Augustana College offers both a major and minor in Classics (Greek and Latin languages, history and literature) as well as in Classical studies (either Greek or Latin, plus history and literature). The department also offers a minor in Biblical Languages.
Classics is a practical choice for the job market. It is an excellent preparation for careers in law, medicine, publishing, seminary, library sciences and more. The demand for knowledge of Greek and Latin also has created a need for qualified teachers in these areas, especially when their studies are combined with other fields.
Students who wish to pursue graduate study in Classics-related fields may go on to specialize in Classics, classical archaeology, ancient history, New Testament studies, art history, comparative literature or ancient philosophy.
Classics is an excellent choice for a double major. Recent Classics majors have combined their studies with majors in accounting, anthropology, art history, biology/pre-medicine, business, chemistry, communication sciences and disorders, computer science, English, French, geology, German, history, mathematics, music, philosophy and religion.
Katelyn Farrell '19 is working at John Deere as a staff accountant in their Financial Development Program.
David Hundrieser '19 will be entering the master's program in maritime archaeology at the University of Southampton in England fall of 2020.
Allan Daly '18 is a Data Scientist/Biostatistician for the Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risks in Health at Tufts Medical Center.
Jordan Brown ’18 is a Banking Partnership Specialist at Square in St. Louis. He intends to pursue an MS in Data Analytics in the near future.
Ethan Doan ’18 is pursuing a masters of divinity at United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia.
Victoria Karnes '18 is a graduate teaching assistant in Classics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Chris Saladin '17 is completing his PhD in history at the University of Minnesota, where he researches Roman cities, assists with GIS education in the humanities, and teaches courses on a wide range of premodern history.
Rachel Akmakjian '16 is an account executive with M. Geller Ltd. in Chicago.
Kelly M. Haidinyak ’15 is a Project Manager at MilliporeSigma in St. Louis.
The three full-time Classics faculty all hold the Ph.D. and have a wide range of complementary specializations: Greek and Roman history and historiography, Greek and Roman religion and early Christianity, women in classical antiquity, and classics and pop culture. Complementary courses are offered in ancient philosophy; ancient history; art history; New Testament studies; and women, gender and sexuality studies.
Augustana’s many international opportunities range from year-long exchange programs, to academic terms abroad, to special individualized programs based on student interest. Classics majors often participate in international study, recently in archaeological field schools in Greece, Italy and Bulgaria, the College Year in Athens program, and Augustana’s faculty-led programs in Greece and Rome.
Epsilon Sigma is the Augustana chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, the national Classics honor society.
Allan Daly '19, Classics and mathematics
Data Scientist/Biostatistician for Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risks in Health at Tufts Medical Center
"Unlike the quadratic formula, you will use the knowledge and skills you gain as a Classics major every day of your life. I decided to take Latin my freshmen year after hearing Dr. Kramer’s and Dr. Hooker’s presentation during freshmen registration – this would be the first dominos in a series of events that led me to major in Classics at the end of my freshmen year; the last being when I learned the Latin word for left hand is “sinistra” and the phrase “the world is a sinister place for the left handed” is a play on words. My degree in mathematics, another great major choice, set my career path but during all of my interviews – my internship at MD Anderson, my Master’s at The Dartmouth Institute, and my current position at Tufts Medical Center – have always included a lengthy discussion about Classics. My skills from Mathematics make me qualified for my work but ultimately the skills I learned from Classics – being able to critically think through a multi-stepped process or problem, parsing high level articles into comprehensible information, and enhancing my understanding of the English language to greatly improve my writing and vocabulary skills – are what has made me stick out and excel at my work. And, as an added bonus, the stories and history from Latin and Greek culture are excellent and will provided you with a rich list of conversation starters and reading material for the rest of your life.”
Bethany Hayenga ’16, Classics, German and philosophy
“As a freshman, I had never even heard of the Classics—I thought I was going to major in chemistry. Through a crazy, circuitous, wonderful series of events, I ended up in the humanities. It’s been quite the odyssey, but I’m confident that I’ve found my Nietzsche here; there is so much to learn in Classics, and the discipline is so multifaceted that I simply Kant get bored! I want to thank all the professors at Augustana whom I have had the pleasure of getting to know. Not only do they encourage curiosity and exploration, but they are just genuinely good people.”
Kelly M. Haidinyak ’15, Classics and chemistry
Project Manager at MilliporeSigma in St. Louis
“Coming to Augustana, I was determined to be a music performance major, but as soon as my foot hit the campus soil I turned to science. In the meantime, I needed to take a foreign language, and being of Italian descent I figured Latin was the next best thing to Italian. After my first year of Latin, I signed up for a second. Next thing I knew, I was handed an add-slip and told I was a Classics major... One of the highlights in my college career was working one-on-one with a professor researching science in ancient Greece. I needed one more course to complete my major, and my professors created this independent study in which I was able to pair my two majors. It was a great way to wrap up my college experience. At the end of four years, I was able to secure a job at Sigma Aldrich, a world leader in chemical production. The analytical skills, critical thinking and time management skills I have gained from being a Classics major will continue to benefit me as I pursue my new career.”
Shelby Stuparits ’15, Classics and anthropology
Pursuing her master's in anthropology with a concentration in archaeology and a museum studies certificate at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
“Though I didn’t find my niche in Classics until my sophomore year, once there I wouldn’t trade it for anything. From them, I learned countless things, and not just in the classroom. I learned to ask questions, that it’s OK to make mistakes, and to be a little silly because it makes life more fun. While I am not going on to graduate school in Classics, these lessons and the skills I learned from analyzing the different aspects of this field — languages, literature and history — will be indispensable in my pursuit of a higher degree in archaeology and museum studies. If Augustana was my home, the Classics department was my adoptive family.”
Dr. Emil Kramer has been honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Illinois Classical Conference (ICC), recognizing him for outstanding contributions to Classics in the state of Illinois.
Here’s a college major that makes you a serious problem-solver and superior writer. And it’s an attention-getter that shows would-be employers that you are curious and creative.
The world needs, and often rewards, graduates in the humanities.
Dr. Kirsten Day, associate professor of classics, will present the Tea Talk: "Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth: Helen of Troy and the Trojan Horse."
