Classics Major: Sample 4-Year Plans
Classics majors can adjust their area of emphasis by the courses they choose to take – some majors can choose to emphasize culture courses (CLAS prefix), while other majors can choose to emphasize language courses (LATN or GREK prefixes). Majors should consult with their Classics advisor or professor about tracing their path through the major based on their interests, career plans, or post-Truman goals.
The plan listed below is designed to provide suggestions for sequencing your major courses, but there are also other ways to sequence most majors. This plan is meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. Please consult with your academic advisor to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester.
Sample Four Year Plan: Classics (BA): Plan 1 (Focus on Language)
Plan 1 is designed for students focusing on gaining language proficiency, especially those preparing to attend Classics graduate school. Plan 2 focuses on culture/in translation courses.
FALL - Semester 1
LATN 150 or GREK 100 (or higher by placement)
CLAS 261 or CLAS 262
TRU 100: Truman Symposium
TRU 110 or TRU 111 (Classics Self and Society, if available)
Dialogues coursework
SPRING - Semester 2
LATN 151 or GREK 101 (or higher by placement)
CLAS 342 or CLAS 352
Dialogues coursework
FALL - Semester 3
LATN 250 or GREK 200 (or higher level)
LATN 150 or GREK 100 (elementary I of language not taken in first year)
CLAS 261 or CLAS 262
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
SPRING - Semester 4
LATN 251 or GREK 201 (or higher level)
LATN 151 or GREK 101 (elementary II of language not taken in first year)
CLAS 342 or CLAS 352
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
FALL - Semester 5
300-level Latin and/or Greek
LATN 250 or GREK 200 (elementary II of language stared in the second year)
Classics course from Area 1 or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level)
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
SPRING - Semester 6
300- or 400-level Latin and/or Greek
LATN 251 or GREK 201 (elementary II of language stared in the second year)
Classics course from Area 1 or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level)
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
FALL - Semester 7
300-level Latin and/or Greek
CLAS 461
Classics course from Area 1 or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level)
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
SPRING - Semester 8
300- or 400-level Latin and/or Greek
Classics course from Area 1 or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level)
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
NOTES:
Advising Recommendations
- Take Ancient Greek, at least through intermediate level (minimum two years often required for many graduate schools).
- Take LATN 450: Latin Prose Composition if possible (highest-level Latin course, offered every third spring).
- Take TRU 111: Classical Foundations of Self & Society (if offered freshman year – not required of Classics majors, but counts as an elective in the major for Area 1).
- If interested in teaching, combine Classics BA with pre-MAE Latin coursework (see Plan 3), or with the Foreign Language Teacher Preparation Minor. The MAE Latin provides a path to certification, and the Foreign Language Teacher Preparation Minor provides additional coursework in pedagogy for students not interested in seeking certification.
- Summer Study Abroad to Greece (earn GRE 300: Sacred Sites in Greece, 6 credits).
- Take electives in Areas 1 (Culture) and 3 (Supporting Disciplines) based on interests.
- Take as many language courses as you can from Area 2 (Language and Literature) – lots of language prep is expected in graduate school, whether it be Classics MA, Classics MA Teaching, or Classics PhD programs.
- Service Learning opportunities available to teach Latin in local elementary schools as volunteer work or for credit (CML 200: Service Learning - Latin, 2 credits, repeatable).
- Recommended minors: Linguistics, English, Creative Writing, History, Philosophy and Religion, Medieval Studies, Museum Studies
Dialogues Curriculum: The Dialogues Curriculum requires a certain number of courses/credit hours in the following Perspectives: Social, Arts and Humanities, STEM, Communications, and Statistics. The exact number of courses a student will be required to take during their undergraduate career varies individually according to the credit transferred in.
Department Chair: Please contact the Center for Academic Excellence with any updates to the plan above.
This is a sample course sequence to illustrate class offerings for this major. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for certifying completion of degree requirements based on requirements specified in Truman's Official Catalog.
Sample Plans for Related Majors
English Major: Sample 4-Year Plan Linguistics Major: Sample 4-Year Plan PHRE Sample Four-Year Plan
The plan listed below is designed to provide suggestions for sequencing your major courses, but there are also other ways to sequence most majors. This plan is meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. Please consult with your academic advisor to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester.
Sample Four Year Plan: Classics (BA): Plan 2 (Focus on Culture)
Plan 2 is designed for students focusing on culture/in-translation courses, especially those who are double-majoring with a related field and want a strong background in the Classics without the depth of language study. Plan 1 focuses on language courses.
FALL - Semester 1
LATN 150 or GREK 100 (or higher by placement)
CLAS 261 or CLAS 262
TRU 100: Truman Symposium
TRU 110 or TRU 111 (Classics S&S, if available)
Dialogues coursework
SPRING - Semester 2
LATN 151 or GREK 101 (or higher by placement)
CLAS 342 or CLAS 352
Dialogues coursework
FALL - Semester 3
LATN 250 or GREK 200 (or higher level)
CLAS 261 or CLAS 262
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
SPRING - Semester 4
LATN 251 or GREK 201 (or higher level)
CLAS 342 or CLAS 352
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
FALL - Semester 5
300-level Latin and/or Greek
Classics courses from Area 1 or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level)
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
SPRING - Semester 6
Classics courses from Area 1, 2, or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level)
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
FALL - Semester 7
Classics courses from Area 1, 2, or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level)
CLAS 461
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
SPRING - Semester 8
Classics courses from Area 1, 2 or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level)
Dialogues coursework
Class toward minor or area of interest
NOTES:
Advising Recommendations
- Take TRU 111: Classical Foundations of Self & Society (if offered freshman year – not required of Classics majors, but counts as an elective in the major for Area 1).
