<p>Is Miami's Latin/Classics program nationally ranked? Are the professor adequately knowlegeable in their perspective fields? Does UMiami tend to focus more on the classical literature aspect than latin grammar/vocabulary/articulation?</p>
<p>Miami has a Classics program?</p>
<p>Also, I’d advise you before you begin a degree in Classics, you think long and hard about what you will do with that degree.</p>
<p>There are no rankings for undergrad depts. and Miami doesn’t offer a doctoral program in Classics. So, no it’s no nationally-ranked in Classics. All of the core and affiliated faculty received their doctorates at top graduate programs, however. Judging by the posted faculty CVs, two older members of the dept. are not terribly active researchers at present, though they have a long list of publications, presentations, etc. Younger faculty members seem more actively involved in research, though they are more freshly-minted PhDs. Based on the Spring 2011 course offerings, the dept. seems to offer a fairly good range of courses in Latin and Greek authors for a dept of its size. I would suspect that classes are fairly small and I noted at least a couple of the faculty have received teaching awards. The focus primarily seems to be on Greek and Latin literature, which necessarily will involve attention to grammar. There are some offerings on topics in classical civilization/history, but none in classical archaeology (though summer programs through other institutions provide some opportunities in that area). The structures/requirements of the various majors are pretty standard. These impressions are based on the information on the dept. website, including the faculty CVs (which might not be their most up-to-date versions.)</p>
<p>MiamiCane2010: Your advice not-withstanding, many sucessful lawyers, medical practitioners were Classics majors. In fact the highest scorers on the MCAT are generally Classics/Latin majors.</p>
<p>Miami has one of the youngest classics departments in higher education, which says something since many other schools are cutting back on it. They seem committed to it in a bigger way than others.</p>
<p>@IZZY4COLLEGE: Actually the highest scorers on both the MCATs and the LSATs are math, physics, philosophy, and religion majors (In that order); but yes, basic knowledge of Latin and Ancient Greek is an immensely beneficial to anyone wishing to pursue medical/law school, so a Classics major is very appropriate.</p>