Classics is a quintessentially interdisciplinary field of intellectual inquiry and academic endeavor. The program of the classics department emphasizes both ancient history and the careful reading and critical study of selected Greek and Latin texts, together with formal study of the languages themselves, as a basis for further study of classical literature, art, history, linguistics, mythology, culture, and civilization.

The classics department accordingly offers three related but distinct concentrations. The traditional concentration in classical languages and literatures produces potential scholars well trained in classical philology and Greek and Latin literature, and also prepares students for teaching certification in Latin. The concentration in classical civilization combines a modicum of Greek or Latin with the study of classical culture, ancient history, and classical art for students who wish to engage with the classical world as broadly as possible. The concentration in classical linguistics is designed for students of a more scientific bent who wish to acquire a knowledge of Greek and Latin at the same time as they essay the formal, rigorous study of language science.