classical studies investigates cultural achievements of the ancient greeks and romans from the earliest records to the middle ages. students of classical studies will understand the roots of western cultural traditions and appreciate the permanent value of the original development of classical greek and roman humanism, and their contribution to modern humanism.

the study of classics makes a central and comprehensive contribution to the integration of many separate disciplines. most students begin their study of classics at the university of guelph in courses related to the literature, history and fine art of the greeks and romans, courses which do not require a knowledge of greek or latin. such courses form the substance of a major or minor honours specialization in classical studies.

students who want to master greek and latin are encouraged to take a major or minor honours specialization in classical languages. this involves the study of each language and its literature for at least five semesters. the combination of classical studies with a specialization in french, spanish, german or italian will give students a competitive advantage in applying for jobs in canada, the americas or the european union. they may also combine the study of classical studies with another subject (as double major, major-minor or minor-major specialization options). such a combination is recommended to any student of classical studies who wants to connect greek and roman achievements to those of their more recent counterparts, whether in art, history, language, literature or philosophy.

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