Ancient World Studies

Department of Historical Studies 

Office: Tilley Hall, Room 120
Address: Department of Classics & Ancient History
University of New Brunswick,
P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton N.B.,
Canada, E3B 5A3 
Phone: (506) 453-4621
Fax: (506) 447-3072
Email: historicalstudies@unb.ca
Website: //www.unb.ca/fredericton/arts/departments/history/
Chair: Dr. Sean Kennedy

Faculty 

  • MacDonald, Carolyn, BA (King's/Dal), MA (Dal), PhD (Stanford), Assoc Prof - 2016
  • Monroe, Willis, BA (SOAS), MA (SOAS), PhD (Brown), Asst. Prof - 2023
  • Sears, Matthew A., BA (UNB), PhD (Cornell), Prof - 2013

General Information 

  • Ancient World Studies is the study of the ancient peoples of the Mediterranean basin and neighbouring regions, including North Africa, Egypt, Western Asia, Greece, and Rome through their literary and material remains 
  • embraces the distant pre-history of these peoples as well as their continuing influence on modern society 
  • offers a multicultural, interdisciplinary approach to the ancient world through the study of history, literature, archaeology, mythology, religion, art and languages 

Courses Offered 

  • Ancient World Studies [AWS]: Students study the political, social, and cultural life of the ancient peoples of the Mediterranean basin and neighbouring regions through lectures, visual illustrations, and assigned readings in English translation. Students begin with the study of the Classical Civilizations in any introductory course (AWS 1043, AWS 1323, AWS 1403, AWS 1413, or AWS 1503). 
  • Latin [LAT]: Students are taught [in English] to read and write Classical Latin. Students without previous experience in this language begin the study of Latin with LAT 1103. 
  • Greek [GRK]: Students are taught [in English] to read and write ancient Greek. Students without previous experience in this language begin the study of Greek with GRK 1203. 
  • Credit in History 

Selected advanced AWS courses may be counted for credit in History programs, up to a maximum of 12 ch. Consult the History section of the calendar for a list of these courses. Several History courses also count towards the programs in AWS. 

Credit in Anthropology 

Students interested in the Archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean and neighbouring regions might also wish to take Archaeology courses from the Department of Anthropology. Several advanced ANTH courses in Archaeology are counted for credit in AWS programs, up to a maximum of 12 ch. Likewise, selected advanced AWS Archaeology courses may be counted for credit in programs in the Department of Anthropology, up to a maximum of 12 ch. Consult the ANTH section of the calendar for relevant regulations. A Double Major or Joint Honours in Anthropology and AWS is possible. 

See the program requirements below for courses in other programs accepted for credit in Ancient World Studies. 

Programs of Study 

Ancient World Studies 

Ancient World Studies is the study of the ancient peoples of the Mediterranean basin and neighbouring regions through literary and material remains.  Students can also participate in and receive credit for travel programs and archaeological field schools in the Mediterranean and other regions. Students can also take courses in Latin and ancient Greek to read ancient authors in their original languages. This program may lead to professional training in museum studies, public history, law, journalism, education, and a variety of other fields, or serve as a valuable complement to a primary academic discipline such as Anthropology, History, English, Sociology, Political Science, and others. The honours program also prepares students to enroll in graduate programs in fields such as Classics, Archaeology, Near Eastern Studies, and more.  

Note: The Ancient World Studies program requires a grade of C or above in all courses being counted towards Major or Honours requirements. 

Programs in Ancient World Studies 

Admission to introductory courses is open to all students in all faculties and all years. 

Students in any faculty may select a minor in AWS. Only students in the Faculty of Arts may take the major/double major or honours/joint honours in AWS. 

Students may declare their major or apply for admission to the honours program after completing 30 credit hours. In either case, they will contact the Historical Studies undergraduate advisor. 

