Registration Guide: Ancient Greek & Latin
Students majoring in Ancient Greek & Latin will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy many BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation, and the Intellectual Toolkit, as well as some requirements in Scientific and Social Inquiry. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, co-curricular experiences.
A typical first semester Ancient Greek & Latin schedule looks like:
- Ancient Greek or Latin language course or Classical history course
- Classical history course or Course of interest
- Core Natural Science or Course of interest
- CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar* or CAS CC 101 Core Humanities 1 (fall semester)
- Optional add-on: CAS FY 101 First-Year Seminar (fall semester) or CAS FY 102 First-Year Career Development (spring semester)
*If you were previously instructed to take the Multilingual Writer Placement, please take this before registering for a course. Based on your placement, you can choose to register for one of the following courses: CAS WR 111 Academic Writing for ELL Students 1, CAS WR 112 Academic Writing for ELL Students 2, or CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar.
Please see below for more detailed suggestions on each course:
Course #1. Language Course or Classical History Course
Your first class should begin or continue your studies of Ancient Greek or Latin. You are required to study both languages to complete this major, but you should only register for one language course in your first semester. Consider which of the two languages you’d like to study first, and then register for the appropriate level based on the following:
- Students with no previous experience learning ancient Greek should take CAS CL 161 Ancient Greek 1 (Fall semester only).
- Students with no previous experience learning Latin should take CAS CL 111 Latin 1 (Fall semester only) or CAS CL 115 Intensive Latin (Spring semester only).
- Students with previous experience learning ancient Greek and/or Latin should take the appropriate language placement exam(s). (Classes will be offered in fall and/or spring semesters, depending on the course level.)
- **If the appropriate language course is not offered this semester, you should instead take a major-related course (see below).
-OR-
Classical History Course: If the appropriate language course is not offered this semester, you can instead register for one of the Ancient Greek & Latin Major Courses below:
- CAS CL 101 The World of Greece (offered either semester) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Historical Consciousness, and Critical Thinking.
- CAS CL 321 Greek History (offered either semester) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
- CAS CG101 Modern Greek Language, Culture, and Literature (offered in Spring only) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy and Critical Thinking.
- CAS CL 102 The World of Rome (offered Fall only) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry 1, and Critical Thinking.
- CAS CL 322 Roman History (offered Spring only) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Social Inquiry II, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Critical Thinking.
Course #2. Classical History Course or Course of Interest
For your second class, you should pick a Classical History Course, assuming you did not do so as your first course:
- CAS CL 101 The World of Greece (offered either semester) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Historical Consciousness, and Critical Thinking.
- CAS CL 321 Greek History (offered either semester) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
- CAS CG101 Modern Greek Language, Culture, and Literature (offered in Spring only) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy and Critical Thinking.
- CAS CL 102 The World of Rome (offered Fall only) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry 1, and Critical Thinking.
- CAS CL 322 Roman History (offered Spring only) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Social Inquiry II, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Critical Thinking.
-OR-
Course of Interest: Select a course that interests you – perhaps based on subjects you’ve enjoyed in the past or a new subject you’re excited to try for the first time! If you’re not sure where to start, you can review our Registration Instructions for tips on browsing by topic or Hub requirement.
Course #3. Core Natural Science or Course of Interest
CAS CC111: Core Natural Science 1: Origins—of the Big Bang, Earth, Life and Humanity (offered Fall only): The origins of the physical world, a scientific parallel to CC 101. Explores how the fields of astronomy, earth science, biology, and anthropology help us to understand our place in the cosmos from a scientific perspective. Topics include the Big Bang, evolution of the stars and earth, evolution of life, and the origins of human life and society. Assignments include computer-based and experimental laboratory work as well as team-based investigation and original research.
This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
-OR-
CAS CC 212: Core Natural Science 2: Reality, Science, and the Modern World (offered Spring only): Studies the paradigm-shifting scientific theories of quantum theory and relativity that created a new world view and forced the 20th century into a new understanding of our relation to reality. Students parallel these theories with current debates about science, such as those concerning climate change and the phenomenon of “junk science.” Considers the role of science in the modern world, how we know what we know, the roles of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and chaos theory, and the nature of truth in a 21st century context.
This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
-OR-
Course of Interest: Select a course that interests you – perhaps based on subjects you’ve enjoyed in the past or a new subject you’re excited to try for the first time! If you’re not sure where to start, you can review our Registration Instructions for tips on browsing by topic or Hub requirement.
Course #4. CAS Writing Course or Core Humanities 1
Your fourth course should be a writing course:
- If you did not apply to BU with a TOEFL/IELTS score, you can take either:
- CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar. Each section of WR 120 focuses on a specific topic/theme, so you should register for a section that pairs with your interests.
- CAS CC 101 Core Humanities 1: The Ancient World (offered Fall only): An interdisciplinary study of the origins of civilization, from Mesopotamia and the Hebrew Bible to the development of Greek civilization through Homer, Greek tragedy, and the philosophy of Plato. You should enroll in CAS CC 101 if you are interested in the Core Curriculum. This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, First-Year Writing Seminar, Creativity/Innovation.
- If you applied to BU with a TOEFL/IELTS score, you should take the Multilingual Writer Placement (instructions will be sent via email) before you register for a writing course. The writing placement is a suggestion, but it will help you make an informed decision about the most appropriate level for you. Depending on what level WR course you register for, you will fulfill the following Hub requirements:
- CAS WR 111 Academic Writing for ESL Students 1 – fulfills The Individual in Community Hub
- CAS WR 112 Academic Writing for ESL Students 2 – fulfills Global Citizenship & Intercultural Literacy Hub
- CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar – fulfills First-Year Writing Seminar Hub (If you place into WR 120, you are welcome to take CC 101 Core Humanities 1 instead to fulfill your FYW Hub.)
Optional Course #5. First-Year Seminar
First-Year Seminar: FY 101 (offered fall only, 1 unit) – Optional
FY101 is an optional one-unit course that serves as a semester-long introduction to BU and college life. Each section is taught in combination by a BU administrator and a student peer mentor. You will meet with a small community of peers who will serve as conversation partners as together you learn how to leverage BU’s resources to create a more successful and meaningful college experience. Through discussions, activities, class field trips and program-wide events, you will investigate the social, academic and cultural dimensions of student life at Boston University, while making deep connections with your fellow students, your peer mentor, and a BU staff member.
-OR-
First-Year Career Development Seminar: FY 102 (offered spring only, 1 unit) – Optional
FY102 will help first-year students get started on utilizing the Career Development Cycle to maximize their time at BU. During this course students will create a plan of action towards choosing a major, creating a resume, finding an internship, and preparing for a career that they will love. Seminars are offered in various fields of interest and include guest speakers from different industries.
Ready to register? Let’s go – click here!
For more information about your specific major requirements click here!