Students are encouraged to take courses as advanced as they can handle with profit and pleasure. The department, recognizing the great variety in preparation in ancient languages, wishes to accommodate incoming students in as flexible a manner as possible. Students interested in beginning or continuing the study of Ancient Greek or Latin should consult this page for information about registration and finding a language placement.
Bridge courses are advanced Greek and Latin language courses designed specifically for students taking an advanced course for the first time. These courses offer more attention to grammar, syntax, and translation than other advanced courses. These courses are meant to “bridge” second-semester intermediate (L4) and advanced (L5) language courses, and they confer L5 credit upon completion.
The Department has approximately 20 full-time faculty instructors. This includes faculty who hold joint appointments in related departments like History, Philosophy, and the History of Art, in addition to distinguished lectors and research scholars.
Under the supervision of the faculty, Graduate students often serve as instructors for beginning and intermediate language courses and as section leaders for large Classical Civilization courses. This is a general practice in American universities with graduate programs, and teaching is regarded as part of the essential duties of graduate students. They do not teach advanced courses in Greek and Latin or direct Classical Civilization courses except in extraordinary cases. Graduate student instructors are extremely knowledgeable and energetic, and they share the faculty’s goal of excellence in teaching.
Students are encouraged to pursue their own research projects under the supervision of individual faculty members. Classics and Classical Civilization majors have the opportunity to complete a senior project, usually a substantial research thesis, by working closely with a faculty member of their choosing.
Yes! Some students choose to complete the requirements of two closely related majors, like Classical Civilization and Archaeological Studies. Others choose widely divergent fields, like Classics and Biology. Students who have completed the prerequisites of both programs and begin completing program requirements by the end of the first year will find it easier to complete two majors than those who begin later. Students completing two majors may find relatively fewer opportunities to take elective courses in other fields and departments.
Most students complete all of their required coursework at Yale, but students majoring in Classics occasionally spend a term of their junior year studying abroad and may receive Yale credit for a limited number of courses completed at a foreign university. The department does not officially sponsor any established study-abroad programs. Instead, arrangements for study abroad are made on an individual basis and with the Study Abroad Office.
The department is able to provide some funding for undergraduates to visit classical archaeological sites and museums. Priority is given to Classics majors currently engaged in Classics research projects. The call for research proposals is sent to majors and certificate students in the spring semester. Contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies with any questions.
Classics majors from Yale go on to top careers in a variety of professions. Classics students learn how to think critically and analytically, use evidence, and communicate effectively. These skills are in demand in businesses of all types, and Classics students frequently find meaningful work in educational, clerical, and creative fields. A Classics major is also excellent preparation for further education. Not only does it prepare students for Ph.D.s in Classics, history, art history, comparative literature, or philosophy, it can also serve as good preparation for law school, religious vocational school, or even medical school.