This interdisciplinary minor is for students with diverse interests in the material culture of the ancient world. Coursework combines the study of archaeology, literature, art, history, philosophy, myth, and religion. The scope of the minor is not limited to Greece and Rome but touches on all the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean and the heirs of late antiquity such as Byzantium and early Islam.

The minor represents foundation work crucial to graduate study in traditional departments of classical, near Eastern, or Mediterranean art and archaeology. Students should consult with the director for help in choosing a program of study that will complement their major.

Policies

Eight credits of coursework must be unique to the minor and students must complete all coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.00. For policies governing all minors, see AP.5.3.4 Minors.

Banner Code: AHMA

Total credits: 18

Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.

Core Courses

Select one course (3 credits) from each of the four categories below:

Near East and Northern Africa3
The Black Pharaohs: Art and Archaeology of Ancient Nubia (Mason Core)
Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East (Mason Core)
Beginnings of Christianity
Religion and History of Ancient Israel
Greece3
Classical Greece
Greek Art and Archaeology (Mason Core)
From Alexander the Great to Cleopatra: The Hellenistic World (Mason Core)
Rome/Late Antiquity3
Classical Rome
Topics in European History (when topic is Fall of the Roman Empire)
Roman Art and Archaeology (Mason Core)
Early Christian and Byzantine Art (Mason Core)
Archaeological Methods3
Unearthing the Past: Prehistory, Culture and Evolution (Mason Core)
Field Techniques in Archaeology
Mortuary Archaeology
Total Credits12

Electives

Select 6 credits from the following:6
Bioarchaeology
Human Osteology
Human Osteology Lab
Paleopathology
Art of the Islamic World (Mason Core)
Advanced Studies in Ancient Art (Mason Core)
Survey of Middle Eastern Civilization (Mason Core)
Jesus and the Gospels
Muhammad: Life and Legacy
Judaism from Exile to Talmud
History of Western Philosophy: Ancient
Greek and Latin Elements in English
Classical Mythology (Mason Core)
The Legacy of Greece and Rome (Mason Core)
Roman Law and Society
Greek and Roman Epic (Mason Core)
Greek and Roman Tragedy (Mason Core)
Greek and Roman Comedy (Mason Core)
Greek and Roman Novels (Mason Core)
Topics in Classical Literature and Culture
Course in core requirement list above that is not used to meet the core requirement
Study Abroad course approved by the minor director
Any undergraduate course in a relevant academic language (Arabic, French, German, Latin, ancient Greek) beyond the language requirement for the BA in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Total Credits6