Classical Civilizations
Chairperson: Andrew L. Goldman
Professors: P. Hartin, F. Schlatter, S.J. (Emeritus)
Senior Lecturer: K. Krall, S.J.
The Department of Classical Civilizations – the oldest at our University – provides undergraduates with access to over 2,500 years of human experience drawn from the multicultural world of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Coursework emphasizes the history, material culture, mores, and values of the societies that have helped shape Western civilization, drawing attention to the significant achievements of the past and the considerable impact of their legacy upon the present.
The department offers both a B.A. major (35 credits) and a B.A. minor (23 credits) degrees in Classical Civilizations. All majors and minors are required to complete two (2) upper division CLAS courses as part of the degree, as well as a minimum of at least two (2) language courses in either Latin or Greek at the introductory (100) level. Students who elect to pursue a major degree in this program must choose a focus in either Latin or Greco-Roman Civilization and complete six (6) elective courses among those listed in the current catalogue as well as a senior thesis (CLAS 499) appropriate to the chosen concentration. Minors are required to select three (3) upper level electives from among those listed in this catalogue. The electives encompass a range of disciplines, including history, archaeology, philosophy, religious studies, and intermediate and advanced Latin and Greek. Majors are required to include at least one (1) course in Greek culture and one (1) course in Roman culture from among the elective offerings. Participating students are thus required to complete a balanced curriculum divided between the study of ancient languages (Latin, Greek) and their contemporary societies. Through this combined focus, students gain a broader comprehension and appreciation of the rich cultural and humanistic heritage stemming from the classical world. The ancients themselves embraced this model of liberal arts education; according to the Roman orator Cicero, such cultural and historical study “illumines reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity.”
The program’s courses are by nature interdisciplinary, with application to the sciences, art, theater, literature, philosophy, religion, politics, and government. Moreover, through addressing relevant issues of gender, ethnicity, and interaction between cultures, the curriculum reaches well beyond the borders of Greece and Rome to embrace other civilizations across the world and time. By immersing students in an examination of the languages and ethnically diverse societies of antiquity, the program prepares them for careers within a world that is increasingly multicultural, interdependent, and global in outlook, in such fields as politics, ethics, business, law, sciences and education. The department will meet the needs of three classes of students: (1) those who wish a major or minor in Classical Civilizations; (2) those who wish to begin or continue the study of Latin or Greek in support of other majors or in preparation for advanced work in other areas; and (3) those who wish to fulfill part of the foreign language requirement of the Arts and Sciences Core curriculum by taking one of the classical languages.
B.A. Major in Classical Civilizations: 35 Credits
|
| Lower Division |
Two (2) Language Courses
LATN 101-LATN 102 or GREK 101-GREK 102 or GREK 151-GREK 152 |
8 credits |
| Upper Division |
Two (2) Classical (CLAS) courses
CLAS 310: Greek Gods and Heroes (3 credits)
CLAS 320: The Iliad and the Odyssey (3 credits)
CLAS 330: Women in Antiquity (3 credits)
CLAS 410: Topics in Greek Civilization (3 credits)
CLAS 420: Topics in Roman Civilization (3 credits)
|
6 credits |
| Six (6) Elective courses* |
18 credits |
| CLAS 499 Senior Thesis |
3 credits |
Students MUST focus in either Latin or Greco-Roman Civilization
*Focus in Latin Language and Authors
| LATN 201 Intermediate Latin |
3 credits |
| LATN 202 Intermediate Latin |
3 credits |
| LATN 301 Advanced Latin Prose I |
3 credits |
| LATN 302 Advanced Latin Prose II |
3 credits |
| LATN 303 Advanced Latin Poetry I |
3 credits |
| LATN 304 Advanced Latin Poetry II |
3 credits |
| LATN 310 Medieval Latin |
3 credits |
| LATN 491 Independent Study (Latin) |
1-4 credits |
*Focus in Greco-Roman Civilization
This selection MUST include one (1) course in Greek culture and one (1) course in Roman culture.
