The Department of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Wisconsin in Madison was created as one of the university’s original academic units in 1850, when the Board of Regents established a Professorship of Ancient Languages and Literature. While remaining faithful to the linguistic, historical, and philological foundations of our field, students and faculty also conduct research in such varied areas as Gender Studies, Literary Theory, Translation Studies, and Classical Reception. We are a vibrant and supportive community of professors, graduate students, and undergraduates, committed to the study of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East, and to the training of new generations of teachers and scholars.
Rooted in the Humanities at Wisconsin
Majors, certificates, and graduate study connect the ancient world to contemporary questions. Students build transferable skills through interdisciplinary study of languages, history, and culture.
Teaching, Mentorship, and Community
Combining mentorship with deep scholarship, our faculty are dedicated to training new generations of teachers and scholars. Students gain critical thinking and cultural insight, learning skills that remain relevant today.
Opportunities Beyond the Classroom
Students access scholarships, research funding, study abroad, and hands-on learning in the U.S. and abroad. These opportunities support academic and professional growth, global engagement, and diverse career paths.
“Everyone who is doing [Classics] is doing it because they love it, not for money or glory or anything less. That was the magic of the major, and it has been an ongoing source of inspiration as I navigate life after college.”
– Will Marx,
Undergraduate alumnus; Wm. Chocolate, LLC
What stands out in my memory is the many “a-ha!” moments I would have in my non-Classics classes, where I made some connection with a bit of knowledge or history that I knew from my Classics classes, and that helped me understand whatever we were talking about in that non-Classics class in a deeper way or from a different perspective.
– Sarah Rous,
Undergraduate alumna; Project Editor, American School of Classical Studies at Athens
Aside from capstone seminars, in no other classroom in other departments did I really get to know my classmates and my instructors. This sense of community truly contributed to the dedication of my college studies to the Classical world.
– Abby Lease,
Undergraduate alumna; Religion and Theology Teacher, Edgewood Campus School
Events
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Mar17
Supporting Accessibility in our Classrooms and Community: A Presentation from the McBurney Disability Resource Center @ 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm 1418 Van Hise Hall
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Mar24
Preparing Materials for the Academic Job Market @ 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm 1418 Van Hise Hall
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Mar24
The Art of Queenship in the Hellenistic World and Now - Patricia Kim (Classics Society) @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Virtual - Join with Zoom Meeting ID 930 3873 7443
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Apr06
News
Faculty Publications
