connecting past to present

Explore all aspects of culture and languages of ancient Greece and Rome, their interaction with the rest of the Mediterranean world and their influence today by majoring or minoring in Greek and Roman Studies, Classics, Greek or Latin. You’ll have multiple chances to take courses in the history, learn Greek or Latin and gain insight both about antiquity and about the world in which we live.

 

Student SpotlightPaul Janes '24

majors: classics
minor: philosophy

"Deciding to major in Classics was the best choice I could have made after arriving at HWS. Associate Professor of Greek and Roman Studies Leah Himmelhoch and Associate Professor of Greek and Roman Studies Jim Capreedy are the best advocates and mentors a student could ask for. They go out of their way to make sure every student in the department is succeeding academically and personally. They sparked a lifelong passion for antiquity and pushed me to achieve things that would not have been possible alone." 

 
Honors
Honors

And Research

Greek and Roman Studies students looking to engage more in their work can study and complete Honors and research projects in their chosen topic with the guidance of a faculty mentor.

Past examples of Honors projects include:

  • Deirdre O’Malley ’22: Of Love and Monsters: Gender and Citizenship in Euripides’ Hippolytos
    Leah Himmelhoch, Adviser
  • Elizabeth M. Fajardo ’20: Roman Red Sea Trade: An Analysis of Trade in the First and Second Centuries C. E.
    James Capreedy, Adviser
  • Nicholas J. Haydon ’19: Leadership in Ancient Sparta
    James Capreedy, Adviser

Experiential EducationGet Involved

Explore immigration policy shifts at the Intercultural Affairs Center or learn about job opportunities with the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education.

At Hobart and William Smith, learning goes beyond textbooks and classrooms. You’ll gain high-impact practical experience that deepens learning and opens doors.


GRADUATE WITH LEADERSHIP DISTINCTION

Amplify your Greek and Roman Studies degree with the skills, knowledge and ethical foundation needed to be a leader in the 21st century. In partnership with the Centennial Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, our department offers the opportunity to engage in leadership development that culminates in a degree with leadership distinction and provides a competitive edge when applying to internships, jobs and graduate or professional school.

To graduate with leadership distinction, you will complete a series of foundational, action-oriented and reflective milestones within the Greek and Roman Studies and Leadership curriculum. We encourage you to begin your leadership journey as early as your second semester on campus.

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No Borders:Global Education

Study Roman politics in England or Greek art in Denmark.

Wherever you go, our top-ranked global education program will allow you to apply classroom knowledge, develop cultural understanding and build global connections that expand your personal capacity and sense of purpose.

Denmark

Build your understanding of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds and what their legacies mean today. Students looking for a larger language component to their studies can major or minor in Greek or Latin.

CLAS 112 – Classical Myths 

Study ancient creation myths, the mythology of the Olympian gods and Greek heroic and epic saga. 

GRE 205 – The Greek New Testament

Read one of the canonical gospels in the original Greek and the other three in English translation.

LAT 101 - Beginning Latin

Learn the fundamentals of Latin grammar and gain experience reading Latin.

Critical Museum Studies

Investigate the histories of practices of museums from a decolonial perspective while building the skills necessary to work in the industry through the Critical Museum Studies minor. You'll get to follow tracks like history museums and art museums and galleries that will allow you to focus on the issues and practices most relevant to the type of cultural space that most interests you. Students in all tracks gain experience with installation techniques, designing, cataloging, collections management, and writing exhibit labels. You'll leave prepared to work in and think critically about a variety of fields.

 

Alum ImpactInspiring Confidence

Cameron
cameron miguel '22
Graduate Student at university of california los angeles classics phd program

"My advisors and my professors in the Classics and Political Science Departments gave me the much-needed encouragement to apply to grad school when I didn't have the confidence to throw my hat in the ring."

Companies That Employ Our graduates

  • Calvary Episcopal Church
  • El Paso Independent School District
  • Frontier Communications
  • Off the Wharf LLC
  • Proctor Academy
  • The Revolving Museum

universities where our graduates are studying

  • New York Law School
  • St. John Fisher University 
  • SUNY Upstate Medical University
  • Syracuse University
  • Texas A&M
  • University of California at Riverside
  • University of Missouri
  • Washington University in St. Louis