The following courses fulfill the Greek culture requirement:
GREK 201 Intermediate Greek (3 credits)
|
|
| GREK 202 Intermediate Greek (3 credits) |
|
| GREK 251 Intermediate Biblical Greek I (3 credits) |
|
| GREK 252 Intermediate Biblical Greek II (3 credits) |
|
| GREK 491 Independent Reading Course (1-4 credits) |
|
| HIST 302 The Ancient City (3 credits) |
|
| HIST 303 Athens in the 5th century BC (3 credits) |
|
| HIST 304 Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic World (3 credits) |
| HIST 307 The Archaeology of Greece and Rome (3 credits) |
|
| PHIL 401 History of Ancient Philosophy (3 credits) |
|
| PHIL 483 Philosophical Issues in Greek Drama (3 credits) |
|
The following courses fulfill the Roman Culture requirement:
| HIST 302: The Ancient City (3 credits) |
|
| HIST 305: The Roman Republic (3 credits) |
|
| HIST 306: The Roman Empire (3 credits) |
|
| HIST 307: The Archaeology of Greece and Rome (3 credits) |
|
| LATN 201: Intermediate Latin I (3 credits) |
|
| LATN 202: Intermediate Latin II (3 credits) |
|
| LATN 491: Independent Reading Course (1-4 credits) |
|
| PHIL 401: History of Ancient Philosophy (3 credits) |
|
| PHIL 406: Philosophy of St. Augustine (3 credits) |
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| RELI 417: Christians, Romans and Jews (3 credits) |
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| RELI 443: The Early Church (3 credits) |
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|
Minor in Classical Civilizations: 23 credits
|
| Lower Division |
Two (2) Language Courses
LATN 101-LATN 102
GREK 101-GREK 102
GREK 151-GREK 152 |
8 credits |
| Upper Division |
| Two (2) Classical courses: |
6 credits |
| CLAS 310 Greek Gods and Heroes |
3 credits |
| CLAS 320 The Iliad and the Odyssey |
3 credits |
| CLAS 330: Women in Antiquity |
3 credits |
| CLAS 410 Topics in Greek Civilization |
3 credits |
| CLAS 420 Topics in Roman Civilization |
3 credits |
|
Three Electives:
Selected from any of the following six (6) disciplinary perspectives: |
9 credits |
| Latin Language: |
| LATN 201 Intermediate Latin |
3 credits |
| LATN 202 Intermediate Latin |
3 credits |
| Greek Language: |
| GREK 201 Intermediate Greek |
3 credits |
| GREK 202 Intermediate Greek |
3 credits |
| GREK 251 Intermediate Biblical Greek I |
3 credits |
| GREK 252 Intermediate Biblical Greek II |
3 credits |
| Archaeology: |
| HIST 302 The Ancient City |
3 credits |
| HIST 307 Art and Archaeology of Greece and Rome |
3 credits |
| History: |
| HIST 303 Athens in the 5th Century |
3 credits |
| HIST 304 Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic World |
3 credits |
| HIST 305 The Roman Republic from Romulus to Julius Caesar |
3 credits |
| HIST 306 The Roman Empire from Augustus to the “Decline and Fall” |
3 credits |
| Philosophy: |
| PHIL 401 History of Ancient Philosophy |
3 credits |
| PHIL 406 Philosophy of St. Augustine |
3 credits |
| PHIL 483 Philosophical Issues in Greek Drama |
3 credits |
| Religious Studies: |
| RELI 417 Christians, Romans and Jews |
3 credits |
RELI 443 The Early Church
|
3 credits |
|
The core curriculum or common body of knowledge of the College of Arts and Sciences consists of 59 to 62 credits which are common to and required of all degree programs in the College: the first 31 credits (of which there is a more complete description in the General Degree Requirements and Procedures section of this catalogue) form the University Core, while the remaining 28 to 31 credits are common to all Arts and Sciences degrees.
Students should attempt to spread the core curriculum over their entire fours years at Gonzaga.
- Thought and Expression (7 credits): ENGL 101, SPCO 101, and PHIL 101 (preferably in the same semester).
- Philosophy (9 credits): PHIL 201, PHIL 301, and PHIL 400 level elective.
- Religious Studies (9 credits): RELI 100, 200, and 300 levels: one course from each level.
- Mathematics (3 credits): one MATH (not CPSC) course on the 100 level or above; NURS 320 is substituted for a MATH course for BSN students; MATH 203 fulfills this requirement only for students who graduate with certification in Elementary Education.
- English Literature (3 credits): ENGL 102 or 103H or 105 or 106.
- History (6 credits): HIST 101 and either HIST 102 or HIST 112 in their first year. If they are unable to complete all six 100-level HIST credits in their first year, HIST 201 or 202 may be substituted for one 100-level course after the first year.
- Fine Arts (3 credits): one course in either VART, MUSC, or THEA from courses approved by Dean of Arts and Sciences.
- Laboratory Science (4 credits): one course with laboratory in either BIOL, CHEM, or PHYS.
- Mathematics or Natural Science (3 credits): one course in either MATH, CPSC, BIOL, CHEM, PHYS, or ITEC.
- Literature (3 credits): one British or American literature course (ENGL 201 - 285).
- Social Science (6 credits): CRIM 101, ECON, SOCI, POLS, or PSYC: two courses from these departments.
- Foreign Language or Culture (3 credits): one course in any foreign language (classical or modern) or one (foreign culture) course approved by the Dean of Arts and Sciences. Foreign-language speaking students from foreign cultures who have completed the nine English core credits at Gonzaga prior to their fourth year (last thirty credits) may petition the Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences for a waiver of the foreign language or Culture requirement..
- Social Justice (3 credits): One course on Social Justice issues related to experiences of difference (like race, class, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation), from courses approved by the Dean of Arts & Sciences; (may be combined with other core or major requirements).
