Ancient Mediterranean Studies 1911-2011 | Wilfrid Laurier University
1911-2011 | Wilfrid Laurier University
Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Laurier
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his program combines the study of Greco-Roman civilizations and those of the ancient Near East and Egypt. Students have the option of concentrating on the traditional discipline of classical studies, or of examining the relationships between the different cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean Basin.
Through the works left to us by ancient poets, playwrights, historians and philosophers, and the physical remains preserved from ancient societies, students will learn about the foundations of Western culture in such fields as philosophy, art, religion, literature and architecture. This is a flexible program that allows students to focus on aspects of ancient cultures that most interest them, including Classical and Near Eastern art and architecture, ancient literature and
mythology, social history (for example the study of women in the ancient world) and the political developments of ancient city states. Possibilities for combined honours degrees include archaeology, medieval studies and history.
cultures as represented in writing and art. The joining of these two programs in one department gives our students more options, including the opportunity to participate in field research at archaeological digs in the Mediterranean world.
About the program Enrolment in introductory program courses at Laurier has doubled in the past six years, reflecting a general increase in interest in the classical period. Several universities in Ontario have classics programs, but students at Laurier are fortunate because our Ancient Mediterranean Studies program is part of the Archaeology and Classical Studies Department. Ancient Mediterranean studies and archaeology fit together well because they look at the same thing from different perspectives: while archaeology might look at the classical period through a study of its physical artifacts, classics looks at the intellectual evidence of past
When Melanie Lovasz’s parents moved from Germany to Waterloo, she stayed behind in Friedrichshafen, just across Lake Constanz from Switzerland, to finish high school. After a couple of years in the working world, “I wanted to see something new,” she says, so she joined her family in Waterloo and enrolled at Laurier as a psychology student. Then she fell in love with Latin. “It’s kind of scientific,” she says. To read it, “you have to take a sentence apart and put it back together again. It’s very fascinating and the longer you take, the more you understand.” She switched her major and graduated with an honours classical studies and Latin degree, with a particular interest in the social aspects of the classical world of Greece and Rome. It’s kind of scientific. You have to take a sentence apart and put it back together again. It’s very fascinating.
Lovasz says people have been very helpful and friendly, and she was particularly impressed when two professors made the effort to design directed studies courses specifically for her.
Options to enhance your degree
Co-op at Laurier
Honours arts students in co-op complete two work terms of at least 10 weeks each, usually in the summers following their second and third years. Participants receive training in job search techniques and assistance in finding employment related to their studies or career goals.
Why should you consider co-op? • • • • •
Put theory into action Apply your technical skills Clarify your career goals Develop marketable skills Gain valuable contacts
Recent employers of Ancient Mediterranean Studies co-op students include: • Doon Heritage Crossroads, Kitchener • Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener • Parks Canada, Cornwall
The Management Option
Honours arts students are also eligible for the Management Option, consisting of ten half-credit courses, six required and four electives. This option will give you fundamental training in key areas of business such as business organization, accounting, marketing, management skills, operations and the fundamentals of finance, macroeconomics and microeconomics, interpersonal communications, business law, personal finance and business management. Students normally register for the Management Option during second year, having already completed both BU111 and BU121 with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 6.00 (C+). Entry into this option is competitive and students must maintain a GPA of 7.00 (B-) in all Management Option courses to graduate. For more information, visit www.wlu.ca/calendars.
Classical studies professor Dr. Judith Fletcher Mythology is constantly changing is fascinated by mythical tales. “My favourite and evolving. drama is Agamemnon by Aeschylus,” she says. “Agamemnon is setting off for war, but before he leaves he kills his 13-year-old daughter as a sacrifice. Ten years later, he returns home — with a girlfriend. His wife wraps him in a tapestry and stabs him to death.” The story may be almost 2,500-years-old, but like many classic tales, still resonates. Fletcher has given public lectures at Stratford when the festival puts on productions of Medea or The Birds, and she’s also interested in how mythology is used in contemporary culture, such as in the Harry Potter novels, movies like Apocalypse Now and The Wizard of Oz, or video games. “It’s not some kind of dead culture,” she says. “Mythology is constantly changing and evolving.” She credits C. S. Lewis for her own interest in mythology. “I read the Chronicles of Narnia when I was about 11 years old. Lewis was heavily influenced by Greek mythology — there were wood nymphs, dryads, giants and centaurs. It was my first exposure to mythical stories and I was completely hooked.”
Ancient Languages Option
The Ancient Languages Option is open to all Honours students who have achieved a minimum GPA of 7.0 (B-) in at least 1.0 credit in ancient languages (Greek, Latin or Semitic). Enrolment occurs in second year.
Strong reputation In the 2009 Maclean’s reputational survey, Laurier ranked in the top three in its category nationally for Best Overall, Highest Quality, Most Innovative and Overall Reputation.
Your future starts here
What can you do with a degree in Ancient Mediterranean Studies? Our Ancient Mediterranean Studies graduates can be found in teaching (there is currently a strong demand for Latin teachers), in law, policing, government and business — anywhere, in fact, where a university education and the ability to think analytically is required. It’s important to remember that a university degree in any discipline will open doors for you. No matter what you study, your degree confirms that you know how to think critically and communicate, and you have the ability to analyze a wealth of material and extract what you need from it. These are skills that are valued by any employer.
Support for grads
At Laurier, support for our students doesn’t end when we hand them their degree. Our Career Development Centre continues to offer career decision-making, career management and job search services to all of our alumni. Alumni are also encouraged to attend workshops and programs offered through the Centre, including the largest career fairs and job fairs of their kind in the country, which Laurier co-sponsors.
Recent career examples • • • • •
Teacher Museum Curator Journalist/Writer Librarian Public Relations Officer
Sample courses offered The Greek World Roman Civilization Greek and Roman Mythology Introductory Latin Old Babylonian Inscriptions Sport in Greece and Rome Women in Greece and Rome History of Ancient Egypt Ancient Greek Comedy Burial Customs in the Ancient Levant The Development of Greek Literature Roman Monuments Greek Art and Archaeology Ancient Philosophy I and II Greece and Anatolia in the Iron Age and Archaic Period The Etruscans and Early Rome The Art and Architecture of Imperial Rome The Development of Greek and Roman Drama
Admission information For the most up-to-date information about admission to Laurier, go to www.wlu.ca/admissions.
Tel: (519) 884-0710 ext. 3385 | Fax: (519) 747-2106 | Email: chooselaurier@wlu.ca www.chooselaurier.ca | www.facebook.com/laurierfuturestudents
10 0 Y E A R S I NSPI R I NG L I V E S OF LE A DE R SH I P A N D PU R P O SE While every effort has been made to ensure this publication is accurate at time of printing, the information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
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