Classics majors at Wooster pursue a wide variety of careers. Some undertake graduate work in order to teach at either the secondary school or university level. Others have gone into publishing, museum studies, library science, law, banking, real estate, and the media. All students at Wooster perform independent study for at least two semesters and the research they undertake becomes a thesis delivered in spring of their senior year. Faculty mentors work individually with students on independent study and the research and writing skills students build during this process serves them well in a variety of careers and in graduate school.
The Classics program at Wooster is fundamentally interdisciplinary, and students can approach the study of the ancient Mediterranean from a variety of perspectives: language and literature, history and myth, religion and philosophy, and archaeology and anthropology. Indeed, the department allows students to choose between two concentrations, either in Ancient Mediterranean Studies or in the study of Greek and Latin in the Classical Languages concentration.
Students are also strongly encouraged to study abroad, and The College participates in highly regarded programs in both Italy and Greece. The department also offers its own summer study-abroad program, during which Wooster students can immerse themselves in Greek culture from the ancient to the modern period by visiting the famous sites of the Greek islands, as well as Athens, Delphi, the Peloponnesus, and Turkey. Other students have participated in archaeological excavations and have studied conversational Latin and Greek in Rome.
Faculty and students in Classical Studies form a close and vibrant community. Once a week, they meet for a Greek and Latin reading group. On occasion, faculty and students travel to museums, performances of ancient plays, and lectures. Advanced languages students are often invited to join the national honorary collegiate society for students of Latin and/or Greek, which has a thriving chapter at Wooster.
A highlight for many students is the chance to study abroad. College Year in Athens is an established program at Wooster that gives Classical Studies majors a life-changing immersion experience.
“CYA(College Year in Athens) was the perfect choice for me! I enjoyed meeting students who had the same passion for Classical Studies as myself and the same desire to experience a new culture. While in Athens, I had the chance to visit many of the archaeological sites and see the artifacts which I had learned about in Wooster classrooms. I left Athens with a deeper appreciation of classroom content from having seen it first-hand as well as a deeper understanding of myself – who I am as a I person and what interests me. I couldn’t imagine a better study abroad experience!” –Erin Robichaud, ‘21
Academic Administrative Coordinator for Chinese Studies, Classical Studies, English, French & Francophone Studies, German Studies, Russian Studies, and Spanish
Associate Professor and Department Chair of Classical Studies, Comparative Literature
Associate Professor of Religious Studies; Classical Studies; Department Chair of Middle Eastern and North African Studies
Purna, Rao, Raju Chair of Philosophy, Department Chair of Philosophy; Professor of Philosophy; Chair of South Asian Studies; Classical Studies
Marian Senter Nixon Chair in Classical Civilization; Chair of Classical Studies
“Performing independent research at a high level at Wooster” prepared Isabelle Hoover ’23 well for a master’s program at the University of Cambridge, and […]
Isabelle Hoover ’23 was eager to pursue a senior Independent Study project at The College of Wooster that would marry her majors in art […]
Dan Axmacher ’12 spent his time at The College of Wooster as a classical studies major, where he researched the ancient Mediterranean and its […]
Vivian Holliday, emerita professor of classical studies at The College of Wooster passed away on Dec. 24, 2022, in Wooster, Ohio. Holliday, who began […]
The Department of Classical Studies provides students with opportunities to explore the ancient Mediterranean world with a special focus on the period from the eighth century BCE through the fourth century CE. Through the comparative study of ancient languages and cultures, Classics students acquire additional cultural literacy, becoming better critical thinkers and more engaged global citizens. Our primary goal is for students to understand and examine critically the ancient beliefs, values, and traditions that have shaped modern cultures.
Students who major in Classical Studies choose from one of two concentrations: Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Classical Languages
The study of the Ancient Mediterranean is inherently interdisciplinary and intercultural. Students are encouraged to learn Ancient Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. They will study the ancient literature, archaeology, history, religion, philosophy, and art produced in the Near East and Mediterranean basin, including ancient Mesopotamia, Israel, Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
Students of Classical Languages study ancient Greek, Latin, and/or Hebrew, as well as the rich cultural traditions of Greece, Rome, Israel, ancient Mesopotamia, and Egypt. Through the comparative study of these ancient languages and literatures, students in Classical languages acquire additional cultural literacy as they examine critically the ancient beliefs, values, and traditions that have shaped later cultures.
The department accommodates and encourages a semester’s study abroad in the Mediterranean region.
Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Classical Languages are offered as a minor. Students must complete six courses, including upper-level courses, from the range of options within the Department of Classical Studies.
All majors complete a one-semester Independent Study seminar in junior year and a two-semester senior I.S. Working closely with a faculty advisor, each senior identifies a topic of interest, researches it intensively, and writes an extensive study which must later be defended in an oral examination before two members of the department.
| Student | Year | I.S. Title | Major 1 | Major 2 | Advisor |
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Isabelle Hoover ’23 was eager to pursue a senior Independent Study project at The College of Wooster that would marry her majors in art […]
Name: Raena Gamble Major: Archaeology Minors: Classical Studies, Art History Advisors: Dr. Siavash Samei The marginalization of female voices is a common occurrence throughout […]
In his research on classical history and literature, Dante King finds relating the work to modern-day circumstances to be one of the most exciting […]
Name: Erin Robichaud Majors: History, Classical Studies Advisors: Dr. Madonna Hettinger, Dr. Josephine Shaya In most interpretations, Helen of Troy’s beauty makes her a […]
Classics majors at Wooster pursue a wide variety of careers. Some undertake graduate work in order to teach at either the secondary school or university level. Others have gone into publishing, museum studies, library science, law, banking, real estate, and the media.
“Performing independent research at a high level at Wooster” prepared Isabelle Hoover ’23 well for a master’s program at the University of Cambridge, and […]
Dan Axmacher ’12 spent his time at The College of Wooster as a classical studies major, where he researched the ancient Mediterranean and its […]
Jade Robison’s work as an archaeologist at the National Park Service’s Tonto National Monument in Arizona, with 100 active archaeological sites, is most definitely […]
