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bachelor’s in classical languages

Bachelor of Arts in Classics – B.A

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics provides a foundation in the Western humanities while sharpening a student’s analytical skills and English vocabulary through the systematic study of the ancient languages. Colloquia are offered regularly, covering such thematic topics as violence, gender, sexuality, and ancient Christianity.

Read on to learn about key aspects of our bachelor’s in classical languages program, as well as how a degree from Kent State can put you on a path to success.

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About Our Bachelor's Degree in Classics

Kent State University's Bachelor of Arts in Classics offers students an in-depth exploration of the languages, literature, history, and cultures of ancient Greece and Rome. The program emphasizes critical thinking and analytical skills through the study of classical texts, art, and archaeology, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the foundations of Western civilization. 

Our Bachelor of Arts in Classical Languages degree prepares graduates for a variety of careers in education, law, museum curation, and cultural heritage, as well as for advanced studies in fields such as history, archaeology, and comparative literature.

Program Information for Bachelor of Arts in Classics – B.A

Program Description

Program Description

Full Description

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics provides a foundation in the Western humanities while sharpening a student’s analytical skills and English vocabulary though the systematic study of ancient cultures and languages.

This program provides students with a strong, general liberal arts education appropriate to many pursuits after college, including law, medicine, business, writing and publishing. Students are required to take two semesters of elementary Latin, basic courses covering the achievements of Greek and Roman cultures and a semester each of Greek or Roman history, archaeology and literature. Students also take three additional courses from the above categories as well as courses covering ancient mythology, sport, religion and language and culture studies.

Admissions for Bachelor of Arts in Classics – B.A

Admissions

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.

Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate general knowledge about the literature, history and culture of classical civilization (Greece and Rome).
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the Greek or Roman cultural context within which literary, historical and other writings were produced.
  3. Use primary source materials, including material culture, to better understand the cultures of the ancient world.
  4. Apply critical thinking to ethical conundrums in the record of the past.
  5. Recognize historical biases.
  6. Analyze texts with respect to philology, literary style and cultural contexts.
  7. Demonstrate knowledge of the historical and cultural significance of important sites, monuments and artifacts of the ancient Greek or Roman world.
  8. Conduct research about ancient Greek or Roman material culture.
  9. Read beginner passages and compose basic sentences in Latin.
  10. Understand the basics of Latin morphology and syntax (verb and noun morphology, case usage, verb tenses, Latin word order and sentence structure).

Coursework

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
CLAS 21404THE GREEK ACHIEVEMENT (DIVG) (KHUM) 3
CLAS 21405THE ROMAN ACHIEVEMENT (DIVG) (KHUM) 3
CLAS 41005HISTORY OF ANCIENT GREECE 3
or CLAS 41006 ROMAN HISTORY
CLAS 41304LITERATURE OF THE ROMAN WORLD (ELR) (WIC) 13
or CLAS 41503 LITERATURE OF THE ANCIENT GREEKS (ELR) (WIC)
CLAS 41401GREEK ARCHAEOLOGY AND ART 3
or CLAS 41402 ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ART
LAT 16201ELEMENTARY LATIN I 24
LAT 16202ELEMENTARY LATIN II 24
Classics Culture and Language Electives, choose from the following:9
ANTH 48150
RELIGION: A SEARCH FOR A MEANING
ARTH 42041
ITALIAN RENAISSANCE ART
ENG 35201
THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE
MCLS 30420
FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND CULTURE STUDIES
SOC 42561
SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below) 32-8
Kent Core Composition6
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning3
Kent Core Fine Arts3
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines)6
Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory)6-7
Kent Core Additional6
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours)55
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
1

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

2

Students with prior knowledge of Latin may be able to fulfill one or more of the requirements through an Alternative Credit option. Students may also fulfill one or more of the requirements by starting in a higher level course than LAT 16201 and applying for a proficiency waiver as outlined in the Foreign Language Placement policy. Students can make up the credit hours for any waived courses with general electives or apply the credit hours toward a second academic program.

3

Recommended: GRE 14201, GRE 14202, LAT 26201, LAT 26202

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000

Program Note

  • Some courses in the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies are offered on a rotating basis, and course availability may change at any time. Students should see their program coordinator or academic advisor for course planning.

