Programs of Study and Requirements
The Classics Major and Classics Minor are broad programs in ancient civilization which study the history, languages, literature, philosophy art, religion, and daily life of the ancient Mediterranean world as seen through texts and artifacts. The major and minor in Latin emphasize the study of literature in the original language and requires study of introductory Greek as well. The Latin Major with Teacher Certification in Latin leads to certification to teach Latin and Classics in the schools. The Minor in Greek emphasizes mastery of classical Greek and reading literature in the language.
The Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations Minor examines the fascinating history, cultures, institutions and societies of the ancient Mediterranean region, broadly understood to include cultures such as those of the Near East and Egypt as well as Greece and Rome.
The department is a sponsor, together with the departments of Anthropology, Art and Design (Art History faculty), and Earth & Environmental Studies, of the Archaeology Minor and of an archaeological research project conducted by Montclair State’s Center for Heritage and Archaeological Studies at the “Villa of the Antonines” near Rome.
The Humanities Major critically examines the culture, ideas, and values of earlier cultures, Western and non-Western, both in their original time periods and as they have been appropriated and transformed by later ages. This program combines courses in our department with a breadth of courses offered in other departments (history, literature, philosophy, religious studies, art history, music history) thus providing students with a truly interdisciplinary and flexible major.
The Myth Studies Minor examines the foundations of human thought and culture as expressed in myth and mythology, and the related genres of folklore, legend, oral tradition, and ritual. Using resources from fields like literary studies, classics, religious studies, philosophy, drama, art, and psychology, the Myth Studies Minor allows students to explore the creation and use of narrative and symbol in ancient cultures, such as the Greek, Roman, Celtic, Norse, and Egyptian, and in modern contexts, such as popular culture.