B.A. in Classics
Explore the ancient Mediterranean world, including ancient languages, literatures, history, art, and archaeology.
Choose from three emphasis areas: Latin, ancient Greek, or classical civilization. Gain a complex view of the ancient Mediterranean world and explore their own world as they do so. Complete a classics core of Greek and Roman civilization courses, an emphasis area, and a capstone requirement such as study abroad or thesis research.
Key Benefits
Students work with the 2,000 objects in the David M. Robinson Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities housed in the University Museum. Our Department of Classics also has membership with the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, the American School for Classical Studies in Athens, and Sunoikisis, a consortium that offers a field school in southern Greece.
Graduate Outcomes
A liberal arts education empowers and prepares graduates to deal with complexity and change through a broad knowledge of the world. They gain key skills in communication, problem-solving, and working with a diverse group of people. Related careers to classics include educator, archivist, cultural affairs officer, foreign service officer, museum curator, government, business, law, media/communications, and librarian.
Experiences Offered
The Department of Classics provides financial support for study abroad - archaeological digs, study tours, or semesters abroad. Students may participate in faculty-led study abroad programs like the Ancient Graffiti Project in Herculaneum as well as affiliated programs in Greece and Italy.
B.A. in Classics Faculty
The faculty members in the Department of Classics at the University of Mississippi have specialization in Greek and Roman history and literature, art and architectural sculpture, archaeology, and digital humanities.
Course Requirements
A major in classics for the B.A. degree consists of a minimum of 30 semester hours of Department of Classics courses, including 6 hours in the classics core (3 hours of Greek civilization from Clc 101, 307, 321, 340 or 341; 3 hours of Roman civilization from Clc 102, 308, 322, 313, or 314), completion of the classics capstone requirement (Clc 490 or 491, or successful completion of an honors thesis in classics) and CLC 499. At least 15 hours of the 30 must be taken at the 300 level or higher. Students must complete an emphasis in Greek, in Latin, or in classical civilization.
Admissions Requirements
Admission requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Classics program are the same as the general undergraduate admission requirements.
Libby Tyson
Libby (B.A. in classics and English, 2017) was a member of the Mock Trial team, president of the University Lions Club, and an officer of Eta Sigma Phi classics honor society. She was a founding member of the Archaeological Ethics Bowl team and an intern with the Robinson Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the UM Museum. After graduation, Libby worked as an AmeriCorp volunteer in Washington, D.C., and then entered graduate school in museum studies at the University of San Francisco, with a career goal of a curatorial position at a historic house or museum.
Why study classics at UM?
"My relationships with the faculty changed the course of my life. They knew me on a first name basis, and I appreciated the fondness and accountability that closeness brought with it. My courses were challenging but rewarding, and the professors knew how to push me in encouraging ways. They helped us found an Archaeological Ethics Debate Team and to travel to competitions, which was the deciding factor for my career choice of Museum Studies."
Student Organizations
Join Eta Sigma Phi, a national honor society.