Program Purpose

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Classical Studies examine ancient Greek and Roman cultures -- their languagues, literature, history, religion, art, and philosophy. The major offers essential knowledge of philology, ancient history, archaeology, biblical studies, and the literary tradition of Western Europe, as well as traditional grounding in the Classics. Students acquire important foreign-language study skills that include careful reading, thoughtful writing, and persuasive speaking. Latin is the mother language not only of Italian, French, and Spanish, but in a real sense of English as well. Its study also enhances one's understanding of English vocabulary, grammar, and rhetorical structure. The Classical Studies major prepares students for graduate-level work in Latin, Greek, ancient history, biblical studies, comparative literature and other humanistic disciplines. It is also a rigorous and detailed preparation for professional schools (especially law and medicine) and for teaching in public and private schools or for employment in business, government, technology, tourism, and civil or foreign service.

Curricular Structure

See program MAP for curriculum structure.

The following briefly describes how courses are designed to support program goals:

Elementary Classical Civilization courses (e.g. ClCv 110, 201, 202, 241) -- provide students with a general understanding of the civlizations of classical antiquity, their history, and their literature.

Elementary and Intermediate Language Courses (Greek and/or Latin 201, 301, 302) -- provide students in a progressive sequence with the basic language skills (grammar, vocabulary, reading and composition skills) needed for advanced work with texts written in Classical Greek and Latin. Intermediate and Advanced Classical Civilation Courses (such as ClCv 304, 307, 340R, 420) -- provide students with a more advanced understanding of specific aspects of ancient culture and history, including Greek and Roman history, Greek and Latin literature, and ancient literary criticism, with an emphasis on ancient rhetorical theory.

Prose composition courses in a classical language (Greek or Latin 401) -- provide students with an active understanding of Latin or Greek grammar.

Advanced courses in Classics, Latin, and Greek (Classics 430R and 490R, 400-level courses in Latin and Greek) -- provide students with opportunity for advanced work on central texts, topics, and themes from Classical antiquity, with study of primary sources in the original language.

Links
Catalog information
Major Academic Plan Latin Emphasis

Learning Outcomes

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Mechanics of the Latin language

With minimal and informed recourse to dictionaries, grammars, commentaries, and other translation aids, students will be able to read and comprehend the prose and poetry of Classical Latin authors. Specifically, they will be able to read and comprehend the writings of Caesar, Vergil, Cicero, Tacitus, and other Latin authors of comparable difficulty. Students will be able to compose Latin sentences and paragraphs in imitation of the style of Classical Roman masters.

Interpretation and analysis of Latin texts

Students will demonstrate their ability to write analytical papers or the equivalent that apply close readings to Classical literary texts to develop and clearly express original interpretations of these texts.

Understanding and contextualizing the culture of Rome

Students will demonstrate a broad knowledge and comprehension of the history, literature, philosophy, and visual arts of Rome from the Regal Period to the decline of the Empire.

Evidence of Learning

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Direct Measures

The learning outcomes are all measured by student performance in some form of examinations and papers. These measures can be divided into two general categories: language and civilization. In the language measures below, all emphases' learning outcomes are addressed; but, in the civilization measures, only at the 400-level are all outcomes addressed. In the 100- to 300-level courses, language-based outcomes are not addressed.

A. Fluency in language is measured by student performance in examinations and papers produced in courses in the language(s) of the student's specialization.

Examinations in 200-level language courses require:

1. One or more seen passages for translation and grammatical commentary,
2. At least one unseen passage for translation.

Examinations in 300-level language courses require additionally one or more seen passages for translation and grammatical, historical, and literary commentary.

Examinations in 400-level language courses require in addition at least one essay question.

Examinations in Greek or Latin composition (Grk401/Ltn401) evaluate primarily grammatical knowledge.

Writing assignments: 400-level language courses require at least one writing assignment, to include

1. Close reading and analysis of at least one passage in the original language,
2. Integration of the paper topic with the relevant literary and historical context.

The final writing assignment in Greek or Latin composition, which requires at least two double-spaced pages, not only tests grammatical knowledge but also evaluates rhetorical sensibility by requiring the imitation of one particular author.

 

B. Knowledge of Classical Civilization is measured by student performance in examinations and papers.

Examinations in civilization courses require:

1. Identification
2. Short answer,
3. Essay.

Expectations regarding detail, knowledge of ancient texts in translation, and the ability for integration of ideas increase at progressive levels.

At the 400-level (ClCv and Clscs), where knowledge of one or both of the original languages is prerequisite, this knowledge must also be manifest in examinations.

Writing assignments in civilization courses are constructed to enable students to

1. Demonstrate appropriate use of primary sources,
2. Explore basic historical and intellectual concepts from antiquity, and
3. Form persuasive arguments.

As with examinations, in writing assignments expectations regarding detail, knowledge of ancient texts, and the ability for integration of ideas increase at progressive levels.

Indirect Measures

1. Intermediate survey: upon a student's completion of Greek 201 or Latin 201 or both, administered by College Advisement Center. This survey will seek to acquire information about the students' experience of beginning level language instruction in Greek and Latin, whether at BYU or at other institutions or by other methods (such as home-schooling); also whether the student will continue or decide now to major in an emphasis area of the B.A. in Classical Studies and the reasons for doing or not doing so.
2. Exit survey: administered either by Advisement Center when intent to graduate forms are filed. Questions are directly linked to published program learning outcomes.
3. College Alumni survey: administered by the College of Humanities but formulated by section.
4. University Alumni survey: administered by the University with focus on all the College's graduates.

Exit and alumni surveys will be invited from both majors and minors in Classical Studies.

As survey results become available each year, the Classics section head will invite one or more faculty members in the Classics section to evaluate responses of (1) students having successfully completed Greek 201 or Latin 201 or both, and (2) seniors and alumni. These faculty members may work as a committee or as individuals, as seems more appropriate to the needs of the Classics program. The results of the evaluation will be reported in brief written summary to the Classics section head, who will thereupon confer with the evaluators before together preparing a combined report to be distributed to all members of the Classics faculty.

1. The combined faculty report will address specifically those areas in which published program learning outcomes have not been achieved in the opinions of the student learners.
2. The results will help inform section discussions of curricular modifications as needed.

Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement

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1. A curriculum committee is appointed by the section head when a revision of curriculum is contemplated. The committee's proposals are then placed before all of the program faculty at one or more meetings for discussion and revision. Faculty may propose to the section head curriculum changes or additions at any time. Scheduling is managed by a committee appointed for that purpose by the section head. All members of the Classics faculty are asked beforehand to indicate their preferences for courses and times. Program assessment information is discussed at regular section meetings called by the section head.
2. Assessment data is generally discussed on a bi-annual basis, as the College of Humanties plans for one "assessment" day in the fall and one in the winter semester.
3. Plans for improvement are approved by the faculty of the program, the department chair, and then the college curriculum committee. Any changes are evaluated by the faculty.
4. Plans are shared with the college curriculum committee, in written form as part of proposals for course development and assessment.