Ancient World Studies offers five program options, all of which are flexible and pair well with other academic programs: 

Minor (24 ch) 

  • 12 ch from any level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT courses 
  • 12 ch of upper-level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT or affiliated courses 

Single Major (42 ch) 

  • 6 ch from 1000-level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT courses 
  • 30 ch of upper-level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT or affiliated courses 
  • 6 additional ch from any level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT courses 

Double major (36 ch) 

  • 6 ch from 1000-level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT courses 
  • 24 ch of upper-level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT or affiliated courses  
  • 6 additional ch from any level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT courses 

Single Honours (48 ch) 

  • 6 ch from 1000-level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT courses  
  • 36 ch upper-level 
  • 6 ch from AWS 5100 
  • 30 ch of upper-level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT or affiliated courses 
  • 6 additional ch from any level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT courses 

Joint honours (36 ch) 

  • 6 ch from 1000-level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT courses  
  • 30 ch upper-level 
  • 6 ch from AWS 5100 
  • 24 ch of upper-level CLAS/AWS/GRK/LAT or affiliated courses 

AWS Courses (NOTE: Courses under the former designation of CLAS will be accepted for credit as AWS courses. A student cannot take both an AWS and a CLAS course of the same number for credit): 

  • AWS 1323: Discovering Ancient Civilizations 
  • AWS 1403: The Ancient Greeks: Gods, Heroes, Politicians and Poets 
  • AWS1413: The Romans: Gladiators and Senators, Engineers and Emperors 
  • AWS 1703: Greek and Latin Roots of Scientific Terminology 
  • LAT 2105: Intermediate Latin (NOTE: Can be counted as an upper-level credit for AWS programs) 
  • GRK 2205: Intermediate Ancient Greek (NOTE: Can be counted as an upper-level credit for AWS programs) 
  • AWS 3003: Ancient History: The Greeks and their Neighbours  
  • AWS 3023: The Mediterranean World between Alexander and Cleopatra 
  • AWS 3033: Ancient History: The Romans and their Neighbours 
  • GRK 3205: Beginning Ancient Greek Reading 
  • LAT 3213/3223/3233/3243: Reading Latin Authors 
  • LAT 3253: Directed Reading in Latin 
  • GRK 3263: Directed Reading in Ancient Greek 
  • AWS 3313: Field School in Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology 
  • AWS 3333: From Kingship to Democracy: Art and Archaeology of Greece 
  • AWS 3343: Archaeologies of the Roman Empire: Art, Landscapes and Memories 
  • AWS 3403: Comic Theatre of Greece and Rome 
  • AWS 3413: Tragic Theatre of Greece and Rome 
  • AWS 3503: The Greek Gods and Their Cults 
  • AWS 3513: The Trojan War: Myth and History 
  • AWS 3523: Mythology and Religion of the Romans  
  • AWS 3583: Ancient Mediterranean Warfare 
  • AWS 3603: The Art and Architecture of Greece I 
  • AWS 3623: Remembering War in Ancient Greece 
  • AWS 3633: The Archaeology of Ancient Mediterranean Colonialism 
  • AWS 3673: Ancient Cities and Civilizations of Western Turkey 
  • AWS 3683: The Art and Architecture of Asia Minor 
  • AWS 3885: Ancient Greek Literature and its Legacies in English 
  • AWS 3886: Roman Literature and its Legacies in English  
  • AWS 3913: Gender and Power in the Ancient Mediterranean 
  • AWS 3933: Golden Ages of the Ancient Mediterranean 
  • AWS 3953: Race and Racism in the Ancient World 
  • AWS 4063: Caesar Augustus: Architect of the Roman Empire 

Courses also accepted for credit in AWS programs (up to a maximum of 12 ch): 

  • ANTH 3301: The Archaeology of North America Before Europeans 
  • ANTH 3303: History of Archaeological Thought 
  • ANTH 3341: Work-Study in Museum Studies and Material Culture Analysis 
  • ANTH 3351: Work-Study in Archaeological Field Research 
  • ANTH 3353: Archaeological Field School II 
  • ANTH 3364: Archaeology of Northeastern North America 
  • ANTH 3524: Paleopathology: Ancient Disease in the Human Skeleton  
  • ANTH 4302: Historical Archaeology of the Maritimes 
  • ANTH 4304: Archaeology of Atlantic Canada  
  • ANTH 4313: Archaeology, Heritage, and the Public(s) 
  • ENGL 3605: Indigenous Literatures of Turtle Island: A Historical Survey to the Present 
  • ENGL 3885: Ancient Greek Literature and its Legacies in English 
  • ENGL 3886: Roman Literature and its Legacies in English 
  • HIST 3001: West Meets East, 1050-1600 
  • HIST 3015: Inventing Race: A Global History to 1804 
  • HIST 4001: Heretics and Witches in Europe, 1350-1650