Study Abroad
Classics majors are encouraged to study abroad in order to gain first-hand knowledge of Mediterranean culture and material artifacts. As many of our majors can attest, there’s no substitute for seeing the sites yourself! Most students study abroad during their junior year.
Course credits are applied to your ND transcript and you can maintain any financial aid package you currently hold. Consult our director of undergraduate studies very early in the semester before you attend to go abroad.
Check out these blogs from students who studied abroad in previous semesters to see what life across the pond is all about. Maggie Rhoda studied in Athens, and Tracy Jennings studied in Rome.
Classics majors at Notre Dame have the unique opportunity to study abroad at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies (ICCS) in Rome. This prestigious program admits Greek and Latin students from only the best colleges and universities throughout the country. The Department of Classics is very successful in placing its majors at the ICCS, working closely with students on each step of the application process. For a semester (fall or spring) students come together to live and study in Rome and its environs; week-long field trips to Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Sicily are frequently sponsored. Students study the history and archaeology of Rome, ancient Greek and Latin, and various electives, including Italian Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture.
Majors in the Department of Classics with particular interest in ancient Greek studies have a special opportunity to study abroad in Athens for a semester on the College Year in Athens (CYA) program. Notre Dame students come together with students from other top colleges and universities to live and study in Athens; overnight field trips to other sites, including Delphi and Mycenae, are also part of the curriculum. The Department of Classics is very successful in placing students in the CYA program, working closely with individuals on all parts of the application process. Students choose from a wide selection of courses including the history, politics, philosophy, literature, art, and archaeology of ancient Greece, and beginning and intermediate language instruction in ancient Greek.
Students in the Department of Classics together with majors from other Notre Dame departments may choose to study in the vibrant city of Cairo, Egypt, for one semester (spring) or two during their sophomore or junior year. Notre Dame students enroll at the American University in Cairo (AUC) where they study together with Egyptian and Arab students in courses taught by top scholars in the fields of Middle Eastern studies, Egyptology, Islamic art and architecture, and Arabic language studies. The Great Pyramids at Giza, among other popular sites, are easily accessible from the students’ living quarters in Cairo.
Learn more from Notre Dame International
Undergraduate Programs
Spotlight
Arabic Culture Night 2012
A Night of Singing, Dancing, and Enjoying all things Arabic
Check out the video for this Arabic Culture Night 2012! Read More
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Senior Theses
Congratulations to the Classics and Arabic Senior Theses Writers
Check out this year's Classics and Arabic Theses. Topics ranged from Tertullian, Buddhism, Football and everything in between. Read More
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Sunoikisis Presentation
Notre Dame Classics Major Represents at Consortium
Brian Credo recently gave a talk on “Laughing at the Present: An Examination of Nostalgia in Aristophanes’ Frogs” for Sunoikisis, a national consortium of Classics Programs. Read More
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Discovering Butrint
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Notre Dame is proudly partnered with the Albanian Institute of Archaeology in their excavations of Butrint. Every Summer, Notre Dame students are allowed to join Professor Hernandez in uncovering the mysteries of Butrint Read More
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Nancy Joyce
Vice- President of the Student Body and Arabic Club
The Classics and Arabic Department would like to congratulate Nancy Joyce on her election success. Nancy has been elected the vice-president of the student body. She will also serve as vice-president for the Arabic club and student editor-in-chief for Bil'arabi. Nancy was also chosen as the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures December 2012 Spotlight. That article can be found here Read More
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Classics Majors Find Their Future in the Past
How to Succeed
Ever gotten quizzical looks when you tell people you're a Classics major? Or have people caution you that you won't find a job? Katharine Brooks' recent article reveals the extreme benefits Classics majors receive in future endeavors, whether those be graduate, medical, legal or business school. Majoring in Classics may just be the best kept secret to success. Read More
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Tracy Jennings
Alumna
I did not come to Notre Dame intending to major in Classics, yet the decision to do so was one of the most formative choices in my life. The opportunities provided by this department are outstanding. Read More
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The School of Rome: Latin Studies and the Origins of Liberal Education
W. Martin Bloomer
Associate Professor
Classics Read More
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Maria Martellaro
Greek and Roman Civilization Major
Prominent in both Greek mythology and Catholicism, the labyrinth remains one of the most enigmatic and elaborate structures in history. Notre Dame senior Maria Martellaro traveled to Italy and France this past summer in attempt to unravel this mystery . . . Read More
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Molly Herber
Undergraduate Student
Being an Arabic major has led me to learn a rich language, giving me the opportunity to encounter new people and ideas about the world in places I never would have expected to find myself Read More
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Kayla Durcholz
Alumna
By studying Classics, I have not just filled a bookshelf; I have actually encountered humanity. Read More
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Edward Larkin
2011 Valedictorian
Studying the Classics at Notre Dame has been a singular experience. The granular detail of the coursework; the challenge involved in reconstructing the ancient world; the enormous pleasure inherent in studying such vibrant and fabulous cultures -- it has been an incredible four years of study. Read More
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Emily Garnett
Alumna
After exploring the world of agriculture for a year, via jobs on five different farms around the U.S. and England, I took a job with the KP Ranch in Nebraska. I'm currently working with show cattle and learning the ropes of the ranching world. I am putting my Classics education to use and exploring the field of agricultural journalism as a potential career path. Read More
Spotlight
Michael Wagner
Alumnus
Studying in city of Classical importance – such as Rome, Athens, or Cairo – is absolutely essential for a Classics major at Notre Dame or any other university. It brings the history to life and it is essential to gaining a full appreciation for Classical Studies. As a student and as a person, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. Read More
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Stephen Morris
Alumnus
As I continue my educational journey into medical school, I know that the Classical foundation I received at Notre Dame will enhance my communication skills and the ability to digest complicated material. Read More
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Ghada Bualuan
Assistant Teaching Professor
Assistant Teaching Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Classics and Program of Arabic Languages and Literature, Professor Bualuan is interested in Read More
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Michael Mercurio
Undergraduate Student
Congratulations to Michael for being selected as The Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures November Spotlight! Read More
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Mary Claire O'Donnell
Alumna
I truly believe that my study of ancient cultures enhances my understanding of modern culture. My study of Classics here allows me to view the world in a new, more fulfilling way. Read More
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Justin Farishon
Alumnus
The classics, in particular the Latin language, provided a foundation for understanding and synthesizing the various languages and cultures I encountered during my travels throughout Europe. Read More
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Kyle Lee Andrews
Alumna
Classics is about the only major that allows for classes in the Forum, gives insight into Monty Python movies, and allows for the study of nearly any subject, provided that it involves the ancient world. Read More
Spotlight
Catherine Clepper
Alumna
Taking Classics course helped me realize that modernity and antiquity are along a continuum and constantly posing similar philosophical questions, similar political quandaries. Read More
