Classics at St. Olaf College
Classics is the study of the ancient Greeks and Romans—especially their languages (Greek and Latin), literature, and culture. It includes consideration of the Greeks’ and Romans’ own multi-racial and multi-ethnic world and their interactions with the diversity of cultures in Europe, Africa, the Near East, and Asia, from 3000 BCE through medieval times.
St. Olaf students take Greek and Latin for a variety of reasons. Some are eager to read influential or inspiring works in the original languages. Some are preparing themselves for a particular career. Some choose to study an ancient language because they know that it will improve their verbal and analytical skills while simultaneously satisfying the College’s language requirement. And some take Greek or Latin just because it is fun! What could be more exciting and more intellectually challenging than being able to decipher a text composed two or even three millennia ago?
Graduates of St. Olaf have gone on to postbaccalaureate, M.A., M.A.T., M.Ed., or Ph.D. programs in Classical Studies or Medieval Studies at schools such as Bryn Mawr College, Georgetown University, Indiana University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Arizona, the University of British Columbia, the University of California Los Angeles, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Georgia, the University of Glasgow, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Limerick, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Oxford, the University of Southampton, the University of St. Andrews, the University of Texas Austin, the University of Toronto, the University of Virginia, the University of Wisconsin Madison, the University of Washington, Washington University in St. Louis, and William & Mary.
NOTE: St. Olaf’s 70-year-old program in Latin Education with Teaching Licensure has now been discontinued. Students interested in becoming K-12 Latin (and Greek) teachers are encouraged to take Education courses and to consider enrolling in a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) or a Master of Education (M.Ed.) program after they graduate from St. Olaf. The Society of Classical Studies (SCS) website includes a list of Classics graduate programs in North America.
The St. Olaf Department of Classics offers:
Courses in Greek and Latin: Beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses in both Greek and Latin are taught every semester. (Modern Greek is not offered.) Completion of the third semester (231) of either Greek or Latin satisfies St. Olaf’s World Languages and Cultures (WLC) requirement. Students who plan to attend seminary or do graduate work in theology are encouraged to take Greek for at least four semesters. Greek 111 and Latin 111 are introductory courses. New students who have previously studied ancient Greek or Latin should take the relevant placement survey linked to the New Student Orientation (NSO) checklist (ancient Greek survey, Latin survey).
Policy on Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams
Courses in Classics: Classics courses focus not on the ancient languages but instead on the ancient world at large; they require no knowledge of Greek or Latin. Students who desire a broad background in the humanities often find these course attractive ways to satisfy OLE Core requirements. At least one on-campus Classics course is offered each semester and during January term. Courses in Greek and Roman history are taught each year by members of the St. Olaf History Department. In addition St. Olaf students have permission to take many of the courses offered by the Department of Classics at Carleton College.
Three majors that emphasize language and literature: Students may complete a major in ancient Greek, Latin, or Classics (= Greek and Latin). Outstanding senior students are invited to pursue distinction in Classics.
Two interdisciplinary majors: Students may complete an interdisciplinary major in Ancient Studies or Medieval Studies. Each of these majors has a core of required courses; students design the rest of the major themselves by selecting courses from different departments. Outstanding senior students are invited to pursue distinction in Ancient Studies or distinction in Medieval Studies.
Opportunity for off-campus study: A Classics study abroad course is offered every year during January term; Classical Studies in Greece alternates with Classical Studies in Italy. Students with financial need are encouraged to apply for the Groomis Scholarship in Classics.
Opportunity to go on stage: St. Olaf Classics students periodically perform an ancient Latin or Greek comedy in a musical mixture of English and Latin, or English and Greek, taking the show on tour to other schools. The play is a non-credit-bearing, co-curricular activity, open to any student who has taken Latin or Greek. After the production is over, all cast members receive Ole Experience in Practice (OEP), and the Registrar adds “ID 300” to their transcripts.
