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Undergraduate

Major Requirements

Click here for a PDF of the major requirements and program of study provided by CLA Academic Advising.

To obtain a major in Classical Studies at Purdue University, the student must complete 33 credit hours in one of three major tracks:  Classical Languages, Literature and Culture, or Material Culture and History. These three tracks help students steer their way through a rich variety of interdisciplinary offerings.

The 33 credit hours may be satisfied using a plan of study including introductory courses in Latin and Greek literature, classical mythology, history, and language courses in Latin and Greek, as well as a wide range of courses in literature and linguistics, ancient cultures, gender studies, religious studies, philosophy, anthropology, art and archaeology.

Minor Requirements

Students may choose one of three different Classical Studies minors, each of which requires 15 credit hours in the required courses:
Click on the name to see a PDF of the program of study.

Classical Languages

Literature and Culture

Material Culture and History

Important note for majors and minors declared before Spring 2011:

If you declared your major or minor before Spring 2011, you may choose between declaring a new major or minor in one of the three tracks listed above, or continuing to follow the previous five-track major, or the previous Classical Studies minor or Latin minor.


Careers for Classics majors

A degree in Classics prepares students for an unusually wide variety of careers. As an inherently interdisciplinary field, Classics demands both analytical depth and intellectual versatility. Exploring ancient cultures from diverse perspectives challenges students to connect different areas of knowledge. Studies have shown that this training will equip you to succeed in such careers as education, law, business, management, the arts, and many other fields.


Important note:

If you wish to pursue a PhD in Classics, we strongly recommend that you study Latin and Greek well beyond the minimum level required for completing the Classical Languages track.

If you are considering graduate work in Classics, classical archaeology, or ancient history, please discuss your plans with Classics faculty members as early as possible, so that we can help you devise a suitable plan of study.

For information about careers in middle and high school teaching, please visit the American Philological Association, Indiana Classical Conference, and American Classical League websites.

For private school job listings in Maryland, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Louisiana and Alabama, click here.