<p>I'm very interested in Wesleyan and will be visiting next week. Could anyone elaborate on the Classics program, with regards to overall quality, class sizes, research opportunities, reputation, et cetera? According to Fiske's guide it is one of the strongest departments at Wesleyan.</p>
<p>Also, I know that there is a Latin track available in the College of Letters major. How does this differ from the traditional Classics program, and where do Latin concentrators study abroad during sophomore year? (the website was unclear about this)</p>
<p>Hey there, I'm a COL major doubling up on classical civilization, using Latin as my language for study abroad. The classics department at Wes is great; the professors are eager and eccentric, and just a lot of fun. There's a good range of courses to choose from, and there are courses geared towards frosh every semester. As for the reputation, the professors at Wesleyan are pretty well known. We have several professors who are considered experts in their field (especially in Latin translation and classical archeology). The Latin track is what I started with, and it's pretty tough. But its the same for the Classics major and the COL major. As for study abroad, there are a few options. There is a program that goes to Rome (ICCS) that takes mostly juniors, but I'm going to attempt it as a sophomore. There are also programs that go to Greece, as well as the UK and Ireland. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Thanks, the information is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Do classics undergrads have the option of writing a thesis or doing research with faculty?</p>
<p>Surely. Many majors end up going on to do their theses, and there are some research opportunities. Keep in mind, COL requires you to write a thesis, but it would be easy to tie that into the classical period. And also keep in mind that there are two tracks in the classics department -- Classics, which has a heavier focus on classical language, and Classical Civilization, which focuses more on history and archeology.</p>