Foreign Language College Requirement, B.A.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete the following:

  1. Elementary I and II of any language (or equivalent) and
  2. One of the following options:
    1. Intermediate I and II of the same language
    2. Elementary I and II of a second language
    3. Any combination of two courses from the following list:
      1. Intermediate I of the same language
      2. One to two college-level course(s) completed outside the United States
      3. Courses: ARAB 21401, ASL 19401, CHIN 25421, MCLS 10001, MCLS 20001, MCLS 20091, MCLS 21417, MCLS 21420, MCLS 22217, MCLS 28403, MCLS 28404

All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer courses. This may be accomplished in one of three ways:

  1. Passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level
  2. Receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University
  3. Demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language

Certain programs may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need a particular language proficiency.

Roadmap

Roadmap

Roadmaps

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
LAT 16201 ELEMENTARY LATIN I 4
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours14
Semester Two
LAT 16202 ELEMENTARY LATIN II 4
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Three
CLAS 21404
or CLAS 21405
THE GREEK ACHIEVEMENT (DIVG) (KHUM)
or THE ROMAN ACHIEVEMENT (DIVG) (KHUM)
3
Foreign Language and/or General Elective 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Four
CLAS 21404
or CLAS 21405
THE GREEK ACHIEVEMENT (DIVG) (KHUM)
or THE ROMAN ACHIEVEMENT (DIVG) (KHUM)
3
Foreign Language and/or General Elective 3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
Semester Five
CLAS 41005
or CLAS 41006
HISTORY OF ANCIENT GREECE
or ROMAN HISTORY
3
Classics Culture and Language Elective 3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
Semester Six
CLAS 41304
or CLAS 41503
LITERATURE OF THE ROMAN WORLD (ELR) (WIC)
or LITERATURE OF THE ANCIENT GREEKS (ELR) (WIC)
3
CLAS 41401
or CLAS 41402
GREEK ARCHAEOLOGY AND ART
or ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ART
3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
Semester Seven
Classics Culture and Language Elective 3
General Electives 12
 Credit Hours15
Semester Eight
Classics Culture and Language Elective 3
General Electives 12
 Credit Hours15
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120

Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Bachelor of Arts in Classics – B.A

Graduates of Kent State’s B.A. in Classics are well-prepared for careers in education, research, archaeology, and cultural heritage preservation. The program’s interdisciplinary curriculum, which encompasses ancient languages, literature, history, and philosophy, equips students with critical thinking and analytical skills applicable in various fields. 

Once students complete our Bachelor of Arts in Classics program, they will often pursue roles as educators, museum curators, archaeologists, and historians, contributing to the understanding and appreciation of ancient cultures and their influence on the modern world.

Postsecondary teachers, all other

2.0%

slower than the average

245,900

number of jobs

$71,950

potential earnings

Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

3.8%

about as fast as the average

1,050,800

number of jobs

$62,870

potential earnings

Interpreters and translators

20.0%

much faster than the average

77,400

number of jobs

$52,330

potential earnings

Curators

12.6%

much faster than the average

14,500

number of jobs

$56,990

potential earnings

Clergy

4.0%

about as fast as the average

243,900

number of jobs

$51,940

potential earnings

Additional Careers
  • Entrepreneurs
Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

Advantages of Kent State’s Bachelor’s in Classical Languages

Students within our B.A. in Classics program benefit from our thorough courses and expert instruction, acquiring the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in their future roles. Other key advantages of our Bachelor of Arts in Classical Languages include:

  • Diverse career opportunities – Whether you are looking to leverage your degree toward the fields of interpreting and translating, passionate about the world of teaching, or perhaps more interested in a curator role at a museum or specialized organization, our degree prepares you for success. Other options include religious positions, roles in the legal field, careers in literature, entrepreneurial pursuits, and more.
     
  • Dedicated faculty and staff – Kent State is committed to providing our bachelor’s in classical languages students with the finest education, and we do so in part through the efforts of our faculty and staff members. Be sure to visit our faculty page for our Classics, Greek, and Latin programs to learn about your future instructors and professors.
     
  • Networking opportunities – One key element in the job market is connections, because it’s through friends and colleagues that you will often learn about opportunities, job openings, previously unconsidered career trajectories, industry organizations, and more. To aid our students in this area, we offer a range of workshops and events that promote networking as well as both personal and professional development.
     
  • Study abroad opportunities – Students within our Bachelor of Arts in Classical Languages program are encouraged to consider the study abroad options offered by our Office of Global Education. Destinations relevant to the classics program include Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Turkey and beyond, with dozens of other locations available as well.
     
  • Program guidance – We welcome our current and prospective students to reach out to us and speak with an advisor or an admissions counselor. Doing so can help you receive answers to pressing questions and give you insights about our program, courses, college as a whole, and more.

Ready to Get Started? Apply to Our B.A. in Classics

To begin working toward your Bachelor of Arts in Classics, apply to our program today or contact us with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

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