Cluster | ||
Rise of Athens | ||
Athens, Alexander the Great, and Cleopatra | ||
Rise of Rome | ||
Fall of Rome | ||
Greek and Roman Historians | ||
Archaeology Cluster | ||
Greek Art and Archaeology | ||
Roman Art and Archaeology | ||
Additional Requirements | ||
CC 365 | Advanced Topics in Classical Civilization (when applicable) | 1-4 |
or HI 351 | Topics in History | |
Transition Course | ||
CC 395 | The Classics Major and Beyond | 1 |
Capstone Project | ||
Select one of the following to complete a capstone project: | 4 | |
Expanded research paper 2 | ||
Senior thesis | ||
Independent study that results in a research paper or other advanced project | ||
Total Hours | 27-30 |
- 1
Students may enroll in CL 310 Seminar in Latin Poetry and CL 311 Seminar in Latin Prose Literature courses more than once with permission.
- 2
In any 300-level Greek or Latin course
Students may count toward the major any course listed above plus:
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
CC 227 | Race and Ethnicity in Ancient Greece and Beyond | 3 |
CC 228 | Ancient Rhetoric, Modern Politics | 4 |
CC 230 | Romans in Their Environment | 3 |
CC 265 | Topics in Classical Civilization | 3 |
CC 291 | Writing in Classics | 1 |
CC 292 | Semester Project in Classics | 1 |
CG 110 | Elementary Greek | 4 |
CG 210 | Intermediate Greek | 4 |
CL 110 | Elementary Latin | 4 |
CL 210 | Intermediate Latin | 4 |
PL 204 | Classical Political Thought | 3 |
PH 203 | Ancient Greek Philosophy | 4 |
PH 327 | Great Philosophers (when applicable ) | 4 |
RE 330 | Advanced Topics in Religion (when applicable) | 3 |
CC 100 English Vocabulary From Greek and Latin and CC 399 Professional Internship in Classics may not count toward the major.
Writing Requirement in the Major
Majors will meet the writing requirement in Classics through CC 200 The Classical World and any 300-level Greek or Latin course, ideally taken toward the beginning and end, respectively, of their studies at Skidmore.
Classics Minor
20 credit hours, including a minimum of:
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Reading Proficiency of Greek or Latin at the 200 Level | ||
Complete the following to demonstrate proficiency: | 4 | |
Intermediate Greek | ||
or CL 210 | Intermediate Latin | |
Gateway Course | ||
The Classical World | ||
Literature, History, and Archaeology Clusters | ||
Select two courses of the following, each from a different cluster: | 6 | |
Literature Cluster | ||
Classical Mythology | ||
Greek Tragedy | ||
Society on the Stage: Greek and Roman Comedy | ||
The Hero(ine)'s Tale: Traditions of Greek and Roman Epic | ||
The Ancient Novel | ||
History Cluster | ||
Rise of Athens | ||
Athens, Alexander the Great, and Cleopatra | ||
Rise of Rome | ||
Fall of Rome | ||
Greek and Roman Historians | ||
Archaeology Cluster | ||
Greek Art and Archaeology | ||
Roman Art and Archaeology | ||
Additional Requirements | ||
Select one course from the following: 1 | 1-4 | |
Seminar in Greek Poetry | ||
or CG 311 | Seminar in Greek Prose Literature | |
Seminar in Latin Poetry | ||
or CL 311 | Seminar in Latin Prose Literature | |
Advanced Topics in Classical Civilization | ||
Topics in History (when applicable) | ||
Great Philosophers (when applicable ) | ||
Advanced Topics in Religion (when applicable) | ||
Students may count toward the minor any course listed above, plus: | ||
Race and Ethnicity in Ancient Greece and Beyond | ||
Ancient Rhetoric, Modern Politics | ||
Romans in Their Environment | ||
Topics in Classical Civilization | ||
Writing in Classics | ||
Semester Project in Classics | ||
Elementary Greek | ||
Elementary Latin | ||
Ancient Greek Philosophy | ||
Classical Political Thought | ||
Total Hours | 11-14 |
- 1
Minors are encouraged to take one 300-level seminar in either Greek or Latin (CG 310 Seminar in Greek Poetry, CG 311 Seminar in Greek Prose Literature; CL 310 Seminar in Latin Poetry, CL 311 Seminar in Latin Prose Literature).
CC 100 English Vocabulary From Greek and Latin and CC 399 Professional Internship in Classics may not count toward the major.
Honors
To be considered for honors in classics, a student must, in addition to fulfilling college requirements for departmental honors, receive a grade of at least A- on the senior capstone project. Specific requirements for the project are established by the department.
Eta Sigma Phi, New York Iota Nu Chapter
Incorporated in 1927, Eta Sigma Phi is a national honorary society that seeks to develop and promote interest in classical study, and in the history, art, and literature of ancient Greece and Rome, among students of colleges and universities. Undergraduate students are eligible for membership as of their junior year if they have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.0 in the Classics major and a grade of not less than “B” in one Latin or Greek course.