Requirements

Major

A major requires a minimum of nine classes including the senior seminar. Students are required to take courses that reflect the interrelated aspects of the major:

Methodology Requirement

Foreign language

Students must select three 300-level courses in German, Greek, Latin, Russian, Chinese or Japanese. GRK 201, LATN 201, GERM 202, and RUSN 202 may also be used to fulfill this requirement.

Literary and Cultural Studies

Students must select two CSLC courses from the 100- or 200-level.

Interdisciplinary Requirement

Students must complete two additional courses which reflect a thematic or comparative language-based concentration. The two interdisciplinary courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s adviser.

Senior Seminar

Students must pass a language proficiency exam prior to the beginning of their senior year and enrollment in the senior seminar. Please consult the departmental website for current information about courses which satisfy requirements.

Honors in the Major

Honors is awarded to students who have demonstrated excellence in their departmental work. In the Spring semester, CSLC faculty review each Seniors’ record of work in the department and make their determinations based on achievement in coursework, sophistication of the comprehensive project, and contribution to the intellectual community of the department.

Minor in Classical Studies

Classical Studies offers Occidental students the opportunity to study the languages, literature, art, philosophy, history, and cultures of Greece and Rome in a multicultural context. Taken together, the courses address the impact of ancient cultures on later civilizations and draw parallels with non-Western cultures.

Occidental offers a minor in classical studies consisting of five courses taken in at least three different departments, at least one of which must be an original language course in Greek or Latin (GRK 101, GRK 102, GRK 201, LATN 101, LATN 102, or LATN 201). Courses with classical emphasis suitable to the minor are listed below.

To share the resources of faculty and students interested in classical studies, the committee sponsors interdisciplinary colloquia. Students who are interested in creating an Independent Pattern of Study in a topic related to the ancient world should consult with the chair of the committee for advice in constructing a program tailored to their needs.

Minor in CSLC

A minor in CSLC consists of five courses: one course course in theory and methodology (either CSLC 200 or CSLC 201), and four additional CSLC courses (student who take both CSLC 200 and CSLC 201 need only complete three additional CSLC course). This minor exposes students to world literature and culture in translation.

Minor in German

A minor in German language consists of five courses (20 units). Three of the five courses must be completed as Occidental courses. One of the five courses can be competed in the form of a German related course in a different department.

Electives

Minor in Russian

A minor in Russian language consists of five courses (20 units) numbered RUSN 202 and above. Three of the five courses must be completed as Occidental courses.