Loyola University Chicago

• Degree Programs
• Faculty Directory
• Undergraduate Program Brochure (PDF)
• Academic Integrity
• Events & Prizes

The Department of Classical Studies offers majors, minors and courses in three areas: Classical Civilization (CLST), Greek (GREK), and Latin (LATN). Program requirements are described in brief on this page.

Courses in the original languages are necessary for graduate studies in Classics. They make an excellent way for students to acquaint themselves with ancient Greek and Roman culture first-hand.

Classical Civilization courses use only texts that have been translated into English. They provide a comprehensive study of important topics in many disciplines of study. Popular courses include: Heroes and Classical Epics, Classical Tragedy, Classical Comedy and Satire, The World of Classical Rome, Classical Mythology, and Women in the Classical World.

Many Classical Civilization courses also help fulfil requirements of Loyola's Core Curriculum.

Degree programs

A major in Classical Studies—Classical Civilization, ancient Greek, or Latin—provides a well-rounded knowledge of Western culture and traditions. Classical Studies minors (also available in all three fields) can add vital depth to a student's liberal arts education. Both majors and minors are excellent preparations for pre-law or pre-medical programs: Classical Studies students learn to apply their learning in cross-disciplinary, integrative ways that enable them to capitalize on multidimensional understanding of whole cultures. The breadth and liveliness of their learning and the strength of their grasp on it is an asset in every kind of endeavor.

Students who wish to pursue Classical Studies at the graduate level should major in Greek or Latin. We have an excellent record for placing our majors in highly ranked graduate programs nationwide.

For information on majors and minors in Classical Civilization, Greek or Latin, contact us.

The Major and Minor in Classical Civilization

Subjects are offered in a wide variety, including Classical mythology, literature, art, archaeology, law, religion and gender studies. It is recommended (but not required) that students select courses for their major in Classical Civilization so as to concentrate on a particular area, such as ancient literature and languages, art and archaeology, or history and culture. Course materials for this major are presented in English, but students have the option of substituting up to four courses (12 credit-hours) of coursework in ancient Greek or Latin. In all, the major requires a total of 30 credit hours: eight elective courses, plus a year-long senior capstone course, "The Humanism of Antiquity" (CLST 383, 384).

The minor in Classical Civilization requires 18 credit hours, which may include the year-long senior capstone at students' option. Students pursuing the minor also have the option of substituting up to four courses (12 credit hours) of coursework in ancient Greek or Latin for coursework presented in English. As with the majors, concentration on a particular area of studies is recommended, but not required.

The Major and Minor in Greek

For a major in Greek, students must take eight author courses beyond the elementary Greek sequence (101 and 102). Options include courses on specific authors such as Euripides, Aristophanes and Homer, and on topics such as Greek oratory and historiography. In addition, majors must complete a 3-credit Greek composition course and take the year-long senior capstone, "The Humanism of Antiquity." The major is thus a total of 33 credit hours.

The minor in Greek requires four courses at the 200-level or above, plus the first half of the senior capstone, "The Humanism of Antiquity," a total of 15 credit hours.

The Major and Minor in Latin

For a major in Latin, students must take eight author courses beyond the elementary Latin language sequence (101 and 102). Options include courses on specific authors such as Cicero, Horace, Virgil and Juvenal, and on topics such as "The Age of Nero" and Roman historiography. In addition, majors must complete a 3-credit Latin composition course and take the year-long senior capstone, "The Humanism of Antiquity." The major is thus a total of 33 credit hours.

The minor in Latin requires four courses at the 200-level or above, plus the second half of the senior capstone, "The Humanism of Antiquity," a total of 15 credit hours.

Bachelor of Arts, Classics

In keeping with Loyola's Jesuit tradition, the university offers a special degree, the Bachelor of Arts, Classics. Along with any major of their choice students must take four courses above the 100-series in Greek or Latin (potentially including either Latin 271 or 272, but not both together), and demonstrate elementary-level competence in one other foreign language (classical or not). This program supplies students with a degree curriculum that is closest in form to traditional Jesuit higher education. The notation "Classics" on students' transcripts also indicates a well-rounded education, giving students an advantage on the job market or with law, medical or graduate school admission boards.

Academic Integrity

College of Arts & Sciences Statement on Academic Integrity

A basic mission of a university is to search for and to communicate the truth as it is honestly perceived. A genuine learning community cannot exist unless this demanding standard is a fundamental tenet of the intellectual life of the community. Students of Loyola University Chicago are expected to know, to respect, and to practice this standard of personal honesty.

Academic dishonesty can take several forms, including, but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, copying another student’s work, and submitting false documents.

