University of St. Thomas

When asked what one phrase best describes the classical civilization major at St. Thomas, a faculty member replied, “challenging!”

A real student asks:

 

“Does this have to do with history?

A classical civilization faculty member responds: Yes. Classical civilization, or classics, as a discipline involves the study of the languages, history, literature, philosophy, art history and archaeology of the ancient Greek and Roman cultures. Thus, while it is an historical discipline to a certain extent, it is, by nature, an interdisciplinary field of study.

What jobs are possible with a Classical Civilization major?

What are recent graduates doing now?

One recent graduate is working at a law firm but will soon leave to teach English abroad. She loves literature and hopes to become a writer when she returns. Another graduate was inspired by a research project he completed on farming in ancient Italy and is pursuing an advanced degree in economics toward study contemporary land use with an eye to helping developing countries.

What opportunities are there to bolster my resume while I'm in the program?

Internships. The most directly applicable internships are tutoring (Latin or Greek) and, if the student is interested in teaching, conducting student teaching, which is set up through the education program at UST.

Study abroad. While we do not have an official study abroad program, there are many opportunities to study classical civilization abroad, particularly in Rome and Greece. Some former students have even studied Latin or Greek in Scotland and England. 

Study abroad always enhances an individual’s life experience and learning. Contact with different cultures broadens perspectives and often leads to developing a greater ability to accept those who see things differently from yourself. Through a familiarity with a different culture, people are often able to develop new perspectives not only about others but also about themselves and their own culture.

Faculty at work

Our faculty members principally teach, but they also write. They have been involved with student-faculty research partnerships at other institutions before coming to UST, so such collaborations will most likely appear here soon.