Opportunity to belong to an honor society: St. Olaf is home to a chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, the collegiate honorary society for Classical Studies, and has hosted the national convention four times. Chapter activities include a weekly Classics Conversation Table. In the annual Maureen Dallas Watkins Contests, St. Olaf has one of the best records of any college in the country.
Opportunity to win prizes, awards, and scholarships: St. Olaf sponsors annual in-house Greek and Latin translation contests with monetary prizes and a competition for Groomis Awards that help defray the cost of summer projects related to Classics, Ancient Studies, or Medieval Studies. The Scarseth and Grimsrud Scholarships are awarded to junior or senior majors with academic merit and financial need.
Nationally recognized faculty: St. Olaf Classics faculty are respected teacher-scholars. They have published numerous books and articles, delivered many guest lectures, served as officers in national and regional Classics associations, and been honored with distinguished professorships and national teaching awards.
Because a Classics major is demanding and requires determination, it is highly respected by graduate schools and employers. It is great preparation for a career in virtually any field: education, journalism, law, diplomacy, medicine, theology, archaeology, museum studies, library science, business, military service, Peace Corps, missionary work—you name it! St. Olaf students often combine a Classics major with a second major in another area of the humanities or in one of the sciences or fine arts.
Ancient Studies at St. Olaf College
Founded in 1971, the Ancient Studies interdisciplinary program invites students to examine Greece and Rome in their ancient Mediterranean context and from a variety of perspectives—literary, historical, artistic, religious, and cultural.
Every student who majors in Ancient Studies completes the fourth semester of ancient Greek or Latin, an ancient history course, a Classics course, and five other courses selected from Art History, Asian Studies, Classics, Enduring Questions, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, and Theater. One of the five electives must be either Classics 370 (Topics in Classical Studies) or an Independent Research on a topic of the student’s choice. Off-campus programs and courses at Carleton College extend the range of possibilities.
St. Olaf students often combine an Ancient Studies major with another major like art history, English, history, philosophy, political science, or religion. Even science and fine arts majors sometimes double major in Ancient Studies. An Ancient Studies major marks a graduate as distinctive, well-rounded, and intellectually curious.
Ancient Studies Brochure for 2026-27
Medieval Studies at St. Olaf College
Founded in 1971, the Medieval Studies interdisciplinary program invites students to examine the European Middle Ages (5th-15th centuries) from a variety of perspectives—literary, historical, artistic, religious, and cultural.
Every student who majors in Medieval Studies completes the fourth semester of Latin, a medieval history course, a medieval literature course, and five other courses selected by the student from Art History, Asian Studies, Enduring Questions, English, History, Music, Norwegian, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, Russian, and Theater. One of the five electives must be an Independent Research on a topic of the student’s choice. Independent studies in medieval languages may be used as electives. Off-campus programs and courses at Carleton College extend the range of possibilities.
St. Olaf students often combine a Medieval Studies major with another major like art history, English, history, philosophy, religion, women’s and gender studies, or a modern language. Even science and fine arts majors sometimes double major in Medieval Studies. A Medieval Studies major marks a graduate as distinctive, well-rounded, and intellectually curious.
Medieval Studies Brochure 26-27.
Contact Information
If you have questions about Classics, Ancient Studies, or Medieval Studies, please contact Prof. Anne Groton (Tomson 367, x3387), Chair of the Classics Department and Director of the two interdisciplinary programs.
You are also welcome to speak with any of the faculty on the Ancient and Medieval Studies Steering Committee: Prof. Doug Casson (Political Science), Prof. Kyle Helms (Classics), Prof. Tim Howe (History), Prof. Karen Marsalek (English), Prof. Danny Muñoz-Hutchinson (Philosophy), Prof. Jason Ripley (Religion), Prof. Hsiang-Lin Shih (Asian Studies), Prof. Marci Sortor (History), Prof. Nancy Thompson (Art & Art History).