Academic cheating is a serious act that violates academic integrity. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, such acts as

• Obtaining, distributing, or communicating examination materials prior to the scheduled examination without the consent of the teacher
• Providing information to another student during an examination
• Obtaining information from another student or any other person during an examination
• Using any material or equipment during an examination without consent of the instructor, or in a manner which is not authorized by the instructor
• Attempting to change answers after the examination has been submitted
• Unauthorized collaboration, or the use in whole or part of another student’s work, on homework, lab reports, programming assignments, and any other course work which is completed outside of the classroom
• Falsifying medical or other documents to petition for excused absences or extensions of deadlines
• Any other action that, by omission or commission, compromises the integrity of the academic evaluation process

Plagiarism is a serious form of violation of the standards of academic dishonesty. Plagiarism is the appropriation of ideas, language, work, or intellectual property of another, either by intent or by negligence, without sufficient public acknowledgement and appropriate citation that the material is not one's own. It is true that every thought probably has been influenced to some degree by the thoughts and actions of others. Such influences can be thought of as affecting the ways we see things and express all thoughts. Plagiarism, however, involves the taking and use of specific words and ideas of others without proper acknowledgement of the sources, and includes the following

• Submitting as one's own material copied from a published source, such as print, internet, CD-ROM, audio, video, etc.
• Submitting as one's own another person's unpublished work or examination material
• Allowing another or paying another to write or research a paper for one's own benefit
• Purchasing, acquiring, and using for course credit a pre-written paper

The above list is in no way intended to be exhaustive. Students should be guided by the principle that it is of utmost importance to give proper recognition to all sources. To do so is both an act of personal, professional courtesy and of intellectual honesty. Any failure to do so,whether by intent or by neglect, whether by omission or commission, is an act of plagiarism. A more detailed description of this issue can be found at www.luc.edu/english/writing.shtml#source.

In addition, a student may not submit the same paper or other work for credit in two or more classes without the expressed prior permission of all instructors. A student who submits the same work for credit in two or more classes without the expressed prior permission of all instructors will be judged guilty of academic dishonesty, and will be subject to sanctions described below. This applies even if the student is enrolled in the classes during different semesters. If a student plans to submit work with similar or overlapping content for credit in two or more classes, the student should consult with all instructors prior to submission of the work to make certain that such submission will not violate this standard.

Plagiarism or any other act of academic dishonesty will result minimally in the instructor’s assigning the grade of "F" for the assignment or examination. The instructor may impose a more severe sanction, including a grade of “F” in the course. All instances of academic dishonesty must be reported by the instructor to the chairperson of the department involved, and to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The chairperson may constitute a hearing board to consider the imposition of sanctions in addition to those imposed by the instructor, including a recommendation of expulsion, depending on the seriousness of the misconduct. In the case of multiple instances of academic dishonesty, the academic dean of the student's college may convene a hearing board. Students have the right to appeal the decision of the hearing board to the academic dean of the college in which they are registered. The decision of the dean is final in all cases except expulsion. The sanction of expulsion for academic dishonesty may be imposed only by the Provost upon recommendation of a dean.

Students have a right to appeal any finding of academic dishonesty against them. The procedure for such an appeal can be found at www.luc.edu/academics/catalog/undergrad/reg_academicgrievance.shtml.

The College of Arts and Sciences maintains a permanent record of all instances of academic dishonesty. The information in that record is confidential. However, students may be asked to sign a waiver which releases that student’s record of dishonesty as a part of the student’s application to a graduate or professional school, to a potential employer, to a bar association, or to similar organizations.

Pursuant to the Statement of the College of Arts and Sciences, Policy on Academic Integrity of the Department of Classical Studies

Any practice of academic dishonesty (e.g., cheating, plagiarism, obstructing the work of other students) perpetrated in a Classical Studies course will result, at a minimum, in a grade of zero for every assignment in which the dishonesty was practiced. Instructors may impose penalties up to and including failure of the course. Hearing boards constituted by the chairman or the academic dean of the student's college may determine more serious penalties are also appropriate.

For basic principles and definitions of academic integrity, see the subsection on "Academic Integrity" in the General Academic Standards and Regulations.

Many Websites offer information and strategies by which you can keep yourself clear from plagiarism. For example: Loyola University Chicago Writing Program, the Council of Writing Program Administrators, Oregon State University, Indiana University and Purdue University. Learning is wholly personal: it only happens if you do it yourself.

Loyola University Chicago requires that all instances of academic dishonesty be reported to the chairperson of the department involved and to the academic dean of the student's college or school.

Events and Prizes

Every year the Department of Classical Studies sponsors various special events and three undergraduate prize competitions:

• Undergraduate Essay Competition: Students who have taken a Classical Studies course in the past year are eligible to submit papers of of six-to-eight pages for cash prizes. Deadline is March 30, 2007.
• Latin Translation Competition: All students are invited to compete in translating a piece of Latin prose.
• Greek Translation Competition: All students are invited to compete in translating a piece of Greek prose.

This page last updated 9 January 2008 by jlong1@luc.edu.