Bachelor's in Classical Studies - Classical Archaeology

The Ancient Mediterranean Studies major at UNCG explores the civilization, archaeology, languages, and literature of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. You can choose from four concentrations: Classical Archaeology, Classical Civilization, Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations, or Classical Language and Literature.

The Classical Archaeology concentration focuses your studies on the investigation of artifacts from ancient Greece and Rome. You’ll also build career-essential skills in critical thinking, communication, analysis, intercultural competency, and more.

Ancient Mediterranean studies PROGRAM DISTINCTIONS

• Ancient Mediterranean Studies provides you with hands-on experience that deepens your understanding of ancient Greek and Latin culture and literature. Our program offers undergraduate research opportunities with faculty mentors, as well as opportunities to present at major academic conferences.
• Explore the classical world in person with a range of immersive study abroad experiences. Highlights include an archaeological field school on the Greek island of Kea and the faculty-led UNCG in Rome program.
• UNCG’s Ancient Mediterranean Studies B.A. is the largest program of its kind in North Carolina that focuses exclusively on undergraduate education. We’re proud of the rigorous and supportive learning environment that we provide for our students.
• The Classical Society hosts an annual “Classics Day.” This fall tradition on campus draws hundreds of students from local schools to learn about ancient civilizations. Classical Studies students host activities that showcase classical languages and literature, including examples from Greek and Latin traditions.
• The Department regularly sponsors online and in-person lectures from leading scholars of the study of the Ancient Mediterranean world.  

THE classical Archaeology STUDENT EXPERIENCE

• A hallmark of our program is the opportunity to participate in exciting study abroad programs in Greece, Rome, and beyond. Immerse yourself in the history, culture, and classical language traditions of the ancient world under direct faculty guidance.
• Ancient Mediterranean Studies professors consistently win university-wide teaching, mentorship, and research awards. Our faculty are renowned for offering our students a high level of personal attention and mentoring.
• The department offers individualized advising and career counseling to help you map your academic and professional journey.
• Our dedicated Classical Studies library and undergraduate study space offer students from all classical studies concentrations a place to gather, study, collaborate, and support one another.
• You’ll take fascinating courses in mythology, cosmology, archaeology, ancient warfare, women in antiquity, and many more.

classical Archaeology learning objectives

The Classical Archaeology concentration invites you to explore the material culture of ancient Greece and Rome through the study of archaeological artifacts, fieldwork, and historical context. You’ll develop a deeper understanding of these civilization-defining societies and how their cultural, artistic, and social practices shaped the world we live in today. Along with robust knowledge of ancient Greece and Rome through an archaeological lens, you’ll also build important career skills in critical thinking, analysis, communication, intercultural competency, and much more. 

classical Archaeology courses you can take

The B.A. in Ancient Mediterranean Studies — Classical Archaeology offers a diverse range of courses that allow you to delve deeply into ancient Mediterranean civilizations and cultures — and even experience them in person as part of faculty-guided explorations on-site. Examine how these superpowers shaped life, politics, art, and culture across millennia with your choice of fascinating deep-dive courses.

some of your options: 

• CCI 215 The Archaeology of Pompeii: A City Frozen in Time Focuses on the archaeological remains of Pompeii, a city buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, with the goal of understanding how different types of writing use the material evidence to provide insight into life in a Roman city.
• CCI 216 The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World An exploration of the famous Seven Wonders of the ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds, as well as their historical contexts. We’ll consider why these monuments captured the imagination of people through the ages, and what our continued fascination with creating lists of “wonders” says about our society. 
• CCI 209 The Classical Art of Influence and Persuasion Introduction to ancient techniques of persuasion and the application of these techniques to persuasive documents and ceremonial speeches critical for studying the development of American democracy. 
• CCI 240 Blood, Sweat, and Tears: Warfare in Antiquity A survey of Greek and Roman warfare covering strategy, tactics, weapons, technology, and the experience of battle, from Homer to the fall of the Roman Empire. 
• CCI 331 Cuts, Curses, and Cesareans: An Introduction to Ancient Medicine An introduction to the study of ancient medicine, with attention to broader competencies in the medical humanities and intellectual history. Primary texts from Egypt, the Near East, Greece, and Rome are discussed to track key medical developments, the relation between magic and medicine, and the role of healers in society. 
• CCI 412 The Archaeology of Roman Daily Life Examine Roman daily life and evidence from archaeology and ancient literature depicting the everyday life of Rome and its people.
• CCI 475 Ritual, Death, and Religion Explore archaeological evidence of ritual, religion, and funerary customs in the Bronze Age Aegean, Classical Greece, and Rome. 
• CCI 455 UNCG in Rome On-site study of the history and material culture of Rome in its social, literary, and political context, from the prehistory of the city and its environs through Late Antiquity. 

Click here for a full list and descriptions of the courses you can choose for your Classical Archaeology degree at UNCG. 

AFTER GRADUATIng with your classical Archaeology degree

• Classical Archaeology graduates enter the workforce in business, law, banking, the military, the clergy, teaching, higher education administration, and more.
• You’ll develop an advanced ability to communicate and think critically, while receiving excellent preparation for graduate entrance exams for medical, law, and other professional programs.
• Graduates have enrolled in graduate programs at universities including The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tufts University, Cornell University, University of Cincinnati, Colorado State University, University of Maryland, and the University of Georgia.
• Potential career paths include:
  • Museum researcher
  • Attorney
  • Language instructor
  • Legislative assistant
  • Research analyst
  • Mediator
  • Policy analyst
  • Community organizer
  • Government relations
  • Professor

AFFILIATED MINORS for Archeology students

The College of Arts and Sciences offers a minor in Videogaming and Esports that pairs well with this degree. Students complete one required course and 12 hours of electives in courses like Intro to 3D Animation and Fandom and Religion: Rituals, Texts, Communities. Learn More.