About

The civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome have had a profound influence on the development of our own culture. The various expressions of human experience that are revealed through our literature and art, in our political and social institutions, and even in our language―all show the impact of the legacy of the classical world.

At the Classics Division of the Department of Classical and Oriental Studies we teach the languages and cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the archaeology of the ancient world. We offer five undergraduate majors: Greek, Latin, Greek and Latin, Classical Studies, and Classical Archaeology. On the graduate level, we offer an MA in Adolescence Education Grades 7-12. In addition, we offer an Advanced Certificate in Latin.

• Undergraduate Program
• Graduate Program

Our division currently has 6 full-time faculty members and approximately 20 adjunct faculty members, 50 undergraduate majors, 25 undergraduate minors, and 8 graduate students. Each semester, over 1100 students are enrolled in courses within the division, which is located at the southwest corner of Lexington Avenue and 68th Street on the Upper East Side.

Latin has been part of the Hunter curriculum since the founding of the College in 1870. In 1998, The Classical Association of the Empire State (CAES) recognized our Latin Program as the "Outstanding Latin Program in New York State," an award never before given to a college program. The importance of Classics at Hunter College is evident in the college's Latin motto, mihi cura futuri (the care of the future is mine) and in its patron deity, Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. Tony Smith's sculpture Tau—named for the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet—stands on the Hunter plaza at the corner of 68th and Lexington.