- Summer Study Abroad to Greece (earn GRE 300: Sacred Sites in Greece, 6 credits).
- Take electives in Areas 1 (Culture) and 3 (Supporting Disciplines) based on interests.
- Take more than the bare minimum from Area 3, and try to align with interests and other major or minor areas.
- Recommended minors: Linguistics, English, Creative Writing, History, Philosophy and Religion, Medieval Studies, Museum Studies
Dialogues Curriculum: The Dialogues Curriculum requires a certain number of courses/credit hours in the following Perspectives: Social, Arts and Humanities, STEM, Communications, and Statistics. The exact number of courses a student will be required to take during their undergraduate career varies individually according to the credit transferred in.
Department Chair: Please contact the Center for Academic Excellence with any updates to the plan above.
This is a sample course sequence to illustrate class offerings for this major. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for certifying completion of degree requirements based on requirements specified in Truman's Official Catalog.
The plan listed below is designed to provide suggestions for sequencing your major courses, but there are also other ways to sequence most majors. This plan is meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. Please consult with your academic advisor to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester.
Sample Four Year Plan: Classics (BA): Plan 3 (with Pre-Certification Option for MAE Latin Program)
This degree plan is designed help students who wish to seek teacher certification through Truman’s MAE program in K-12 Latin. This plan will walk students through completion of the Classics BA degree and the undergraduate Pre-MAE coursework required for admittance into Truman’s graduate MAE Latin program. It assumes that students will test into Intermediate Latin (LATN 250) in their first year. Students should consult with the Latin disciplinary liaison for the MAE, particularly if they begin their program in elementary Latin.
FALL - Semester 1
LATN 250 (or higher by placement)
CLAS 261: Greek Literature in Translation, or CLAS 262: Roman Literature in Translation
TRU 100: Symposium
TRU 110 or TRU 111 (Classics Self & Society, if available)
Dialogues coursework
SPRING - Semester 2
LATN 251 (or higher by placement)
CLAS 342: Greek Civilization, or CLAS 352: Roman Civilization
Dialogues coursework
FALL - Semester 3
LATN 3XX: Advanced Latin topics
CLAS 261: Greek Literature in Translation, or CLAS 262: Roman Literature in Translation
Dialogues coursework
SPRING - Semester 4
LATN 3XX: Advanced Latin topics, or LATN 450: Latin Prose Composition
CLAS 342: Greek Civilization, or CLAS 352: Roman Civilization
Dialogues coursework
FALL - Semester 5
LATN 3XX: Advanced Latin topics
Classics course from Area 1 or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level; recommend to take CML 308 or LING 308)
ED 388: Exploratory Field Experience
ED 389: Foundations of Education
Dialogues coursework
SPRING - Semester 6
LATN 3XX: Advanced Latin topics, or LATN 450: Latin Prose Composition
CLAS 361: Greek and Roman Mythology, or CLAS 363: Women and Gender in Antiquity
Classics course from Area 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level; must take one of the following: ART 328, HIST 3415, or HIST 3420)
ED 393: Clinical Experiences in Teaching
ED 394: Experiences in Classroom Teaching
Dialogues coursework
FALL - Semester 7
LATN 3XX: Advanced Latin topics
CLAS 461: Capstone Experience
Classics course from Area 1 or 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level; recommend to take CML 308 or LING 308)
ED 593: Psychological Foundations of Education
Dialogues coursework
SPRING - Semester 8
LATN 3XX: Advanced Latin topics, or LATN 450: Latin Prose Composition
CLAS 361: Greek and Roman Mythology, or CLAS 363: Women and Gender in Antiquity
Classics course from Area 3 (at least one in each area must be upper-level; must take one of the following: ART 328, HIST 3415, or HIST 3420)
Dialogues coursework
Notes:
- Pre-MAE Latin students must take Latin every semester to meet the minimum qualifications for admittance into the MAE Latin program (at least 5 LATN courses at the 300- or 400-level).
- Summer independent study of Latin is possible, particularly if a student on the pre-MAE Latin track begins elementary Latin in their first year, but prior arrangements must be made with the Latin disciplinary liaison for the MAE.
- Pre-MAE Latin students are encouraged to participate in Latin service-learning opportunities to teach Latin in local elementary school as volunteer work or for academic credit (CML 200: Service Learning – Latin, 2 credits, repeatable).
- Applicants to the MAE Latin program should plan to take the National Latin Exam – one of the entrance exams to the program – in the Spring of their junior year. If students are enrolled in a 300- or 400-level LATN class in the spring, the NLE will be taken as part of that course.
- Applicants to the MAE Latin program should apply to the program in their senior year.
- For more information about the MAE Latin program please see this page
- For Classics students interested in teaching Latin but do not wish to pursue certification, follow Plan 1 with a minor in Foreign Language Teacher Preparation.
Dialogues Curriculum: The Dialogues Curriculum requires a certain number of courses/credit hours in the following Perspectives: Social, Arts and Humanities, STEM, Communications, and Statistics. The exact number of courses a student will be required to take during their undergraduate career varies individually according to the credit transferred in.
Department Chair: Please contact the Center for Academic Excellence with any updates to the plan above.
This is a sample course sequence to illustrate class offerings for this major. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for certifying completion of degree requirements based on requirements specified in Truman's Official Catalog.