Bachelor of Arts in Classics

Our students become well-rounded critical thinkers who profit from a multicultural education that includes the study of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations and who enjoy satisfying careers in fields including law, medicine, diplomatic services and academia.

The BA in classics provides students with a multicultural education, including the study of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, as well as the many peoples with whom the Greeks and Romans interacted in Central and Eastern Europe, North Africa, Egypt and the Middle East. Students also receive an interdisciplinary education, learning from faculty and students in the department who study literature, philosophy, history and religion in the world of antiquity.

  • Explore language and literature; ancient history, art and archaeology; and philosophy
  • Obtain proficient knowledge of ancient civilizations
  • Gain an interdisciplinary and multicultural education, as well as an understanding of techniques like archaeological excavation and museum curation

The department maintains an active archaeological field school, offering opportunities for archaeological experience and course credit for students

Classics works closely with the Office of International Education to develop and provide excellent Education Abroad programs in Rome, Athens and elsewhere

Learn from our award-winning faculty, including a MacArthur “genius grant” fellowship recipient, Distinguished Professors and Professors of Distinction.

Be successful.

Our undergraduates enter the workforce with marketable skills that enable them to read critically, think analytically and communicate articulately.

 
$53,200

Median salary of CU Boulder classics students 1–5 years after graduation

 

Law clerk, lawyer, doctor or physician’s assistant, archivist, heritage manager, historian, museum staff and teacher are common job opportunities for graduates

 

Work in law, medicine, diplomatic services and academia

Academic Plan & Requirements

Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as 36 credit hours specific to their chosen track of study:

  • Greek and Latin
  • Literature, culture and thought
  • History, art and archaeology
  • Classical civilization

Additional degree options for classics students include:

  • Bachelor’s-accelerated master’s: A combined bachelor's (BA) and master's (MA) degree is offered for highly motivated undergraduate students. The BA/MA program allows students to take advanced courses at an accelerated pace, engage in an independent research project and obtain both degrees in five years.

Community & Involvement

We offer students many opportunities to network with peers and faculty, further their studies, and get the most out of their undergraduate experience.

The classics department has an extensive list of alumni who have worked in a variety of fields across the globe.

Some alumni of the program include:

Sarah Abelson

(BA'08)
Vice president of legal and business affairs for StyleHaul Inc., a global marketing services and media company based in Los Angeles.

Leif Berg

(BA'08)
Vice president of internet marketing for California-based Scorpion Internet Marketing.

Kate Hickey

(BA'09; MA'13)
An instructor of Latin and humane letters at Addenbrooke Classical Academy in Lakewood, Colorado.

William White

(BA'10)
A partner in the investment banking firm Goldblum Lentz & Co. in Broomfield, Colorado. Before coming to CU, he served in the U.S. Army in South Korea; he is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve.

Olga Levaniouk

(MA'94)
Earned a PhD in classics from Harvard University in 2000 and is now associate professor of classics at the University of Washington.

News & Stories

College of Arts & Sciences magazine cover