Honors in Classics

The Honors Program in Classical Studies

The degree “Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Classical Studies” signifies distinction and excellence in the study of Classics at the undergraduate level. This webpage provides basic information about procedures and requirements. Any student interested in pursuing a degree with honors should speak to their advisor.

General Requirements:

An overall GPA of at least 3.2
A GPA of at least 3.5 in courses counting towards the Classics major
21 major credit hours completed before Spring of senior year
All major requirements completed, unless an exception is granted by the student’s major advisor
Classics 485: Guided Research in Classics (WI, AMW) during Spring semester of junior or senior year
Completion of either a Capstone Thesis (i.e., a substantial research paper) or a Capstone Digital Humanities Project through the CLAS 485 course
All “Discipline-Related” Assignments Pursuant to the Successful Completion of CLAS 485 are submitted on time
A successful oral defense of the Capstone project and exit interview
All necessary revisions to the Capstone project
In the case of a Capstone Thesis, submission to the UMW Library archive

*Nota Bene: In the case of extraordinary circumstances, the Classical Studies faculty reserve the right to make exceptions to all of the above except an Overall GPA and a GPA of at least 3.5 in courses counting towards the Classics major.

Further Considerations:

To qualify for a degree in Classics with honors, the student must meet the GPA requirements stated above at the beginning of the final semester of the student’s senior year.

Those who take CLAS 485 during their junior year (if permitted to do so) must complete all of the requirements for Honors, including meeting the GPA requirements state above at the beginning of the final semester of the student’s senior year.

A general meeting of Classics faculty and all students enrolled in Classics 485 will take place at the beginning of the semester during which the following will be discussed:

Timeline for submission and approval of the topic of the capstone project
Timeline for completion of all “discipline-related” capstone assignments
Faculty who will direct and advise the student on their work
Methodological and research guidelines
General expectations

About CLAS 485: Guided Research in Classics (WI, AMW)

The main objective of this course is to advance the discipline by either: (a.) writing an original thesis on an approved topic relating to any aspect of Greco-Roman antiquity; or (b.) completing a pre-approved capstone project which integrates deep research and the knowledge, perspective, and expertise the student has gained throughout their undergraduate major and which contributes positively to knowledge and accessibility of the discipline.

This course has been designated as Writing Intensive, which means that all students in the course will complete some scaffolded writing assignments through various stages of revision in preparation for, and in some cases, to complete their final projects. In addition, this course bears the After Mary Washington designation, helping students in the course bridge their undergraduate experiences and expertise with their future lives and professional aspirations after graduation. You will be expected to present the results of your work publicly, as part of UMW’s annual, campus-wide Student Research and Creativity Symposium.

CLAS 485 is not required of any major concentration in Classical Studies. However, it is required of those who wish to (and are eligible to) pursue Honors in the major. And, it is available to any Classics major who wishes to write a capstone thesis or complete a pre-approved capstone Digital Humanities project that makes a significant and substantial contribution to the disciplines of Classical Studies and/or Ancient Mediterranean studies through other means, such as advancing the discipline through podcasting, documentary or film-making, or creating a digital exhibition on an appropriate topic. Please note that all capstone projects will involve intensive research, and all capstone projects will involve advancing through various stages of writing.

Showcase of CLAS 485 Capstone Projects submitted by current and former students:

The Nile Chronicles Podcast by Bex Colley (submitted Spring, 2025)—a podcast that explores women in Ancient Egypt, language, literacy, and the writings of ancient Egyptian women.

Know Thyself: A History of Ancient Neuroscience by Alex Delano (submitted Spring, 2025)—an Honors Capstone Thesis comparing ancient Greco-Roman understandings of the brain with those of modern neuroscience.

Rediscovering Ancient Greek Pigmentation by Cynthia-Rose Seeds (submitted Spring, 2025)—an Honors Capstone Thesis examining various kinds of evidence (such as pigment samples, artworks, textual primary sources, and scholarly research) to establish what pigments were used in pre-Roman Greece and to make a comprehensive list of them in chronological order.

Divine Achilles and His Raging Heart: Cannibalism in the Iliad by Lucca Crowe (submitted Spring, 2025)—an Honors Capstone Thesis that examines the role that diet, particularly the act of cannibalism, plays in differentiating humans from gods and beasts. Examining Achilles’ identity struggle through the lens of cannibalism, this thesis sheds light on the broader ways Greek and Roman authors used cannibalism to express notions of otherness.