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Ancient Studies

Courses in this program are listed under ANCS and ARCH and HIST and LATN and GREK .

Career and Academic Paths

A major in ancient studies can lead to a career in field archaeology, museum curating or teaching, and it provides excellent liberal arts preparation for many professional fields, including law and medicine. Graduates are also well-prepared for advanced studies in classics, archaeology and ancient history. A combined B.A./M.A. program in historical studies also is offered.

Academic Advising

The ancient studies full-time faculty participate in the advising process. Students may approach any member of the faculty for guidance. Both regular students and transfer students also may enter the process by contacting the current chairperson, who will direct them to the individual on the faculty whose interests most closely mirror their own.

Major Program

Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient Studies must complete the following course of study:

A. One of the following (3 credits)

ANCS 201

The Ancient Greeks

OR

ANCS 202

The Roman World

OR

ANCS 203

Earliest Christianity

B.One of the following (3 credits)

ARCH 200

Greek Archaeology

OR

ARCH 201

Roman Archaeology

C.One of the following (3 credits)

HIST 453

The Ancient Greeks

OR

HIST 455

The Roman Republic

OR

HIST 456

The Roman Empire

D. Nine credits at the 300 level or above in ancient studies, Latin, Greek, archaeology, ancient history or other approved subject areas

E. Nine credits in any of the above or in related subject areas, e.g., philosophy or anthropology, as approved by the department

Majors also must complete one of the following options:

Option I (3 Credits)

One three-credit, 300- or 400-level course in Latin or Greek

Option II

A student who majors in ancient studies may complete his or her course of study by completing GREK 201 or LATN 201, plus any combination of two additional “L” or “C” courses. All culture courses in Option II must be taught by a member of the ancient studies faculty.

Note: Students planning to enter graduate school must follow Option I and must take more language courses than required by Option I. See a member of the ancient studies faculty for guidance. Students planning to teach Latin must take five courses of Latin at the 300 level or above and receive a grade of “A” or “B” in each.

No course in which the student has earned a grade less than “C” shall count toward completion of the major option.

Minor Program (18 Credits)

To complete the ancient studies minor, students must complete 18 credits of the following courses with a grade of “C” or better:

A. Core Courses (9 Credits)

One course in three of the following four categories:

1. ANCS 201

    The Ancient Greeks

    OR

    ANCS 202

    The Roman World

    OR

    ANCS 203

    Earliest Christianity

2. ARCH 100

    Introduction to Archaeology

    OR

    ARCH 200

    Greek Archaeology

    OR

    ARCH 201

    Roman Archaeology

3. HIST 453

    Ancient Greece

    OR

    HIST 455

    The Roman Republic

    OR

    HIST 456

    The Roman Empire

4. LATN 201

    Intermediate Latin I

    OR

    GREK 201

    Intermediate Greek I

B. Additional Courses:  (9 credits)

Any combination of the following courses:

Ancient studies, archaeology, ancient history, Greek or Latin

Note: A course in another discipline may be substituted for one of these three with ancient studies department approval, e.g., ANTH 211: Cultural Anthropology or PHIL 321: History of Philosophy: Ancient.

C. Of the additional nine credits, at least six credits must be at the advanced level (300 level or above). If LATN 201 or GREK 201 is used to satisfy one of the four categories above, lower-level courses in that language may not be used for the additional nine credits.

Honors Program

There is an honors program designed for students who want to meet additional challenges, especially those who are considering graduate school. Students must choose Option I and meet additional requirements, including a minimum of 45 credits in courses for the major. The Honors student must take ANCS 399H, ANCS 498H/ 499H in place of two upper-level courses in the major requirement, two additional three-credit, 300- or 400-level courses in Latin or Greek and 101 and 102 in the other language. For more information, contact any member of the department.
A student must have at least a 3.5 GPA in ancient studies courses to become an Honors student.

Accelerated B.A./M.A. Program in Historical Studies

The ancient studies department participates in the accelerated B.A./M.A. program in historical studies by offering courses at the 600 and 700 levels. Students interested in earning the B.A. in Ancient Studies and the M.A. in Historical Studies (with an emphasis on ancient history) should consult with the faculty of the history and ancient studies departments.

Special Opportunities

Scholarships are available for ancient studies majors to participate in archaeological excavations, study abroad programs and trips sponsored by the ancient studies department. Normally, a student may be awarded only one scholarship. For further information, contact any member of the faculty. Recent travel opportunities sponsored by the department have included archaeological work in Israel and study in England, France, Italy and Greece. Students also excavated in Maryland.

Student Organizations

Ancient Studies Club
The Ancient Studies Club serves as a meeting ground for faculty and students. Events such as dinners at ethnic restaurants, visits to museums and field trips are integrated into the academic year through the club.

Evening and Part-time Options

Although ancient studies or related courses are given in the evening, it would be difficult for a student to complete the requirements entirely in the evening. Part-time students, however, may combine day and evening classes to earn a B.A. in Ancient Studies.

Faculty Recognition

UMBC Ancient Studies Professor Jay Freyman was named Maryland Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and colleague Professor Carolyn Koehler received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Maryland Association for Higher Education.

Robert Rivkin was named Maryland Teacher of the Year by the Maryland Department of Education.