Off-Campus Studies can help classics students…

  • Improve ancient language skills
  • Gain primary research skills from field studies or work with primary sources
  • Gain experience with and exposure to the material culture of ancient Mediterranean societies
  • Develop a global perspective

How does a semester or year of OCS help students in classics prepare for graduate school or various career opportunities? 

  • The primary reason to study abroad is to have direct, on-the-spot access to the physical material remains of the cultures that classicists study: the architecture, topography, archaeological sites, and museums that preserve the remains of the classical world.
  • Students are immersed in ancient culture through visiting sites and museums, and studying them with an intensity and depth of focus that can be best accomplished in the student’s native language.
  • Studying abroad, especially at ICCS Rome or CYA, enhances graduate school and professional school applications and training.

As a general rule of thumb, the Classics Department recommends the following for students who wish to study off campus.

  • First-year students should begin one ancient language course.
  • Second-year Classics majors should begin a second ancient language and continue the first ancient language. 
  • Second-year Classical Studies majors should continue studying one ancient language.
  • For Classical Studies majors prior work at Whitman in classical civilization courses will make study abroad more rewarding.

Which requirements can Classics majors fulfill while off campus?

  • Intermediate or upper-level ancient Greek and Latin. (Students must continue their ancient language study while they are abroad.)
  • Elective major credit
  • Research that can be used for Senior thesis
  • General degree credit

Major Credit Limitations

  • The maximum number of credits that can be applied to the Classics major from off campus studies (including AP credit, IB credit and credits from other U.S. institutions) is 12 credits with the approval of your major adviser.
  • Business courses typically cannot be transferred to Whitman because they are vocational in nature and not considered liberal arts.

Minor Credit Limitations

  • A minimum of three-fifths of the specific course and credit requirements for the minor must be completed in the on-campus program of the college.

What are the types of OCS programs recommended by the Classics department?

  • Programs in Athens and Rome that focus on the material culture of the ancient world
  • Direct enrollment in a foreign university with local students

Which Partner Programs are recommended by the Classics department?

  • Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies (ICCS) in Rome | Italy
  • College Year in Athens (CYA) | Greece
  • University of St Andrews | Scotland

Students interested in Off-Campus Studies should attend an OCS First Step meeting in the fall of their second year, discuss their interests with their major adviser, and schedule an appointment with an OCS adviser.