Students at Purdue may pursue a major or minor in Classical Studies at the undergraduate level. This rich interdisciplinary field explores all aspects of ancient Greek and Roman life and thought.
We also study the impact of Classical cultures on the world today, and compare Greek and Roman civilization - history, society, literature, science, religion, mythology - with other ancient world cultures.
To help students develop their own interests, we offer a choice of three tracks emphasizing classical languages (Latin and ancient Greek), literature and culture, or material culture and history.
Further information on the program is available on the School of Languages and Cultures website.
Points of Pride
- A degree in classics prepares students for an unusually wide variety of careers. As an inherently interdisciplinary field, Classics demands both analytical depth and intellectual versatility. Exploring ancient cultures from diverse perspectives challenges students to connect different areas of knowledge, strengthening their skills as effective writers and critical thinkers.
- The School of Languages and Cultures offers many courses in literature, culture, history, and archaeology which require no knowledge of classical languages, as well as regular courses in Latin and Ancient Greek. The classics major and minor plans of study include course offerings from art history, English, philosophy, anthropology, and other programs.
- The classical studies program hosts several distinguished guest lecturers each year.
- Every member of the classics group (tenured and tenure-track faculty and continuing lecturers) is dedicated to undergraduate instruction and all have won departmental and/or university awards for teaching excellence.