Welcome to the Department of Classical Studies
Note from the chair
Here you will find information about who we are and also something about the vitality of Classical Studies at the University of Missouri. Classical Studies is one of the founding departments of the University with a long history of education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Today's curriculum and resources reflect both that deep tradition and the exciting new directions that keep the study of ancient Greece and Rome central to contemporary debates about literature, language, and culture.
Our undergraduate program offers majors in Greek and Latin and also provides a concentration in Classical Humanities for students who prefer to explore the ancient Mediterranean world through literature in translation, history, and archaeology. Our graduate program is designed to prepare students for the rigors of college and university teaching and research positions. You will find the details below but will note throughout our strong commitment to a conception of Classical Studies that is expansive in its aims and methods while also dedicated to serious engagement with evidence and problems.
The Department of Classical Studies is a warm and intellectually stimulating home for students. We believe learning is a community enterprise. We sponsor lectures, workshops, and symposia, and frequently collaborate with other departments on campus. We encourage questions and respect differences. Our faculty present papers internationally and publish widely. Yet our office doors are usually wide open to students, and three members of the department have been awarded the University's most distinguished teaching award. Certainly visit us here online, but also stop by Strickland Hall to meet us in person.
Dennis Trout, Chair
News
May 2012: We deeply regret to announce that our friend and longtime colleague John Miles Foley passed away from complications of cancer on May 3, 2012. Memorial service details will follow in due course.
March 2012: The Classics Department has been awarded the first annual "Departmental Service" award from the Honors College, in recognition of "all the faculty have done to make our honors curriculum a robust and vital one."
March 2012: The 84th annual Eta Sigma Phi national convention was held March 16–18 on the MU campus. Over 100 students and faculty of classics from around the country attended to hear presentations and colloquia. Our local chapter, Alpha Mu, ably led by Kailyn Hall and Jennifer England, was in charge of all organization and logistics, and managed things beautifully. One conference highlight was a banquet on March 17, where Dean Ted Tarkow received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to Eta Sigma Phi and the field of classics more broadly.
