Combined Degree of B.A. in Classical Civilization and Religion

The civilization and cultural achievements of ancient Greece and Rome continue to influence our values, the way we think, and the questions we ask. They represent some of our deepest cultural roots and stand at the core of a liberal arts education. The Department of Classics offers students an opportunity to study the languages, literature, culture, and influence of classical antiquity. General courses include such topics as classical mythology, law, religion, women in antiquity, and Greek and Roman literature in translation. Most of these courses have no prerequisites, and several fulfill Emory College General Education Requirements. For students interested in Greek or Latin, language instruction is offered at all levels, from elementary to advanced, both in a classroom setting and in individualized instruction. The department offers several majors and two minors as well as joint majors with other departments. Students interested in integrating the study of Greece and Rome with other Mediterranean Civilizations are encouraged to consult the Program in Ancient Mediterranean Studies in which the Department of Classics is an active participant.The study of religion is among the oldest pursuits in human intellectual history. Each of the world's living religions has a long and rich history of scholarship on its sacred texts and interpretive traditions. The curriculum in the Department of Religion involves a dynamic combination of traditional textual study, ethnographic engagement, historical reflection, and theory-practice learning. Courses are designed to introduce students to the origins and historical developments of ancient religious systems as well as the living religions of the world. Equally important, courses in the department and related programs provide a context for stepping back from the "inside" of a particular religion in order to study aspects of religion comparatively and thematically across traditions (e.g., religion in public life, religion and gender, religion and culture, religion and conflict). Religion majors and minors include students seeking careers in medicine, law, and the sciences, as well as those whose interests lie more in the humanities and liberal arts. Faculty in the Department of Religion are deeply committed to interdisciplinary work and thinking, and expect the same of their students. Many of our faculty members co-teach their courses with faculty in other disciplines in order to enliven their thinking about a particular topic. Faculty are also engaged in the Emory community, working on educational and scholarly projects with student groups. Faculty have designed student internships with the religious communities of Atlanta, and field trips and site visits are a regular component of many Emory religion classes. We are also an intentionally pluralist community--with no single "majority" of scholars studying one particular religious tradition or using one particular method of study. Faculty numbers are equally strong in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and American studies. There is growing strength in African American religions, as well as ethnography of religions and the study of comparative sacred texts.