The Classics Department encourages its students to study abroad for a quarter or year of their undergraduate program. Besides the valuable contribution foreign study makes to any liberal arts degree, exposure to a different tradition of study of the Greco-Roman world and the ancient Mediterranean and the opportunity to visit Greek and Roman sites make this an option all Classics majors should seriously consider.
WHY STUDY ABROAD?
Nothing quite prepares the Classics student for their first look at the Parthenon or the columns of the Roman Forum at twilight. Becoming well acquainted with buildings and landscapes known previously only from books significantly enhances a student’s understanding of ancient literature, history, and culture. A quarter or year of study in Europe opens the door to this experience in a way that a tourist’s brief experience never can.
Classics departments in other countries, with their own histories and academic cultures, offer their own distinctive perspectives on the study of Greece and Rome and its relevance for our increasingly globalized and rapidly shifting world. Classics students who have already taken advantage of the UC Education Abroad Program have completed programs not only in European countries – for instance, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Sweden – but also in South Africa as well as in Australia and New Zealand.
WHEN SHOULD ONE STUDY ABROAD?
The UC Education Abroad Program offers a great variety of one-quarter and year-long programs. Students interested in fulfilling major preparation and General Education requirements can participate as early as their sophomore year. However, the junior year is usually the best time to study abroad because students have normally completed their lower-level courses in the major (especially in Latin and/or Greek) but still have another year to complete all degree coursework. Classics majors may even study abroad in their senior year with good prior planning and close consultation with the departmental & college undergraduate advisors.
WHERE TO STUDY ABROAD?
In the many excellent Classics programs all around the world, Classics majors can make progress on their degrees while enjoying the benefits of study abroad.
For students who choose to go to Europe, major classical sites such as Rome and Athens are a relatively short trip away. One key element that students interested in spending their time abroad in a European country should consider are the obvious challenges of learning Latin or Greek through instruction in another foreign language. Although some of the Classics programs in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain offer courses in English (especially focused on history, archaeology, and culture), we recommend this option only for those students whose modern language competence is excellent, who have moved beyond the second-year level of Latin or Greek, or who are contemplating graduate study in Classics, during which advanced knowledge of a modern language will be highly beneficial.
Classics students who prefer fully English-language options can choose between programs in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Sweden, as well as in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
NON-UCEAP OPTIONS
There are two non-UCEAP program that Classics majors should consider. College Year in Athens offers unparalleled opportunities to study the historical and cultural contributions of Greece, with both a summer and yearlong programs. Students take courses in English in archaeology, classical languages, philosophy, history, and religion. Go to: cyathens.org.
The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome offers another English-language option for students who wish to study in Rome. This is a one-semester program taught at different times of the year in order to accommodate a demanding schedule. Students study the archaeology and history of the classical world, with courses in art as well as Latin and Greek literature.
Students interested in these options should keep in mind, however, that non-UC programs may cost more and require the transfer of credits.
EXPLORE UCEAP CLASSICS PROGRAMS
A list of Classics courses that UC students have already taken in universities around the globe can be accessed using this database. By using the “Course Filters” on the left side of the screen, students can select the country they are considering for their time abroad, the university where they would like to study, the academic discipline on which they would like to focus, the language that they prefer for instruction, and the number of units that they would like each course to count for.
A smaller database prepared specifically for UCSB Classics students can be accessed here. It indicates the equivalencies between the lower- and upper-division courses offered by our department and the courses offered by six universities where our majors have recently studied or have expressed the desire to study: King’s College London; Trinity College Dublin; University of Edinburgh; University of St. Andrews; University of Bologna; and University of Sydney. In contrast to the UCEAP course catalog, this database lists not only course that have already been taken by UCEAP students and, as a result, are pre-approved, but also courses that would satisfy our department’s requirements but are not in the UCEAP catalog yet.
SAMPLE 2-YEAR AND 4-YEAR PLANS FOR CLASSICS MAJORS
Classics majors who would like to get a sense of how spending a quarter abroad would affect their progress toward graduation can refer to these 2-year and 4-year plans.
Students who are considering spending time abroad or would like more information about UCEAP are warmly encouraged to contact Anna Roberts and/or Prof. Capettini.