Major Concentration Classics (36 credits)

Program Requirements

The Major Concentration in Classical Studies is an in-depth study of ancient Greece and Rome. Two Streams are offered. The Classical Languages stream emphasizes ancient Greek and Latin language, requiring advanced coursework in one or both languages. The Classical Studies stream provides a broad foundation in ancient languages and Greek and Roman literature while allowing students greater flexibility to take a variety of courses in translation.

Required Courses (3 credits)

• CLAS 201 Greece and Rome (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Introduction to ancient Greek and Roman civilization, focusing on key themes, problems, and methods of the discipline of classical studies.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Complementary Courses (33 credits)

33 credits from one of the following two streams.

Classical Languages Stream

33 credits of classics (CLAS) or related courses according to the following stipulations:
Minimum 6 credits advanced Ancient Greek and/or Latin.

• CLAS 410 Advanced Latin: Authors (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Translation and discussion of selections from ancient Latin literature written by a single author or several authors closely linked by genre or historical period. Emphasis on developing reading proficiency. Texts change from year to year. Course may be taken more than once.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Pre-requisite(s): CLAS 312 or permission of instructor

  • This is a language course. Reading knowledge of Latin is expected.

• CLAS 412 Advanced Latin: Themes (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Examination of a theme or problem in Roman literature, culture or history through the translation and discussion of ancient Latin texts. Emphasis on close reading and analysis of ancient Latin. Texts change from year to year. Course may be taken more than once.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Pre-requisite(s): CLAS 312 or permission of instructor

  • This is a language course. Reading knowledge of Latin is expected.

• CLAS 419 Advanced Latin: Post-Classical (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Translation and examination of Latin text(s) from the Late Antique, Medieval or Renaissance period.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite(s): 6 credits of 300-level Latin or permission of instructor.

• CLAS 420 Advanced Ancient Greek: Authors (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Translation and discussion of selections from ancient Greek literature written by a single author or several authors closely linked by genre or historical period. Emphasis on developing reading proficiency. Texts change from year to year. Course may be taken more than once.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite(s): CLAS 322 or permission of instructor

• CLAS 422 Advanced Ancient Greek: Themes (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Examination of a theme or problem in ancient Greek literature, culture or history through the translation and discussion of ancient Greek texts. Emphasis on close reading and analysis of ancient Greek. Texts change from year to year. Course may be taken more than once.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite: CLAS 322 or permission of instructor

  • This is a language course. Reading knowledge of Ancient Greek is expected.

• CLAS 429 Medieval Greek (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Readings by Greek authors writing during the Late Imperial through Byzantine periods

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite(s): CLAS 312 or permission of instructor

NOTE: Maximum 12 credits of complementary courses at the 200 level.
NOTE: 9 credits maximum of non-CLAS courses may be counted toward the program.

Classical Studies Stream

6 credits in the following:

• CLAS 301 Ancient Greek Literature and Society (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Survey of ancient Greek literature in translation, covering the key genres and texts in their social and historical contexts. The material to be discussed includes Archaic epic, lyric, and elegy; Classical tragedy, comedy, and historiography; Hellenistic poetry, and literature of the Roman Imperial period.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken CLAS 200.

• CLAS 302 Roman Literature and Society (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : An exploration of Roman texts written during the Republican and Imperial periods (200 BCE-400 CE) and the study of social contexts in which they were written.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken CLAS 208.

27 credits of classics (CLAS) or related courses according to the following stipulations:
Minimum 6 credits intermediate Ancient Greek and/or Latin.

• CLAS 310 Intermediate Latin 1 (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Review of Latin grammar, morphology, syntax, and vocabulary while introducing students to techniques and strategies for reading Latin poetry and prose.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite: CLAS 210 or CLAS 212 or permission of instructor.

• CLAS 312 Intermediate Latin 2 (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Continued mastery of the language, with emphasis on translation of Latin texts.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite: CLAS 310 or permission of the instructor.

• CLAS 315 Intermediate Latin 2: Selections (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : A study of selected works in Latin. Topic varies by year.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite: CLAS 310 or permission of the instructor

• CLAS 320 Intermediate Ancient Greek 1 (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Review of grammar, vocabulary, and syntax of Ancient Greek through translation of selected ancient texts.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite: CLAS 220 or permission of instructor

• CLAS 322 Intermediate Ancient Greek 2 (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Continued mastery of the language, with emphasis on translation of ancient Greek texts.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite: CLAS 320 or permission of the instructor

• CLAS 326 Intermediate Ancient Greek 2: Selections (3 credits)

  Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)

  Overview

  Classics : Translation of ancient Greek texts selected from a given topic, theme, genre, or author. Texts and authors change from year to year.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • Prerequisite(s) : CLAS 320 or permission of instructor.

NOTE: Minimum 6 credits 400-level CLAS courses.
NOTE: Maximum 12 credits of complementary courses at the 200 level.
NOTE: 9 credits maximum of non-CLAS courses may be counted toward the program.

Note: For either stream students may count a maximum total of 12 credits of non-CLAS McGill courses and/or classics courses not taken at McGill (transfer credits) toward the program.