<p>How are the Classics programs at:
University of Chicago
Johns Hopkins
Brown
Yale
Penn
Duke
UNC Chapel Hill </p>
<p>Are there any colleges well-known for Classics?</p>
<p>I'm still exploring this myself...I don't know much of anything about UNC or Duke, but certainly the first five on your list are way up there in the pantheon. I would think that Columbia certainly belongs up there with them, though I'm not sure Yale is what it once was in this department with Donald Kagan gone. I'd like to hear more opinions on this question too.</p>
<p>Among the LACs, Bryn Mawr is famous, and has a graduate program in which talented undergrads can take courses. Chicago has always been very good, and has a classical archaelogy minor (I think) as well.</p>
<p>I'd heard that Bryn Mawr was great in the field, but I'm male, so that was out. :/</p>
<p>What about Swarthmore or Haverford, though?</p>
<p>Bryn Mawr grad programs are open to males.</p>
<p>I'm actually interested in this major as well. I know of many schools that offer the major, I'm just unsure as to its reputation. I know Holy Cross has one, and from some of the comments on the Classics/HC threads, it appears that it's an excellent one.</p>
<p>Thanks, driver, I didn't know that.</p>
<p>Also, I forgot to mention that I'd also like to major/minor in biology, so a strong biology program is also required.</p>
<p>Haverford Classics majors take most of their courses at Bryn Mawr. At Swarthmore, Martin Ostwald (a famous guy) taught there for a very long time, but I think he is in his 90s!</p>
<p>Among research universities, Harvard, Cal and Michigan have far and away the best programs in the Classics. </p>
<p>Princeton, Yale, Brown, Chicago, UT-Austin, Columbia, Cornell and UNC-Chapel Hill are also excellent. </p>
<p>St. Johns College in Maryland is supposed to be very respected in the classics too...as are many of the top LACs.</p>
<p>Thanks! Do all of these have strong biology programs? Brown, St. Johns, Yale, Princeton, etc.?</p>
<p>I go to St. John's. It's not really a classics program though...it's a "great books" program. And there is no modern biology in the all-core curriculum.
In any case, a lot of graduates are accepted to good graduate classics departments.</p>
<p>My son is a rising junior at Emory--he has taken several of the classics classes and enjoyed all of them--may end up with a minor in classics if he has the time i his schedule. He took 5 years of Latin in highschool (latin I in 8th grade, 2 levels of AP Latin) and thought the courses at Emory were well-tauight and interesting.</p>
<p>Brown offers sanskrit, middle egyptian, and ancient akkadian, in addition to traditional greek and latin. It has a great grad program where undergrads can take classes, good advising, and some great profs. Michael Putnam is one of the most respected Vergilists. </p>
<p>Bio is solid at Brown too.</p>
<p>Holy Cross has a great classics program and offers merit aid.</p>
<p>Berkeley is strong in Classics, and if you really want to get serious consider Oxford.</p>
<p>Ignorant question coming....</p>
<p>What exactly does studying the classics entail? It sounds fascinating, but I don't really know what it is...
What do classics majors typically do career wise?</p>
<p>Classics entails studying Greek, Latin, or both, or some other ancient language, and culture courses of the ancient world, philosphy, history, art, etc. </p>
<p>Classicists aren't really trained for a particular profession (except teaching). Rather, they are trained how to think and how to learn.</p>
<p>Most Classics programs focus on the Latin and Greek languages and literature, as well as the history, culture, and archaeology of ancient Greece and Rome.</p>
<p>I know three people who majored in Classics. One became a lawyer, one became a librarian, and one became a professor of Classics.</p>
<p>All three were successful and were very articulate and good writers.</p>
<p>Thank you both, that sounds so interesting to me! Do you know if it is rare for Classics majors to become lawyers? And is competition for classics professors impossible?</p>
<p>I don't think that it is rare. Classics will teach you how to think, write, and analyze. If you can do these well, why would a law school not take you? As long as you are a great student, do well on the LSATs, demonstrate leadership and ability outside of the classroom, why not? But don't take my ignorant word for it: keep asking people that really do know.</p>