Explore the influential languages and cultures of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
The study of classical languages and cultures gives us a deeply informed critical perspective on the human experience. Students in the Department of Classics develop strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills. Our faculty and students engage in a wide range of scholarly work, including archaeological, topographical, historical, historiographical, philosophical, folkloric, literary, theoretical and cultural studies.
Undergraduate Programs
Careers
Educational and professional leaders understand the importance of the liberal arts to a well-rounded education and to the world of work. Classics has a proven track record of preparing students for a variety of satisfying careers. Many graduates have become distinguished teachers and scholars; others have pursued successful careers in business, journalism, law, medicine, the arts and a variety of other fields.
Career Paths
Boeing, Dell, Facebook, the U.S Department of State and Microsoft are among the many well-known employers of UW Classics alumni. Graduates have been successful in roles including:
- Attorney
- Chief technology officer
- Editor
- Human resources manager
- Educator
- Program manager
- Reference librarian
- Software engineer
Take a 3,000-year journey.
The interdisciplinary nature of the Department of Classics allows for various study abroad opportunities. We actively encourage study abroad, and in many cases provide financial assistance to students to participate in a study abroad program. Opportunities include those sponsored by the Department or the University’s Study Abroad office, and a variety of programs offered by organizations such as the American Academy in Rome and the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. Students can also study at field schools and participate in archaeological excavations.
Find Yourself in Classics
Dive into a rigorous discipline and, by studying the past, gain new perspectives on the world around us.
Department of Classics Stories
Lifting Marginalized Voices — from Ancient Rome
"Interesting, frustrating, and necessary,” is how Sarah Levin-Richardson, professor of Classics, describes her research into the lives of enslaved individuals in the ancient world.
For UW Athletes, A Roman Adventure
Husky football players and other UW athletes explored Rome through a ten-day study abroad program led by Classics Professor Jim Clauss.
In Classics, a Different Take on Race
A new Classics course looks at conceptions of race in antiquity and how ancient racial categories “put the arbitrariness of race as we know it into relief.”