对经典 & 宗教研究
古典学系 & 宗教研究 offers three interrelated programs: Classical Languages (Greek and Latin), 古典文明/Archaeology, 和世界宗教.
来自系主任
欢迎来到经典 & 宗教研究 Department. One of the most common questions I receive from students contemplating a major is "What does this department do?" We study the texts and artifacts produced by people living in the civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean and areas further east where major religions of Judaism, 基督教, 伊斯兰教, 佛教, 印度教起源于. We also examine how those civilizations and their beliefs have affected our modern perceptions of the world both within the United States and abroad.
为什么选古典文学专业 宗教研究?
简单的答案 is because our courses are about fascinating foreign cultures that introduce new ideas and ways of thinking about the big questions of human existence:
- What does it mean to be human in different places and times?
- What are the root factors behind the differences that characterize various cultures?
- How do religious beliefs shape cultural choices?
- How do different classes of people interact within a culture and why?
These are the types of questions that we ask in all three of our major tracks: Classical Languages, 古典文明, 和世界宗教. Most of our classes are small and are taught by 教授 who come to know their students personally, which creates a more comfortable space for discussions of the sometimes controversial issues that arise in the examination of human behavior.
更复杂的答案 deals with the types of skills one learns while attempting to answer the big questions. The study of both classics and world religions are part of the "humanities," an umbrella term that has been described as "how people process and document the human experience." We are dealing with human beliefs, 情绪, 和交互, but how do we study these objectively? It's all about the evidence! We examine what people wrote, the cities in which they lived, 他们的日常生活用品, and even inscriptions on their tombstones. Sometimes we only have fragments of surviving evidence, so the challenge (and the fun) is to figure out how to put a partial puzzle back together to create an overall understanding of the culture. 这样做的时候, we all learn much about our own preconceptions, which then allows us to see outside ourselves.
最终作为教师, our goal is to create greater empathy in our students so that they better understand different points of view, which is critical for advancement into leadership roles in the workplace. By learning how people have approached problems in different ways throughout history and in diverse cultures, students expand their knowledge base and develop habits of thinking that open doors onto more creative approaches to problem solving.
What Do 专业 from Our Department Do after They 研究生?
As in other humanities disciplines, the options for our majors are broad and limited only by their own imaginations. Our major tracks are not intended to prepare students for particular jobs but to impart the mental agility to tackle any job. Our majors have gone on to work as lawyers, 医生, 拉丁老师, 田野考古学家, 格兰特的作家, 企业主, 作者, 教授, 和部长们.
If you would like to read more about the benefits and prospects of humanities majors, 这里有一些文章:
- Your College Major May Not Be As Important As You Think
- 经典 专业 Find Their Future in the Past
- 为什么要学习宗教?
- 《newbb电子》:“That 'Useless' Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech's Hottest Ticket"
- 《newbb电子平台》:Study Theology, Even if you Don't Believe in God"
- YouTube面试: Martha Nussbaum on the Value of the Humanities
经典 & 宗教研究 学生学习成果
Student learning assessment at the program level is intended to promote and maintain program excellence and improve student learning. Each department in the College of Arts & Sciences has developed a set of learning outcomes for their programs and engages in faculty-led assessment activities to help inform curricular and program review and development. Student learning is assessed in different ways across A&S departments, informed by disciplinary standards and the specific learning outcomes of the program.