Classical Studies

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Program Overview

The Program in Classical Studies provides students with a broad background in the history and culture of classical antiquity, both as an aid to their general cultural education and to assist them in their own major fields. The program offers courses in Greek and Latin language and literature, as well as other courses taught in English on the history, culture, and civilization of classical antiquity.

At Fairfield University, no matter what major you choose, you will have the opportunity to broaden and develop your understanding of western culture through the program in classical studies. The minor can help you to attain proficiency in the languages essential to serious scholarship in classics and will also give you an introduction to the literature, history, art, and philosophy that lie at the root of Western ideas and civilization.

You will have the benefit of small classes, an excellent library collection in classics, and easy access to faculty who are actively engaged in research and publication. You may also take advantage of the University's many opportunities for study abroad.

The minor in classical studies provides a special opportunity to add a significant dimension to the general education program that is a foundation for all Fairfield students. We also offer a variety of Greek and Byzantine art and culture resources at Fairfield University that students can explore.

Requirements & Curriculum

The Classical Studies program offers two minors:

  • The 24-credit bachelor of arts with classics is intended for students wishing to focus on the ancient languages, consists of four courses each in Latin and Greek.
  • The 15-credit minor in classical studies is a broader program, consisting of five or more courses drawn from the program's offerings and from related courses in other departments, including art history, English, history, and philosophy.

Appropriate courses used for the minor in Classical Studies may also be used simultaneously to fulfill the core requirements in history, philosophy, arts, English literature, and foreign language.

Students may also design a major in Classical Studies as an individually designed major (see the University catalog entry for Individually Designed Major).

The program also makes available, as a general service to the University, courses in English and the original languages for those interested in specific aspects of classical antiquity.

Required Courses

Five (5) or more courses drawn from the Classical Studies' program offerings + from related courses in other departments
Four (4) courses in Latin
Four (4) courses in Greek

A detailed list of course requirements, offerings, and more can be viewed in the University’s course catalog.

More About Classical Studies

The Vincent J. Rosivach Lecture Series in Ancient Mediterranean Studies

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The Vincent J. Rosivach Lecture Series in Ancient Mediterranean Studies

The aim of this endowed lecture series is to host innovative and notable scholars across a number of fields in order to bring to life Ancient Mediterranean history and culture in its varied dimensions. In so doing, we seek to capture the passion for research exemplified by Professor Rosivach in his scholarship and teaching at Fairfield University throughout his distinguished career. This series is intended to promote the values of humanistic inquiry emblematic of a Classical education. This series encompasses events ranging from in-class presentations to panel discussions, hands-on workshops, as well as lectures given for the University and community members.

 

Upcoming Events

“Painting as the Sensible Object: Connecting Primary Sources and Material Evidence in the Study of Ancient Greek and Roman Painting Techniques”

Monday, April 8 at 5 p.m., Library Multimedia Room, Co-sponsored with FUAM, the Science Institute and the Arts Institute
Giovanni Verri, Ph.D., Conservation Scientist, The Art Institute Chicago

 

Past Events

Roosevelt Montás, Ph.D.
“Liberal Education: Why, How, and For Whom”
February 2, 2023 | 5 p.m.
Co-sponsored by the Vincent J. Rosivach Lecture Series in Ancient Mediterranean Studies, the Humanities Institute, the Magis Core.

 

Symposium: The View from Africa: Greco-Roman Antiquity through an African Lens Keynote Speaker, Roger Bagnall, Ph.D., Institute for the Study of the Ancient World/New York University
April 11-12, 2022
Speakers: Andrea Achi, , Ph.D., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thelma Thomas, Ph.D., Institute of Fine Arts/New York University, Jessica Lamont, Ph.D., Yale University, Giovanni Ruffini, Ph.D., Fairfield University.

 
Jessica Lamont, PhD headshot

The Inaugural Vincent J. Rosivach Lecture in Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Jessica Lamont, PhD
“Sickness and Health in Ancient Greece”
Classical Studies Endowed Lecture
Monday, April 12, 2021 | 5 p.m.

 

The Quick Live - Classical Studies: Sickness and Health in Ancient Greece 4/12 @ 5 p.m. LIVE

Diversity and Inclusive Excellence

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Diversity and Inclusive Excellence

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As a Jesuit, Catholic university, Fairfield is dedicated to diversity and inclusion; to radical hospitality in service of racial, social, and economic justice.

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Life After Fairfield

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Life After Fairfield

The minor program in classical studies is not a direct preparation for most careers. However, it is an important asset for those who plan advanced study, and it can be an absorbing lifetime interest. Combined with a major in philosophy, politics, history, art, or literature, it provides a key to further learning that is difficult to duplicate at later stages of life.

Recent graduates of the program have attained admission to the following institutions:

  • Institute of Fine Arts at New York University
  • Yale University School of Medicine
  • Fordham University

Learn how Fairfield's Career Services can support your post-graduate goals, and how our tight-knit alumni network can build career and mentoring opportunities that last a lifetime.

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Student Resources

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Student Resources

Fairfield University is home to an impressive collection of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine resources that provide students with unique opportunities to explore the rich history and ancient art of these great civilizations. From hand-drawn sketches and powerful photography exhibitions to ancient artifacts and a robust plaster cast collection, the visual culture preserved and presented at Fairfield takes students on an engaging and interactive journey through the past.

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Events & Videos

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Events & Videos

The Real Life of the Parthenon presented by Dr. Patricia Vigderman

 

The Vincent J. Rosivach Memorial Colloquium (October 13, 2018)

 

The Caryatid Hairstyling Project DVD (Promotional Clip)

Faculty

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Faculty

The College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University is home to a vibrant community of engaged faculty, dedicated staff, and accomplished scholars devoted to the process of invention and discovery and excited by the prospect of producing knowledge in the service of others. Meet the dedicated members of our Classical Studies faculty.

Meet the Faculty

Hair in the Classical World

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Hair in the Classical World

Hair is timeless, eternal and universal—a human attribute common to every culture and historical era. Precisely because it is so resonant of cultural identity—then as now—hair provides an exceptionally revealing link and accessible portal to the past, as this novel exhibition demonstrates. In the ancient Mediterranean world, the way that hair was styled and sported could signify wealth, social rank, and divinity. Tales about hair figure in mythology and in sacred texts. And the particular way of wearing hair in antiquity was often tied to rites of passage and religious rituals of the day. Hair in the Classical World explores these myriad channels of meaning By examining the treatment and depiction of hair in ancient Greece, Cyprus and Rome, Hair in the Classical World explores these myriad channels of meaning. 

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