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Study Abroad

discover greece, rome, and beyond

The Department of Classics recommends strongly that its students study abroad for a semester, a year, or a summer. Most students do so during their junior year.  Although Greece and Italy are of obvious interest to students engaged in the study of the Greco-Roman world, other opportunities are available for overseas study. In recent years, Classics and Ancient Studies students have also chosen to study in England, Scotland, France, the Netherlands, China, and Australia. Up to nine credits of work completed away from Washington University may be eligible for application towards a Classics or Ancient Studies major.

 

Getting Started

  1. Meet with an advisor in Overseas Programs. Be sure to do this well before you plan to go abroad, noting the following application deadlines 
    1. Fall semester & Academic Year abroad: February 1.
    2. Spring Semester abroad: May 1 of previous calendar year.
    3. Summer abroad: February 15
       
  2. ​​​​Meet with the Study Abroad Advisor for the Department of Classics, Professor Cathy Keane. Together with Professor Keane, prepare a study plan for your time abroad. At least two of the courses you take abroad must count towards your Classics or Ancient Studies major or minor. When you return from your time abroad you will meet with Professor Bubelis, Director of Undergraduate Studies, to present syllabi of your courses and discuss your experience.

Most Popular Programs

College Year in Athens

Appropriate for majors and minors in Classics and in Ancient Studies, this program runs during the year (usually for a semester) and the summer. It includes courses in Classics (including Latin and Ancient Greek), as well as in a range of other subjects, including Modern Greek.

visit the program website

The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome

This semester-long program is appropriate for Classics majors. It includes courses in Ancient Greek and/or Latin, a "city course" centered on the history and archaeology of the city or Rome, and opportunities to take courses in Italian and Art History.

learn more about the program

Approved Programs for Classics and Ancient Studies Majors

 

College Year in Athens

The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome

IES Abroad Auckland Direct Enrollment - University of Auckland

IES Abroad Dublin Direct Enrollment - Trinity College Dublin Honors Program

King's College London, University of London (KCL): Summer School

University of Edinburgh (Exchange)

WU in Germany at the University of Tübingen (Exchange)

Students may also petition to participate in another WashU-approved program if the program offers at least two courses that can count towards the Classics or Ancient Studies major. Students with compelling academic reason may also petition to receive credit from programs that are not officially approved by WashU. If you are considering such a step, visit the Global Opportunities website for petition information, and be sure to contact the director of Overseas Programs well in advance of the normal deadline for study abroad applications.

 

See all WashU-Approved Programs

Summer Study Abroad

Classics and Ancient Studies majors and minors are also encouraged to consider some excellent opportunities for summer study abroad without seeking WashU credit. Funding is available for many of these opportunities through the Robert Lamberton and Susan Rotroff Fund and the George R. Throop Endowment.

Some of these programs may be eligible for Washington University Credit. To apply for credit for these programs, consult with Tim Moore or your advisor in Overseas Programs, or see the Global Opportunities website. 
 

On-site Study Programs

The rigorous summer school of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens offers an intensive introduction to the monuments of Greece, and the summer program of the American Academy in Rome does the same for Rome and its environs. See also the programs listed on the Department of Classics' Summer Opportunities page.
 

Archaeological Field Work

Students with an interest in both Classics and Archaeology may want to consider taking part in an archaeological project in the Mediterranean.

Field schools and volunteering opportunities:

Archaeological Institute of America Fieldwork Opportunities

CSA Guide to Archaeological Projects

Museology Field Workshop: Experimental Archaeology and Traditional Crafts – Living the Daco-Roman Synthesis

Roman Villa Excavation - Identity and Wealth on the Roman Frontier

 

Excavations where students have recently worked:

The Athenian Agora — excavations in the heart of Athens (Bronze Age – modern)

Athienou Archaeological Project — Cyprus (Archaic through Ottoman period)

Iklaina Archaeological Project — survey and excavation in southern Greece, with emphasis on the Bronze Age

The Anglo–American Project in Pompeii — the famous site in southern Italy destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE