Classics is a quintessentially interdisciplinary field of intellectual inquiry and academic endeavor. The program of the classics department emphasizes the careful reading and critical study of selected Greek and Latin texts, both in the original and in English translation, together with the formal study of the languages themselves, as a basis for further study in the fields of classical literature, art, history, linguistics, mythology, culture, and civilization.
Students may begin Greek and/or Latin at Lawrence and still have sufficient time to organize a productive major. Those students who have already reached an advanced level of Greek or Latin will find challenging courses available each year, and can supplement their studies with tutorials or independent study courses under the direction of members of the department. For first year students, placement in Latin and Greek courses is determined by discussion with the department chair on the basis of a student's language skills and reading experience. AP results are considered in this discussion but are not in themselves adequate indicators of the appropriate placement level. AP exams do not substitute for the requirements.
Lawrence graduates with a major or minor in classics have gone on to graduate work in classics, history, linguistics, philosophy, anthropology, religion, medieval studies, and comparative literature, as well as to successful careers in law, medicine, business, government, music, publishing, and teaching.
