Dec 04, 2024

Course Catalog 2024-2025

Latin Language and Literature Major

The major consists of a minimum of 9 full courses (or the equivalent).

Note: Students must earn minimum grades of C- or P for all courses that apply toward the major.

View the catalog page for the classics department.

Students who major in Latin language and literature may also major in Greek language and literature or minor in Greek; however, students may not major in both Latin language and literature and in classical civilization.

For students majoring in Latin language and literature as well as majoring in Greek language and literature or minoring in Greek:

Latin courses counted toward the Latin language and literature major do not count as major elective courses for the Greek language and literature major or minor elective courses for the Greek minor;
Greek courses counted toward the Greek language and literature major or toward the Greek minor do not count as major elective courses for the Latin language and literature major; and
Each major or minor elective course taken may only count toward one major or minor.

Summary of Requirements

CLAS 104 - History of Rome
One Full Introductory Literature Course
Four Full Latin Courses
Three Additional Full Latin Language and Literature Major Elective Courses
Distribution Requirement

Note(s) on Requirements

The four required Latin language and literature courses must be above LATN 102 ; transfer credit for advanced placement work (i.e., AP/IB credit) will not count towards the Latin language and literature course requirement.

Learning Goals

The learning goals of the Latin language and literature major are:

To demonstrate mastery of ancient Latin and to apply this understanding to the critical judgment of ancient texts written in Latin;
To develop knowledge of the main areas of ancient Roman culture: history, literature, religion, philosophy, humanistic values, language, and art;
To situate Roman culture within the wider Mediterranean world;
To understand and critique the roots of Western culture and its survival in the contemporary world; and
To develop the skills of creative thought and critical analysis that make it possible to produce original scholarly work in the discipline of classical studies.

Transfer of Credit Toward the Major

No more than half the hours credited toward the major may be transferred from work at other recognized institutions.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credit

AP/IB transfer credit received for LATN 600 does not count toward the Latin language and literature major.

Course of Study

Students considering a major in Latin language and literature should include in their first- and second-year planning four semesters of work in the language as well as CLAS 104 and either CLAS 111 or CLAS 112 .

Entry-Level Course Sequence Suggestions

Students beginning to study Latin should begin with CLAS 104 , CLAS 111 , CLAS 112 , or LATN 101 . Students are encouraged to enroll in any language course for which they are qualified. All entering students who have studied Latin previously should consult with a member of the classics department to determine the appropriate level of their entry into the language sequence.

Students with four years of secondary-school Latin (including Vergil) will ordinarily be eligible for LATN 201 offered in the first semester. Such students are encouraged to consider beginning a study of Greek.

Students who successfully take the Winter Term offering of Introductory Latin can enroll in LATN 102 in the following spring semester, but should be aware that the Winter Term course will not count toward the completion of the Latin language and literature course requirement.

Honors in Latin Language and Literature

Applying for Admission to the Honors Program

To be eligible for admission to the Honors Program in Latin Language and Literature, a student must have met the following requirements by the end of the junior year:

Passed either two 300-level courses in Latin and at least the 102-level course in Greek -or- one 300-level course in Latin and one 300-level course in Greek
Passed CLAS 104 - History of Rome
Passed either CLAS 111 or CLAS 112 as well as two additional courses in Classical Civilization
Maintained a major GPA of at least 3.5, and a general GPA of 3.3

The department may invite qualified students to apply at the end of their junior year, but would also welcome applications from interested majors. Admission is based on overall academic distinction and outstanding work within the department.

Completing Honors

To be awarded Honors in Latin Language and Literature, a student must:

Complete a major in Latin Language and Literature
Complete satisfactorily, in the junior or senior year, a reading list devised in consultation with a member of the department that includes primary (ancient) and secondary (critical, historical) readings; this reading list may be completed as part of a course
Pass (at the level of B+ or better), at the end of the relevant semester in the junior or senior year, a written translation exam on the primary sources in Latin
Complete satisfactorily a research project designed in consultation with members of the department
Pass an oral examination on the reading list and research project. (This examination may be conducted by an outside examiner, who would also pass judgement on the Honors project)

Students participating in the Honors Program should register for LATN 401F /LATN 401H for a total of four units of credit in the relevant semester(s) in which the research paper is written.

Proposals must be submitted by early August of the academic year in which the honors project will be undertaken.

Detailed Major Requirements