Program Overview
Table of Contents
What is a classics degree?
Classics is not a way of looking at the past; it’s a way of truly understanding the present. A classics degree focuses on the ancient Mediterranean world – literature, business, art, science, history, medicine, rhetoric, economics, politics, law and more. It helps us address humanity’s important questions through the lens of the ancients.
Why study classics at Furman?
Classics courses at Furman are engineered to give students (1) a deep respect for the power of language, (2) an appreciation for cultural difference, (3) cutting-edge skills for analyzing data, and (4) the self-reflection to know what matters in life and in a career. Plan a visit to Furman’s beautiful campus or start your application today.
How will you learn?
In recent years, classics students have used research opportunities to edit medieval manuscripts, produce digital editions of ancient texts, translate a Latin “reader’s digest” version of Homer’s “Iliad,” create an online database for Furman’s ancient coin collection, and annotate geospatial features in ancient texts.
Classics research has taken our students all over the world. Students have studied with the Homer Multitext Summer Research Seminar at the Center for Hellenic Studies of Harvard University; the University of Leipzig’s Seminar in Ancient History; and the University of Leipzig Department of Computer Science. Students have also presented their research as near as Greensboro, North Carolina, and as far as Leipzig, Montreal, and Mexico City.
Dig into the Furman Editions project: “Editions, done right, for learners,” where students research and work with professors to create editions of never-before-published texts.
Through affiliate relationships with College Year in Athens (CYA) and the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome (ICCS), students gain concentrated study experiences in the ancient cities. Furman-led study away trips have further explored sites such as Crete, Sicily, Turkey, Pompeii, southern Spain, Florence, Olympia, Delphi and Thessaloniki.
Careers for classics majors
Classics does not dictate a single career path for students. Some of our recent alumni have pursued these fields and vocations:
- Lawyer
- Physician
- Graduate studies in theology
- Chief technology officer
- Information technology specialist
- Writer, journalist
- Editor
- Human resources manager
- Professor
- Program manager, nonprofit manager
- Reference librarian
- Software engineer
- Federal or state government agency professional
- Financial manager
- Nonprofit administrator
- United States military officer
Featured classics courses
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81%Classics students who participate in any engaged learning experience
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48%Classics students who participate in May Experience (MayX)
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38%Classics students who conduct research
Our faculty
Christopher Blackwell
Randall Childree
Classics Major F.A.Q.
A degree in classics doesn’t lock you into any single career path. Some of our recent alumni have pursued professions such as lawyer, physician, information technology professional, editor, writer, journalist, human resources manager, professor, nonprofit manager, reference librarian, software engineer, federal or state government agency professional, financial manager, and United States military officer. Others go on to graduate studies in disciplines such as theology and many others.
Annual average salaries for classics majors vary as widely as the fields that are open to you as a graduate in the discipline. Zippia.com says the most lucrative industry is in education where the annual salary is $50,587.
The classics B.A. at Furman is a four-year program.