Overview

Overview

But when one studies in the original language Virgil's Aeneid, say, or Plato's philosophical writings, they find that ancient Greek or Latin literature deals with issues and ideas that are, for us, of central contemporary importance: e.g., How can I be happy? What is the best political constitution for our (or any) state? What responsibilities do I have to the society in which I live? What national significance is served or owed by literature?

The study of Greek and Latin language and culture concentrates in one main area (ancient Greece and Rome) and on many of the questions that are of direct pertinence to the ways in which modern lives are shaped and lived; at the same time, Greco-Roman literature and philosophy, so fundamental to the later development of the Western tradition, boast works of great intrinsic worth and interest. While all Columbia students get an introduction to classical texts in Literature Humanities and Contemporary Civilization, classics/classical studies provides a more advanced study of ancient cultural issues and habits of mind already sampled in the Core.

Study abroad in Greece or Italy offers a variety of educational experiences that are continuous with those of the major, enriching both linguistic expertise and cultural awareness. Students in classics have the opportunity to take part in archaeological digs abroad and, on occasion, to assist faculty in research projects that require, for example, bibliographical collection or the checking of research data.

Many majors pursue graduate study in Classics and classical studies offered by Columbia University. Upon earning their graduate degrees, they often embark on teaching careers in universities, colleges, and high schools. Many graduating majors also enter a number of other professional fields, among them law, banking, accountancy, publishing, and museum-work. Employers tend to find that students in classics are articulate on paper, as well as orally; are organized of mind; and have good skills in general reasoning, an ability developed by the study of Greek and Latin language. In effect, the study of classics opens up a wide array of options, both in education and in the wider world.