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Studies & Degrees in Classical Civilization and Hellenic Studies

Classical civilization is the study of ancient Greece and Rome: their languages, literature, history, philosophy, religion, art and archaeology, and their legacy. The Department of Classics of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) describes a field that spans more than two thousand years, from the Mediterranean Bronze Age (about 1700 BCE) to the breakdown of the Roman empire in Late Antiquity (about 400 CE). Hellenic studies has a different scope. It follows the Greek world beyond antiquity, through the Byzantine and Ottoman periods to modern Greece, and usually includes the modern Greek language.

Students read ancient texts, in translation or in the original, and learn to work with historical and archaeological evidence. At UCLA the courses cover language, literature, religion, mythology, philosophy, political history, archaeology and art, as well as newer areas such as digital humanities and film.

Qualifications and levels

Most of the schools listed here are universities in the United States, where the subject is a major or a minor within a Bachelor of Arts. Departments usually offer two routes.

  • Classical civilization. This route is taught mainly through texts in translation and asks for little or no ancient language. At Yale University all Classical Civilization courses are taught in translation, with no knowledge of Greek or Latin required. At Duke University the introductory requirement of the Bachelor of Arts in Classical Civilization can be met either with two introductory classical studies courses or with two courses in Greek or Latin. At UCLA the major requires nine upper-division courses in the department, with Latin or Greek at an introductory level as preparation.
  • Classical languages. This route is built on Greek, Latin or both. UCLA offers majors in Greek, Latin, and Greek and Latin; the University of California, Irvine offers a Classics major with emphases in Greek and Latin, in Latin, or in Classical Civilization; Fordham University offers classical languages and classical civilization as major or minor concentrations.
  • Hellenic studies. New York University offers a BA in Hellenic Studies that covers the language, literature, history and politics of Greece and totals 128 credits. Students are expected to reach at least an intermediate level of modern Greek. Yale University offers a major in Ancient and Modern Greek together with its Hellenic Studies program.
  • Minors. Duke University has minors in Greek, Latin, Classical Civilization and Classical Archaeology. Deree – The American College of Greece offers minors in Classics, which requires no knowledge of Greek or Latin, and in Hellenic Studies, which covers the Greek world from antiquity to the present day.
  • Postgraduate study. Master's degrees and doctorates in classics are research degrees and normally require the ancient languages. Fordham University, for example, offers both the MA and the PhD.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 11 active schools for classical civilization and Hellenic studies. Nine are in the United States, one is in Greece and one in Canada. The US schools include the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Duke University in Durham, Yale University in New Haven, Fordham University and New York University in New York, Florida State University in Tallahassee, and three campuses of the University of California: Los Angeles, Irvine and Davis. The University of Toronto is the Canadian school on the list.

All of these schools teach in English. The same is true of Deree – The American College of Greece, on the outskirts of Athens, which gives students the chance to study the subject in Greece itself. Some US programmes also include time in Greece: New York University runs a summer programme in Athens that combines classes on the language, history and culture of Greece with excursions.

Careers

A degree in classical civilization is a general humanities degree and not a professional qualification. UCLA states that its majors and minors gain linguistic and analytical skills that have proved useful for careers in law, medicine, business, communications, academia and the arts. The University of California, Davis lists library and museum work, teaching, journalism and graduate study among the options for its Classical Civilization graduates. Students who plan an academic career need the languages: UC Davis advises those heading for graduate study in classics to also acquire a reading knowledge of French or German.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know Latin or ancient Greek to study classical civilization?

Often not. At Yale University the Classical Civilization courses are taught in translation, and the Classics minor at Deree – The American College of Greece requires no knowledge of Greek or Latin. Language-based majors and postgraduate programmes do require them.

What is the difference between classical civilization and Hellenic studies?

Classical civilization covers ancient Greece and Rome. Hellenic studies covers the Greek world from antiquity through Byzantine and Ottoman times to the present, usually with modern Greek.

Can I study classical civilization in Greece in English?

Yes. Deree – The American College of Greece teaches in English and offers minors in Classics and in Hellenic Studies. Ask the college what recognition its degrees have in the country where you plan to work or continue studying.

What can I do after a degree in classical civilization?

Graduates go into fields such as law, teaching, museums and libraries, journalism and business, or continue to graduate study, according to the UCLA and UC Davis departments.